Welcome Back!

Welcome Back!  It was so nice to see smiling faces walking in this morning!  I have missed all the boys and girls this summer.  Looking forward to an exciting year and getting to work with everyone!

Careers! Careers! 4th and 5th

We have been busy learning about careers and how what we are learning at school is connected to what we will do when we grow up. Each student is busy completing a webquest and researching information about a career that has matched their interests. Below you can see the site that your child used to determine the career that they chose and if they want to work on research at home you can allow them to click on the sites listed. It has been really exciting to see how the students have enjoyed learning that their likes and dislikes will help them to choose a career that will interest them.

http://www.maricopa.edu/work/quiz/

http://www.career-lifeskills.com/pdf/jst-576530-occupations.pdf

CareerZone

http://www.bls.gov/k12/

http://www.bls.gov/search/ooh.asp?ct=OOH

Career Project 2/3rd grade: Jobs in Pawland

We have been busy learning about careers and how what we are learning at school is connected to what we will do when we grow up. Each student is busy completing a webquest and researching information about a career that has matched their interests. Below you can see the site that your child used to determine the career that they chose and if they want to work on research at home you can allow them to click on the sites listed. It has been really exciting to see how the students have enjoyed learning that their likes and dislikes will help them to choose a career that will interest them.
http://paws.bridges.com/cfnc1.htm
http://www.bls.gov/k12/
http://www.bls.gov/k12/azlist.htm
http://www.nycareerzone.org/cz/search.jsp?query=

Back at School

I can't believe that we have been back at school for three weeks, August is over, September has already begun! Time really flies run you are having fun. I have been in all the classrooms and we have been working very hard at learning how to be respectful. We have also discussed things that are not respectful, such as bullying. The students have done a remarkable job at demonstrating what we have learned and because of that we had our first Town Celebration today! Students were recognized for demonstrating respectfulness, we introduced our new character trait, knowledge and had some fun! I am really looking forward to more exciting events and teaching your children. If you need anything, please stop by or call. I know this year is going to be great! More to come soon!

Helpful tips for communicating with your child

Helpful Hints
 Let the child know that you are interested and involved and that you will help when needed.
 Listen carefully and politely. Don’t interrupt the child when he is trying to tell his story. Be as courteous to your child as you would be to your best friend.
 If you are very angry about a behavior or an incident, don’t attempt communications until you regain your cool, because you cannot be objective until then. It is better to stop, settle down, and talk to your child later.
 If you are very tired, you will have to make an extra effort to be an active listener. Genuine active listening is hard work and is very difficult when your mind and body are already tired.
 Don’t use put-down words or statements: dumb, stupid, lazy: "Stupid, that makes no sense at all" or "What do you know, you’re just a child."
 Embarrassing the child or putting him on the spot in front of others will lead only to resentment and hostility, not good communication.
 Assist the child in planning some specific steps to the solution.
 Show that you accept the child himself, regardless of what he has or has not done.
 Reinforce the child for keeping communication open. Do this by accepting him and praising his efforts to communicate.
Please visit Search Institute online at www.search-institute.org to explore the assets on your own

Communication is so Important!

Open-Door Communication
A conversation starts. Your child is upset. You’re tired. Pretty soon, the conversation heats into an argument. Disagreements. We’ve all had them with our children. Sometimes it may feel like most conversations end in disagreement and upset. Though it can be challenging to develop positive family communication, family life can be more enjoyable when a positive parent-child relationship is established. Being available for frequent, in-depth conversations is an important role we play in our children’s lives – from the time they learn to talk all the way into adulthood. What we have to do is create an atmosphere of communication – an open door.
The trick with open-door communication is we often don’t realize we create invisible closed doors around us. We get preoccupied and don’t pay enough attention. We’re exhausted. We’re pressed for time. We jump to conclusions before our child says things. We assume the worst. We criticize our kids for what they tell us, so they close the door the next time out of fear or resentment. Sometimes there is no communication to begin with, and it’s hard to get your child to say what’s going on in her or his life.
Having an open door means having an open mind and attitude. It means listening to understand, not to advocate our position. It means being available when our children need us – and when they don’t. It means taking good care of ourselves so that when our children want to talk, we have open ears and an open heart.

Family Time

The holiday rush is in the air. Christmas parties, shopping, family dinners, and who knows what else we will have to do in the upcoming weeks. With this is mind take a deep breath and take a few moments to spend time enjoying your family. It often seems that we forget the importance of being with each other during this special time of year and then we miss all the important events that are happening. Try to schedule a few moments every day to talk with your child(ren) about what is happening in their lives and laugh with them.