11-14-17 GBH Newsletter

Important Events (Always defer to the parent calendar on our website, if you notice a discrepancy.)

• Conferences and Thanksgiving- No School: November 20th-24th
• Conferences: Nov 20th and 21st.  

Requests:Please read this newsletter and prepare for the conferences.  We are very excited to get the time with you, and want to make sure it is as meaningful as possible.

Weekly Update:

Next Week is conferences.  That means that this week there will be no reflection letter going home with this newsletter, because we are using our student’s reflection time to focus on  preparing for conferences.  

We are very excited to get time next Monday and Tuesday with each of you.  These conferences are very valuable and we appreciate everyone taking time to come and share insights and make goals to support the children in our community.  We love the relationship building from conferences and always leave the long days with a sense of excitement and inspiration for our children.

Here are the 4 goals we have for our 25 minute conference times:

1. To listen to insights from home and hear from families.
2. To share observations of student’s strengths and challenges so far this year, and present output in academics, self- regulation, and social emotional interaction in class.
3. To make a plan for how families can support the children’s specific goals and general progress, while discussing what we will be doing at school to support the children’s goals.
4. Discuss any questions, concerns or celebrations families have, or set a follow up time to meet if the topic is too large to address in the time we have.

You might be thinking (like we are) that that is a lot to fit into 25 minutes. In order to make the most of our conference time, please do the following 3 things before the conference:

1. First, look at the above conference goals and prepare any questions or insights you have. Be ready to share them with us.
2. Second, this weekend, discuss with your child what goals they set this week.  Get insights from them about how they feel they are doing so that we can compare that with our other observations.  
3. Third, please, read through the attached home support ideas.  Feel free to bring questions or ideas to add and discuss.

Thanks again for everything you all do.  This community has been so hard working and supportive.  The love and energy I see every day is inspiring.  What you do to support not only your individual children, but the whole community makes this place so special!  We cannot wait to have time with each of you next week.

Gratitude Corner:

Thank you to the parents who are helping with LEGO robotics!  We are excited to see the work coming together.

 Home Support Ideas

for Great Blue Heron Families

Important Notes:

• The importance of limiting screen time and protecting full nights of sleep (8-10 hours) are well documented.  Please start home support by examining those two elements of your child’s life.  If you are looking for a thought partner, feel free to discuss this with the teachers at conferences.
• Establishing a routine of a supportive quiet place and a consistent time will help students now AND will prepare students for success in middle school.
• According to Montessori philosophy (and modern motivation research), working with children to pick the homework and working together to make the plan is crucial.
• “Homework” should NOT be more than 30-60 minutes a night, because all other activities- family time, sports, music practice, chores (yes, chores), hobbies, activities, and unstructured time (without screens) have been shown to GREATLY benefit development as well.

MOST IMPORTANT: To help with reading comprehension, empathy, and critical thinking: Set aside 20-40 minutes a night to read.  If possible, make it a family routine; children want to participate in the life of the family.     Go to the library and pick a book to read together. Discuss it as a family after each chapter. Read Stories together out loud (or listen to audio books together) and discuss them- it is okay if the adult does most of the reading, but alternate and let the child get some practice. Read periodicals or listen to the radio together and discuss multiple perspectives of current events.

To help with passion, interest, and projects:

• Ask your child what their projects are and help them by going to the library in the evening, helping them search the internet and printing out resources with them.
• Discuss with your child what projects they are working on at school, ask them how they are doing on their plan- help them brainstorm if they are having interpersonal struggles or planning challenges.
• Ask your child if there are any supplies they need for their project or places they need to visit and take them on errands for what they are working on.  
• For the aspiring authors: Find a writing competition and enter it. Set deadlines for the project and invite your children’s friends to enter with you. http://imaginationsoup.net/2016/01/12/writing-contests-kids-ways-get-published/

To help build a strong base of math skills:

• Math Facts: Make and practice flash-cards and practice just one fact family at a time. Practice skip counting and writing the multiples out in different colors
• Play math fact games (like multiplication war or fast 10s).  There are many games possible for this (best if done with an adult). Reach out to Josie if you want some ideas.

To help with critical thinking skills and academic work:

• Use the discussion lists from the newsletters to discuss and process school work.
• Have your child teach you a skill they are practicing 2 times a week.
• Ask your child if they are doing any writing, help them edit and revise their project work.
• Discuss an issue as a family and write a letter to the editor or to your government.
• Plan and perform science experiments together as a family- practice keeping track of data together and using the scientific method curriculum card.