So much to celebrate!!!  As we close out the month of September, we were able to recognize so many achievements, successes and blessings given by God in the last month. Thank you, to each of you, for your part in helping your child grow and learn. In the photos above you see the work we did comparing the value of number using manipulatives (top). Meta is showing his two-unit patterns the three-unit patterns (below).

Today, Meta shared with our class a videotaped interview with himself and his family made by Adoption Associates. Each student was able to hear about the blessings that God has filled Meta's life with and we talked about how God has been and is faithful in each child's life. It was a beautiful morning to celebrate God's rich love in our lives. It is our desire to share loving kindness to others. We then read and talked about I Corinthians 13. As faithful children of God, we want our classroom environment to reflect the love outlined in this letter. We will trust, be patient, show kindness, not be boastful or proud. It is my prayer that our classroom can be characterized by these words:
⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
⁸ Love never fails.

We've introduced the Read to Someone task as part of our Daily 5 reading program. Your child has been paired up with another student he or she feels comfortable with. Once or twice each week this partnership reads a book or two together. While one partner reads, the other asks a few comprehension questions. Already, I am seeing confidence and ability growing in our readers!

Some of the students were able to publish an ebook version of the story they created in Writing. Now that our email accounts are up and running, thanks Val!, you may begin receiving projects from time to time from your child. Check your inbox for some proud surprises.

Our writing celebration was spectacular!!!!  Each student took the director's chair and read their story using the microphone. Could it be any cooler?!?!?  As each child was reading, I snapped a quick picture and sent it to that child's parent. If for some reason you did not receive an email from me with a picture of your child reading, please give me a shout...or better yet, an email, and I'll attempt again from home where things are a little less fast and furious. After listening to each story, we celebrated with some punch and cookies. The purpose of this celebration is not only to showcase each individual's story, but also to build anticipation and excitement for our second unit in writing. I will be keeping these stories until our final celebration at the end of the year. By then, your child with have six or seven published pieces ready to share with you at a final end-of-the-year gala! So much to celebrate!

Important dates:
October 10: Grandparents/friends Day
October 18-19: No school. Staff Development
October 22-23: Parent/teacher Conferences 3:00-9:00