There were a few common questions and I will try to clarify them now:
The Words Their Way Program has started. We are done with our first sort and starting our second sort. Since this program requires a lot of independence on the parts of our students, we have taken a long time to establish clear routines. We are also adjusting the program to make it more helpful to our students. As the weeks go by we fall into a two week long cycle for each set of words. The next spelling test will be on Monday when we return from the Thanksgiving holiday. In the future, please expect the spelling tests to fall on every other Friday.
The best way to help our students become better test takers is to make sure our students are reading thoughtfully and carefully. The new exams remain shrouded in mystery but we can tell from the Core Curriculum outlines that our students are going to be challenged to read with interpretation, taking into account information from multiple sources and evaluating the information for its usefulness. Children will be asked to do so much more than to retell information; they will have to look at the author's purpose, think of themes taught through the texts, identify specific texts features and their purposes, etc., etc., etc. This is a daunting task which is why we will work on it throughout the year. The best support you can give your child is to encourage him or her to listen attentively and take what they are learning and use those strategies. Each year there is a lot of anxiety about the tests and each year our students do fine.
Finally, due to the busy, busy weeks ahead, it is not possible to reschedule Character Dress Up Day this month or next. I appreciate the effort many families have made in thinking of a costume. We will try again in February, when we are in out fantasy unit.
Here's what is happening next week:
- The Unit 2 math test will go home on Monday. Please review and sign it before returning the test by the end of the week.
- We will take part in an Opera workshop with Mr. Delfausse on Tuesday. He sent out a form for families who are interested in seeing show at the Regina Opera. If you are interested in tickets for a show this weekend, you can email Mr. Delfausse at jd1@seijo.com.
- We will have our Native American Thanksgiving on Wednesday. We have already had many parents contribute food and supplies for this event. Your child has a revised list of items we will need to have in on Wednesday. If you have volunteered. please check your child's homework folder for confirmation.
- Schools will be closed on Thursday and Friday for the Thanksgiving holiday.
