Hello!
Alright, some things.
1. this week has been great! We've carved pumpkins, eaten the pumpkin seeds (EVERYONE loved them!), created tissue ghosts, created hand bats, read halloween stories in the dark, learned the witches brew song, and bobbed for apples. Today, we're going to make witches brew (for us, it's going to be a safe bet of cheez-its, pretzel twists, chocolate chips, and animal crackers in a witches cauldron). We're also going to MAKE rice krispie treats. I've never made them before, but I figured that it would be fun, messy, and quite sticky. In addition, we also have our Walk for the Homeless today somewhere between 1:30 and 2pm. Thanks for sending all those forms back! We're also having our pizza party which I know everyone is excited about.
2. We have obtained permission from administration to use a different playground. We will be using the fourth grade playground by ourselves during the same recess time that we have now. While I have always liked for the boys to be able to hang out with other students during this time, it's just TOO many other students and TOO many opportunities for them to be at the right place at the wrong time. Since we're all friends in the class, I'm sure that they will be just fine. And besides, they'll get cooler equipment! If you have any questions/concerns/comments about this, feel free to email me.
3. We rearranged the classroom last night. (It's what I do when I've had a weird day). Mrs. Robertson put up our new bulletin board as well. It's entitled "Presidential Possibilities" and has a silhouette of each of the boys. A campaign button with each of their faces and a slogan for them going with either their first or last name. In addition, it has a blurb written by the boys about what they would do if they were president. I must say, it's a great one! The classroom I think looks way cooler than it did before. The library is now in front of the chalkboard (which we rarely if ever use), the morning meeting area is where the library was, and the tent is where the morning meeting area was. All in all, it's a new and exciting set up that we're excited for!
4. We hope that everyone has a safe and happy Halloween experience today (both in and out of school)! We've talked about Halloween Safety a great deal, crossing streets with looking both ways, having a parent/adult check the candy before they eat it, being nice about trick or treating (no silly song about pulling down underwear!), etc.
Enjoy! I've got to get my Red Crayon self ready to go see all the great costumes!
Friday, October 31, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Houston, we found a pumpkin!
Mr. Robertson went and found us a pumpkin! We are so grateful so now we can explore the pumpkin guts today as planned!
Also, breaking news!
We are allowed to wear costumes on Friday! They do have a pertain to a story (so far I know that there are some monkeys and ghosts so we're good to go on that!)
Also, breaking news!
We are allowed to wear costumes on Friday! They do have a pertain to a story (so far I know that there are some monkeys and ghosts so we're good to go on that!)
Monday, October 27, 2008
Lots of Things
1. Due to my Fabulous estimation skills (I have none and received much coaching), we have won a pizza party from our PTO. It will be on Friday. As a result, no lunch is needed on Friday.
2. We are having a walk for the homeless on Friday during school. The forms are being sent home today. Please sign them and return them tomorrow even if you don't want to donate. Just having the form back raises money in itself. Also, if we are the first class to turn in all of our forms, we will win a prize from Ms. Schafer.
3. While on the topic of Ms. Schafer, the boys will be meeting their peer mentors between today and tomorrow. It is exciting news and everyone will have a peer mentor (from the high school). The only two that I'm a bit confused on are Grant and Sunny's because Grant was assigned two and Sunny none so we are splitting them up but I'm going to ask the mentors to choose a student. So, without further ado, the mentors:
David is paired with Matt.
Grant and Sunny will have Mallory and Shelby (will determine by tomorrow who will have who)
Darius will have Jasmine
Patrick will have Katie again! We're so excited that she's coming back and know that Patrick will be excited too!
4. We are having a Halloween Party on Friday. Tomorrow, I'm going to be carving a pumpkin with the boys. Either Wednesday or Thursday they will be decorating their own smaller one. Friday, we have the pizza party, the walk, will bob for apples, and may even watch something great! Please note, no costumes are allowed in school.
For now, that's everything. Hope all is well.
2. We are having a walk for the homeless on Friday during school. The forms are being sent home today. Please sign them and return them tomorrow even if you don't want to donate. Just having the form back raises money in itself. Also, if we are the first class to turn in all of our forms, we will win a prize from Ms. Schafer.
3. While on the topic of Ms. Schafer, the boys will be meeting their peer mentors between today and tomorrow. It is exciting news and everyone will have a peer mentor (from the high school). The only two that I'm a bit confused on are Grant and Sunny's because Grant was assigned two and Sunny none so we are splitting them up but I'm going to ask the mentors to choose a student. So, without further ado, the mentors:
David is paired with Matt.
Grant and Sunny will have Mallory and Shelby (will determine by tomorrow who will have who)
Darius will have Jasmine
Patrick will have Katie again! We're so excited that she's coming back and know that Patrick will be excited too!
4. We are having a Halloween Party on Friday. Tomorrow, I'm going to be carving a pumpkin with the boys. Either Wednesday or Thursday they will be decorating their own smaller one. Friday, we have the pizza party, the walk, will bob for apples, and may even watch something great! Please note, no costumes are allowed in school.
For now, that's everything. Hope all is well.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Walk this Saturday
There is a walk for Autism this Saturday at the Prince William Fairgrounds in Manassas. There are plenty of kids activities, it's free and informative.
Since I just found out about it with such short notice, I wasn't able to set up a fundraising site but am working on it anyway.
If you're interested in going (and could use some extra hands) Mike and I plan on going and participating. We can join together and have a team (it's free).
Other than that, things are going well. Will update more later!
Since I just found out about it with such short notice, I wasn't able to set up a fundraising site but am working on it anyway.
If you're interested in going (and could use some extra hands) Mike and I plan on going and participating. We can join together and have a team (it's free).
Other than that, things are going well. Will update more later!
Friday, October 17, 2008
Live....from in bed
Okay, don't laugh, I threw my back out. Thankfully my husband set my laptop up for me so i can be in bed and read email.
I was at school today, rearranging some things, and before I knew it, I was down for the count. So, I did what any great teacher would do, I spent my planning period on the pillows and taught the rest of the day via videos and discussion. We watched a very compelling Berenstain bears and the truth about strangers.
Anyway, I write for a couple of reasons.
1. Please review with your boys the importance of keeping their hands and feet to themselves. We've had a lot of shoving, hitting, kicking, pushing, purposeful foot stepping on, etc. As a result, we've had a lot of card flipping. According to school rules set forth by administration, when cards get flipped, I'm supposed to be sending home a carbon copy letter every time that parents have to sign and it gets placed in their files. I'm trying to avoid this, but with some friends, I'm afraid that it might have to come to this.
1a. In addition, please review the need to do their personal best. Things like scribbling over work, attitudes, refusal to do work, avoiding work through other means, etc isn't okay. The boys got their first taste of my new policy today as I had some of them re-do their work that was not showing their personal best. I am trying to hold them accountable as I would like to see them all working towards more inclusion time.
2. Our house line is in the process of receiving new phones. Our cordless phones need replacing and so the only phone that works is in the living room. Since it doesn't appear that I'll be running around this weekend, this includes running to the living room from my bed to answer the phone. Sorry. Hopefully, one of the best husbands in the world will see fit to go shop without me tomorrow and replace the phones.
enjoy your weekends.
I was at school today, rearranging some things, and before I knew it, I was down for the count. So, I did what any great teacher would do, I spent my planning period on the pillows and taught the rest of the day via videos and discussion. We watched a very compelling Berenstain bears and the truth about strangers.
Anyway, I write for a couple of reasons.
1. Please review with your boys the importance of keeping their hands and feet to themselves. We've had a lot of shoving, hitting, kicking, pushing, purposeful foot stepping on, etc. As a result, we've had a lot of card flipping. According to school rules set forth by administration, when cards get flipped, I'm supposed to be sending home a carbon copy letter every time that parents have to sign and it gets placed in their files. I'm trying to avoid this, but with some friends, I'm afraid that it might have to come to this.
1a. In addition, please review the need to do their personal best. Things like scribbling over work, attitudes, refusal to do work, avoiding work through other means, etc isn't okay. The boys got their first taste of my new policy today as I had some of them re-do their work that was not showing their personal best. I am trying to hold them accountable as I would like to see them all working towards more inclusion time.
2. Our house line is in the process of receiving new phones. Our cordless phones need replacing and so the only phone that works is in the living room. Since it doesn't appear that I'll be running around this weekend, this includes running to the living room from my bed to answer the phone. Sorry. Hopefully, one of the best husbands in the world will see fit to go shop without me tomorrow and replace the phones.
enjoy your weekends.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
It's been a while
Hope that you all enjoyed your long weekends together! It's always interesting to hear from the boys what they say that you did. :-)
For those long range planners:
The dates in November of note....
No school for students November 4th (Election Day)
No school for anyone November 11th (Veteran's Day)
Report Cards come home on November 13th
Conference Day November 17th 11am-7pm.
Early Dismissal November 26th
No School November 27-28th (Thanksgiving)
For conference day, feel free to email me if there is a particular time that you know of that you'd like. Also, please be sure to email your child's general education teacher if you desire a conference with them. You should feel free to make back to back conferences with Robyn/myself and then your child's general education teacher.
New additions:
The boys are excited that we made the alphabet out of tape yesterday on the floor so that they can walk over all the letters and learn about them.
The letter of the week is B.
We're learning more about Christopher Columbus and Fall.
Please keep sending in box tops. :-)
For those long range planners:
The dates in November of note....
No school for students November 4th (Election Day)
No school for anyone November 11th (Veteran's Day)
Report Cards come home on November 13th
Conference Day November 17th 11am-7pm.
Early Dismissal November 26th
No School November 27-28th (Thanksgiving)
For conference day, feel free to email me if there is a particular time that you know of that you'd like. Also, please be sure to email your child's general education teacher if you desire a conference with them. You should feel free to make back to back conferences with Robyn/myself and then your child's general education teacher.
New additions:
The boys are excited that we made the alphabet out of tape yesterday on the floor so that they can walk over all the letters and learn about them.
The letter of the week is B.
We're learning more about Christopher Columbus and Fall.
Please keep sending in box tops. :-)
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Things Needed:
We would like to open up a new center in our room, however, we need some help.
We would like it to be a "house" center. I have some playfood that I bought at Target for 10 dollars. We will be purchasing a kitchen (unless someone has one and would like to donate it!). In addition, we're looking for play plates, silverware, cups, pots, pans, etc for kitchen (and any other playfood that you might want to donate). Also, we're looking for dolls, specifically a baby doll. In case you are wondering about the center and why we're looking to do it, is we're teaching responsibility and different places that we can have it. So, we're going to teach about cooking, cleaning, etc. We're also trying to teach independent skills (that might even help at home) like setting the table, clearing the table, etc. So, any help in those things would be appreciated!
I'm ALMOST done with the book. I've gotten distracted by things like sleeping so it'll be in circulation on Monday. It's going home with Patrick first but anyone who would like to borrow it after that is more than welcome.
Interims for first quarter go home on Monday. Or, as I look at it, 1/8 of school is already over! PHEW that time went fast! Please sign them and return them on Tuesday. If you'd like to talk about anything that is on there, please email me, call me, or set up a conference time. EVERYONE has things "that need work" on their interim. No one is exceptional at everything and so those are just some things in case you were wondering what you could be working on at home should you want to.
Remember, no school for students on Monday October 13th.
The school rules this year are:
Personal best everyday
All things to myself
Watch and listen to the speaker
Soft voices inside
We are really focusing on the Watch part these days. We're finding that some of our friends when they don't give eye contact aren't listening either. While I don't always stress eye contact because I know that for children with Autism it's difficult, but they do have to listen and I'm finding when they aren't looking, they aren't listening.
That's everything for now! Hope you have a great weekend!
We would like it to be a "house" center. I have some playfood that I bought at Target for 10 dollars. We will be purchasing a kitchen (unless someone has one and would like to donate it!). In addition, we're looking for play plates, silverware, cups, pots, pans, etc for kitchen (and any other playfood that you might want to donate). Also, we're looking for dolls, specifically a baby doll. In case you are wondering about the center and why we're looking to do it, is we're teaching responsibility and different places that we can have it. So, we're going to teach about cooking, cleaning, etc. We're also trying to teach independent skills (that might even help at home) like setting the table, clearing the table, etc. So, any help in those things would be appreciated!
I'm ALMOST done with the book. I've gotten distracted by things like sleeping so it'll be in circulation on Monday. It's going home with Patrick first but anyone who would like to borrow it after that is more than welcome.
Interims for first quarter go home on Monday. Or, as I look at it, 1/8 of school is already over! PHEW that time went fast! Please sign them and return them on Tuesday. If you'd like to talk about anything that is on there, please email me, call me, or set up a conference time. EVERYONE has things "that need work" on their interim. No one is exceptional at everything and so those are just some things in case you were wondering what you could be working on at home should you want to.
Remember, no school for students on Monday October 13th.
The school rules this year are:
Personal best everyday
All things to myself
Watch and listen to the speaker
Soft voices inside
We are really focusing on the Watch part these days. We're finding that some of our friends when they don't give eye contact aren't listening either. While I don't always stress eye contact because I know that for children with Autism it's difficult, but they do have to listen and I'm finding when they aren't looking, they aren't listening.
That's everything for now! Hope you have a great weekend!
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