Happy November

Dear Families,

I hope your child and you had a wonderful Halloween celebration on Sunday!  Many shared their enthusiasm with all the fun (and candy collected) they had with their family and friends!  We took this enthusiasm straight into our learning :)

It’s been another productive week here in our class!  Below, you will see just how amazing it was :) Thank you for taking the time each week to read and support your child's learning.  Your active involvement is appreciated!

I hope that you continue to feel like this BLOG serves as a communication tool between school and home.  Its purpose is to reinforce all that we're learning and what we're doing in class so you can help guide your child at home too!  It's making a significant difference :)

National Gratitude Month:

Did you know November is NATIONAL GRATITUDE month?  Yes, it's true!!  National Gratitude Month encourages us to embrace the power of gratitude.  In our class, there is a daily emphasis on this trait so we know it's not just something we do for the month of November, but each and every day of our precious lives :)

As we've learned, gratitude is more than simply saying "thank you."  Gratitude's amazing powers have the ability to shift us from focusing on the negative to appreciating what is positive in our lives.  Practicing daily gratitude gives us a deeper connection to ourselves, the world around us, and to our Creator.

Everything in our lives has the ability to improve when we are grateful.  Research has shown that gratitude can enhance our moods, decrease stress, and drastically improve our overall level of health and wellbeing.  

If everyone practiced daily gratitude, we could change ourselves and the planet for the better.  Everyone would be much happier!  Love would grow and hate would decrease.  The world would know true peace.

What are WE waiting for?  Give gratitude a try!  You'll be happier you did :-) 

Treaty Recognition Week:

Students and staff in Simcoe District School Board are learning about the importance of treaties, treaty rights, treaty relationships, and our obligations in honouring them.  

During Treaties Recognition Week from November 1 to 7, 2021, we focus and reflect on the role and history of treaties in establishing agreements between Indigenous communities, governments, and Canadians, and their relevance today.

Treaties Recognition Week in Ontario was first declared by the provincial government in 2016 following the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.  It is an opportunity for us to increase our awareness of treaties, build and strengthen relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, and take further meaningful action in our reconciliation efforts.

Information on treaties, videos featuring Indigenous voices, treaty maps, and resources for learning can be found at https://www.ontario.ca/page/treaties.

Progress Reports:
Yesterday, you all received your child's progress report card.  It was a joy writing these as it gives me the opportunity to think and reflect upon all the wonderful things your child is contributing in our learning community thus far.  It’s been a remarkable start to the year!  I truly feel blessed to teach and learn from your child each and every day!

I have encouraged my students to carefully go over the Learning Skills portion of this report card with you and to not focus solely on the letter grade (E, G, S, N), but to read the star (areas of strength) and arrow (areas for improvement) comments.  It is these comments that provide valuable insight into what will guide your child into continuing and instilling important work habits which will ultimately help them be successful in their academic, social, and behavioural journey in school.  

"How Am I Doing?"
Along with each progress report card, I had students think and reflect upon the following skills:

• Completing my work 
• Using my time wisely 
• Following directions
• Keeping organized

Students did a self-assessment (see photo above) in these areas as a means to set goals for themselves moving forward into term 1.  I will be regularly reinforcing these work habits throughout the year to help each child achieve their personal best!  Please feel free to do so at home as well using the criteria provided.  

Student-Led Conferences:

I am really looking forward to virtually meeting with YOU next week at the student-led conferences where we will get to celebrate your child's strengths and areas of improvement!

A friendly reminder, if you haven't already done so, please ensure you sign up for a day and time using the following link to book and confirm your child's conference -->  Conference Booking

If you have difficulty with this, please don't hesitate to contact our office.  I know Mrs. Mortimer mmortimer@scdsb.on.ca will be happy to help you with this process.

This will be a VIRTUAL STUDENT-LED CONFERENCE using Google Meet with the link that was provided when you signed up for your day/time.  

Here it is for your reference:  https://meet.google.com/zxu-hyfn-pcw

You must have reliable internet at home for this to work.  As I've gathered from your child, I believe you all do :)  

In your home, I am encouraging you to please find a space where your child can present his or her portfolio comfortably and effectively (e.g., the dining room table).  

Please have your child sit in the middle so you can see their work as they share.  If at all possible, please ensure siblings are not in the Meet as this may cause distraction for your child as he or she presents.  Your cooperation in this matter is valued.

I would ask that if you come onto the Meet and I am still with another family, please put yourself on mute and I will get to you as soon as possible.  Each conference is 15 minutes so I will do my best to stick to this as I am very respectful of your time.  Thank you.

Pop Tabs for Wheelchairs:

Did your child share with you that our class family is again thinking about ways to make a difference?  This time, we are asking families to save their tabs from cans and bring them to school throughout the school year.

The tabs will be taken to a metal recycling depot that pays for the aluminum by the pound.  With the money, wheelchairs and other adaptive equipment are purchased for children in need.

Thank you to Georgia and her family for helping with this initiative in a huge way at their local business called THE COLLINGWOOD GOLF CLUB!  

They have asked their employees to collect any tabs from their sales and Georgia will bring them for our class.  WOW, this will be such a big help :)  The Eichenberger's thoughtfulness and contributions are valued beyond measure!

Grammar Rule #2:

This week's grammar focus was on 'TYPES OF SENTENCES.'  Your child has brought home his or her work to share this learning with you.    

Below, you will see the kids in working action!  I provide students with the opportunity to work together to - THINK!  PAIR!  SHARE!  This process allows students to learn and grow from each other and take up our answers.

Math:

As shared in last week's post, our focus in math is all about geometry: 2D shapes & 3D figures.  We are  learning to describe their geometric properties - faces, edges, vertices, and angle types!  It's a great unit that gets students to build and design using different math manipulatives.

This week, I provided snap cubes and challenged the students to create various multi-link cube designs (see models above).  They LOVED THIS!!  

Here they are in their math groups building and creating as a T.E.A.M.!  After our building, we had some great discussions describing the geometric properties of various polygons. 

Remembrance Day:

On Nov. 11th, our school will be honouring Remembrance Day.  Unfortunately, we will not be having an assembly in the gym as we have in previous years, however, our class will be doing a special performance with Mr. Morin virtually for the school.  The kids have been working hard in music classes the past while and I'm excited to see them perform.  

Please have your child dress up in red, white, black on Thurs. Nov. 11th for this special occasion.  Sticker poppies will be provided.  

Clara: 

Thank you to Clara for bringing in such an amazing picture book about Amanda Gorman who is an astonishing African American poet and activist whom I respect.  The book is called "Change Sings."  

In this stirring, much anticipated picture book by presidential inaugural poet and activist Amanda Gorman, anything is possible when our voices join together.

As a young girl leads a cast of characters on a musical journey, they learn that they have the power to make changes -big or small- in the world, in their communities, and, most importantly, in themselves!!

Gorman's work focuses on social justice issues of oppression, feminism, race, and marginalization. Gorman made history when she became the youngest inaugural poet during president Joe Biden's swearing-in ceremony in Washington.  

Below, you will find Gorman's moving speech which literally gave me goose bumps when I first heard it earlier this year.

In class, we have had numerous discussions about ways to accept people as they are and to always show respect to others no matter their race, religion, gender, faith, etc ...  

Thank you Clara for making this connection and sharing a read aloud which helps further our knowledge and understanding of ways to make a positive difference in this world like Gorman has! 

Emily:

We've had numerous students visit the Collingwood Rock Shop since our discussion began about all the neat stones, lamps, and other healing items they provide.  Emily enthusiastically came to school to share her special stone with us called Calcite.

Did you know Calcite is a powerful amplifier and cleanser of energy?  Yes, it is!  Simply having Calcite in the room clears negative energies from the environment and heightens personal energy.

Within the body, it removes stagnant energy.  Here's something I love ... Calcite AMPLIFIES LEARNING ability and memory and is therefore a POWERFUL GIFT FOR STUDENTS.  AMAZING!!

Thank you Emily for sharing this stone with us and all its important information :-)

Elliott:

Thank you Elliott for sharing with our class family "Sometimes you win, sometimes you LEARN!"  Wow, this is terrific!  I wholeheartedly agree with this message.  When things don't go our way, it's OK, it's a learning and growing opportunity.  

This growth mindset has and will especially continue to come in handy during our gym games when one team "wins," and the other "LEARNS" (not loses).

Jardine:

Thank you Jardine for mindfully and peacefully participating in our daily meditations.  Shout out to the others behind Jardine in their meditative states as well (see photo:  Evie, Clara, Finley).

It makes my heart soar with joy seeing you (Jardine) in the present moment and being an inspirer for your peers and I.  Keep being SOUFUL you :)  

Mindfulness:

Please watch some Ontario students who talk about why treaties matter.  It is an informative and important message from the hearts and minds of school aged children :)

Growth Mindset:

"Instead of - I just can't do this.  Try thinking - I can TRAIN MY BRAIN!"

Meegwich

Ms. Gill