Welcome readers! This blog has been designed to open the door into my classroom to help see what is going on. Parents are welcome to visit often to catch a glimpse into their child's school day. The key to a successful student is active family involvement. I believe that it truly "takes a village to raise a child" especially when it comes to the writing process. As parents and guardians you have so much more insight into your child's experiences than I can gleam from the 90 minutes I have with them daily. You know the trips you have taken as a family, the details of their greatest past accomplishments, their hopes for the future (college/job/etc.), family traditions, best friends and so on. A nine or ten year old has not most likely had too many experiences and often times does not know the specifics as to places they have been or things they want to do. As their parent or guardian you have the opportunity to bond with them and help them recall their experiences and hopes/dreams and aide them in recording them on paper. Modeling has been shown to be one of the most effective tools in writing. In my classroom, on a weekly basis, students will be experiencing me model the assigned writing prompts and helping me with feedback on details of the story. Talking with your student and helping them brainstorm and organize their ideas can be the easiest way to help your child. As an adult we have mastered the sequencing process and logical order of typical events. We also are older, therefore, remember and recall most specifics. I will be placing helpful tips and tricks that can be done at home to help your student in this very critical year. My goal as your child's teacher is to inspire your student and ignite in them a passion for writing. Writing is everywhere and it is something we all do on a daily basis. This could entail writing a report for work, composing an e-mail, sending a text message, writing down directions or sending a thank you card to name a few. Learning how to write well will also help you to speak well. This is HUGE in the professional world and a key component for success. With all of that to say, I take my role as their teacher seriously. This year marks my seventh year to teach and my third to specifically teach fourth grade Writing and Science. I am always on the lookout for fun and creative ways to help engage my students in the writing process and in their science skills. You are welcome to leave any feedback you feel necessary to my posts. Please however use my school e-mail for specific questions or concerns. I look forward to a wonderful year seeing our fourth graders "Go Fourth and Do Great Things!"
