Well, we've made it to Christmas Break, and the first trimester report cards are coming home! As you look over the report cards, please remember that the items that are scored are ones we have been working on for a while, but there are many tasks which we have been doing that are not ready to be evaluated at this time. An "X" in a box may mean that we have not started learning a particular skill, or it can mean that the learning is still in progress and not yet ready for any evaluation. As much as possible, I have followed the key on the report card. I have given out few 4s, for example, because a 4 means "exceeds" standards. To achieve a 4, your child must be not only demonstrating adequate understanding of a particular standard, but must also be using the knowledge in ways that are consistently beyond what I would expect from a first grade student. A "3" means your child has shown mastery of a particular standard; a "2" indicates that mastery has not been established, but that progress towards achievement of the standard is being made, and mastery is anticipated. A "1" indicates that your child is unable to achieve success in this area without significant teacher support. Mastery of this skill is in the distance. You will find that the comments at the end of my section of the report card address are directed toward areas in which your child has not yet met a standard. Hopefully, these comments will help you understand the progress that your child has already made, and the steps we are making toward a successful completion of first grade. If there are any areas of the report card that concern you, please make an appointment with me to discuss them when we return to school after "Break". You should be aware that I tested no higher than the end of First Grade Reading for this reporting. The NWEA assessments will be given again in January, and will indicate how "above grade level" students are progressing in their learning. I will also be giving the full DRA assessments just after mid-year, prior to the next trimester reporting, and those assessments will evaluate through the end of second grade, which is the stopping point for assessments while a student is still in first grade. Any "above grade level" student who has not reached this end-of-second grade stopping point at the mid-year will have another opportunity to do so when the final DRA assessment is given at the end of the year.
Your child brought home a certification on Friday for completing one hour of "coding". Yes, this was computer programming at its most basic. Trends in education indicate that by the time your child reaches the working population, millions of jobs available will require an understanding computer technology. It was felt that all students would benefit from an understanding of basic programming "language" called "code", even as early as Kindergarten. Mrs. Colby led the first grade through the general steps we needed to understand how to "write code", and by the end of the hour, each of the children had written at least 4 or 5 lines of code. Of course, they thought they were just playing games that let an "angry bird" jump on a pig, or let a zombie eat the sunflower he wanted so badly. They learned how to tell the computer how to make either creature go where they wanted him to go, even if there were obstacles in the way. It was a pretty amazing sight to witness, and the kids had such fun doing it! A BIG thank you goes out to Mrs. Colby for convincing me that these skills weren't "way over the kids' heads". You can see what your child was doing by visiting the "Hour of Code" website at www.hourofcode.com and going to the "angry birds" activity. I had one parent who did the hour with a child who was home for the day, and she reported that she learned a lot, too!
As much as possible, we will be having a "regular" school week through at least through Wednesday. "Little readers" will go home Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, but there will not be any vocabulary cards this week. Our class Holiday Party is on Thursday afternoon, from 12:15 to 1:30. Please have your child's "Secret Santa" gift at school by Tuesday afternoon. If you have the intention of contributing to our party, please contact me ahead of time, so that I know the food is coming in. Otherwise, I am likely to go out and buy things myself, and then have a surplus of food on the day of the party when unexpected treats arrive. We have a few items promised at this time, but could use cheese, crackers, pretzels, or fruit. Thanks.
It's time for me to climb onto my soap box for a few minutes to plead with you to keep your child actively reading, writing, and during math at least fifteen minutes a day every day during the vacation time. As you know, I have gifted each child with books to read, but I am also giving them playing cards, a photocopied packet of different card games they can play with them, and have made many, many websites available to you through this blog that your child can do FOR FUN over vacation. In addition, I have just learned the "StarWalk Kids Media" has a special promotion going on from December 24 - January 5 that will make 520 books available for listening to or reading online. A subscription for this service is $895.00, so getting it FOR FREE for the two weeks of vacation is quite a deal! I would encourage all of you to go check it out, all the while realizing that you probably can't afford a subscription to it. Whatever you choose to do, please keep your child doing SOMETHING educational at least 15 minutes a day EVERY DAY for each day of the vacation. Children who do nothing academic during a two-week "Break" have to work so much harder to regain the ground they has lost by being inactive academically. Make it fun. Do some "project" with them, which will make it seem less like school work because it's pleasurable time spent with you. Two weeks of rest and recreation are important to us all, but 15 minutes (or more) each day is a manageable amount of time, no matter what else your family is doing.
Have a very Merry Holiday, and a wonderful vacation time with your child. I'm going to go enjoy my family for a week, and then spend the second week working on programs and materials to use with your child when we return from "Break". Happy Holidays!!
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