Thanks to Ms. McNabb, the work of our Student Voice group last year, and Calgary Reads, Evergreen's Little Free Library has arrived! When the ground thaws we will be installing this beautiful little library box in our playground/ naturalization area. Students and community members will be able to bring a book to share and borrow a book to read. For more information about the Little Free Library go to http://littlefreelibrary.org. Keep your eyes open for a "grand opening" sometime in the spring.
January 27 is National Literacy Day! At Evergreen School we will be celebrating literacy in a few different ways. In the morning, teachers will choose a favourite book to share and will share their love of reading with a different class other than their own. It will give students an opportunity to not only find out about a new book, but they will also have the opportunity to get to know an adult in the school they might not have met before. In the afternoon, everyone, including the caretakers, office staff, students, teachers, and support staff, will participate in D.E.A.R... Drop Everything And Read! As a family, the most important thing you can do to promote literacy development for your children is to read with them daily. A few resources for your family...
Calgary Public Library: Did you know that library cards are free for Calgary Board of Education Students? A wonderful family resource. Calgary Reads: This wonderful organization helps teachers with literacy instruction and promotes literacy for all children. Evergreen School can always use more Calgary Reads tutors to help students who need a boost. Contact Mrs. MacDonald if you are interested. We Give Books (free to sign up): Much like Bookflix, provides a selection of books online for all ages. I read an article this week about New Year's resolutions from an educator's perspective. If you are interested, you can find the article here:
Your Possible Year: Resolutions, Reflections, Risks, and Laughs It made me think about how January is a time of reflection and resolution for our students and teachers. We reflect upon our progress in the first part of the year, then set new intentions and think about our next steps as we continue to learn. Before the holidays, Evergreen teachers reflected upon the reporting process and report cards and discussed their next steps for instruction- for the whole class and for individual students. In our school development plan, our goal as a staff is to ensure that "student daily work will reflect a deep understanding of intended outcomes." Spending time in classrooms this week, I have noticed that many of our students are thinking about their learning goals and what they hope to improve. There is a wide range: everything from "I want to be a better reader" to "I would like to learn more about ancient civilizations". With their teachers, they are identifying actions and strategies that will help them to achieve their goals. Many children are entering their goals and strategies in Iris and will be documenting their progress over the next few months by uploading artifacts and reflecting on their learning. I encourage you to take some time to talk with your child about his or her goals for the next part of the school year. Here is a fun article about the Power of Setting Goals: http://www.keepinspiring.me/why-you-need-to-set-goals/ |
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