Post date: Dec 06, 2015 6:25:6 AM
Hello Room 25 Kids and Parents,
Happy Sunday and I hope that your weekend has gone well. The holidays have hit hard here at the Heumann household. Twenty bins of decorations (etc!) have come out of storage and the kids are each creating beautiful and festive decorations around the whole house. It thrills me that our daughters, even in their busy teen years still carry the joy with them and infuse it into the friends and neighbors who stop by.
Recap of the Week
We had a good week and I can sense some big growth on the near horizon; the class environment feels good, most of the kids seem to be learning lots, and more are really stepping into action and taking more personal responsibility. Most of our homeroom time has been spent on the forces/motion unit. Each night the kids are to read a section in the book (4 to 6 pages) and then during class we do discussions, activities, and a daily comprehension quiz. This seems to be working and kids are asking good questions and keeping up with the fast pace and compressed duration. To allow this all-science time commitment, I have changed the vocabulary and current events routines for a while. Table groups divide up 20 words, learn them by using context-clues and a worksheet, then teach each other daily in preparation for a quiz each Friday (scores for last week look good for most kids, by the way). The weekly current events discussions should be happening with you parents at home, rather than table groups -- if your kid hasn't done that yet, please ask about it.
Book Clubs & Writing Coaches
The five book club parents who meet with groups of kids each week have been working hard to get them to read carefully, understand complexity and nuance, and then engage them in peer-to-peer discussions. It is a challenge I know, but the investment has paid off at times and I've observed some good deep discussions lately. Similarly, the five writing coaches have been working 1:1 with almost every student and the kids seem to be participating/investing in the process quite well. As I've read kids' essays it is very apparent that they are improving! Since ELA is not my strength I appreciate that these parents have been willing to give their time and talents to the class.
Grades
Just a reminder to check PowerSchool with your once in a while. Although the new report card will show things more important than grades, it is best if there are no surprises in that area.
Calendar
December 7 to 11: Spirit Week (Mon=mustache, Tues=sunglasses, Wed=stuffy, Thur=fancy, Fri=Disney)
December 12 (Saturday): DCS alumni volunteering at Family Giving Tree
December 17 (Thursday): 8th grade to the Exploratorium
December 18 (Friday): Early dismissal
December 21 - January 10: Winter Holiday
January 18 (Monday): No School, MLK day
January 26 (Tuesday):8th grade class photo
February 5 (Friday): Semester 1 ends
February 6 (Saturday): DCS 10 Year Celebration
February 15 to 19: February Break
February 23 to 26: Room 25's San Francisco Trip
March 18 (Friday): Staff Development Day
Thanks, all, for being fantastic people that make my job and life a joy.
Chris