Use of this site has been limited as the Remind app has been our major method of communication. This site will eventually be phased out completely as we embark on our journey to learn the ins and outs of Google Classroom. That being said, be on the look out for the link to the new classroom site. I have a few bugs to work out on the very basic (very basic!) site I have started. My hope is to be able to use it at least a few times this year to get students familiarized with how to use Google Applications to complete work without the paper worksheets. Again, this is a process, so stay tuned. :) We will continue to use the Remind App throughout the remainder of the year.

So, with the start of a new year comes a reflection upon the past year and, with you, the first semester of grade 4. This has been an interesting year, to say the least. Every year, as a teacher, I start off with probably as many nerves as the students and parents do, if not more. Will I be able to be enough for these kids, for these parents? Will my kids work with me? Will they understand that my heart is tied to every expectation I have for them and to every feeling of success they have as well as every feeling of failure? In an effort to give peace of mind, my intentions for the direction of the class and for how things will work for our class are set blindly. As with anything, some of the best laid intentions may need revision. 

Our kiddos easily made their way into my heart. Understanding the needs of the group as a collage of its members has been an evolution. 4th grade is a major growth year. Students are "little-big kids." The curriculum is rigorous but not out of reach. Homework is a newer concepts this year, and for parents, the idea and shift from parent/ teacher centered responsibility to very student centered accountability is a tough transition. Grading, itself, is a scary concept. All in all, I appreciate the amount of patience you have had for me this year. We have started a few things that had to be shut down because students weren't ready for them. We have worked together to plod through that dreaded video submission that students really rose to the occasion on and seemed to enjoy in the the end. All and all, we are making this work. The ability to be flexible with instruction and knowing that my parents understand that sometimes plans need to be revised or (unfortunately) thrown out the window all-together to better serve our students helps me out considerably. 

With all of this being said, here are my intentions for the remainder of the year beginning in 2018:
* Student buy in. Students need to feel like their success is not dependent on others. We will be setting personal goals, working toward them, and revisiting the goals intermittently. Also, students will be compiling a portfolio of work to prepare for Student Led Conferences in February. Parents, history has taught us to "let the adults talk." WE SHOULD NOT BE WAITING FOR A DEFINED DATE TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE. My email is very accessible, my phone works, and I am more than willing to discuss issues, celebrate successes, and keep communication open. Student Led Conferences will be an opportunity to bring our little-big kids into the discussion. They will be assisted along in the process of reflecting on strengths and weaknesses, and they will be taught how to explain their growth looking at benchmark assessments and through reflection. The process will be an empowering one that I am very excited to facilitate. (Black folders may be a lot thinner until conference time as students will be saving at least one good and one "needs improvement" assignment to have to choose from for conferences. )
* Student empathy and reflection. Our kiddos have a lot going on in their worlds. I need to help facilitate a more understanding, reflective environment. Personal issues aren't anyone else's business, but understanding that others may have a lot more than school or being the best dressed is always something that we need to be mindful of. I, too, have had to step back and use grace to understand that sometimes we all need a little grace and empathy. 
* More tech. I am going to try to expose kids to more technology. This is not easy. Please, do not get frustrated with me. I will do my best to model for the students and to try to give time to work/ do the tricky submissions at school the first time so students are familiar with the process for any future endeavors.  PLEASE ENCOURAGE AND WARN YOUR STUDENTS THAT MORE WILL NEED TO BE DONE AT SCHOOL. SAVING THIS STUFF FOR HOME IS NOT FAIR TO YOU AS PARENTS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE MODELING IS BEING DONE AT SCHOOL AND PERSONAL DEVICES VARY BEYOND WHAT I CAN COVER FOR EXPLICIT INSTRUCTION OTHERWISE.
* I am going to make more concerted effort to include more timed writing in my classroom. Much of the writing will follow the steps of the revision process, but not all will be formally graded. against a rubric. Participation in the process will, however, be graded. Learning to write is a process. I want to teach students to write well and be able to improve their writing personally. Often, students look to adults to proofread writing. Unfortunately, they aren't assessed in the same way. We will focus on looking at our writing and other student writing to create the best responses. 


REMINDER: 2nd Quarter ends Friday, January 12th. AR IS DUE FRIDAY!!!! 


UPCOMING EVENTS!!!!
* STEM ROBOTICS!!!
* 2nd QUARTER INCENTIVE
* ERIN'S LAW PRESENTATIONS
* AIMSWEB WINTER BENCHMARKS
* STUDY ISLAND WINTER BENCHMARKS
* DR. KIM's DENTAL VISIT

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Announcements:
* Picture Day is 9/28 (tomorrowO
* Zoo trip is Friday 9/30. Students need to be at school at 7:30am. Please drop off at the front of the building. Students also need a sack lunch. Electronics for pictures and video games for the bus are allowed, but students must be responsible. School rule apply to the use of all electronics. Please do not allow students to post pictures of other students on social media as it is a school trip. Chaperones will be encouraged to take pictures and share them with me; I will add to this site or remind to share with others.  Appropriate use of electronics according to school policy applies to this field trip. Consequences for inappropriate use may occur. 
* Walk-a-thon information went home last week. The walk-a-thon is on October 3rd with a rain day of October 5th. Please consider contacting the PE teachers to volunteer. :)
(More details will be given once I receive them. )
* There will be a full evacuation drill in the next few weeks. This drill will take students off campus to the church where we would evacuate in the event of a major school emergency. Discussions may scare students a bit, but we try to focus on the idea that 99% of people are good; we must, however, know what to do in the occasion that the 1% ends up at our school. 
* Parent Visitation is October 13th. 9-10:25am. Consider joining us! 
* This is the first year that your students will not dress up at school for Halloween. Please remind them that fun can be had without the costumes. We have two room parents and many helpful parents ready to make the year fun. Thank you all for hopping in to help. The Halloween party will be on Halloween. I will be talking with the room parents to set up a timeframe. (Because I, too, am a mom who helps in my son's class,  the party may need to be in the morning as I will be helping in the afternoon with my son's parade.--Clinton still does the parade.) Thank you for allowing me that opportunity as well. 
* Ideas of ways to share photos? I am open to continuing with Remind, but I would love ideas for safe sharing. 
That's a lot of info. More "as we go" information will post to Remind.