What a beautiful Friday afternoon! I hope it is the beginning of a wonderful weekend for us all!
We had quite a busy week. It was strange being away from my class for two days, but I received very positive feedback from both of the substitutes. And even though several children have been sick, everyone was there for our class photo--it should be a nice one!
Thank you to all who signed the letter concerning behavior. I hope you know by now that I try my best to be fair and understanding. I have created several incentive programs throughout this school year--I usually have to switch things up to keep students engaged. I have great experience in this area, as I have done this for 31 years. Most of that time I worked with students with special needs and developed many positive plans to encourage good behavior so learning could take place.
Each year brings new challenges, and I am always up for trying new things. This summer I read several great books for my own professional growth. During the first couple of weeks of school my homeroom students and I learned about our brains and how we can 'calm' them to stay focused to learn. The lessons came from a program developed with Goldie Hahn called Mind Up. I have read Sean Covey's The Seven Habits of Happy Kids with my students, and we have had great discussions about those habits. We have had class competitions, made "tags for our bags", had extra recess, and have used a clip-up and clip-down system for self-awareness. We do a lot...I just don't always have the time to tell you about everything. That's where the trust comes in. I hope you have enough trust in me to know that I will treat your child like I want any teacher to treat my own children. I may make mistakes along the way, but I always try to create an safe environment so I can reach ALL children.
Please know this--every single child I teach is precious! I truly mean this! What awesome human beings they are! They surprise me with their aptitude, insights, humor, and abilities. But nothing should interfer with my teaching and your child's learning..and this year I have spent a lot of time dealing with behavior. Not terrible behavior, but behavior that interferes with my teaching and the education of the students in the class. The school day is "sacred" to me, meaning I take my profession seriously and want to provide the best learning experience I can for your child. Yes, I give out checks, but only after at least one warning. The checks are really used so you can stay informed, so you can be a part of the training of your child. If you don't know what your child does or doesn't do at school, you won't be able to help. Please know that in my class, much more than the giving out of checks takes place. But also know that the checks are the way we quantify behavior for purposes of progress reports and report cards. Can improvements be made to the system as it is now? Certainly! I welcome your ideas but hope I also have your trust in my experience, my character, and my passion for teaching.
We are going through a very rough time as parents and teachers in DeKalb. I know...I am both a parent and a teacher in this system. I need your support more than ever before because I do not want any issue that the county may have or any angst that you or I may feel to interfere with your child's education!
Thanks for reading to the end! Check back as usual on Monday to read about the week's plans.
We had quite a busy week. It was strange being away from my class for two days, but I received very positive feedback from both of the substitutes. And even though several children have been sick, everyone was there for our class photo--it should be a nice one!
Thank you to all who signed the letter concerning behavior. I hope you know by now that I try my best to be fair and understanding. I have created several incentive programs throughout this school year--I usually have to switch things up to keep students engaged. I have great experience in this area, as I have done this for 31 years. Most of that time I worked with students with special needs and developed many positive plans to encourage good behavior so learning could take place.
Each year brings new challenges, and I am always up for trying new things. This summer I read several great books for my own professional growth. During the first couple of weeks of school my homeroom students and I learned about our brains and how we can 'calm' them to stay focused to learn. The lessons came from a program developed with Goldie Hahn called Mind Up. I have read Sean Covey's The Seven Habits of Happy Kids with my students, and we have had great discussions about those habits. We have had class competitions, made "tags for our bags", had extra recess, and have used a clip-up and clip-down system for self-awareness. We do a lot...I just don't always have the time to tell you about everything. That's where the trust comes in. I hope you have enough trust in me to know that I will treat your child like I want any teacher to treat my own children. I may make mistakes along the way, but I always try to create an safe environment so I can reach ALL children.
Please know this--every single child I teach is precious! I truly mean this! What awesome human beings they are! They surprise me with their aptitude, insights, humor, and abilities. But nothing should interfer with my teaching and your child's learning..and this year I have spent a lot of time dealing with behavior. Not terrible behavior, but behavior that interferes with my teaching and the education of the students in the class. The school day is "sacred" to me, meaning I take my profession seriously and want to provide the best learning experience I can for your child. Yes, I give out checks, but only after at least one warning. The checks are really used so you can stay informed, so you can be a part of the training of your child. If you don't know what your child does or doesn't do at school, you won't be able to help. Please know that in my class, much more than the giving out of checks takes place. But also know that the checks are the way we quantify behavior for purposes of progress reports and report cards. Can improvements be made to the system as it is now? Certainly! I welcome your ideas but hope I also have your trust in my experience, my character, and my passion for teaching.
We are going through a very rough time as parents and teachers in DeKalb. I know...I am both a parent and a teacher in this system. I need your support more than ever before because I do not want any issue that the county may have or any angst that you or I may feel to interfere with your child's education!
Thanks for reading to the end! Check back as usual on Monday to read about the week's plans.