"Words are our most
inexhaustible source of magic."
-J.K. Rowling
When this school year started, I debated whether I should work with lessons that were “distance learning appropriate,” or hold tight to my most loved teaching plans. Slightly stubborn, I chose the latter. While I had moments of doubt, last week proved that my instincts were right. Together, we finished reading our class novel, The Benefits of Being an Octopus by Ann Braden. If it’s possible to feel connected, to have a genuine, shared experience over Zoom, we did it! Finishing the book was my favorite part of teaching this year. I know the students felt the same. Ask your kids what they thought of the book - I think it opened a lot of minds and hearts.
It is very important to get all class novels returned. Starting Wednesday, there will be a drop-off box near the office at Dartmouth, for students to return their copy of The Benefits of Being an Octopus. Please put a sticky note or a piece of paper inside the text with: 1. Student’s name (first & last) 2. My name 3. Class period I’ll need this information to keep track novels - we need them all back for our next batch of 7th graders in the fall. First quarter is officially in the books! The kids and I remarked that it went really fast, although we all feel as though the first day of school was a very long time ago. Seems even the passing of time feels unusual in 2020! The good news is that, in my most recent survey, the vast majority of students rated Q1 as, “far exceeding their expectations.” I’m not entirely sure if that is because we did a good job of it, or if their expectations were not exactly high to begin with. It always helps to have a low bar! I’m a glass full kind of a person; I’ll take it as a good thing.
With the second quarter comes our first big writing venture. Students are composing realistic fiction narratives. They start with a real-life event that holds some personal meaning, then (here comes the fun part!) they add fiction to the mix. Last week we picked the story idea we will be pursuing in writing. Ask your students what they have decided to write about, and how they will twist and turn their story with the benefit of a little imagination. Enjoy our second four-day school week with the added benefit of cooler weather and clearer skies. Bring on Q2! My grades closed Friday. After the deadline, I read 298 reading responses on Saturday. It wasn’t easy. The thing that motivated me was knowing that that meant my students read 298 books this quarter. That is a beautiful thing.
Parents and students - check grades now. By closing my grades early, we have this week to make sure that the grade you see is the grade that has been earned. It also gives us all a chance to exhale before next quarter officially starts on October 19th. Remember to take a second to reflect on our first quarter. I’m hoping, no matter what the grade says, that my students are proud of their accomplishment. Remember, opening a new school year with online learning has NEVER been done before. Never. There was no playbook, no advice, no recommendation for us to use. We just did it and did it well. I’m very proud of each and every student. I’m actually hoping that Week #9 will be renamed, “The Week of Many Emails.” My grades close Friday. All work must be submitted by then to be considered in Q1 totals. Fingers crossed that all missing and/or late assignments get submitted. Remember to send me an email, if you turn something in. Also, I’ll be open for business Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and, for professional procrastinators, Friday, for Distance Learning Support. Let’s get that late work in, so that everybody gets the grade they deserve, rather than the grade they are stuck with. I know those first few weeks of online learning were equal parts confusing and chaotic. Don’t let one missed assignment tank your grade. And, a final reminder, that Independent Reading responses are due Wednesday. Share what you’ve been reading this quarter, and, just as importantly, what you think about what you’ve read. I can’t wait to find out.
We’re also inches away from actually starting our Realistic Fiction Narratives. Talk with your families about the story ideas you have accumulated. Make sure there aren’t any memories, ripe with potential, that you have overlooked. |
AuthorBeth Fabiano - Busy 7th Grade ELA teacher, wife, mother Archives
May 2021
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