Class Meeting Overview and Math Blurb...

Let me first say thank you to everyone who made the trip out tonight for our class meeting, whether you came at 6, and had to go back home, or if you were there for the 7-8 time slot.  I appreciate all of your efforts, and I am very sorry for any inconveniences caused in the time change.

As I explained in the meeting tonight, I originally sent home the time as 6-7 in the newsletter on the first day, which I also posted on the blog at that time.  I was trying ahead of the curve with planning for the meeting, but subsequently the timing for the whole school's schedule shifted our time slot to the 7-8 period.  On Sunday, when I posted the time for the meeting as 7-8, it was just to remind everyone of the schedule that had been sent home in the newsletters from the office, email blasts, and syner-voice messages over the past couple of weeks.  I now realize that I should have emphasized the change in times, which brings me to the first topic of the meeting tonight....Communication!

We will not have paper agendas, so we will rely heavily on blog updates, and emails, to keep families informed of events and what is going on in the class.  Please register your name on the class blog so that you can be alerted to new posts, and take a moment to scan it and see if there is anything urgent to attend to.

The class this year is made up of 15 returning students to room 308, and 12 new students.  There are two students who have just joined Churchill this year.  There are 11 girls out of 27 students overall.

We are working hard to get multi aged groupings through our work with math, reading and writing buddies.  It will mean lots of mentoring opportunities for our students.  

Tree Families are weekly meetings with students from all classes throughout the school to read, talk, and do activities together on Wednesday mornings.

Our balanced day is made up of three 100 minute blocks.  The first block for us is Math, French, and Gym on two days.  The second block is a Language block each day with gym on one day.  The third block has some math, along with all other subjects.  Music is last period on Monday.  Keep these blocks in mind when you plan doctor/dentist/etc visits.  If your child is struggling in math, later in the day would be better timing for taking them out of the class.

Forms for trips need to be in at least 24hrs before a trip, or students will be staying back, for logistical reasons dealing with bus manifests, reservations, etc.

Indoor footwear is needed, separate from what is worn outside.

I am looking for a class volunteer coordinator to make up group snack schedules, and help with some parent communication for big events possibly.  It would also be someone who would be used by CASC as a class contact to help distribute information on occasion.  Please let me know if you can take on this role.  I am also looking for volunteers to share experiences/expertise/time in class.  We have a reading program I would like to work through to get students reading out loud regularly, and if you are strong in math, I could use you to help guide some students through math challenges once a week, or every two weeks, if your schedule will allow.

Finally, I wanted to mention (though I did cover a number of other items) that math is an area where students all need extra support, and often parents are unsure of where/what is needed.  I was short on time...ok I talked too much on other topics I guess...and I didn't get to share the math tips I wanted to at the end of the meeting so....

All students need to work on conventions of math.  Basic adding, subtracting (up to four digits, up to two decimal places) is good practice if you can work with them.  Multiplication and division is always needed.  However, to really flex their math brains, and build the skills needed to do those, and other math related activities, I would recommend doing the following with your children at home if you are able to...

Identify numbers as even, odd, or prime (divisible by only one and itself, but no other whole number)

Identify multiples of a number (what you get if you double, triple, x4, x5 etc of a number)

Identify factors of a number (what numbers can be multiplied to get that number)

Count up from any number by tens or hundreds, or backwards by tens or hundreds.

Challenge students to find half of any number, quarter of it, or one third of it.

Give numbers and have students give number pairs to get to an agreed upon round number (ie 6 and 4 = 10 or 89 and 11 make 100 or 55 and 45 make 100)

Exercising their math brain with any of these can really get students more comfortable with these convetions of math, and it goes a long way to making student understand that you find math important.  We all find value in reading with our children, or giving them access to reading opportunities.  Every study shows that improvements in reading will not help math skills, but by developing stronger math skills, reading skills also improve!

So, there it is.  Some of the highlights of tonight, and my little blurb on math.  Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns, and please allow for two days turnaround on emails.  If something is urgent, do not email it to me.  Send in a note, or call the office.  I will not be online checking emails in the middle of the day, I will be working with your children.

Again, I apologize to anyone who missed out due to the scheduling conflict.

Regards