October 18, 2010

Dear Families,
Our “learning celebration” on Friday was that … and so much more. The
children did it themselves, in fine CFI fashion! They did such a wonderful job! I was
so pleased with the whole process that resulted in a diverse, yet meaningful program for
the school. The planning and preparing was all theirs. The children discussed the highlights
of the semester, thought of the most meaningful topic for themselves, wrote their lines,
and practiced their hearts out. From a group sharing about our rich community building
strategies, to the dendrologists presenting facts and activities about our tree study, to the
artists and musicians contributing the poster and song to Trey, the brilliance and expertise
(and hearts ) of the children shined through. Thank you for the huge turnout of families
and friends! I hope to get a video of the gathering and the songs on the BLOG as soon as
possible.
I was happy to see so many families at Curriculum Night. I am sending home
the handout today to those who were unable to attend. I encourage you to look over
the handout Coaching Writers to remind you how to support your young writer.
LISTEN ENCOURAGE COACH
Listen to what the writer has to say
Tell the writer what you understand
Ask the writer to clarify or expand on what you don’t understand

Remember, respond to the writer, and work with your writer by focusing on
ideas and content first. Save editing until ideas are clear and complete. In our inquiry
based setting, the question becomes “How can we support writing throughout the
authoring process so writing becomes a tool for thinking and communicating?” Our
writing workshop is a large block of time for writing. Writing folders hold works in progress,
lots of writing materials for ideas, the authoring cycle, self assessments, and word spelling
supports to serve as curricular structures and engagements to help the authors in
constructing their own texts for authentic purposes. You are invited to come to our class
and help as a “coach” to question, listen, and talk with the children about their writing.
They need to do their drafting, revising, and editing with adults serving as the coach on
the sidelines. Writing and thinking on paper is a most challenging task.
I hope that you have enjoyed the articles that the children are writing about
activities and events in our lives at CFI. Since we were putting finishing touches on our
Gathering program on Friday, we didn’t write articles for the BLOG and I will let them tell
you about our walk to Hunter’s Pond with Mrs. Kimpson’s class and finishing up our Leaf
Investigations. At Curriculum Night you overwhelmingly expressed your support for our
enhanced communication through the BLOG. The sky seems to be the limit on what we
might be able to share. Thank you for your patience as Dr. Seaman and I coordinate
sharing of information. Please let us know your thoughts and ideas to keep you informed
and learning along with us.
Before we act like trees and “leave” our study, we’ll be reminded this
week of the many things that come from trees…how we depend on trees, and the many
jobs and careers that are based on trees. We hope to have a field study to a tree farm in
the near future as well.
10-18 newsletter p.2

Homework invitations this week will include completing a survey about

how we “depend” on trees, an apple addition math sheet, and a reading response
sheet.

“ 2 Second” words:
one like could yes them

*Please make note which addition strategy your child uses to add: counting on
fingers, drawing sticks/dots, drawing pictures, mentally “hopping” forward on a
number line, or knows the facts by memory). Noticing and naming their strategy will
support them as they move ahead in math computation.
*This weekend while traveling, I thoroughly enjoyed and entertained my husband
by catching up on my reading of the children’s Reading Responses, and the tree
observations. I will put the observations together to make class book and am keeping
the reading responses in a notebook. They will serve as a progressive, ongoing
assessment of their thinking about their reading and their writing skills. I can already see
progress and growth. Keep doing what you are doing!
READ, READ, READ every day.

Our PE day has been changed to WEDNESDAY.

Please wear appropriate clothes and TENNIS SHOES on Wednesdays now.

Picture day on Thursday, money for pictures must be turned in, in

advance.

Student holiday on Friday… enjoy the fair, eat something delicious for me,
and don’t forget to see the animals and the arts and crafts!

Blessings, Melissa