Week #19: Jan. 20th - 24th
Dear Families,
Despite the chilly temperatures lately, January has truly been a winter wonderland! The kids have been having a blast building snowmen, creating snow structures, and playing snow soccer during recess.
I have to say, the views of our schoolyard throughout the seasons are absolutely stunning, and I feel so GRATEFUL to admire them daily from my portable window. Take a look!
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| Photo cred goes out to Mrs. Newman! |
I hope everyone had a wonderful PA Day! I really enjoyed the opportunity to collaborate with my colleagues as we planned and prepared meaningful lessons and reports for our amazing students.
At Nottawa, we are so fortunate to be surrounded by such a supportive staff who truly value the importance of working together to create a safe, welcoming, and child-centered school climate :)
SPEECH PRESENTATIONS:
I would just like to acknowledge and extend my gratitude to everyone who presented their speech this week in front of the class!
You ALL did your personal best and I could tell so many of you prepared for this experience at home. It certainly paid off!
For many people, public speaking is a fear, and I can whole-heartedly empathize with my students as I too get the jitters when I have to speak in front of a large audience (e.g., assemblies, workshops, Stone Soup).
In class we've learned that F.E.A.R. has two meanings. In tough situations, we get to choose.
Face
Everything
And
Run
OR
Face
Everything
And
Rise
What will you choose to do, RUN or RISE?
Stepping outside of our comfort zones can be quite challenging, but when we do, we often realize potential in ourselves we never saw or embraced in ourselves.
It's good to try new things, even uncomfortable ones because we can rise to new heights and develop our potential higher and higher :)
Looking forward to the final speech presenters next week!
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY:
Did you know the third Monday every January is Martin Luther King Jr. Day? It is a day for everyone to honour the life and legacy of this remarkable civil rights activist who helped thousands stand up for the equal rights and treatment of all people. It was his mission to end segregation and he did with the help of the beloved Rosa Parks.
Take a minute to check out the video below as an introductory lesson on Dr. King's remarkable impact. It is child friendly and provides important information about this extraordinary civil rights activist.
After watching the video in class, we took the time to think about and reflect upon the following:
"Write about a dream that you have for making our country a better place."
We brainstormed many meaningful ideas and the kids wrote with their hearts 💞
I was moved by their thoughts and words, and have every confidence they will put these into their actions!! Check out some of the examples 👇🏾
These completed sheets will come home in the agenda, when they do, please take time to admire these. Many are so proud of their messages.
Below I have also posted Martin Luther's King Jr.'s most famous speech and it brought tears to my eyes. Please give it a listen.
As an educator, I look up to Dr. King and will always do my best to pursue my dream which is to help children grow not just as students, but more importantly - as people (the best version of themselves even when no one is watching).
CHARACTER RECOGNITION ASSEMBLY & SPIRIT DAY:
We’re excited to invite you to our upcoming Character Education Assembly on Thursday, January 30th at 9:45 AM, led by Mrs. Mathews' Grade 6/7 class.
All families are welcome to attend as we come together to honour and celebrate the amazing students here at Nottawa who demonstrate good character through their thoughts, words, and actions. Their efforts help create a safer, more welcoming, and trustworthy school environment that we’re all proud of.
To make the day even more fun, it will also be a Spirit Day with a theme of Decades Day! We encourage everyone to come dressed in attire representing the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, or early 2000s. We look forward to celebrating with you and seeing the creative outfits!
Thank you for your ongoing support, and we can’t wait to see you there!
MOVING EDGEucation - DANCE WORKSHOP:
What is it? Moving EDGEucation is an organization that is passionate about implementing social, emotional, and mental well-being strategies for educators to help students soar, grow, and thrive especially in today's modern digital era.
Integrating well-being MOVEMENTS throughout the school day is essential in fostering healthy minds and bodies so children and teachers are regulated (calm, focused, ready to learn) to do and be the best version of themselves!
On Monday, my students participated in this one day event at our school. It was a learning and growing experience for not only the students, but more importantly for us educators! We all danced our hearts out and showed our creativity, spirit, and spunk to strike a pose!
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| We are all UNIQUE, BRIGHT, BEAUTIFUL, just the way we are:) |
Watch this inspiring video below to learn more :-)
BELL LET'S TALK DAY:
Mental illness is a very common form of human pain and suffering. Being a good listener and asking how you can help or simply just being there for people you care about can be the first step to recovery.
Ask your child the 5 ways someone who suffers with mental health can BOOST THEIR WELL-BEING. HINT (see image below too): Connect, Give, Learn, Present, Active).
We as a class family are so fortunate that we participate in these wellness suggestions each and everyday!
Taking care of our mental wellness is equally as important (if not more in my opinion) as tending to our physical well-being.
MATH:
Has your child come home and share with you about the concept of Prime & Composite Numbers?
If so, great! If not yet, that's a-ok, now's the opportunity to discuss ;)
So what makes a number prime? What makes a number composite? Before watching the video, please ask your child and see if they can remember from my lesson and share this for you :)
After watching the video together, please have your child come up with 3 PRIME NUMBERS and 3 COMPOSITE NUMBERS and they must list the factors for these.
E.g., 11 is a prime number because its factors are only 1 and 11 (2 factors).
E.g., 36 is a composite number because its factors are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 36 (9 factors).
FIELD TRIP:
Due to the extreme cold temperatures earlier this week, we had to reschedule our cross-country and snowshoeing trip at Nordic Highlands.
It will now take place on Monday, February 24th.
We truly appreciate the understanding and flexibility of both parents and children as we prioritize everyone’s safety.
We’re so looking forward to this incredible adventure, and we can’t wait to make unforgettable memories together on the trails!
HARLOW:
I want to give a big shoutout to Harlow for bringing a notebook to class and starting to take notes during our lessons!
Her dedication to her schoolwork and her drive to improve by using constructive feedback is truly inspiring!
Harlow's efforts and enthusiasm to build her skills are a joy to see, she too is setting a fantastic example!
A heartfelt thank you also goes to Harlow’s parents for consistently supporting her and encouraging her to reach for the stars. With this kind of teamwork, there’s no limit to what Harlow can achieve! Way to go 👏🏾
AVERY:
I want to take another moment to acknowledge another wonderful student our Avery for her thoughtful and compassionate gesture of bringing in tabs for wheelchairs earlier this week 🥰
This act of kindness speaks volumes about her selflessness and her ability to empathize with and consider the needs of others.
Avery has been such a joy to teach, learn, and grow with, and her kind, respectful, and hardworking ways are deeply appreciated.
Thank you Aves for showing us all the power of thoughtfulness and generosity!
MINDFULNESS:
In life, we will not agree with everyone, and that's OK! In fact, it's better than ok, it's what makes our world so bright, innovative, and interesting!
But, what I've shared with my students especially in collaborative situations at home (with siblings) and school (with peers), we must always be considerate of others thoughts, feelings, and opinions.
If you don't agree with someone, please remember to RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE. We all have a voice, it needs to be heard in a kind, caring, and respectful manner.
"Let's treat people like they are PEOPLE, people! There's a lot of disagreeing going on in the world right now. So, it's time to teach us kids how to disagree with people without making someone feel terrible."
Here is Kid President's 6 Steps to learning how to disagree with people. "Remember, just because we disagree about which is better, dogs or cats, doesn't mean I can't be a good friend and listen to all the reasons why you like cats." #KidPresident #SoulPancake
GROWTH MINDSET:
This week's mindset message is inspired by the great Dr. King.
What does it mean?
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. reminds us that it’s never too early or too late to make a good choice. When we see something unfair or someone in need, we should take action right away.
Doing what is right like being kind, honest, or helping others is always the best thing to do, no matter when or where.
It’s a message for all of us, kids and adults to lead with kindness and courage every day!
Sincerely,
Ms. Gill
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