Still waiting

Hello,

Chorus was cancelled today so I went into my contingency plan for our three plus hour afternoon with no breaks.  Dissecting owl pellets is a fourth grade tradition.  It is usually one of the most highly entertaining lessons for the students.  It is like a mini-treasure hunt where you search for puzzle pieces to identify the owl's latest meals.  I was bit dismayed at the lack of enthusiasm.  Some were extremely engaged, but many were ready for the next thing within a few minutes.  I'm glad some students took some unexplored pieces home to give them the attention that I know they wanted to give them.

I was also taken aback by the reaction to the class read aloud this afternoon.  The old man in The Cay, after protecting Philip from the Hurricane, dies.  The class didn't have much of a reaction.  It is extremely sad and it is hard for me not to get emotional when reading it.  I was amazed by the class reaction.  I guess they don't relate to the poor boy in the story who is now left blind and alone on a forgotten cay.  I don't know what to say about this.  I've never had a class with such a reaction.  I guess they just aren't connecting with the boy.

I'm going to run home to beat the wintry mix.

Have a good night.

Mr. Shea

Getting back on track

Hello,

Eight students stayed after school today for homework help and fun science.  I missed the entire homework time because of a meeting that went longer than expected.  Thank you to Mrs. Viola for helping out and looking in on the kids.  We played some Maptangle to end the day.  It is a combination of Twister and finding places on a map of the world. 

My math class welcomed a new volunteer from Bowdoin today.  Leah will join us on Mondays.  The class created isosceles, scalene and equilateral triangles today.  We discussed properties and and will continue the discussion tomorrow as we veer into some lessons on symmetry.

The Bill of Rights was the main topic in government and writing.  Homework is to write a paragraph that focuses on one of the rights. 

My migraines haven't left me yet.  I had a rough one last night.  I'm trying to figure out what is triggering them.  If it turned out to be grape juice, I would be really disappointed.  I've been trying to eat well, but it hasn't helped so far. 

Thanks for reading.  Have a good night.

I'm alive

Hello,

I feel like I've been out for a ridiculously long time.  I missed on Friday to do a study on Singapore Math instruction in Scarborough.  I missed Monday due to flu-like symptoms.  I missed Tuesday and Wednesday due to migraines.  It is the most days that I have missed since coming to Brunswick.  I'll do my best to stay healthy for the rest of the year.

I was behind the eight ball today.  I was happy with the geometry test that went back though.  I feel my math kids have a pretty firm grip of the geometry that we have covered so far.  It is time to kick it into the next gear. 

I've got to figure out what assessments that I still need to give so I can get report cards out next week.  I felt a bit out of it all day.  It was nice to hear that some kids were happy to have me back.  Around homework time rolled around for the math class was around the time they were ready for the sub to be back. 

I've got a ton of emails to get to.  My apologies if I don't get back to you until this weekend.  It is really ridiculous.  I bet that I would get twenty emails a day last year.  This year it is seventy five a day.  I don't feel more important.  Less, in fact.  It is an oddity. 

Thanks for being patient with me the next day or so.  I'll get everything back on track as soon as I can.

Steve

Real quick

Hello,

I read a picture book about the friendship between Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.  The kids are very shocked about our country's racist history.  This is also tying in well with our current read aloud novel, The Cay, where the white boy in the story is very harsh to an old African-American sailor.  It might be a good topic to bring up.  I bet they would like to hear your opinions on the subject.

My math class will be having a test tomorrow.  Quadrilaterals and their properties will be the main topic covered.

I will be having a substitute, Gail Anderson of Longfellow fame, on Friday.  I will be going to visit Scarborough to learn more about their Singapore math program. 

We are ramping up our paragraphing abilities.  Our first major research papers are on the horizon.  The Maine animal reports are a fourth grade tradition.  We need to have our paragraphing skills, along with our knowledge of margins, indentation, punctuation and capitalization down pat before we tackle the beast of a project. 

Gotta run.  Thanks for reading.

Mr. Shea 

Already 7:00

Hello,

I apologize that this is so late.  I had a meeting and now am scrambling to get back on track. 

We talked about peaceful protests today in conjunction with MLK Jr. Day.  I read Rosa by Nikki Giovanni.  Later on this week I'll read a picture book about the Greensboro sit-ins.  They are lessons that I feel strongly that children need to hear.  They shouldn't do things that they feel are wrong.  If they ever make the choice to not obey authority however, they should do it peacably and realize that there may be repercussions that they don't like. 

Multiplication facts are coming along.  Keep up the work at home.  If you aren't playing some games at home, ask your child 4 times 8 and then 6 times 12.  If they can't answer those then you need to start working on some multiplication.  Let me know if you'd like some game possibilities or websites.

I am reading The Cay by Theodore Taylor for our read aloud.  Their boat was just sunk by a German U-boat and now poor Henrik is stuck on a raft with a complete stranger.  Ask your child about what they know about WWII.  We have gotten into a few discussions about it.  Curiosity is high. 

I've got to run.  Thanks for reading.

Mr. Shea

The regime falls.

Hello,

I'm disappointed but I've got to cut my losses.  The government interactive unit didn't work this year.  A combination of apathy and lack of responsibility took it down.  I'm sorry for the kids that tried hard to make it work, and would have gotten a lot out of it.  I'll figure out another way to teach what I need to teach.  Ultimately, too many students weren't doing their jobs, and I refuse to be a babysitter. 

I'll continue to give them opportunities to take responsibility, because ultimately how can they ever learn to do that unless they are given the opportunities?  But in this case, it was too much for the whole group. 

As one of my colleagues, who also does the interactive government, said when I broke the news, "Oh man, now you're going have to teach how a bill becomes a law with worksheets.  Yuck." 

I hope it doesn't come to that completely, but yes, there will be some of that. 

Very disappointing. 

My math class is still doing a combination of geometry and multiplication.  We start each class with rocket multiplication facts and then refocus on geometry.  Homework has been a mixed bag of each.  Today we made geometric shapes out of other shapes using pattern blocks.  It was a great math class.  The words that they were using to describe and figure things out made me feel a little better about the government class that had just ended.  Parallel, perpendicular, opposite, adjacent, equal, obtuse, etc.  Bravo to them.

I've got to go.  I hope to be here tomorrow.  Snow, snow go away.  Go to Canada.

Good night,

Mr. Shea

Government in doubt

Hello,

I stopped the class government today.  I had them return to their desks and explained to them what I was seeing.  We had the head of the Senate sign that a bill had been passed when it hadn't even been voted on.  We had the rest of Congress decide that this warranted no consequences.  I explained that in two short days we already had created a ruling elite that felt like they didn't have to follow rules.  I told them that during election speeches, to a person they said how important rules and laws were to keep our class running smoothly.  In just two short days we have all of our citizens feeling like their lawmakers almost unanimously voted against what they ran on. 

Today the offending senator got a ticket from the sheriff for breaking a law.  He ripped it up.  This is when I stopped everything.  If there are no consequences for breaking laws, our system doesn't work.  If we have dishonest senators or sheriffs or judges the system doesn't work.  Another big problem for us is that many citizens didn't run for office in the first place.  When we don't elect our best, the system doesn't work.  I think some lessons were learned today, but I'm not sure about how to proceed with this.  Most of the class wants to continue, but we need laws and decisions with some teeth.  Our government ship is sinking.  Many laws aren't being passed because our lawmakers don't want to hold themselves up to that standard. 

I think I'll give them one more day to upright the whole thing.  I hate to be the dictator and stomp the whole experiment out, but I need to see some learning.  Currently they are learning how much they can get away with. 

I've got a meeting.  Sorry.

Mr. Shea

Real short

Hello,

It is quarter of seven so I'm going to make this short and sweet.  Our extended day went well today.  Remember that every Monday we will have a homework hour after school followed by some fun science.  Today we made "snow," superballs, and an antacid tablet rocket.  I think I am going to make 5:15 the pick up time on extended Mondays.  They start getting too giddy at that time.  You can take them back.

Our government is in the middle of the judicial appointee process.  One candidate is currently being interviewed by the Senate. 

I read a few of Aesop's Fables today, followed by a few modern fables from the book Squids will be Squids.  I think your child may remember a few of the morals.  We'll read more of these from time to time when it fits what is going on. 

The spelling test on Friday was dreadful.  Please help your child make the next one better. 

Thanks for reading.

Mr. Shea

sketchy system

Hello,

I'm afraid that this will be brief.  My computer is acting up and it keeps pushing me offline.  That was the reason that I didn't blog yesterday.  I couldn't get online.   My emails haven't been reaching me either.  I realized that two of my afternoon responses yesterday took 24 hours to get sent.  I hope you will understand that this is beyond my control.

Our government is up and running.  We have three senators, five representatives, a prez and v.p, and a sheriff.  Five laws got passed today.  That means they were approved by the house, the senate and the president.  The sheriff will have some things to look out for tomorrow.  I think the "No talking while the teacher is addressing us" law will keep the sheriff busy. 

The president and veep were busy today interviewing possible judicial candidates.  The citizens were off and running on their class newspaper.  I am hoping that weekly elections will get them involved in the government as well.  I was a bit disappointed that eight class members chose not to run for any office.  I was extremely proud of the all of the students running for office.  They put themselves out there and in some cases, lost.  Everyone was a good sport and I was happy for the attempts.  Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Mrs. Farrand, school counselor, came in yesterday and talked about the six words of ______________.  I can't think of their label.  It's been a long day.  Anyway, the words are Honesty, Responsibility, Compassion, Courage, and two more.  I can't think of those either.  It's been a really long day.  The students put on skits to illustrate the use of the words.  They did a great job (it played to their strengths) and I'm sure they might like to talk to you about what they decided to do.  I hope they can explain it better than I.  Integrety?  That might be one.  Yeah, I'm losing it.  It was another no break day, including an afterschool meeting until 5:15. 

I'll stop whining.  At least I got through this and I'm still online.

More later,

Mr. Shea

Welcome back

Hello,

We're off and running.  We read Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll to kickstart the second half.  Students then wrote their own nonsense poems.  I was impressed.  As a class, we have a talent for writing things that don't make much sense.  We'll be doing a lot more in the way of poetic expression in the next few months. 

I introduced the government positions today.  We will elect three senators and five representatives in the class to write our laws.  We will elect a president to sign or veto those laws.  The president will choose a vice president for advice, who will then pretty much wait for the president to be absent.  We will have three Supreme Court Justices which will come via presidential appointees and congressional approval.  We will elect a sheriff to enforce the laws.  The sheriff may appoint a deputy.  The rest of the class will be the loyal citizens of our country.  They will be responsible for setting up the class newspaper.  An editor in chief and reporters will be needed. 

Tonight's homework is to write about what position you would like.  If you are running for office this can be your speech.  Nominees for president and sheriff must give a speech.  I would appreciate if parents do not try to help students "buy" elections with cookies and cupcakes.  And yes, it has happened. 

Gregor the Overlander has reached its climax.  He leapt into the deep cavern followed by giant rats.  Ask your child what happened next.  I'm hoping to spur some readers onto books two through five on this one. 

Lastly, I'm including a link called Opinion:  The Joy of Quiet .  It is a link that I got from our librarian, Wende Sairio about getting away from the hustle and bustle of technology.  It has some interesting points that I feel we need to be reminded once in a while.  Here's your reminder.

Have a great night.

Mr. Shea