Getting back on track

Hello,

I think it is taking me longer to get back on track than the kids.  For the second day in a row I forgot to use the restroom at lunch.  On most days I don't have any break from 12:05 to 3:15.  I was very relieved when the bus calls came this afternoon. 

Our Roald Dahl Jeopardy game went very well.  Ask your child if they were able to answer any questions correctly.  It was a close game and a good end to that successful reading unit.  Mysteries are on deck.  I read them some two-minute mysteries and then we went over some terms this afternoon.  Do you know what a red herring is?  We also talked about these terms: alibi, clue, evidence, hunch, motive, suspect, victim and witness.  These will keep coming up over the next few weeks but I was having fun using them all afternoon.  ("I have a hunch that __________ isn't going to put up his chair and I will be the victim."  "__________ had motive to leave quickly, the evidence is this mess under her desk!" etc.)

I sent another blank rock cycle sheet home tonight.  It is for studying purposes only.  They won't need to pass it in.  They will need to know the cycle to do well on tomorrow's geology test.  I'll have some hands on portions of the test as well. 

It is quite possible that your child has already asked you to buy them some corn starch.  We played around with it this afternoon in our study of states of matter.  When mixed with water, is it a solid or liquid?  It is fun to try to figure out.

I officially sent in the money to make our symbolic adoption of the Amur Leopard.  I'll let you know when the furry thing and the papers arrive.

Students got to choose their new seats just before the end of the day.  I'll move the desks in the morning.  (Why do now what you can do tomorrow?)  Ask them if they chose to sit next to their friends and whether or not they are mature enough to handle that.  I bet they will say yes to both questions.  We shall see.  It was interesting to see who chose to sit in the back rows. 

Thank you for outfitting your kids properly.  We will be going outside during any recess where the temperature is at ten degrees or higher.  Hats are a necessity!

I have one small request.  We have gone through tissues like I've never seen.  We are currently using the school's thin scratchy ones.  I can't seem to keep the class stocked with the softer ones.  If I could get a few parents to buy a couple of boxes, it would be a great help.  We seem to be going through almost two boxes a week.  Thanks in advance.

Have a great night. 

Mr. Shea  

Welcome back

Hello,

I hope everyone had a nice break from the norm.  I'm glad the kids had a chance for some time in the snow.  It sounded like the class enjoyed the vacation.  There was a little too much talk about the Rated M video games that they are allowed to play.  Not much I can do about that, but I don't want them flaunting it. 

I'm exhausted.  I literally just had an eyes-closed head bob.  This job requires an amount of energy that can only be replicated on the job. 

No Lego Club tomorrow.  (Thursday)  I have an afterschool meeting scheduled.  I made up a slip to go home, but I'm looking at them right now.  I announced it, so hopefully I won't have to make too many calls in the morning.

We will have our geology test on Friday.  I'll give them a "cheat" sheet tomorrow that includes everything that will be on the test.  I don't want to surprise them.  I just want them to show me that they know it. 

Two more head bobs.  I'm literally falling asleep at the keyboard.  You'll have to ask your child what else happened today.  I can barely type.

My apologies.

Mr. Shea

No lego club on Thursday, Jan 3.

Hello,

An IEP meeting was just rescheduled for the Thursday that we get back to school.  Therefore, Lego Club is cancelled on Thursday. 

Have a great holiday vacation.  I look forward to the new year and the opportunity to be your child's teacher for another six months.

Merry Christmas,

Mr. Shea

Last blog before break

Hello,

First of all, I want to suggest that you check out the letter from our superintendent on the school homepage.  A paper copy went home today, but if you didn't see that, the letter on the website is identical. 

Secondly, I want to thank you for a great start to our school year.  We have a very important few months coming up.  I think we've set the stage for some real growth.  It's kind of like Saturday at the Masters.  That's called "Moving Day" in the golf world.  Jan, Feb, and March are the important "Moving Days" for school.  We've gotten to know each other.  The expectations are in place.  Good habits have (hopefully) been established.  Now it's time for some learnin'.  Together, that is what we will get.

Our Roald Dahlathon has been very successful.  The kids are reading the books and are excited to tell me about them.  I look forward to being able to use their common knowledge of these books to start dialogues on all sorts of topics.  103 books have been read by the class in the last eight days.  That is an average of over five per kid.  It's impressive. 

Unless I get some random inspiration, I probably won't blog over the holiday.  I generally stay away for five or six days and then get back in to reorganize the mess that I've created over the first few months. 

Happy holidays.  Enjoy the family time.  It is a wonderful age.

Thanks,

Mr. Shea

No Blog Tonight

Hello,

I'm sorry.  Our team meeting ran long.  I'm late for a dinner.  Book swap tomorrow.  Spelling test tomorrow.  Lego Club tomorrow.

Good night,

Mr. Shea

Hello,

We had a limited math class today.  It was only about a half an hour due to guest speakers from Maine Operation Lifesaver.  (http://www.maineol.org/)  They are a group that teaches about safety around railroad tracks.  Their message was to stay away from the tracks and don't put anything on the tracks, including pennies. 

We had music class this morning.  As I'm sure you've heard, fourth graders learn to play recorders.  Ms. Brown has a great system where the kids can earn "belts" as they are able to play more and more difficult songs.  She calls it Recorder Karate and the kids tend to really get into it.  Ask your child what color belts that they have earned.

We spent a little time on manners and shaking hands this afternoon.  It was mainly the basics.  Shake hands with your son or daughter tonight.  I hope they can give you a firm handshake and look you in the eye.  We also talked about please, thank you, excuse me, and holding doors open for people.  After the holidays, I will give a standard negative response to anyone asking for some sort of permission, unless they say please.   I hope these manners carry over to your household.

We're wrapping up the geology unit.  We spent a little time going over the fourth grade rocks and minerals test.  I don't like the test very much so I'm explaining some of the things on the test that I would like to see changed.  I will give them a similar test during the first week in January.  Their homework tonight is to explain the rock cycle.  Judging by the reaction that I got when I wrote the assignment on the board, I still have some work to do to get that knowledge cemented. 

On an awkward note, please don't feel obligated to buy me a Christmas gift.  Feel free to donate to a charity or local library.  The teachers at school are doing a little "Secret Snowflake" gift exchange.  I got Kitkat 6-pack today.  The kids were drooling.  The eating tally stands at: KIDS 0, ME 1.  I'm looking at a clean sweep on this one. 

Have a good night.

Mr. Shea

Notes

Hello,

No students asked me about the events in Connecticut.  It was not addressed.  We went on with our regular business.  Snow was the main topic of the day:  Where can we go without snowpants?  Do you think they should have cancelled school today?  Did you hear how loud the snowplows were last night? 

Our school staff held a meeting this morning.  Our school counselor let us know that extra counseling services would be available in the coming weeks, for staff and students.  She anticipated that these events were affecting us a lot more than our children.  I'd say she was right about that, based on what I saw today. 

I've been running a lot of the "What if..." scenarios in my head.  Here is my opinion:  No amount of security can stop a determined maniac.  I don't want to live in fear. I don't want to see our front doors locked again.  I didn't like it when it was a rarity to see a parent in the halls.  A school needs to be safe, warm and welcoming.  On opening day, HBS only felt safe.  We have been making headway on the warm and welcoming.  I don't want to go back to sliding lunches through the window box into the office.  I totally understand anyone wanting to go back to the locked doors, but I don't agree.

I went to see some of the rec basketball games on Saturday morning.  After the news of Friday, I just wanted to go see "my" kids.  That probably sounds ridiculous to some of you, but I can assure you that it doesn't take long for most teachers to feel that way about their students.  I don't have kids of my own.  My classroom students are my kids.  With that in mind, it doesn't surprise me in the least that the teachers in Connecticut acted as heroically as they did. 

I hope that you have all taken a look at the message from the Superintendent.  It went home with all students this afternoon.  It is also on the school website.  Attached to his message was a note on recommendations for talking with your children about the incident.  Please contact me with any comments or questions.

Have a good night. 

Mr. Shea