Dear Families,
We’re off to a great start! I’m so impressed with the self-control, helpfulness and teamwork of your children. A highlight this week was Friday afternoon when we all witnessed the transformation of a monarch caterpillar into a chrysalis. The entire class crowded around in hushed silence to watch the skin split and roll off to reveal the green chrysalis beneath. The soft music that had been playing for our quiet work period was the soundtrack. A magical moment. I hope this year will provide you and I many such magical moments as we witness and support this group of sixth graders journey further along their path to adulthood.
What we are Learning
The first few days are filled with a lot of basics. Reviewing and learning routines for lining up, coming to circle or passing out supplies takes up a lot of time. We model, practice, discuss and review these multiple times. You might think, “Sixth graders should know this!” But this time is well-spent. Clarifying our expectations is important (While some rules are mine, in most cases the conversation is about what the students expect of each other during these times). This clarification helps avoid the problems that always happen when we assume we are all on the same page about when to sharpen pencils, how to behave at lunch time, how to give a positive greeting at circle, etc. With these routines solidly in place, we are able to focus more time on our learning the rest of the year. I think of it like preparing to go on a long car trip. Get your oil changed and your car tuned up before you leave so you don’t find yourself breaking down and not arriving on time to your destination!
Mixed into this are also multiple opportunities to build our classroom community by having fun together and reflecting on that process. We introduce many classroom games (some old and some new- ask your child about “Count to 10” and “Big Bubba”) and reflect on both the positive and negative teaching moments that come up around issues such as sportsmanship, fairness, self control, and taking risks. Creating an emotionally safe and supportive space is essential for learning.
During the first couple weeks of school, we administer several assessments to students to gather information about their strengths and weaknesses. This will help me plan instruction for the whole class as well as interventions for students who have gaps in their learning or need an extra challenge. We are lucky to have our math interventionist, Darlene Dunn, and reading specialist, Laura Robertson, on staff. Each one will spend at least a half hour a day with the sixth grade providing extra support.
On Friday your sixth grader took a timed multiplication fact quiz: 5 minutes to complete 100 facts. The expectation is that sixth graders can complete 100 facts in 5 minutes, which is about 1 problem every 3 seconds. This fluency is critical to being able to feel comfortable with the more challenging sixth grade work we do with fractions, ratios and equations. Students who do not have this speed are more likely to experience frustration and miss mathematical patterns that will help them grasp new concepts. The good news is that many sixth graders are already fluent with their multiplication facts. There is a handful of students who will need to work on this fluency. If your child is one of these (scoring below 90 problems in a minute), you can expect an email from me with some suggestions for home practice. Students also completed a worksheet on telling time. There are always a few sixth graders that still struggle with telling time on an analog clock (one with hands), so we like to clear up this hole right away! Students need to be able to consult the schedule and the clock throughout their school day. I will also let you know if your child needs practice telling time.
On Friday we also watched a animated video of Dr. Seuss’s “Oh The Places You’ll Go”. I then asked the students to make comparisons between the story and sixth grade. This is the kind of critical thinking older students are expected to do and we practice it throughout our day. Ask your child what kinds of things we discussed. Ask him or her what the “waiting room” might symbolize in the story.
Ways to Help:
My garden is overflowing with basil and we had a bumper garlic harvest. I thought it might be fun to integrate some cooking into math this week (make pesto), and was hoping a few of you might be able to help make that happen. Please email me if:
Also, I always like to have a stash of extra snacks on hand in case students forget theirs. If you want to send in a box of granola bars or big bag of pretzels or other snack of your choice to add to that, it would be welcomed!
Finally, please continue to sign your child’s Homework Assignment Book (HAB) each night and look for the purple rockclimbing permission slip that came home Friday. Building the routine around homework from day one is important. Even though regular academic homework hasn’t started, checking your child’s HAB each night communicates to him or her that you value school and expect homework to be completed. You’d be surprised how motivated kids can be to please their parents even at this pre-adolescent age!
Thanks again for taking the time to meet with me before school started. I’m looking forward to a wonderful year.
Sincerely,
Laura White
We’re off to a great start! I’m so impressed with the self-control, helpfulness and teamwork of your children. A highlight this week was Friday afternoon when we all witnessed the transformation of a monarch caterpillar into a chrysalis. The entire class crowded around in hushed silence to watch the skin split and roll off to reveal the green chrysalis beneath. The soft music that had been playing for our quiet work period was the soundtrack. A magical moment. I hope this year will provide you and I many such magical moments as we witness and support this group of sixth graders journey further along their path to adulthood.
What we are Learning
The first few days are filled with a lot of basics. Reviewing and learning routines for lining up, coming to circle or passing out supplies takes up a lot of time. We model, practice, discuss and review these multiple times. You might think, “Sixth graders should know this!” But this time is well-spent. Clarifying our expectations is important (While some rules are mine, in most cases the conversation is about what the students expect of each other during these times). This clarification helps avoid the problems that always happen when we assume we are all on the same page about when to sharpen pencils, how to behave at lunch time, how to give a positive greeting at circle, etc. With these routines solidly in place, we are able to focus more time on our learning the rest of the year. I think of it like preparing to go on a long car trip. Get your oil changed and your car tuned up before you leave so you don’t find yourself breaking down and not arriving on time to your destination!
Mixed into this are also multiple opportunities to build our classroom community by having fun together and reflecting on that process. We introduce many classroom games (some old and some new- ask your child about “Count to 10” and “Big Bubba”) and reflect on both the positive and negative teaching moments that come up around issues such as sportsmanship, fairness, self control, and taking risks. Creating an emotionally safe and supportive space is essential for learning.
During the first couple weeks of school, we administer several assessments to students to gather information about their strengths and weaknesses. This will help me plan instruction for the whole class as well as interventions for students who have gaps in their learning or need an extra challenge. We are lucky to have our math interventionist, Darlene Dunn, and reading specialist, Laura Robertson, on staff. Each one will spend at least a half hour a day with the sixth grade providing extra support.
On Friday your sixth grader took a timed multiplication fact quiz: 5 minutes to complete 100 facts. The expectation is that sixth graders can complete 100 facts in 5 minutes, which is about 1 problem every 3 seconds. This fluency is critical to being able to feel comfortable with the more challenging sixth grade work we do with fractions, ratios and equations. Students who do not have this speed are more likely to experience frustration and miss mathematical patterns that will help them grasp new concepts. The good news is that many sixth graders are already fluent with their multiplication facts. There is a handful of students who will need to work on this fluency. If your child is one of these (scoring below 90 problems in a minute), you can expect an email from me with some suggestions for home practice. Students also completed a worksheet on telling time. There are always a few sixth graders that still struggle with telling time on an analog clock (one with hands), so we like to clear up this hole right away! Students need to be able to consult the schedule and the clock throughout their school day. I will also let you know if your child needs practice telling time.
On Friday we also watched a animated video of Dr. Seuss’s “Oh The Places You’ll Go”. I then asked the students to make comparisons between the story and sixth grade. This is the kind of critical thinking older students are expected to do and we practice it throughout our day. Ask your child what kinds of things we discussed. Ask him or her what the “waiting room” might symbolize in the story.
Ways to Help:
My garden is overflowing with basil and we had a bumper garlic harvest. I thought it might be fun to integrate some cooking into math this week (make pesto), and was hoping a few of you might be able to help make that happen. Please email me if:
- You can volunteer in the classroom from 1:30-2:30 this Friday, September 1st
- You can donate any of the following ingredients
- 6 cups pinenuts
- 6 cups fresh grated parmesan cheese (in bag in cheese department
- 4 cups olive oil
- 4 Boxes of ritz crackers (after taste testing ourselves, we’ll probably make a taste test for buddy classrooms etc.)
- You can loan any of these supplies (well labeled please!)
- Food processor (could use up to 4 so each table can do their own batch at the same time)
- Large kitchen bowls (could use 4)
Also, I always like to have a stash of extra snacks on hand in case students forget theirs. If you want to send in a box of granola bars or big bag of pretzels or other snack of your choice to add to that, it would be welcomed!
Finally, please continue to sign your child’s Homework Assignment Book (HAB) each night and look for the purple rockclimbing permission slip that came home Friday. Building the routine around homework from day one is important. Even though regular academic homework hasn’t started, checking your child’s HAB each night communicates to him or her that you value school and expect homework to be completed. You’d be surprised how motivated kids can be to please their parents even at this pre-adolescent age!
Thanks again for taking the time to meet with me before school started. I’m looking forward to a wonderful year.
Sincerely,
Laura White