Post date: Oct 29, 2017 5:12:20 PM
Hi Parents (and cc kids)
1. Quick, before anyone goes to bed tonight, please do the current events discussions if you haven't already. The sheet is due Monday morning. I noticed that the relevance of topics and level of discussion got better when kids "presented" to parents so we might continue with that process until the class schedule steadies out (conferences, intensive, Walkabout).
2. Conferences: From slow and uneventful to emotional and intense, the conferences were a good experience. I really valued our individual times together and appreciate the candor from all as well as being able to get a glimpse into family dynamics. Almost every kid participated sincerely and evenly, showing poise, honesty, and maturity. There were belly-laugh moments, tearful moments, and all the gamut in between. The goals that the kids set, the compromises that were reached, and the ambitions for the rest of our time together are all of paramount importance to this crucial school year.
3. Retraction/Addendum: During conferences I realized (because some of you told me) that my request for you and your kid to get together and go over the assignment sheet nightly and (if possible) PowerSchool weekly has been presumptuous and possibly counterproductive. Some kids don't need it, and in some situations it has caused undue conflict or parent-kid discord. So I humbly retract that request/expectation, and replace it with "do what is best for you and your kid to create and communicate common expectations and systems of support". Family is the most important thing that we can have and nothing should supersede it's overall health. During these potentially challenging times when some students need to individuate and parents need to allow space and the occasional flounder (not the fish), we need to rest on the resilience of family. My father engraved a quote onto a beautiful piece of walnut burl and gave it to Amy and I for a wedding gift. It says "In necessariis, unitas; in dubias, libertas; in omnibus, caritas" which translates loosely to "in essential things, unity; when in doubt, liberty; and in all things, love."
4. Most of our homeroom time has been spent on history lately but that will be balanced with physics once the chemistry intensive is over. Right now our class is even with the topics being covered in the Constitution and Government intensive that I'm doing with room 26 kids. The kids "translated" the preamble on Friday and this coming week they'll be learning about the three branches of government and the crucial balance of power between them. After that we'll look at the Bill of Rights and then the subsequent amendments. This is powerful and important stuff these days and I've been very impressed by the level and caliber of the class discussions lately. More of that to come, I'm sure!
5. Before we get into the next big writing project, (and certainly before the HSPT date) I want to go through some more grammar lessons with the kids. If any of you are very knowledgable in this area and want to share resources or lessons with me, please feel free. I'm looking for ways to liven up this potentially complex and/or confusing topic.
6. Interest-Driven Knowledge: This week I'll be proposing to the kids the "IDK" project which takes the idea of the curiosity slides to a much deeper level. I'll ask them to each come up with a subject that interests them greatly but about which their current knowledge is relatively low. I'll adapt the process described on this page as we go but use the topics and questions listed there as a motivating starting point. This type of thing has a variety of names and structures, the commonality of which is that it gives the kids time and encouragement (although few should need the latter) to really get into something they wonder.
7. The Cal Coast Walkabout is 4 weeks away now, so it is time for me to solidify the chaperone list and meet with them and time for the kids to start taking on tour-guide topics as well as trip jobs (car groups, room groups, meal groups, and clean-up coordinators). Just FYI.
8. One of my contacts at Google asked me if I knew any parents might be interested in participating in a usability study or focus group regarding some product they are working on in regards to kid-safe internet use and cyber-ethics. If you would like more information, please visit the Google Usability Study information and sign-up page.
9. Lastly, I want express my ongoing appreciation to all of the parents who are supporting me and giving very valuable feedback, supporting all levels of classroom and school endeavors, and enhancing the attitude/achievements of the students. It is such an honor to work with/for all of you.
10. Below is this week's student contribution to the newsletter, and below that the brief calendar of upcoming events.
The Truth Of Veganism
By: Ariana Kulkarni
(link)
2017 is the year where almost anything is possible, even being vegan. I’m determined to tell people about veganism and how a vegan and a vegetarian are different. Becoming and being vegan isn’t as easy as it should be, especially when you go to a restaurant. Luckily I have a few tips to help.
Many people mix up vegan and vegetarian because they sound similar. Eighteen of twenty five sixth graders surveyed at Discovery knew the difference between vegan and vegetarian. Many young people are aware of the difference because being vegan is becoming more mainstream and non-vegans are being exposed to the lifestyle. They are related, but vegan is more extreme than vegetarian. If you are vegetarian, then you don’t eat any meat. If you are vegan, then you don’t eat any meat or animal products including milk, cheese, yogurt, and honey. However, to the vegan community, being a vegan isn’t just about the diet. Being vegan is also about the lifestyle and attitude that goes with it. It’s a lifestyle where you aim to reduce the amount of animal suffering in the world. If you’re vegan then you without a doubt love animals otherwise you can’t call yourself a true vegan. Many in the vegan community would consider people who are just in it for the diet to be on a plant based diet, but not necessarily vegan. They would say that you are only vegan if you have a plant based diet because of the animals.
There are many challenges to being vegan and being teased is a common one. To a vegan, it can feel I like there is a target on your back and you are alone in a world of animal haters. Thirteen year old Avani Young has been vegan for a few months and she says, “Whenever the topic comes up in my friend group, someone always has something negative to say about it.” Avani then adds, “It made me feel annoyed, but being vegan is a choice I made and I don’t regret it.” Often people will call it dumb and say that animals were made for people to eat. All vegans can really do is inform others and try not to pressure them.
It can be hard when a vegan is out with friends and can’t eat anything because the restaurant may not have anything vegan. To a vegan, it feels like either people don’t care if they can’t eat, or like they’ve been forgotten. Local mom and kindergarten teacher, Robin Janis has been vegetarian for 13 years and vegan for the last 5 years. “Sometimes you end up feeling like you are paying so much money for not the best quality of food.” Look at the menu before hand or call and ask if they have anything vegan. If there isn’t anything then try and see if you can order something without the meat or without the cheese. Being vegan doesn’t mean that you can only eat salads. This is commonly what people think. They don’t realize that there are so many things that can become vegan like waffles, french toast, tofu scramble, pasta, burgers, ravioli, and wraps with sauteed onions, bell pepper, and tofu.
If someone is interested in becoming a vegan but doesn’t know where to start, it is recommended that they ease into it slowly. Everybody is different and due to health issues some may not be able to be vegan. The reality of it is you don’t know how others have grown up or how their bodies work. When starting out, it’s a good idea to try some vegan recipes and go to vegan restaurants. They should first cut out meat for a few months and see how they feel. If they feel fine, then they can cut out eggs for a few months and see how they feel. Lastly, they should cut out all dairy products. Before they know it, they’ve become completely vegan.
Vegan Rose and Pistachio Cupcakes (http://www.soliofamily.com/pistachio-rose-cupcakes-vegan/)
½ cup vanilla soy yogurt
2/3 cup non-dairy milk, plain
1/3 cup canola oil
3/4 cup plus two tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons rose water
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup finely chopped pistachios, plus some whole ones for garnish
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together yogurt, soy milk, oil, sugar, and rosewater. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add pistachios and stir.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Fill the liners three-quarters of the way and then bake about 18 minutes or until done. After cupcakes are cooled, frost with Fluffy Buttercream Frosting and garnish with pistachio nuts, or as desired.
Fluffy Buttercream Frosting
1 cup Earth Balance vegan butter.
2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon rose water
Soymilk, plain, if needed
Pink food coloring {optional}
Using an electric or standing mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat on medium high for a few more minutes, until well-blended. Add the vanilla and rose water and beat for another minute. You can also beat in a bit of soy milk to thin if needed. Add a bit of pink food coloring, if you would like to tint the frosting.
Calendar
-October 30-November 3: Spirit Week
-October 31 (Tuesday): Halloween Parade
-October 23-31: Fall conferences (sign-up chart)
-November 9 (Thursday): Chemistry intensive ends
-November 10 (Friday): Veteran's Day (no school)
-November 20-24: Thanksgiving Break (all week)
-November 27-29 (Monday to Wednesday): CalCoast Walkabout
-December 1: Middle School Dance
-December 13-14: Angel Island "Living History" overnight with Bonnie
-December 23 - January 14: Winter break
-January 24 (Wednesday): 8th Grade Panoramic Photo
-January 26 (Friday): End of first semester