Tuesday, September 4, 2012: FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!

Today was a slow but steady start to the school year.  I made a point of saying that the key to being successful in school has a lot to do with your attitude.

This is a page I want to come back to a lot over the year.  I think it is the foundation for learning before any serious curriculum content can stick.

In saying that, we did do a little work today.  In an effort to get to know the students I assigned them a journal to get to know them a little better and how they learn best.  I sometimes provide examples of the kind of writing or ideas I am looking for.  These prompts help kick-start there thinking:

Guided Writing

Journal response with prompts

Until the students sign their Media Release forms, I won't take any photos of them.  For now, I have a couple of shots of the room with some student materials in it:

We were able to get out and have some time for DPA and our afternoon break.  This is something I want to continue for this year.  It offers the class a chance to break the afternoon into two manageable work periods instead of being in the classroom for the afternoon and becoming exhausted and irritable.

I read to the class this afternoon.  A teacher read-a-loud is something I aim to do everyday.  Cursive writing will be added to this daily routine.  I do this because cursive writing seems to be a lost academic skill and art form but also with the evidence which suggests that it is beneficial for the brain:
http://www.helium.com/items/1697736-cursive-handwriting

Another exercise we did this afternoon saw the students interview someone new to get some insight into the interests of other classmates:

 Tomorrow, I will use the opportunity to introduce the Community Circle to the class members introduce who they interviewed and what they learned about them.

HOMEWORK:  Bring a reading material for quiet reading in the morning (although you could find something to read in the class); $5 for a combination lock and $6 for the agenda.  All forms should be signed and returned as soon as possible.

Have a good evening.