Dear Lower Elementary West Community,
We are very happy to express our gratitude after these two weeks, both for all of you and for your children. Jessy and I are truly enjoying our time with the children, and the successes they have had thus far.
The focal point for our first month is building community. Our goal as a classroom is to see our interconnectedness, and how we must function as one group, in order to achieve success and happiness in our work and play. As such, the children (with very little guidance) have created guidelines for relationship, work, and behavior, and these guidelines serve as reminders to us all as we make our way through each day--making mistakes, experiencing success, and learning through the process. Below is a copy of the jobs the children came up with.
Another recent development is singing! It turns out the group loves to sing, and we're fitting more of it into our schedule, to build community and to have fun. Their voices are amazing together. I've attached the lyrics of our current favorite song.
Of course, there is work as well. Jessy has been giving geography lessons on the globe, the continents, and the Earth. We have begun studies in biology as well, with the first years studying the basic differences between animals, plants, and non-living things. The second years are reviewing their knowledge of vertebrate animals, and the third years are dipping into the notion of classification, for later work with animals. In math and language, we are still assessing and getting a sense of what the children know. We have begun exploring subtraction, patterns to 100, free writing, and cursive letters.
Some announcements;
On Friday, October 2, we'll be going to Buttermilk Falls Farm, as you know. Please refer to the GRS Newsletter for full information. A thousand thanks to all of you that volunteered to help with this. There will be more opportunities!
On Friday, October 2, we'll be going to Buttermilk Falls Farm, as you know. Please refer to the GRS Newsletter for full information. A thousand thanks to all of you that volunteered to help with this. There will be more opportunities!
On Tuesday, October 6, in the evening, there will be a lower elementary family night--a bring-your-own-picnic event--at the area just south (and across the street from) of Comotown at Como Park. Here is a map if you need it: http://www.stpaul.gov/DocumentCenter/View/67807. Look for the West Picnic Shelter. Specific time is yet to be announced, but it will be in the range of 5:00 to 7:00pm.
On Saturday, October 10, there will be a Harvest Festival at Great River, from 2:00-5:00pm. It's a great way for all of us to build a strong school community. Look for specifics in the GRS Announcements.
It's never to early to put something important on your calendar: On Friday, October 23, at 1:15 until 3:00, Lower Elementary West will perform the fruits of their two-week residency with the St. Paul ballet. After working on campus every day for these weeks, the children will show what they've learned for anyone who wishes to come and see. Hope you can be there!
I can't thank you all enough. Jessy and I feel so supported, and it has a very definite effect on the life of our classroom community. We appreciate you!
Best wishes,
Erik
