McGill

Work and Study Habits: An Overview for Our Class

September 5, 2008

Hello again Parents,

At Curriculum Night, I shared with those in attendance the curriculum and our class's routines and expectations.  This also included my teaching experience and philosophy.

My personal philosphy is that all students can learn.  I have found that they learn best when they are able to identify their own effective and ineffective habits.  Their habits dictate how much of their own unique talents and abilities will come to the surface. 

Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People has said, "People are to be led, things are to be managed."  Ms. Hazlett and I intend to lead the fifth grade students in our care.  We expect them to take on management of their materials and deadlines.  In this way, we are empowering them. 

Since the last blog, I am writing to clarify what each child's personal morning expectations are. 

The morning routine affords each child the opportunity for clarity, consideration, and reflection each morning.  Students with cluttered minds cannot "think outside the box" effectively.  Innovation occurs only when a sense of certainty is present.  We are teaching each child to evaluate what is working and what should change in their lives in order for success to take place. 

Our Morning Routine

At 7:20, students start to arrive in our room.  From 7:20 until 7:30, they may visit or chat as they unpack.  Once it is 7:30, silent time begins.  From 7:30 until 7:55, students should complete their morning work as listed on the "Welcome Students" poster on the dryboard.

The "Welcome Students" poster states the following:

1.  Unpack, put your homework in the appropriate organizer, and move your attendance card.

2.  Sharpen 3 pencils and move your lunch clip.

3.  Copy tonight's homework into your agenda:  (Each set of parentheses would have the day's information/assignments listed)

HW (Day of the week) Month, day, year

1. (Usually English/Language Arts)

2. (Usually Math)

4.  (Usually Daily Language Review, Mountain Language, or

L.A.

Journal Writing)

5.  (Usually Math Review or critical thinking practice)

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday is "Walk-Fit" in the gym.  Students who have accomplished steps 1 and 2 on their "Welcome Students" list should open their agendas and place them on their desks.  When they do this, they are setting themselves up to get back to business at 7:45 when they return from "Walk-Fit".  This means they would pick up from step 3, writing their homework in their agenda for the afternoon. 

On Tuesday and Thursday, "Walk-Fit" does not take place, so from 7:30 until 7:55, they should get the five steps accomplished.  Keep in mind that morning work is review work.  Morning work which has tasks that at first seem unfamiliar usually have skill review at their core.  This will become more apparent to the student when they have read the instructions themselves (which is easy to do, since they are in silent morning mode). 

Between 7:20 and 7:55, they are on their honor to make a restroom break, visit the school store, fill water bottles, (which should have been filled at home, actually...still, people occasionally forget!) and call home for forgotten items.  I do not manage this behavior, and I do not intend to do so.  Students have to self-advocate.  If they use their time wisely, they can accomplish needs and still have time to relax and think in the morning.

We have been following these routines in my class for the past three weeks.  At the end of the second week of school, we had completed modeling and reviewing the procedures and routines of the class for the school year.  Because there are always new events and opportunities throughout the year, (Student Council, Safety Patrol, Wee Deliver) we will identify protocol for those as they become necessary. 

Work and Study Habits of Mind

If your child begins to make excuses to you as to why they did not meet the standard on an assignment, ask them to restate for you what the standard or expectation was.    If you are not sure, use critical thinking to model problem solving for them. 

They have a responsibility to themselves (and to you) to explain what is meant by the standard or expectation.  If they cannot explain it, you may then restate it for them and ask them to echo (repeat) you.  Then they may begin identifying what is known.  Using deductive reasoning, have your child make some determinations about what to do next.

Sometimes, students are overwhelmed because they are "possibility minded" rather than "probability minded".  When it comes to assigned tasks, thinking in terms of possibilities is useful in creativity, but it can stall a productive mind if it is not kept in check. 

Weekly Papers/Work Envelopes

If you have been used to checking the folders without your child, please shift the focus to having them bring their folder and agenda to you.  They should explain what is placed where it is and why.  Our system is probably different in some ways from the systems of previous grades, but the expectation of working the system remains the same. 

Correspondence with me

Students have been instructed not to place late work or notes on my desk top, laptop, or chair.  They are doing well with this. 

If they have a note from home about transportation, it goes to the office if there is a change for that day.  If they have issues with the bus, they need to go to the office and ask to talk to Dr. Stasiak or Ms. Huffman.

For other questions, conference requests, or correspondence from students or parents, I have two mailboxes which are accessible by students.  One is located outside my door with the room number near it.  The other mailbox is an acrylic tray on the right-hand side of my desk. 

When I receive mail from my staff mailbox, I put it there also and file things as I get them.  Other than the notes about transportation changes, (which I detailed earlier) this is the other place for student notes to go. 

As I stated in the previous blog, post-its with personal concerns may be stuck on the right-hand desk drawer (this continues to work well).  I have limited time to meet with students, and I can take care of multiple issues more effectively by reading and responding to these concerns than if I had 23 or more individual conferences. 

Much of the time, the concerns I receive are given back to students to solve if they can.  They are learning to be self-advocates, and this process involves thinking carefully about cause and effect (a fifth grade standard).

Our learning environment

All our students are given direct instruction and adequate time to begin and ultimately complete assignments.  Deadlines are usually kept in place, though I reserve the right to move back deadlines in order to enable better performances or products from students. 

When this happens, a child who exceeded the standards early on (and may have already completed their work) will be able to focus on developing skills which are important to them.  This may include journaling, reading, creating art, practicing skills through games, or other self-directed activities.  These students won't be given "busy work" or "extra work".   

Regarding homework, students should usually devote no more than fifteen minutes per item assigned.   Along with nightly reading, this means approximately one hour of homework each day.  Keep in mind that this hour doesn't have to happen all at once (reading can be done prior to bed, for example).

My homeroom also usually gets "Optional Weekend Homework".  My experience has taught me that the achievement gap becomes narrows when a learning option is available to a young mind.  The policy is that you and your child decide whether to take the option of completing the work.  If you choose not to complete it, students should still turn in any paper they got for the homework, signed, numbered and dated.  There is no penalty for opting out of the "Optional Weekend Homework".

Perfectionism and "analysis paralysis" can stifle a student's learning.  Instead, students need to exercise careful consideration as to the value or weight of an activity or assignment. 

This is why we have reviewed Stephen Covey's Time Matrix in our classes.  The Time Matrix organizes activities into four quadrants:  Important/Urgent, Important/Not urgent, Urgent/Not important, and Not urgent/not important.  By reflecting on her use of time, a student can learn how to accomplish required tasks and devote attention to the activities which she finds most important.  She can also determine which activities use up her time and may ultimately be ineffective time wasters. 

In the front pouch of your child's agenda you should find the card with her Important (quadrant II) life areas and her Not urgent/Not important (quadrant IV) areas.  In reflecting on what is meaningful to her, she should begin to consider prioritizing more wisely.  This is a process however, not an overnight application.  Patience is required to change one's habits.

Relaxation in art, music, athletics, or other play needs to happen daily.  These things make your child "who she is".  If she is "held hostage" by homework and unfinished work brought home, then he needs some help identifying where the problems are occuring which keep her from balancing her responsibilities.  She should first think about it and reflect on what action she can take to respond to the problem (requesting a seating change, a teacher-student conference, or further clarification are options, but, as I stated earlier, these should be addressed appropriately).

In closing:  I believe in our students' abilities

Each student in Ms. Hazlett and Mr. McGill's classes came to us with a great depth of knowledge, ability, and unique talents.  These are the important tools of their lives.  By meeting or exceeding the standards held for them by

Cobb

County

and the state of

Georgia

, they develop further skills and tools to manage their materials.  They also discover how their talents can enable them to lead from whatever position they hold.

Thank you for your time and support in these matters.

Sincerely,

Alex McGill

Knowledge Points, student agendas, and take-home folders

Thank you for reading our class blog.   

Yesterday, our fifth grade class was visited by Knowledge Points, our business partner at Garrison Mill.  The presentation was an excellent overview of time management skills and habits of mind related to organization.  Students viewed a power point presentation and made notes on their own paper packets during the program.  These packets were instructed to be placed in the front pouch of their agendas (where they can also find their Behavior Expectations pamphlet). 

Please check your child's agenda with them and discuss the presentation they viewed along with the notes they made.  They were told that their agenda is not just for school (yea!).  They should use it as their planner/calendar in order to stay abreast of their work and upcoming events.  I applaud this personally, since agendas are useful resources for information, (look in the back pages!) and can be easy to manage with time and repetition.

As with the agenda, the Take-Home Folder, (blue vinyl with clear pockets marked "Return to School" and Keep at Home") is useful for managing the many papers your child may bring home.  Homework goes in the "Return" side, while fliers for parents, (PTA, Scouts, etc.) should be in the "Keep At Home" side.  In this way, if your child and you decide to join a contest or organization, any return paperwork can be placed in the "Return" side once you have written the proper information on the paper.  If the paper doesn't require information from your family, it is yours to keep at home (and the student, your child, should be responsible for removing it). 

You can help your child organize their life by having some conversations in which you explain any organizational insights you have.  If these insights were hard won, (meaning:  you had to practice, practice, practice) share this with your child.  A little empathy can mean the difference with their ability to handle the stress that may come from learning new skills. 

Even students who have "always" been organized may find they are less sure of what they are doing.  We have taken great time to discuss and identify routines and methods which work for us in both Hazlett and McGill homerooms.  If someone needs extra instruction on time management or organization, it may be cause for a student-teacher conference. 

If the student is feeling anxious, this is the year when they need to confront the problems and approach their teachers.  Sometimes this identifies others with similar concerns.  In the past, I have reviewed our routines and plans in a small group during lunch in the classroom.  Students who need help have the opportunity to request a time to meet with me. 

When a personal question or problem arises, students have been instructed since the year's beginning that they should put a completed post-it with the request for help or an identified problem on the back right-hand side of my desk.  This has worked well so far.  It has increased my ability to address student concerns as well as use class time effectively for instruction, practice, and remediation (somewhere in there's a whole lot of fun too!).  :)

Learning curves (some might say "growing pains") come with each new shift in focus a learner may face.  Our standards are those of the Cobb County School District and the state of Georgia.  The emphasis in these standards is on what students will learn.  Key verbs are used to identify the skills the learner will do as a result of their own efforts in our classrooms.  These verbs include but are not limited to the following:

  explain; develop; find; classify; analyze; understand; model; explore; use; identify; plan; distinguish; judge; measure; recognize;  investigate; compare and contrast; infer;

As you can see, different levels of ability are developed through a variety of expected tasks and skill applications.  Gone are the days when teachers "did" everything.  Research shows that the "doers" are the ones in the class who are the learners as well.  All students can be successful doers in our fifth grade.   

It is important that each student feels empowered to take charge of their learning.  The standards are set for them to meet or exceed, and the standards require reflective thought in order for learners to identify their learning aptitudes and areas of need. 

When parents support a child's efforts and adaptations to routines, the child will believe in herself because she sees that the parents and teachers believe in her too. 

Of course, the active role you have in your child's life is important.  Checking the agenda, asking for Thursday papers from the Take-Home Folder, and asking questions about how things seem to be going are key to successful support. 

Along with these steps, know that each week, a manila envelope with your child's class number has been sent home with work samples for you to review.  These are to be returned in the envelope along with your signature on the page included inside the envelope.  This work is collected for the portfolio we are keeping on your child's progress. 

If you have not seen such an envelope, it is time to ask your child for it.  If it was returned as instructed each week, it was sent home the following week, (we've sent the envelopes home three times so far this year).  :)  Again, the work returns along with your signature.  Any notes you need to include in the packet are welcome too.

Thank you for your time and support of our program.  We are off to a great start!

Sincerely,

Alex McGill

Sally Foster Packets are due September 5 to Garrison Mill

Thank you to our homeroom's families for their wonderful efforts in raising money for our school!

The fundraiser has been a success for our class specifically, because we have been in the lead for total sales in the fifth grade.  This is due to your efforts and those of your children.  Thank you most sincerely!

Best regards,

Alex McGill

Welcome to Fifth Grade!

Thank you for reading the first blog of the 2008-2009 School Year for Mr. McGill's Class. 

Here are some key areas which will help you along the way:

Specials for the year:

Monday:  Music with Ms. Zarin

Tuesday: Physical Education with Coaches Bare and Bass

Wednesday:  Art with Ms. Lopez

Thursday:  Physical Education with Coaches Bare and Bass

Friday:  Rotation

Lunch:

This occurs at 11:42 until 12:12 daily

Recess:

This occurs daily at 1:45 until 2:05*

*If you will be picking up your child prior to dismissal, please do this before 1:45.  This will help with making signing out a quicker process.  PIckups after 1:45 are also prone to disruption of the general dismissal process in the office. 

Our Theme:

Garrison Mill's Theme for our year is "Commit, Collaborate, and Celebrate!"  In response to this, Mr. McGill and Ms. Hazlett are working together to teach students the Cobb County/Georgia Performance Standards.  An emphasis on student performance and student self-evaluation will be key components of our method this year.  We are very excited about our year together.

Classroom Management:  A Collaborative Approach

Students in our class worked with me (Mr. McGill) to determine our Classroom Expectations and Consequences.  These were listed in the back of the Behavior Expectations Booklet you were asked to read and sign along with your child for Monday's (August 11) homework.  As a class, we agreed on these...

Expectations

1.  Respect teachers and classmates

2.  Keep hands, feet, voice, and belongings to yourself

3.  Always do your best and think carefully

Consequences

1.  A verbal warning

2.  Behavior mark/study hall

3.  Note home in agenda

4.  Phone call or email home

5.  Office referral

So far, we have received five class compliments as well as perfect reports from the lunch room.  This is wonderful!

Homework: 

Nightly homework will be assigned regularly.  Homework is designed to reinforce previously-learned material or concepts recently taught in class.  Students should bring the work home for review even if the work is completed at school or on the way home (doing work on the bus is not recommended). 

Homework and future assessment dates will be written in the agenda by each student on a daily basis.  Parents are encouraged to read and initial the agenda daily.   When sending a note to me (Mr. McGill) through the agenda, please remind your child to present the agenda to me.  After a period of agenda monitoring, students will be expected to complete their agenda entries without my direct review each and every day (instructional time requirements simply will not permit this after a point).   

Though parents should not do their child's work for him or her, review and acknowledgement of skill are encouraged.  Likewise, if a child makes an error in completing their homework, parents are welcome to redirect attention back to the homework.  This is not for purposes of correction by the parent, but instead to have the student reevaluate their work.  As stated earlier in this blog, self-evaluation is a key factor in skill development for fifth graders. 

Contact Mr.McGill:

You may email me at christopher.mcgill@cobbk12.org.  Email, agenda notes, and other notes from home are quick communication methods with which to reach me.  You may also call Garrison Mill at 770-642-5600 and leave a message on my voice mail box (#428). 

August events:

Chick Fil-A Night is Thursday, August 14, from 5pm until 8pm.  Please consider supporting us through patronizing Chick Fil-A on Spirit Night!

Sally Foster Sale begins on August 15.   Look out for the information coming home with your child and support PTA's main fundraiser for the year.

PTA/Open House for Fifth Grade is August 21, 2008 at 6:30.

Fifth Grade Parent Committee Meeting is on August 26.

Thank you for taking the time to learn about our class.  Here's to a great new school year!

Sincerely,

Alex McGill

Bittersweet Goodbyes

Hello families,

Every year that I have taught, (this was number fourteen, believe it or not) I have found that the last week of school is a blur and that enough emphasis is never placed on how much I enjoyed the kids and the year we spent together.  It is always too busy, and I feel like I have too many things that must be done. 

Since I have the responsibility of maintaining this blog, I'd like to focus on some thoughts I have right now about our year. 

The children who were placed in my class were excellent in a variety of ways.  Some of them were academically advanced, some were socially intelligent, others used their kinesthetic skills to the advantage of all around them, and our artists were numerous and enthusiastic.  They were a balance of many backgrounds and abilities.  In truth, they were easy kids to enjoy and appreciate.  I'll miss every one of them.

Having come here from another county of employment, with much to learn of the culture, methods, and emphases of Garrison Mill, I still have to say that this was perhaps my happiest year of teaching. 

I owe extensive thanks and sincere gratitude to Ms. Wilson for inviting me to become a member of the faculty.  She has been the greatest leader by example for both staff member and student alike.  I believe she will be back to visit because she really loves this place!  Her care and concern for each child here is unique.  We are lucky to have had her as our principal.

Ms. Huffman has certainly continued this legacy of positive leadership throughout our year.  She is an effective leader, communicator, and educational mentor.  Now that she will take over the reigns as principal, I am certain the school will continue to be the warm, unique learning environment it is known to be. 

I met parents this year who truly value the important job each of us has in teaching.  This is largely due to how they value the important job they have as parents.  This community is about excellence, character, and positively influencing each other.  What a fortune for me, a new teacher with a young family, to join such an environment at this point in my life.

Our fifth grade team of teachers at Garrison Mill have been a mirror of these community standards.  They are professional, but they each care very sincerely for the children in their classes.  Likewise, the rest of the faculty have a close bond.  This extends from those who opened this school all the way down to teachers who have only recently joined the ranks, like me. 

With each passing week, I have seen others' dedication to making this a great place to be.  It has been an enjoyable year, and those who took part in the experience can tell you how much fun the events like the Sock Hop, Fall Carnival, Talent Show, and Foundation Sale all were. 

Of course, the Fifth Grade Luncheon was so well done that I cannot imagine it could have been improved in any way.  The food, the involvement of numerous people in the planning, the care put into the decor and meeting the deadlines; these things were all evident on Thursday.  Ms. Wilson's speech at the very end was also powerful and memorable.

Today, as the Walk of Fame occurred, I was intent on doing what was planned, so I did not focus emotionally on the event.  The kids in my class were relatively composed, but I know half of their minds were on moving to middle school, while the other half may have been considering the challenges which may concern them in only two months. 

When I think back on how many faces I saw in the hallway, cheering for all the fifth graders taking their last stroll through the wings of the building, I realize that once again, the commitment of the community was evident and on full display.  All the teachers, staff, students, and families were eager to cheer on those who had reached a new milestone in life.  What a wondrous thing to acknowledge!

As I reflect on the year that has been, I wish to thank all of the students and parents one more time.  Your involvement in our program this year was unforgettable.  Thank you again for all of your commitment, dedication, and extensive effort.  My hope is that we'll continue to see each other often. 

"Garrison Mill, that's where we want to be! We love it! We love it! Going to Garrison Mill!"

Truer words could not be spoken.  Thank you to all the students, families, faculty, and staff for an amazing experience this school year.

Sincerely,

Alex McGill

Trivia answers

1. d. all of the above

2. d. all of the above

3. c.  2, 4, 8, 6, 2 again, 3 and now 5...this is the order of my teaching as well!

4. c.  Mayfield's Dairy Farms

5. b.  a rabbit named Inky...he's now six years old! 

6. d.  Practice makes perfect...I actually do say, "Practice makes performance".  This is because perfection, while a nice cliche, is not an attainable goal.  One's performance is directly related to the practice involved prior to the performance, I have found.

Boni (bonuses)

1. d...I toured Austria and Germany in college with the Middle Tennessee State University Chamber Choir in 1989, back when I had hair!  When I was thirteen, I began working for my Jr. High shop teacher, Mr. Clariday, making wooden toys.  He was a big help to me in getting over my parents' divorce.  In 2002, I was playing semi-professionally with a rock band known as Kenny Howes and the Yeah!.  We had a gig over the winter holiday break at Phillips Arena, and our music was piped over the P.A. during an Atlanta Thrashers game.  We didn't play in the main room, but instead were on one of the tier levels being broadcast into "the rink."

2. d....I met Louis Sachar and Robert Newton Peck at a Young Writer's Weekend in McMinn County, Tennessee, 1998.  I met Kurt Vonnegut a few years later at the University of Tennessee where he was giving a speech.  I really like Ms. Paterson's work, but have never had the fortune of meeting her.

Thanks for playing McGill Trivia #2!

Mr. McGill Trivia #2

Now that our year is but one day away from concluding, we might as well see if any of you happen to remember discussions we've had in class (of course they were curriculum related!)

1.  Mr. McGill has earned a college degree from

a.  Middle Tennessee State University

b.  The University of Tennessee Knoxville

c.  Lincoln Memorial University

d.  all of the above

2.  When he was 15, Mr. McGill was in a car wreck with

a.  his friend he's known since he was three.

b.  a groomsman from his wedding.

c.  his eye doctor.

d.  all of the above

3.  Mr. McGill has taught the following grades

a.  2, 3, 4, 5, and 8.

b.  1, 2, 3, 4, and now 5.

c.  2, 4, 8, 6, 2 again, 3, and now 5.

d.  2, 4, 6, 8 and now 5. 

4. Mr. McGill's hometown of Athens, Tennessee is also home to

a.  the Chattanooga Choo-Choo.

b.  The University of Tennessee.

c.  Mayfield Dairy Farms.

d.  Krystal restaurants.

5.  Mr. McGill's current pet is

a.  a collie named Dobie.

b.  a rabbit named Inky.

c.  a cat named Max.

d.  a bird named P.J.

6.  Each of the following is a saying Mr. McGill likes to use to encourage proper behavior in the building except

a.  "Potty, not party"

b.  "choose a partner, not a playmate"

c.  "Lips sealed, eyes peeled"

d.  "Practice makes perfect"

"BONI" (McGill-speak for Bonuses)

1.  All of the following are things Mr. McGill has experienced except for

a.  traveling to Germany and Austria on a choir tour.

b.  making wooden toys as a part-time job.

c.  performing in a rock band at Phillips Arena.

d.  taking a Disney Cruise with his family.

2.  Mr. McGill has met each of the following authors except

a.  Louis Sachar, author of Holes and Sideways Stories from Wayside School.

b.  Kurt Vonnegut, author of Slaughterhouse Five and Breakfast of Champions.

c.  Robert Newton Peck, author of Soup and A Day No Pigs Would Die.

d.  Katherine Paterson, author of Bridge to Terabithia and The Great Gilly Hopkins.

If you answer 1-6 correctly, you have truly been a class participant, scholar, and listener.  You are certain to have a bright future because of your skill!

If you missed no more than three of the first six questions, you were apparently focused some of the time in Mr. McGill's class.

If you missed more than three questions, that is not all you missed this year!

If you got one or more of the Boni correct, you have learned good critical thinking/test taking strategies. 

Thanks for a great year students!
Yours truly,

Mr. McGill

Garrison Mill Media Center: Summer Availability Info

The media center will be open this summer on the following dates:

June 2nd & June 4   10:00 a.m. until Noon
June 9th & 11th       10:00 a.m. until Noon
June 16th & 18th     10:00 a.m. until Noon

Students will be able to check out books and take Accelerated Reader tests that will count for next year. 

My letter to the Garrison Mill Class of 2007-2008

                                                                                                May 22, 2008

To the Fifth Grade Graduating Class of Garrison Mill,

Can you believe it?  We are at the finish line.  You have survived a year’s worth of subject matter, problem solving, nightly reading, optional weekend homework, (if you were a student of mine) research, prewriting, drafting, editing, rewriting, underlining the question, circling the key words, reading the captions, analyzing the graphs, creating new graphs, bubbling in the answers, guessing and checking, eliminating the obviously incorrect answers, carrying out the investigation, reflecting on and evaluating the results, observing, plotting, drawing, practicing, memorizing, presenting, listening, repeating, considering, determining, and ultimately learning.  It has been a year of action. 

            But what will you do tomorrow?  Will you, students, continue to do what your teachers, parents, peers, and other community members have asked of you?  Will you use what you have learned?

Will you remember the lessons, the activities, the surprises, the victories, and even the occasional disappointments?  Will these events become touchstones for your future, or will the experiences of this year be safely placed on a display shelf, to be occasionally reviewed in the future, the way a treasured yearbook or trophy might be taken down and used as a conversation piece?  As with a yearbook or a trophy, the dust may accumulate on your fifth grade year to the point that it loses its luster or it is otherwise worn and frayed.  Is that the legacy of your experience from this year?

          Remember what Stephen R. Covey has said:  “To know and not to do, is really not to know.”  In other words, the doing, the action, is where true knowledge and comprehension are found.  You have been “doing” all year, but what you know depends on what you did!

Whether you realized it or not, our year of action planted seeds you will harvest in the future.  Every step you have taken this year is another step on your life’s educational journey. You have learned academics assigned by the state of Georgia, Cobb County, and your classroom teachers.  You have learned about yourselves and your friends by participating in discussions, working with partners, and reviewing for tests.  With each action, you have developed skills to move you forward in some direction, whether it is according to your plan or in response to unforeseen circumstances. 

For many of you, this recognition of your effort validates your hard work.  You have followed the guidelines, completed the tasks, and tried to do your best.  For others, you may have some sense that you could have done more, or that what you did was not your best.  So be it.  Either way, in the days ahead, you have an opportunity to do your best. 

During this year, I have had two messages posted in my room which I believe to be true.  The first one reads, “Make sure that your past does not hold your future hostage.”  The second one reads, “Change brings opportunity along with it.”  Both of these messages offer definition and hope for each day of a person’s life.  Yesterday does not define what will come today. 

There will always be change, and that is one thing that will never change.  How you respond to change depends largely on your attitude.  With each new day and each moment within it, you have the opportunity to redefine yourself.  If you are used to your efforts being rewarded with success, it can be difficult to find the meaning in failure.  However, there is meaning to be found when one exerts effort to try again following a real or perceived failure.  If you learn from your mistakes, then you have not really failed, have you?

We teachers, believe it or not, face the same daily challenge.  You students may have thought that teaching is nothing more than checking off a “To Do List” of lessons. It is a common misconception that people become teachers so they can be in charge of kids and tell them what to do.  You may think that we enjoy being in control and that we spend our planning time conjuring up ways to make life inconvenient for you.  The reality of the teacher and student relationship is actually more complex, and less sinister, than that.   

Just as you students have depended on us teachers, we have depended on you.  You have challenged us just as we challenged you.  We have chosen to be here because we need to learn more ourselves, and this can only happen through teaching what we know.  Teachers are only in existence when there are students.  There can only be students if there are also teachers who are available to pass on what knowledge we have ourselves learned. 

We teachers reflect on our successes and note the satisfaction such successes have brought us.  Likewise, in the areas of our shortcomings, we try to understand where we went wrong.  During our time with you this year, we sometimes believed our lessons with you were successful, and other times we wished different outcomes would have occurred. 

We may have wanted to be more effective, more helpful, or more able to reach you in some meaningful way.  There may have been times when these feelings were not obvious to you, but even in those moments our desire has been to connect with you in order to improve your knowledge, your skills, and eventually your ability to make good choices. It is part of our life’s work to understand and relate more effectively with our students and our peers. 

If we teachers are to grow in our educational skills, we have been told that we must continue to model lifelong learning.  Learning is dependent on evaluation, reflection, and determination by the learner.  In the process of helping you to learn, we ourselves learn.  Without these actions, we cannot determine what we should do in the future.  If that sounds like a lot of work, that is because it really is!  Really thinking takes concentration and effort. 

It is, however, in moments when we are thinking about our thoughts, in what is called metacognition, that we must realize these struggles give our lives meaning and strength.  Just as the butterfly must beat its wings against its cocoon in order to gain strength enough to fly, you have had to push away from this safe place in order to spread the wings which will carry you to the next phase of your journey.  Your wings will carry you to where all of us can see the colors you display in all their glory. 

I’m sure Ms. Wilson and Ms. Huffman would agree that a primary purpose in life is to take the opportunity to use your gifts, your talents, and your abilities to find your voice, your calling.  Some people have a clear sense of this early on; they find their calling and pursue it.  Others have to search longer to find theirs.  Either way, this search is an action; it is a challenge. 

Whether you view this year as your best so far, or as the year when you really struggled, remember that change has come today.  Change brings opportunity along with it.  Make sure that your past does not hold your future hostage.  To change is to commit to action, just as learning is a commitment to action. 

We believe in each of you and in your ability to continue active, lifelong learning for personal growth and self-mastery.  We are proud of each of you and the changes you have made this year.  It has been a pleasure teaching you and learning from the experiences we have shared.  Good luck next year and have a safe, memorable summer.

                                                                                    

                                                                                    Sincerely,

                                                                                    Alex McGill

                                                                                    Fifth Grade Teacher

                                                                                    Garrison Mill

                                                                                    Elementary

5th Grade Luncheon Correction from PTA

Teachers, Please remind your students that the 5th grade lunch is TOMORROW at 11:15am.

They should wear their class shirts.

The tentative schedule for the day is as follows:

11:00 - 11:15 orchestra will perform as parents arrive and are seated

11:15 -11:30 there will be introduction of students, announcements, etc.

11:30 -12:15 orchestra will perform as people are served and eat.

12:15 - presentation of class gift/teacher inspirations/closing remarks by Mrs. Wilson

1:00 - dessert reception in covered play area

1:30?? - showing of 2008 class DVD Thanks!

IF you have any questions, please feel free to contact a PTA representative.