Last Class--Post Here if Attending on August 3rd

Please post your name below if you plan to attend our breakfast on August 3rd.

Last Class-Post here if attending on August 2nd

If you plan to attend our breakfast on August 2nd, please post you name below.

UPDATE Regarding Last Class and Projects!

Hello Everyone!
We hope you have been enjoying your summer (even though we know you've really spent the whole time working on your projects!) haha! Just kidding! Anyway, we wanted to update you on the last class date and how it will "work".


Since Christy and I taught two summer institutes, we are allowing you to choose which day you want to turn in your project. The time has not changed, but the location has--we will be meeting at the Lizard's Thicket in Irmo at 9:00 on both the mornings of August 2nd and August 3rd. We will have a room reserved so that we can enjoy breakfast together while we celebrate, reflect, and talk about your upcoming school year! If you'd like to submit your project electronically, you may send it to either Christy's or my email-- cmartin@lex5.k12.sc.us  or  rdhinson@lex5.k12.sc.us  Of course, you may also bring your project with you to the breakfast! If you submit it electronically, we must have it prior to the morning of the breakfast.


Also, and this is very important--please bring with you a self-addressed envelope for us to return your projects and journey stories to you. If you want us to return it to you via district mail, that is fine. However, if you want it mailed to your home, please include proper postage.


Regarding course evaluations, it is our understanding that CCU sends a letter to you letting you know that you have a Web-mail account with CCU.  THEN, an email is sent to your Web-mail which will have a link to the Evaluation site.   There are no more paper copies of evaluations,  it is all done through CCU's web mail. If you did not receive any such letter, please contact Nancy Williams at the District Office.  Your course evaluations are very important to us!


We look forward to seeing your smiling faces on the mornings of either August 2nd or 3rd!!


Becky and Christy

Become an "Expert at Smartness"

"Expert at Smartness" - I think this is so cute and isn't it what most children think of their teachers. They expect us to have all the answers. Therefore, we have to be continous learners. We should model what we teach. If we want our students to have a thirst for learning that is what we should do. I love going to conferences and workshops. It refreshes my energy for something I may have been doing for a long time. Fellow teachers are also a great inspiration for me. To see what works and doesn't work for them.

I thought it was interesting in this chapter to talk to your Principle about the programs we use and the changes that we as teachers may see as needing to be changed. We may notice teaching practices that are not effective and may be able to do things in a way that will help the children better than the program advises.

Create an "I Can Do It" Learning Environment

TRUIMPH changes everything! - I love that. That is so true. Think about times in your life when you thought you could not do something but some how and some way you were able to. Didn't make your confidence soar?
We have to help the students discover the possibilites- they can be anything they want to be.
We need to help all voices be heard through encouraging participatation (this includes the child in the back who seems to fade into the background).
We have to demonstrate the power of writing and teach the children they can accomplish something with writitng.
CELEBRATE! - cheer the students on even for small accomplishments " I can really tell that you worked hard on that!" "Wow, what a wonderful idea!". Our students need to know that we believe in them.

Look Beyond What You See

I found it encouraging to have a reminder to assume that each child is capable of learning to read and write. Sometimes we do set our expectations too low because of certain limitations we see the child has having. I have meet parents who will tell me that "Oh, my child can't do that! He is a terrible writer!" The expectations for the child have already been set so as not to expect much. We have to set high expectations for our students and then find the tools to get them there. I know with my own children, I have seen them believe that they can not meet a new challenge and then when they realize they have support and tools to conquer the challenge their confidence rises. The conquest of a task that they did not believe they could achieve leads to a rise in confidence in other areas of their lives. Let us always set our expectations high and help children believe they can do it!

Poetry and Poets

Post your favorite poems and/or poets here. Remember to include:
1.) Title and Author
2.) Ideas for using poem
3.) Content possibilities

Ex: Here is a great poem to use at the beginning of the year. You can use it to teach high frequency words for 2-3 grade and also as a transition poem. Author is unknown.

Many friends
Many hearts
Different places
Different starts
Take my hand
You will see
How much stronger
We can be!