Reading is Thinking What was the last book you got sucked into? If it wasn't the last book you read, I feel sorry for you. Be sure you pick a much more exciting book to read next. Regardless if your book was enjoyable or not, you had thoughts and feelings about what you read. Those thoughts are important and well warranted. In fact, I encourage you to feel deeply each and every time you read. I need you to think about your reading when you go home. To be sure you are getting enough time with your books, set aside at least 30 minutes. Next, fill out a reading log and turn it in on Monday morning. The reading logs have been handed out to you in school. There will be extra copies in school. But in the event you are at home and you are missing a reading log, please go to the Links page to print one out. You can also press the button below for a copy of the reading log for an extra copy.
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It has been an awesome first two weeks of school. I know that because I’ve left school everyday with a smile and lots of energy. That energy has been put to good use, too. I’ve come in the next day all hyped up to do more and more with your children. So far in Math we’ve learned the importance of having a Growth Mindset. Students have learned that no one is born smart or good at math. People have to take risks, make mistakes, and not be focused on how fast you solve a problem and work through problems because the math process is most important. In Literacy, we’ve activated some of our prior knowledge of how books are sorted and created the classroom library. How did the students create the classroom library you wonder? Well, the students sorted through bins that I purposely jumbled. They made new bins based on genre, author, book series and many other interests. Some bins were so unique and unexpected even Steven King and J.K. Rowling would be impressed with them. I could continue with details about each subject but I’d prefer to end with sharing a note worthy success from the Tuesday after Labor Day. If you have more questions about Jo Boaler and her work, please visit www.youcubed.org. She's got some awesome insights that is worth your time. Tepid Tuesday Tepid Tuesday has been known to fall during the school year. Most often, it coincides with the start of the school year. Although it is a students dream to have a four-day weekend, it more often than not leads to frequent bathroom breaks, memory loss of classroom routines, and forgotten homework assignments. With my experiences of past Tepid Tuesday in mind, I am pleased to say, the students in room 30 came into the classroom ready and rearing to learn. I’d like to attribute that to my scintillating demeanor but I think the students were simply happy to be rid of summer and ready for the challenge of another school year. The morning flew by with the usual Morning Routine, Morning Meeting, Literacy and specials (P.E. & Music). Then came lunch and recess. That is when Tepid Tuesday arrived, reared its head, and settled in real cozy like with 90+ degrees of heat and humidity. Memorable comments of students coming in from recess, “It’s hotter than a desert heat wave.” “My shoes melted to the pavement.” “It’s not that hot outside, said no one ever.” When verbal expressions required an output of too much energy, students resorted to showing their discomfort through their body language. I read the signs loud and clear. I calmly suggested a cool down activity before they blew their Flux Capacitors and were stuck like Marty and Doc in Back to the Future. With the lights turned off to stifle conversation and the shades drawn to minimize deliveries being made, and any other distractions, the students began to feel the calming mood I’d set for them. There was a silent hum of brains being turned back on after a lounging lunch and a raucous recess. Students turned their attention on the SMART board and they watched a video by Jo Boaler and her Stanford University students. This was our third video regarding students adopting a growth mindset in math. Jo Boaler and her students discussed the importance of building synapses in the brain through mistakes. See the 4 minute video below. At the end of the lesson, a student walked up to me and said, “Mr. Bruff, this is the most comfortable I’ve ever been in math at the beginning of the school year.” I admittedly thought the student was referring to the heat so I decided to ask a clarifying question. When I asked the student why, that student responded with, “Now I know in math it’s important to learn instead of just trying to get the answer correct.” It goes without saying the short conversation we had made my day. I was impressed that the student figured out the purpose of education so early in the year. This past Tepid Tuesday didn’t get the best of this class. Oh no! We whipped it into shape and we are not done learning yet. We all know successful students do not get answers correct, successful students learn. Next Friday, the students in room 30 will be continuing a class tradition. We will be gluing pictures of each student to the bookcase. In order to do that, I would like each student to bring in at least 3 pictures of themselves that can be glued on to the bookcase. The pictures can include your child with their family or your child doing an activity they enjoy. The key to each picture is, your child MUST be in the picture.
Pictures will need to be in school by Wednesday, September 16th. If you have any questions, please let me know by email at [email protected]. |
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July 2016
A Noteworthy 4th Grade Bowman Blog
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