Hello again, scholars and artists,
Tuesday marks an academic change for our kids as they go to their first flexible grouping in their new homeroom class. It will be a little scary, a little change, and a little different for most students. While I can't express how cool all the students in middle school are, I know it's just going to take some time to get to know the new kids and teacher of homeroom while we teachers are doing everything possible to help students increase their learning.
We'll be having discussions about the change in homeroom and English on Tuesday. I hope, while this change is ultimately a decision made by the adults in the best instructional interests of the children, we can discuss the time and place and vehicle for students to have a voice in the structure and implementation of their own learning. Their voice is important! I want to make sure that we can agree on a forum to discuss changes, ideas, and issues in the future so that we are teaching students how to be a part of decision-making, even when those decisions can be difficult.
I am also looking to do an off-site not-field trip to an academic library Monday, October 26. Please stay tuned for more information on that. I am hoping to help the children with their Inquiry Project by introducing them to academic journals and research on their topic.
Tuesday: Inquiry Project Discussion surrounding communication and systems. Since my Inquiry Project focuses on the perfect middle school, I am going to use this as a way to teach children to interview and hold round-table discussions about homerooms, flexible groupings, and their voice in their own education.
Wednesday: Book Club. Please bring a vocabulary word and connection for this round of parts of speech sorting and Middle School Mad Libs.
Thursday: Beginning research on Inquiry Projects. Students will begin their internet research with a partner. I will review citing sources for all information.
Friday: English Workshop. Students will have different choice activities from vocabulary building activities, research time, writing practice, and conferencing with me about their research and book club activities.
Have a great week!
Mrs. K
PS. Don't forget items for our ofrenda! It's up in the classroom and we'll be sharing stories of our loved ones and heroes next month!
