The Happiest Place on Earth

I believe that Room 115 is one of the happiest places on earth.  After a weekend of watching devastating news, I am looking forward to getting back to Room 115.  Thank you for your emails and kind words you have shared with me this weekend.   I spend more time with your child than I do with my own during a weekday.  I am eager to shut our door and have a normal day working with my 19 students where I can see their joyful faces and focus on instruction.  I do not plan to talk to about the Connecticut event with the students.  If a conversation comes up in the next few days, I will  send out a mass email to let you know how I addressed it.  At this age, conversations need to come from parents where there can be reassurances that only a parent can give.  Here is a guide on how to talk to your child (or older children) about the event.   I found this article on a website for American School Counselors.

Tragedy Talking Points by Dr. Brad Schwall

The following guidelines may help you in addressing the school-shooting incident with your children based on the information currently known about the tragedy to this point.

• Avoid exposing children to too much media coverage.
• Avoid fostering rumors and speculation about the tragedy.  

Age and Stage Responses

Preschool-2^nd grade – discuss the incident only if the child has heard any of the news. There is no need to inform the child of the tragedy if the child does not know about it.

3^rd- 5^th graders are more likely to have heard the news.  Decide whether to bring the issue up with 3^rd and 4^th graders based on their temperaments.

Check for what your child knows – Ask, “What have you heard today?"

You may choose to approach the subject with children in 6^th grade and older.

No matter your child’s age, consider the following responses based on how you believe you need to address the tragedy with your child.

• The tragedy is isolated and tragedies like this happen rarely.
• The fact that this tragedy happened does not mean there is an immediate danger where you live.
• Emphasize that safety precautions are in place in schools.
• Reflect what your child may be feeling – “I know this is scary news. It is very sad.”
• Emphasize empathy for the victims – “It is very sad that this happened to those families and children.”
• Teenagers may reflect on the fragile nature of life and the unpredictability of life.

The conversation may focus on:

• Validating your child's feelings - it is OK to feel scared or sad
• Emphasizing that your child is safe
• Empathizing with the victims

Regular news for Room 115

Check book bags on Monday for a special Christmas secret that can be opened immediately.  We thought of every member of our family as we made the secret!


Also on Monday will be your child's DIBELS scores from last week.  There is a note attached detailing each of the tests that were administered.  Let me know if you have any questions about the scores.  Please sign and return.   

This is a review week for reading.  I will send home a list for the word wall words for the 3rd nine weeks on Wednesday.  I will be testing for report cards this week so reading groups will be abbreviated and no reading homework sheets.

In math, we will work on addition and continue to learn about subtraction.  

We will have Nancy's Italian Ice on Monday for $1.00.  New library books should come home tomorrow.  Look for our poetry journals to come home Wednesday.  

Classroom needs:  cap erasers

Wednesday is Polar Express Day.  We  get to wear our pajamas to school and watch the Polar Express.  No need to send a change of clothes...we will work in our pajamas all day.

If you asked the students the most important thing about this week the answer would be Thursday, December 20.  We've been counting down the days until we take a break from learning and have a party!  Our classroom party will be Thursday, December 20 from 1:30-2:15.  Parents are invited to help get the room ready beginning at 1:10.  Contact the room moms for more details about assisting with preparations for the party.  You may check your child out after the party.  The following is the most efficient way to check your child out:
1.  Before the party begins, there will be a table set up for check outs in front of the office.  Once you fill out the necessary paperwork, you will be given a slip of paper to hand me.  This paper allows me to release your child at the end of the party.
2.  Be sure to hand me the slip of paper once you enter the classroom.  If I do not have the slip of paper then you must go to the office at the end of the party and check your child out.
3.  I will not release your child without the slip of paper from the office!

Friday is a regular school day.  

Have a wonderful break.  Remember to return on Thursday, January 3.  We are not off for the full two weeks this year.  I hope your Christmas is filled with sweet memories,  uninterrupted time with your child and peace.  Be safe, read a few good books and be thankful for healthy, growing children!  See you in 2013!  Thank you for loving Room 115.  I appreciate your support!

A Busy, Busy Week

What a busy week this is going to be.  If you  have older children in the system, you know all about DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills).  Well MPS decided to do away with DIBELS  this year but then they changed their minds.  Soooo...our class will be tested tomorrow.  Nothing to worry about or prepare for...it just interrupts our schedule.  (If you are new to the word DIBELS,  I will explain later when we send home the scores.)  On Tuesday, we will have extra students in our classroom while another K teacher is on the DIBELS testing team.  Nothing to worry about...it just interrupts our schedule.  On Friday, the children will rotate to each of the other four Kindergarten classroom for fun holiday crafts.  A lot of FUN.... but it interrupts our schedule.  So the key word this week is flexibility.   Check binders nightly for reading homework but don't be surprised if it doesn't come home nightly.

In reading we will be investigating the letter Jj as in "jellybean in the jar."  The word wall words are:  with, for, then,some.  I will begin assessing word wall words this Wednesday.  My assessment covers ALL the word wall words since school began.

In math, we have moved into subtraction.  The big concept for the children to get across is that you start out with a group and it gets smaller as you take things away.  We have started to have addition worksheets during the day.  Those will come home in binders for you to monitor your child's progress.

Send library books but the library will probably be closed due to DIBELS testing.  I will try to squeeze two children down at a time if the library opens before the end of the day.

Italian Ice is Monday for $1.00.  Please return poetry journals on Monday too.

We have enough toilet tissue rolls for a special craft this week.  Thanks for your help.

Heads up:  In LATE January, I will start collecting empty shoe boxes for Valentine mail boxes.  The kids get so much Valentine mail that adult shoes boxes are needed.  I prefer shoe boxes that have a detachable lid but those are very hard to find.  Most adult shoe boxes come with the lid attached now days.  So if new shoes/boots are under your Christmas tree this year, please save the box.  Do not send the box until I ask for it due to a lack of storage in our classroom.

The room parents have sent out an email about the class Christmas party on Thursday, December 20.  It is from 1:30-2:15 pm.  I hope you can attend. Thanks for supporting the room parents in making sure Room 115 celebrates in style. 

Change of date: The Kindergarten children will be having a Polar Express Day on Wednesday, December 19.  Pajamas are in order for that day.  We will be watching the movie Polar Express.  Please contact me if you  would rather not allow your child to watch the movie.

Either my camera, my computer or blogger is not cooperating but I cannot load pictures today onto the blog. Thanks for understanding.  I'll make sure to post extra next week.

Thanks for supporting our classroom.  I am a very blessed teacher.  Contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

Upcoming Events:
Wednesday , December 19:  Kindergarten watches the Polar Express (wear pajamas)
Thursday, December 20:  Room 115 Christmas Party,  1:30-2:15 pm
Monday, December 24-Wednesday, January 2:  NO SCHOOL
Thursday, January 3:  School is in session

Hello December

It was so nice to see everyone back together.  It had been over one month since we have had perfect attendance.  Our song "The More We Get Together" was very appropriate for our poetry journals.  We sang that song all week long and even pulled out the musical instruments in the classroom to accompany the singing.  Joyful singing in a very happy classroom!


This week we will be investigating the letter Ii as in "insect in the ink."  The word wall words are:  when, want, soon, get.   Note:  Stay on top of word wall word practice at home.  The difficulty of words tends to pick up this week for the remainder of the school year.  Remember these are words that need to be recognized and read instantly upon sight. 

We should  test on addition later this week and begin subtraction.  November calendar pages never made it into notebooks on Friday so we will try again on Monday.

Look for this alphabet chart in the take home folder on Wednesday.  There will be a note attached as to how to use this at home.  Your child will know what to do but still read the handout.  This does not need to be returned.

Remember that Monday is Italian Ice, library and a new poem for our poetry journals. 

Last week we had a visit from Harvey the dog and the Montgomery Humane Society.  We learned about the safest way to approach and pet a dog.  Room 115 has had several conversations since the beginning of school of how cool it would be if a dog could live in our classroom and spend the day with us. 


The school is collecting new 12" bears to give to the Family Sunshine Guidance Center .  The collection will last through Friday.

The big news from last week was the installation of our Smart board.  I don't believe that technology makes a great classroom but I do believe that if you give an effective teacher technology then instruction can be enhanced.  Our Smart board is pretty cool and we've just had it turned on two days.  I'm sure you will hear a lot about our Smart board all year long.  The room had to be rearranged to accommodate the Smart board so be prepared for change the next time you visit. 


I will be out of the classroom all day on Friday.  I've secured an excellent substitute so the children won't even know that I'm not there.

Upcoming Dates:
Thursday, December 20:  Room 115 Christmas Party,  1:30-2:15 pm
Friday, Decemb3er 21:  Kindergarten watches the Polar Express (wear pajamas) 
Monday, December 24-Wednesday, January 2:  NO SCHOOL
Thursday, January 3:  School is in session


Contact me if you have any questions or concerns.  I hope you can make plans to attend our Christmas Party on December 20!  We are a fun group to hang out with.  Thanks so much for supporting our classroom!