Directly below, please find a few entries out of order. I just checked my blog posting list and realized a couple of entries never showed up. I added them now because I want this blog to be a true representation of our experiences this year. Thank you. As always, be sure to read a few entries below in case I entered more than one on a particular day. Including this entry, there were four today.
Ms. Peterson provided the link to Reading Rainbow’s annual writing contest. The students and I looked at some of the past winners this week and began getting very excited about participating in the contest. I told the children that it would be very difficult for me to oversee 16 individual projects as a part of the class work. So, we began thinking about a class project, but unfortunately this particular contest specifically states “only one entry per child” and “only single author stories”. I encourage each family to check this site out and embark on a project at home with your child.
The Circus is Coming to Town on January 26th for a two-week residency. The theme of the residency is Youth Circuses Around the World. Our class’ focus is China. I will be tying Chinese New Year into our work with Circus Minimus. On Thursday, February 5th, in the evening, there will be a community extravaganza. This residency is made possible by the funds raised by the PTA at the annual WES Ski & Skate sale. Thank you to all the folks who participated in that function.
I have had a few conversations with parents and the children about the differing times we are faced throughout a given year. During a residency, (Circus Minimus, two weeks) it is important to embrace the experience and create learning opportunities that relate to it, which is what I have done over these past two weeks. Homework generally is a result of a more traditional style of learning where the child is expected to practice the skills learned during the day. Some parents and students have a difficult time realizing that even though the children are not using the math, reading, and or spelling “program” they are engrossed in a intense study that is equal in value to the traditional learning I mentioned above. As of Monday, we will be back to the more routine work, but always with a flair of creativity. I can’t teach any other way.
