Term four begins, our final weeks together.
back everyone, I hope you all had a fabulous break and are well and truly ready for our last term. This proves to be a busy term yet again.
Our first priority is to get those animated movies completed once we finally get access to computers. What a mammoth task that turned out to be. I’m sure it will be worth the effort.
Games day is fast approaching, so we need to get in some practice of the activities with Ms Carmen’s class before then. I hope we can begin to use our blog more during class time, I have booked a few regular pod times so that you will be able to work too.
Way to go today folks, I was impressed by the way you negotiated members in your new learning teams for the penultimate teams for this year.
Your criteria for selection was high order thinking indeed and shows how serious you guys are at wanting to be successful in your learning.
What I also thought was outstanding was the way you independently got on with negotiating. I reckon there was only one person I had to encourage to be proactive. Bravo everyone.
What I also thought was fabulous was the way in which you decided what things you can support each other with. These will come in handy when we set our goals for this term.
We do have an interesting situation, with some full gender teams an as we decided we’d give it ago. It might be an interesting challenge.
How do you think these same gender teams will go this term? How will your team go?
What are you looking forward to this term?(apart from all the maths we have to catch up!)
Privet Everyone!
I think that all your work is fabulous! Does every one like the idea of the of the 3D mobiles? I loved it! I thought they were splendid Ellen! Thanks! ;->
Did everyone enjoy sports day? I did
from Indi
Greetings Indi,
I thought you would like the idea of trying to make one of the 3-D shapes. By doing that there is a lot of maths you need to work out. Which shape did you create? How did you find it? Have you seed that shape around about? There’s probably more than you think.
Cheers Ellen
Yak Sher Mash Ellen
I have had so much fun choosing teams for the first 5 weeks.
I am also thanking you for letting us choose full gender teams this term!
I think the full gender teams will work together wonderfully!
What does everyone else think about the full gender teams?
Kind Regards Emilia
Nyunta Balyu Emilia,
I’m glad you are enjoying the independence of establishing your own teams and I agree I think the single gender teams are working for some tables. I suppose we need to think about what we’ll do for the remainder of the year. You have posed a great question for others to think about. I wonder what their responses will be.
Cheers Ellen
I want to stay with the class for ever but its good to met new people.
Tia
Hi Ellen,
The learning teams you have in class are an excellent idea. When I tell other (non Grange) parents about it, they have a hint of jealousy.
I do love coming on here and reading what the class has been up too. Thanks for another great newsletter. It certainly helps us to know what is coming up in the coming term.
Keep up the brilliant work!
Jen
Hello Jenny,
Many thanks for your kind words. It is great to know my words are being read, sometimes I think I write too much and perhaps a much more simplified text would be better. One day I’ll learn to be brief. Perhaps other Teachers will be inspired to start a blog too as I did once I saw a colleagues. We all learn from each other don’t we.
As a regular reader are there things we don’t include that you would find helpful? Happy Blogging.
Warm regards Ellen
Hi Ellen,
I think you have got the hang of his blogging thing very quickly. We love to look at the candid photos of the kids, it allows us to be a bit of a fly on the wall. We also enjoy looking at the work done in class by the students. There are some very clever clogs in your class.
Do you spend a lot of time updating the blog?
Jen
Hello Jenny, what a thoughtful comment.
I must admit when I first was shown how to set up the blog I thought I would never get the hang of it, but as I teach my kids if you think you can or you think you can’t you’re right, I certainly had to follow my own words. It’s not as hard as it appears. I did have to spend a bit of time setting up. Now I try to put in a post every few weeks or when interesting events happen. I still have things to learn. But I’ll get there.
Cheers Ellen
I really like the way you organise the learning teams. Great idea creating this blog.
Hello Annete,
welcome to blogging. Thanks for taking the time to read and share your thoughts. I do think establishing teams for learning is helpful for everyone. Originally it came about when I thought I was having too much control, it occurred to me that children could take ownership of much of their learning and once they are skilled at working togethe, they take even more responsibility. Anyway it’s the only way I know now, so if you live in my classes it team work all the way! Each teacher has their own quirks indeed.so what other information would you find useful on our blog from a parent’s perspective? Drop us a line.
Warm regards Ellen
hi Ellen,
I was nervous to go around and ask
people. But we found a great team.
ava.
Ava, It is always a challenge to ask people to join in, I’m glad you were proactive and have created a team that you reckon will work collaboratively. How do you feel about single gender teams?
Ellen
Hi Ellen
Like what Narla said. That it would be a good idea, but we haven’t tried it so it might not turn out well.
By Ella
Hi Ellen, thank you for saying our class did a good job.
I am looking forward to doing our new science topic. Is anyone else looking forward to doing science?
from Kate
Nice to hear from you Kate,
You know I always say what I mean, and mean what I say, and I was very proud of the way you all went about sorting new teams with very little work by me at all. I don’t mind scribing your criteria. Yes I think this physics science topic will be quite interesting indeed and sort of fits with our work from last term on melting moments. Working out how energy is used and shared can be quite fun too. I know we have some interesting investigations to work on. I think science is fantastic too I wonder if anyone like you is just as fascinated.
Cheers Ellen