Things are going well. We're taking things slowly, getting to know routines and each other. I'm intentionally repeating some stuff in this newsletter, just to make sure information is out there.
Curriculum Night and Open House
This is your chance to come to school and hear me talk about what I do and why. We'll meet in the gym, you'll leave your kids there while you come to our classroom. After I'm done, you'll go back to the gym, get your kids, and then your kids can show you around the classroom and school. We all start in the gym at 6:30 and we're all done at 7:30. I hope you can make it.
Math
You'll notice math pages from the workbook coming home many days. We do the pages, I look them over, and then send them home. My intent is not to get every page perfect for every student before sending them home. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't catch and correct everything. I don't try. I catch what I can that seems relevant for that child at that time.
What I'd like from you: Notice what was done well and celebrate. That's all. Ignore the rest, unless your child asks you about it, just like you celebrated first steps and ignored all the falling down when they first learned to walk. Wisdom dictates taking this approach for all learning. If you feel the desire to "teach", please teach the joy and love of math, and the many practical uses of math, which may not be evident on the worksheets, but which will be key in making the students into lifelong mathematicians.
Classroom Visits and Volunteering
I welcome visits and volunteers, any time, no need to call first if you want to drop by. If you want to help on a regular basis, that would be great. There will be a sign up sheet at parent night, on September 17, or just send me an email if you have a specific day or time and we'll make it work. If you think you'd like to be in the classroom, please make sure you have all the volunteer forms and paperwork filled out. Those are available in the office, and I'll have some at parent night, too. If you filled out forms last year, we still need you to do it again (although I think we need fewer the second time).
Snack
We'll have snack every day, for those who want it. You can either send a separate snack for your child, or you can send in a big bag or box for everyone to share. The kids who bring their own will eat that. The ones who share will take turns eating what people send. Do what it easy for you and your child: either remember every day or just once in awhile. THANKS to those who have already sent snack.
Music and P.E.
We have physical education on Tuesdays and Thursdays this year, and music on Wednesdays and Thursdays this year. Please help the students remember to have appropriate footwear for physical education.
Library
Our library day is Tuesday. Pleas help students remember to bring books back. They can also bring back books any time and get new ones. They don't have to wait until Tuesday.
Email List
Every year I create a class email list to contact people quickly, send newsletters, things like that.Please send me your email address as soon as possible. The easiest way is for you to use my email address at the top of this note.Send me an email asking me to add you to the list, and I'll reply when I do it.
Web Site
There are two ways for you to access information about us on the internet. One is the district web site at http://swift.enumclaw.wednet.edu/bde/jkurtz/index.php. A second is our Twitter site at http://twitter.com/room302. We'll use the Twitter site throughout the day, throughout the year, to document what we're doing in class. If you go there, you can also read our "tweets" and access audio and video that we posted last year. If you want to know more about how I use Twitter to teach writing, there is even a link to a magazine article I wrote about it (I just hope it doesn't crash their servers, with all of you trying to access the article at once. ☺) For me to use student pictures and work on the internet, I need a permission slip signed by each family. Please ask if you have questions about that.
Questions?
Starting in a new classroom can be confusing, so please let me know right away if you have questions or concerns.The parent meeting will be more for general questions, and I'm happy to take questions about your child any time.
Here's to a great year!
Sincerely,
Jeff
-- Jeff
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Newsletter 1
9/20/2009
Dear Families,
It was a great first day! The children are wonderful. We spent some time reading, writing, doing art, and getting to know each other. Here is a brief rundown on some items of interest.
Classroom Visits and Volunteering
I welcome visits and volunteers, any time, no need to call first if you want to drop by. If you want to help on a regular basis, that would be great. There will be a sign up sheet at parent night, on September 17, or just send me an email if you have a specific day or time and we’ll make it work. If you think you’d like to be in the classroom, please make sure you have all the volunteer forms and paperwork filled out. Those are available in the office, and I’ll have some at parent night, too. If you filled out forms last year, we still need you to do it again (although I think we need fewer the second time).
Snack
We’ll have snack every day, for those who want it. You can either send a separate snack for your child, or you can send in a big bag or box for everyone to share. The kids who bring their own will eat that. The ones who share will take turns eating what people send. Do what it easy for you and your child: either remember every day or just once in awhile.
Music and P.E.
We have physical education on Tuesdays and Thursdays this year, and music on Wednesdays and Thursdays this year. Please help the students remember to have appropriate footwear for physical education.
Email List
Every year I create a class email list to contact people quickly, send newsletters, things like that. Please send me your email address as soon as possible. The easiest way is for you to use my email address at the top of this note. Send me an email asking me to add you to the list, and I’ll reply when I do it.
Web Site
There are two ways for you to access information about us on the internet. One is the district web site at http://swift.enumclaw.wednet.edu/bde/jkurtz/index.php. A second is our Twitter site at http://twitter.com/room302. We’ll use the Twitter site throughout the day, throughout the year, to document what we’re doing in class. If you go there, you can also read our “tweets” and access audio and video that we posted last year. If you want to know more about how I use Twitter to teach writing, there is even a link to a magazine article I wrote about it (I just hope it doesn’t crash their servers, with all of you trying to access the article at once. ☺) For me to use student pictures and work on the internet, I need a permission slip signed by each family. Please ask if you have questions about that.
Questions?
Starting in a new classroom can be confusing, so please let me know right away if you have questions or concerns. The parent meeting will be more for general questions, and I’m happy to take questions about your child any time.
Here’s to a great year!
Dear Families,
We're writing Valentine cards to each other instead of buying them. Here are a few ideas to help personalize the valentines for those who are working at home.
Name-Things We Like
I wish I could describe the genuine and enthusiastic appreciation in this room as the students opened their books from their Secret Santas.It was amazing.I was a bit nervous about doing the Secret Santa thing because it required everything being coordinated all on the same day, but it was well worth the trouble.Thanks so much to everyone who was able to get the books wrapped and sent in, especially considering that many people were without power last weekend.A special thanks to those people who were able to send in an extra book, in case they were needed—we couldn’t have done the book exchange on Tuesday without those extra books.And it wouldn’t have been as much fun, certainly, without all of the adults who were able to come and help out.
Another great thing was the gingerbread houses.What artistry!My favorite part was watching the kids work together, help each other, and appreciate their classmates’ creations.It’s fun and inspiring to work in a place where others value what you do, and that is how this class treats each other.With the party on Tuesday afternoon, followed on Wednesday by Music, Physical Education, and a Read-In, it was a wonderful and relaxing way to head into the break and the holidays.
Holiday Program
Speaking of wonderful, the children and music teacher deserve immense praise for providing us with such an entertaining evening of performing the other night at the program.I’m glad that so many of the children were able to attend.They did a lot of hard work to get ready for that show, and it paid off.
Field Trip
Some excellent hustle by our principal is paying off as well: We are already rescheduled to go to see The Sorcerer’s Apprentice again.It seems only fair to offer first chance to chaperone to those who were with us today.If you came with us last time and would like to again, please email me, or send a note.I sometimes forget if it’s not written down.As far as permission slips for the kids, we’re able to honor those you’ve already sent from last time.If you don’t want your child to attend this time, please let me know.We’ll get more details out after the break.
Chapter Book
Bunnicula by Deborah and James Howe.
Calendar
Wednesday, December 20—Early release, 12:15
Thursday, December 21-Monday, January 1—No school:Winter Break
We added seven more items to our food drive collection. We had 166
before, so now we have 173. There is still time for people to bring more.
Yesterday and today we practiced for our Holiday Concert. There were five
other classes there, too. We lined up in the gym. We arranged ourselves
from tallest to smallest so people could see everyone on the risers. Then
we went up on the risers by sixes. We sang the songs that we learned in
music class. It was fun. Tomorrow we will practice in front of the
third, fourth, and fifth grades.
Our class is doing “Secret Santa.” Each of us picked the name of one
classmate to buy a book for. The book should be inexpensive, new or
gently used. Here are some things we like to read about:
Noah—--dogs, cats, sharks
Katie—--Magic Tree House, Bailey School Kids, poetry, Junie B. Jones, memory
books
Jordan—--math, science, Magic Tree House
Mariah—--dogs, cats, birds
Connor—--dinosaurs, oceans, sharks
Savannah--—fairies, Magic Tree House, animals
Mckayla—--animals, Magic Tree House, poetry, Junie B. Jones
Aubrey—--princesses, ice skating, poetry
Jared—--Magic Tree House, Spiderman, Junie B. Jones
The busy times continue. But there is a lot of good energy around, and we’re having fun. Thanks so much to everyone for putting the time and effort into conferences. I enjoy having the time to sit down and have those conversations. Please keep in touch if you have concerns or questions as the year continues. Field Trip Well, it was interesting. We only made it as far as Tiger Mountain, and we didn’t even see any tigers. We got back at 11:00. All in all, I thought the kids did great. It was just one of those things. I was grateful for all of the parent support we had with us. The good news: Thanks to some excellent work by our principal, we are already rescheduled to go again. It seems only fair to offer first chance to chaperone to those who were with us today. Let me know if that doesn’t work, or if you’d like to be on a chaperone waiting list. I’ll send more details as we get closer. Holiday Program The students are working very hard to get ready for the big show. The gym is usually packed, and parking is tricky, but it will all be worth it. The students need to arrive at 6:45 and meet in our classroom. Then we’ll all walk down together as a class. After the show, we walk back to the classroom and dismiss to families from there. It’s the safest way to go. I’ll be sending home copies of the lyrics for the songs, in case the students want some extra practice. Holiday Party On Tuesday, December 19 we’ll be having a holiday party. We’ll trade books with our secret Santas and build gingerbread houses. I’ll be assigning each child something to bring from the list of supplies to make the gingerbread houses. We’d also welcome any treats and/or volunteers to help us create our masterpieces. Once again, Savannah’s mom has agreed to help me coordinate this. Contact Kim if you can contribute in some way, or if you can’t send something for the gingerbread houses. Book Exchange--Secret Santa I thought it would be fun for part of our Christmas Party to do a Secret Santa book exchange. Each child will secretly draw the name of another classmate. Then he or she will bring a new or gently used (inexpensive, non-religious) book as a gift to exchange at the party. The book should be wrapped, with only the recipient’s name on the outside. At the party, we’ll exchange gifts and reveal Secret Santas. Let me know if you’re unable to provide a new or gently used book for this so that we can make sure to have a present for everyone. Also let me know if you have extra books you’d like to donate for this. Chapter Book Bunnicula by Deborah and James Howe. We’re also reading Junie B., First Grader: BOO…and I Mean It! by Barbara Park Calendar Thursday, December 7—Connor’s Birthday ( Tuesday, December 19—Holiday Party, 1:30 Thursday, December 7—Jared’s Birthday ( Wednesday, December 20—Early release, 12:15 Thursday, December 7—Mrs. Couch’s Birthday ( Thursday, December 21-Monday, January 1—No school: Winter Break Thursday, December 14—Holiday Program, 7:00 Tuesday, January 2—School resumes
