Newsletter for the Week

How can it be that another week is complete?  Our time in 4^th grade just goes so quickly!  We are falling into routines and most of them are good.  I have to share with you a little experience that I had recently.  As you know, I love to run.  It gave me great pleasure to get to go and watch a dear friend run her first ½ marathon last week.  She did an AMAZING job.  She finished in an hour and 48 minutes.  I was so happy for her and I was thrilled to be there to see her finish.  Then my own self-talk started.  I began berating myself for my recent ½ finish time.   I said things like, “You obviously didn’t try your best.  You are so slow.  Why do you bother when so many other people are faster and stronger?”  After stewing in my thoughts for a bit, I realized that each of us has our own unique brand of being.   That’s what is so great.  In our classroom we get to celebrate what is making each of us our own and I have to tell you that there are 24 awesomesauce, bombtastic 4^th graders that I get to celebrate learning with every day.  If you would like to follow along with more of our learning, check out our facebook page or blog.

You can read the rest of the NEWSLETTER HERE!

Weekly Wrap Up

Here is the newsletter that students will bring home tomorrow.

(drawing scenes from My Brother Martin)

Sorting spelling words

Partner Reading

Check out this week's Newsletter

Here is the note that will be in Friday Folders this week.

What Have We Been Doing

These exit slips are such a great way for me to learn about my students.  The above one might be someone who wants a few bonus points  ;-)

It makes my heart happy to see that some of the favorite things from the days at school have to do with friends.  I really believe that those connections are what will make or break a school year.  This group of kids are really good about showing kindness to their peers.  It's evident in the exit slips.

Another really big thing we did today was to "vote" for a golden ticket celebration.  It's really fun to see the RANGE of possibilities that these 4th graders have in mind.

Math time today included First to 0.   It's a great game and I wish we were able to play it more often.

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The days are going quickly and we are continuing to work hard.  This week's cooler weather has made it easier to focus!  Thanks for checking in on what we have been doing!

That's the TICKET

Our schoolwide positive behavior system is pretty fantastic.  This week we have reviewed many of the expectations.   We've practiced the good behaviors too.    

You may wonder what happens next.   Well---we get recognition for doing what we are supposed to do.   We get blue tickets for doing what we are supposed to as individuals.  We get yellow tickets when our whole class is on target with our behavior.  For every 24 blue tickets, we trade them in for a yellow ticket.  Tomorrow our class needs to come up with a yellow ticket goal and a yellow ticket celebration.  When our wonderful counter (GS) counted for us today, we had the value of 9 (NINE) yellow tickets!   That's pretty impressive considering that today was only the 3rd day of school.   Way to go, my amazing 4th graders!  You are Arrows on Target!