Post date: Oct 08, 2011 8:41:53 AM
Dear Parents and Students,
An abrupt change in the weather has reminded me that the seasons will come and go quite quickly, as will our stint together. My time with the kids is good and I hope they are benefitting as well as enjoying it. Although I am confident that the curriculum, content and camaraderie are all coming along well, I do get a sense that there is unrealized potential for yet a greater purpose. I know that this is a heavy way to start the email, but I don’t want to let this year go by without mentioning often that I believe that this class has the option to have a unique and powerful experience and lasting impact on the students, school, and community. If and how we capitalize on this elusive potential has yet to be determined.
Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming and a recap of the week.
English: The highlight of the week, for me, was meeting the book club facilitators and watching them establish working relationships with the kids. There is abundant experience in this group and I am certain that we can be ambitious in our goals and deep in the discussions. The first piece of literature that they covered together is a short story called “Thank You Ma’am” by Langston Hughes. For the next two weeks, we’ll be using “Bridge to Terabithia” as material for analysis. It is a short and relatively easy read that provides a portrayal of family, friends, school, and personality worthy of individual and group analysis. As always, there is a page on my website that describes the assignments, reading pace, and essay topics.
Science: Encouraging data resulted from the first chapter test, with far more than half the class scoring above 90%. As I mentioned last week, I’m giving the students the responsibility of learning the basic content of the chapters of each unit, and using class time for the experiences that do best in an interactive environments – demos, labs, explanations, and debate. “Digesting” the material from the chapter may take a variety of forms, and we’re discussing and evaluating the options (not taking, diagrams, etc) during class. Knowing what I do about my own planning habits and intentions, it is very likely that I will be writing to you on some late evenings or early mornings asking for your help in getting supplies for our experiments. Physical science is best taught in the crowded workshop of a packrat tinkerer, but with the available space and supplies at DCS, I’ll have to tap into the goodwill of you families quite often to accomplish the same goals. Every time I’ve needed something, parents (and/or students) have stepped up and pitched in – further evidence that DCS is a great community that empowers us teachers to do our best work.
Upcoming Trips: Maria Laughlin has worked diligently and tirelessly lately, attending to every detail of the upcoming trips. The November 11 trip to the Exploratorium has a full set of drivers and chaperones. The exhibits and “interactives” there are excellent and provide such potent hands-on experiences to which I will refer often during the rest of the year’s science lessons.
For the Age of Sail trip (Nov 18-19), we could still use one or two “tall sailors” (parent chaperones) – no maritime experience required, just a willingness to get into the time period and watch the kids as they experience a sailor’s life of the early 1900s. If you would like to attend, please contact Maria.
Parent Support: Every day this week I was very impressed by and appreciative of the many parents who came to work in the classroom. The tasks were a bit menial for some but no one complained and a large about of correcting and/or organizing was done. I’m most eager to set the “writing coach” program into motion – another thing that can only exist amidst the magic that is DCS.