Teacher Appreciation Week

Well, I appreciate YOU! I'm a bit overwhelmed by the thoughtfulness. In addition to an excess of pie (the reason I love living), I have been inundated with small pink messages and cards this week. I truly didn't see it coming. I think all of my students are just feeling exuberant that the year is almost over and that they are almost done with me. BAD NEWS: I think all of them will be stuck with me as fifth graders! (We're working on class lists now.) I, however, am delighted. I love my peoples.

We are into the math test. Kids seem to be applying themselves fully. We are not spending more than 45 minutes per day on it, and kids seemed relaxed and engaged. Those who have opted out seem relaxed, as well, reading on the carpet in the sun. I float, managing and supporting, and reluctantly keeping my eyes off the screens. I know I would see some of the best work of the year! Already results from the English Language Arts portions are coming back. In general, those who "met" in third grade are meeting again, those who exceeded are once again exceeding, and those who did not fare as well are once again finding this difficult test - well, DIFFICULT! Overall, I feel students are giving me 100%, and I am pleased. A few students are JUMPING in their scores. I like to think of the pleasant surprise at home! While one should not spend too long lamenting a disappointing score or attaching too much significance to it, every parent SHOULD celebrate growth! And, in fact, keeping at a "3" or at a "4" show a LOT of growth! Math jumps in difficulty each year from grade 3 to 4 to 5!

In class, we are into history videos as a salve for test-takers. I am looking to the too-many topics and explorations I would love to cover yet this year, and planning and plotting. I want a rich end to the year...I have not even given up hope for a June field trip!

And, I just MAY send home a Sex Ed parent notice.... While I would just as soon wait until fifth grade at this point, Teacher Karen would really like to address some basics of puberty and gender identity before sending her students off this summer, and would like to have a partner in this work. (She will be teaching second next year; for you parents of boys, know that, at this age, we typically do have girls beginning menstruation by the end of fourth. This can be scary, and we like to send kids  -girls and boys - into the summer with a good feeling about this.) No worries - nothing will be done in class before you have had a chance to read my letter!

Speaking of field trips, I have sent home on trip slip (on green paper) for the Willamette River trip, involving a land hike and gigantic canoes. If you haven't seen it, ask your child to clean out her/his/their backpack.

One last: Abby wants a link to the TOO LATE TO APOLOGIZE video. I am not to be blamed for this - Ms. Williams sent it our way! Just click the title above and....enjoy???