Weekly Update: 11/13-11/17

Things to Know:

ALL SCHOOL PJ DAY: Bust out your favorite jam-jams (or just roll out of bed and come to school)! Due to our Read-A-Thon success, we will be having an ALL SCHOOL PAJAMA DAY on Tuesday, November 21! Woo hoo!

THE H BROTHERS: This week, we met some new "friends" that help us read new words! I would like to introduce you to the H Brothers:

As we continued to learn about digraphs, we realized that PH and GH are also sounds that we should incorporate into the H Brother narrative. Here is what we came up with:

Meet Phil the Dolphin. Phil thinks he is so funny when he prank calls his human "brothers" on the phone!

Meet Ruff the Tough Dog. This is the pet of the H Brothers. He thinks is so tough that be barks at everyone he sees! (Sadly, he barks so much that he starts to cough!)

Please ask your child about the H Brothers and see if they can spot 'em while reading! :-)

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: I am looking for volunteers that are willing to work one on one with students on reading and math skills. Volunteers are needed on a "come when you can, leave when you want" basis Monday-Friday. To sign up for a day, please visit visit this link! (Please note: While the slots are listed from 7:45-2 p.m, you are NOT expected to come all day! Simply let me know what time frame you are available.)

LET'S ALL GET ALONG: Lately, I've noticed our class sounding a little less like this...

and a little more like this...

If you hear your child ever talk to anyone in a particular "tone," try asking: "Can you say those same EXACT words in a different voice?" It takes a village! :-)

WINTER WEATHER IS HERE! *Sigh* Bust out the hats and mittens! It is important to get out that winter gear so recess can be an enjoyable time for everyone: 

LAST WEEK:

(Ask your child these questions about school!)

• MATH: 
• What special project did you make? How did you make it? (We'll be using it next week to help us count by 5s!)

• READING:
• What are some clue words that help us put story events in SEQUENCE?
• What sounds do the H Brothers make?

• WRITING:
• What family member did you choose to write about?

A PEEK AT THIS WEEK:

(Looking ahead...)

• MATH: 
• I can add pennies, nickels, and dimes.
• I can tell time to the hour.

• READING:
• I can monitor and fix-up my reading. 
• I can read digraphs. 
• I can retell a story.

• WRITING:
• I can develop ideas for writing.

• SOCIAL STUDIES:
• I can be a kind friend.

UPCOMING DATES:

• 11/17: Report Cards sent home in Friday Folders
• 11/17: Last day of the book fair
• 11/21: All School PAJAMA DAY!
• 11/22: Thanksgiving Break Begins
• 11/27: School Resumes
• 12/8: First Grade Music Concert (6:00 p.m.)
• 11/21: Winter Break Begins

FUN in First Grade! (Photos)

Weekly Update: 11/6-11/8

Hello, 1st grade families!

Due to the short week, we will be having a special edition of our weekly update. This week's topic? MINDSET!

(To find dates and upcoming events, please refer to our last weekly update.)

Looking for ways to increase motivation in your child to learn and grow? See how a simple compliment has the power to make or break your child's confidence and mindset. It will be worth your time, I promise!

Carol Dweck has been a pioneer in some amazing research and, as of April 2016, she and psychological scientist Kyla Haimovitz published another very important study on how parents' views on failure can predict a fixed or growth mindset in children.

The study, "What Predicts Children's Fixed and Growth Intelligence Mind-Sets? Not Their Parents View of Intelligence but Their Parents Views of Failure," was published in the journal Psychological Science. The study concludes that a child's view of his/her own intelligence is shaped by how parents view a child's struggles and setbacks. As Haimovitz states, "Our findings show that parents can endorse a growth mindset but they might not pass it on to their children unless they have a positive and constructive reaction to their children's struggles." 

For example, parents who typically show concern when a child comes home with a poor test score may convey to the child that intelligence is mostly fixed. However, parents who focus on learning from the poor score convey the message that intelligence can be built through hard work and improvement.

What is interesting to me is that a child's mindset is not found to be affected by a parent's (or teacher's, for that matter) belief on intelligence, but rather their view on failures. For me, it reaffirms the importance of celebrating mistakes as opportunities for learning in our classroom! 

You can read more about this study here.

In closing, here is another great video by Carol Dweck on the power of the word YET. This is a TED talk from 2014 that is still very, very relevant today. Take a look!

How do you address mistakes and failures with your children? Does this reaffirm some of your current practices, or cause you to rethink how you view failure? Comment below...I'd love to hear what you think!

And now....Some PHOTOS! 
Enjoy!

:-) Mrs. B

Sources:

K. Haimovitz, C. S. Dweck. What Predicts Childrens Fixed and Growth Intelligence Mind-Sets? Not Their Parents Views of Intelligence but Their Parents Views of Failure. Psychological Science, 2016; DOI:10.1177/0956797616639727

Association for Psychological Science. "Seeing the benefits of failure shapes kids' beliefs about intelligence." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 28 April 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/04/160428132136.htm>.