Thursday, September 17

 Hi parents,

Today was a bit of a crazy day but a good day nonetheless. In the morning, we had a "Virtual Assembly", where each classroom in the school connected to a Google Meet using a microphone and webcam. It was pretty fun and the kids thought it was cool how they could see so many of their friends from different classes! Ms. Jones and Ms. Durnford showed the school how to make sanitizer in a very 'mad science' sort of way, which was entertaining and fun.

We watched a Wild Kratts episode about otters, since we've kind of been having an otter themed week so far. After that, the students wrote sentences following the format: "Otters are... Otters are not ..." Most students did not finish this task on time, so we'll keep working on it tomorrow. It will be a good opportunity to show students how they can use time during the Montessori Work Period to complete unfinished tasks from earlier in the week. 

In the afternoon, we had our first Fire Drill. We practiced for it earlier in the day, so the students knew what to expect. Still, it is always impossible to anticipate how loud and awful the bell is... 

I thought the class did a great job overall. They were quiet, responsible, patient, and followed each instruction they were given. 

When you see your child after school today, you may notice they look like they came from the set of a 90's rap video. That's because the students were all given their own school T-shirts today! I thought it would be a good idea to get shirts that are a bit on the baggy side so the kids can grow into them. Hopefully the shirts will still fit in grade 6.

Along with the shirts, students were given envelopes containing a lot of important documents for parents to review today. 

Tomorrow is our first Spelling Quiz! Students have practiced their words in class over the course of the week, but additional practice at home will go a long way. Because it is our first quiz, my main focus will be on introducing the class to the format of a spelling quiz, and showing them how to organize their work. I will give many hints too. I want everyone's first quiz to be a positive experience.

Have a nice night,

Zac