Viewing: September, 2012
September 28, 2012
What did your child learn in the month of September?
With the first month of school now in the history books, you may be wondering “What did my child learn in fourth grade so far?” That’s a great question (of course) and is one that I hope you’ll ask your son or daughter. Some kids will list off new things they have learned, but I have no doubt that many students would reply “Nothing” or “I just don’t know.” Your first reaction might be to pick up the phone, call Ms. D-H, and ask what in the world we’re doing in fourth grade! Before you do, consider this:
“NOT my style.” -Moss
I think we all (myself included) have a tendency to look at “learning” as fact-based: What new KNOWLEDGE do we (or our kids) have? What do we know that we didn’t know before? I think it’s important to remember that lots of learning happens entirely without the person realizing that they are, in fact, learning something new. I asked my (nearly) 3 year old son today what he learned in school, and he responded (in true toddler form) “Nothing.” Given that a toddler cannot reflect on their own learning the way a fourth grader can, it was a pretty useless question to begin with. Still, he doesn’t realize all the learning that he’s doing at pre-school. In his toddler class, he learned lots of social skills that are (appropriately) his primary curriculum. Now that he’s in the preschool class, he comes home knowing more letters, more ideas, and able to do more things. Yet if asked, he reports that he has learned nothing.
Now, you may be considering picking up the phone to call Ms. D-H to ask if I’m running a pre-school. Don’t worry, I’m not. (I never could have the patience to work with toddlers and have tremendous respect for anyone who can!) But I think the idea is the same: In the first month of school, my priorities (and those of my colleagues and administrators at PGS) are to enter our curricular work while also working to build a positive classroom community. In order for really successful learning to happen, kids need to be comfortable in class. They need to feel like they’re in a safe environment where they can share their ideas without fear of judgment, mockery, or penalty – where academic risk-taking is something that’s ok and even encouraged, and where everyone can learn from everyone else.
We visited the outdoor classroom (thank you PTO!) and the kids partnered up with random classmates to learn more about how everyone spent the summer. I learned that my summer was rather dull, apparently.
Here’s an example: As the year goes on, we’ll focus on writing detailed short-answer responses to higher-level reading questions. (Such as “How did [character] change throughout the story? Cite evidence from the text to support your answer.”) One of my favorite ways to teach is to have kids share their answers using our document camera. The kids will learn that when volunteering to share their answer, they’re willing to accept whatever CONSTRUCTIVE, kind feedback I or their peers may choose to share. (I have whole lessons about how to provide helpful, polite feedback.) When these responses are on the SMART Board for all to see, we look at what is good about the response and what the student could do to improve the response. (Notice that I didn’t mention what’s bad about the response. Focusing on improvement gives that positive spin.) For any student to volunteer to share their responses under these circumstances, they need to know that it’s “safe” to do so. That’s why class climate is such a KEY issue for me in the first month of school. (By the way – it’s great to see that many different kids enjoy sharing their work with the class; both those who are confident in their strong responses and those who recognize that their responses may need significant improvement. We learn by doing!)
So, in coming back to the first question, “What did my child learn in fourth grade so far?”, I can tell you that your son or daughter has learned about me, my expectations, our class routines, how we handle different situations around the school, and (hopefully) how to have a comfortable day in room 209 (and a successful year). He or she has learned about his/her peers, who they are, what different talents and interests some of them may have, and (hopefully) he or she has formed some strong connections with some of the kids in our class. And yes, we’re also wrapping up our first math unit and are in the thick of Readers’ Workshop. More on those two in a future message. Have a great weekend!
Posted in Class Updates|By Jon Moss
September 27, 2012
Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check
This can be a great way to study your spelling words!
http://www.amblesideprimary.com/ambleweb/lookcover/lookcover.html
Posted in Homework Assignments, Learning Resources|By Jon Moss
September 27, 2012
Classifying Polygons
In tonight’s homework, you will sort shapes by their properties. You will need to identify shapes that are regular polygons and shapes that are quadrilaterals. Remember, a regular polygon is a shape that has sides that are ALL the same length and angles that are ALL the same size. Look at the examples, below:
When you finish sorting the polygons, please click the print icon (IF POSSIBLE) and bring in a printout. Black and white is fine. No need to waste color ink! If you don’t have a printer, don’t stress. I’ll take you at your word! This game will work on computers, not on iPads or iPods.
Here is your homework assignment! CLICK HERE. Then choose Polygon Sort.
Posted in Homework Assignments|By Jon Moss
September 27, 2012
Hexxagon Game
We learned in class that a hexagon is a 6-sided, closed shape. But with an extra “x” added in, Hexxagon becomes a fun puzzle game online. Feel like trying it? Go here:
Posted in Class Updates|By Jon Moss
September 18, 2012
Curriculum Night
I enjoyed meeting/seeing so many families at curriculum night earlier this month. If you were not able to attend, or if you want to review the presentation, I’ve made it available online. I hope this helps you!
Posted in Class Updates|By Jon Moss
September 10, 2012
Math Fact Practice
Looking for games to practice multiplication facts? There’s a page for that! Look on the left sidebar, under Student Resources. I will update it throughout the year!
Posted in Class Updates|By Jon Moss
September 5, 2012
Get in touch with Mr. Moss!
Kids: If you want to message me, you can use the “Message Mr. Moss” contact form to email me, even if you don’t have an email address yourself. Just click on this link (below) or go to:
tinyurl.com/emailmoss
Kids, here are some rules you need to remember: You must ALWAYS have your Aunt Petunia‘s permission before using the computer to go online for a school project or assignment. If you want me to reply, please give me your Aunt Petunia’s email address in your message to me, even if you know I already have it. I will not email you at a personal email account – all of my responses will go to your Aunt Petunia’s account. (Or, I will CC your Aunt Petunia if emailing you directly.) Remember to include your name so that I know who is writing to me, and remember that you are responsible for your actions online. This contact form is for YOU to use to email me – not for your friends, cousins, neighbors, or pet armadillos. Your parents can email me by using my normal email address. (You can also email me directly and can skip this form, but again, I will always include your Aunt Petunias when I reply.)
Posted in Class Updates|By Jon Moss
September 5, 2012
A successful first day!
Our first day of school went wonderfully! This year, we have a terrific class of 21 students, and I enjoyed getting to meet everyone. Over the next few weeks, you can expect to see a few web posts introducing some of the different teachers who will work with your students, explaining class routines, and addressing other topics. I will also share a lot of information at the open house/curriculum night for families (adults only, please) on Thursday night between 7:05 and 7:35pm. I hope you’re able to attend!
One of the most important things to accomplish at the start of a new school year is the development of a positive classroom climate. I work to create a class environment where students feel comfortable enough to share ideas and to take academic risks in front of their peers and teachers. Yesterday, kids had the opportunity to ask me any questions they had, and I enjoyed having the opportunity to share information about the school year and our class. Our school is focusing on lunch room climate this year, and we spent a bit of time yesterday morning reviewing cafeteria routines (several of which are new to the students this year). In the afternoon, our class joined the rest of the school in the courtyard for the annual bell-ringing ceremony. With the necessary tasks of practicing fire drills, sorting supplies, and distributing materials, there was little time left for class discussions and getting-to-know-you activities.
Today, we talked about my expectations for students’ citizenship, and we had a great conversation about students’ favorite books. (This will serve as a lead-in for a lesson about choosing books from our class library this afternoon.) The students are at art right now, and they will work on a few activities later today that will allow them to share a bit more about themselves with the rest of the class.
Here are a few friendly reminders:
Please remember to return all medical, directory, and emergency dismissal forms as soon as possible. Please also try to return the student technology survey to me at your earliest convenience. All student summer reading logs are due Friday morning. Remember, reading logs do not need to be on a formal log form and can be written on any paper.
We have snack each day, and students are invited (and encouraged) to bring in a healthy snack to enjoy. All students are welcome to keep a water bottle at their desks, as long as it goes home every night or two for cleaning. Our classroom’s temperature can fluctuate, and I encourage students to keep a sweater or sweatshirt in their lockers for when it gets a bit cool in our room. Students are welcome to celebrate their birthdays with the class and may bring in treats to share. I ask that families email me in advance of sending in treats and that ALL birthday treats are easily distributable without needing to be cut or sliced.
See you Thursday night!
Posted in Class Updates|By Jon Moss