Hello everyone!
I am very excited to begin the new school year! I hope everyone has had a great summer and are coming back to school rested and excited. I know I am primed for a great year in grade 4/5.
I will be using this blog site or possibly another website this year to communicate. We do not have Agendas for students in grade 4/5. I use this site instead to update the events and goings on of the classroom. I will try to update some things we did in class everyday and outline any homework that may be assigned.
On the subject of homework, I can sum up my approach in this way as it has evolved and changed over the years. Homework is used to practice skills and prepare for the next day or week's lessons. I will not be sending projects home in most cases. If they do come home, I will not be marking or counting the work done at home towards a subject grade, however, homework may be commented on as a learning skill and initiative skill. As a classroom teacher, I may send home math or reading for homework and this can be and should be worked on with parents. If students are confident readers, ask them what they are reading about, if they are confident in math, ask them to show you what they can do. Otherwise, feel free to help or have them explain what they have learned or are struggling with.
I believe that supportive parent/teacher partnership is the key to a successful year in any grade. If they are struggling we will need to work on both ends to support that student. That said, a little bit of struggle and failure is key to learning. My message this year is that it needs to be OK to have some failures along the way, as success can only be reached by committing to try again at some of those things are difficult or challenging. It also helps to identify areas in which goals need to be set. We all have frustrations or make mistakes and my goal this year is to make sure that all students realize that mistakes are not a bad thing as long as we take steps to learn from them!
As far as being ready for the first week of school, there are some supplies that are handy. Pencils and lined paper are important, but there shouldn't be a need for notebooks or duotangs or folders. Pencil crayons and erasers and gluesticks are all useful but scissors don't need to be purchased. The other item that will come in handy is a math set with a protractor and compass and a simple calculator may be useful. At times, these will be allowed to help solve problems.
Otherwise, bring yourself, and some excitement on the first day! See you then.
Mr. Brackenbury
