Ms Legault's Classroom: Welcome Back to Pinecrest

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Welcome Back to Pinecrest

Welcome Back to Pinecrest Public School
Welcome back to school. My name is Ms. Debbie Legault and I am your child’s Grade 2 teacher this year. I have just joined the excellent team of teachers at Pinecrest and I am very much looking forward to sharing an exciting and rewarding year with you and your child. I have over 17 years experience. My family just recently re-located to Petawawa and I am very happy to be in your community. Feel free to contact me at Pinecrest. Usually it is best to leave a message and I will return your call as soon as possible. Every month I will be sending out a newsletter, as well as a calendar of events to keep you informed. Also I use this classroom blog for students to publish work. I'm also always looking for volunteers in the classroom to share their expertise. In the past, I have had people share their painting, pets, bead making, soccer skills, dancing, henna tattoos, reading, cultural traditions and celebrations, and story-telling with the students. We would love to hear from you about your special skills and talents. I’m also always looking for help photocopying and filing. I look forward to meeting with everyone soon.

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Two Sculptors

Two Sculptors
I dreamed I saw a studio
And watched two sculptors there
The clay they used was a child's mind
And they fashioned it with care.
One was a teacher --- the tools he used
Were books, music and art.
The other, a parent, worked with a guiding hand,
And a loving heart.
Day after day, the teacher toiled with a touch
That was careful, deft and sure,
While the parent labored by his side
And polished and smoothed it o'er.
And when at last, their task was done,
They were proud of what they had wrought.
For the things they had moulded into the child
Could neither be sold or bought.
And each agreed they would have failed
If either had worked alone.
For behind the parent stood the school
And behind the teacher, the home.
Anonymous

About our class

Fadli says: "Our class is a wonderful place to be. All the students and our teacher are wonderful and very bright. Everyday most of the boys play soccer at recess. The one thing that sets our class apart from the others is when we all play soccer our class works well as a team and shows excellent sportsmanship. We are all friends and everyone is special in this class. This is going to be a wonderful and very successful year." Hi, my name is Najib and I am in grade four. There are 24 students in my class. Our teacher’s name is Ms. Legault and our student teachers are Ms. Patel and Ms. Zarkovich. Our class is pleasurable, remarkable, inspiring, fantastic, unbelievable and extraordinary. In January our class has started a blog. It is a place for homework to be posted as well as for some work to be showcased. Our first homework for the blog was to write in our journal about our class. I hope my journal is chosen. If it is chosen I will tell everyone my work is on the internet. I guess if my work is published on the internet that means I am an author. Does this journal give me membership to the author’s club? It is making me think. Written by Najib….a new author Danielle says, “Our class works as a team…..we work together in groups and we don’t boss people around or yell at them.” Precious says, “Our class is colourful, tidy, funny and nice. We have a kind teacher and we do lots of work”

Gifted Resources

"Parenting a gifted child is like living in a theme park of full thrill rides. Sometimes you smile. Sometimes you gasp. Sometimes you scream. Sometimes you laugh. Sometimes you gaze in wonder and astonishment. Sometimes you're frozen in your seat. Sometimes you're proud. And sometimes, the ride is so nerve-wracking, you can't do anything but cry." Carol Strip & Gretchen Hirsh, in Webb, Gore, Amend, & DeVries, A Parent's Guide to Gifted Children Web links http://www3.telus.net/giftedcanada/ http://www.ontariogifted.org/ http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/

Web Sites Parents, Always Monitor Your Child's Internet Use At Home

www.sense.lang.com
http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/special_initiatives/games/cybersense_nonsense/flash/start.html
http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/special_initiatives/games/privacy_playground/flash/start.html
http://www.infoplease.com/homework/writingskills1.html
http://www.hasslefreeclipart.com
http://disney.go.com/disneyhand/index.html
http://www.theideabox.com/
http://www.mathforum.com/
http://drwilliampmartin.tripod.com/classm.html
http://www.teachnet.com/
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/Home.html
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/
http://drwilliampmartin.tripod.com/reallyusefullist.htm
http://www.angelfire.com/wi/writingprocess/
http://www.readwritethink.org/index.asp
http://www.education.com/teachspace/
http://www.suelebeau.com/
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/education/homework/

Stories by Ms. Legault

KHAOS by Ms. D. Legault It was early October, the leaves were changing colours and the weather was starting to get cooler and cooler. There was a definite chill in the air. The students at Braeburn were excited to be back at school. It seemed like a regular day. The bell rang at 8:40 and all the students lined up at the door anxiously awaiting their teacher to open the door and invite them in. Little did they know today someone else would also sneak in. The rules of the school were clear. All visitors had to report to the office. Students were not to open the doors to let anyone in. All visitors had to wear a pass. This particular day a stranger was at the back of the line. He was clearly disguised as a student in a red baseball cap, red t-shirt, blue jeans and Baby Fat shoes. But no one recognized him and on this day no one even noticed him. “Miss, I didn’t get to do my homework ‘cause I was at the Hospital all night with my friends almost Uncle” blurted one of the students “Miss, Are you going to talk to Richard. He threw a stick and it almost hit me three weeks ago and he never said sorry”, chimed in another student as they lined up.“Good Morning, class”, said Ms. Legault in a pleasant voice. “Please walk quietly to the class, hang up your coat and get out your homework. Today’s bell work is listed on the chalkboard.....Junior stop bouncing that ball!!!! “ she instructed. As the class came through the doors Ms. Legault was distracted by Junior bouncing the ball. In sneaked the uninvited visitor to the Grade 4 class. He slithered across the floor and quickly crawled under the teacher’s desk to await the perfect moment to make his presence known. A little later after the students had settled in Ms. Legault was teaching the Math lesson. “Take out your math book to page 32 number 4”, said Ms. Legault. “Today we will be learning about the different kinds of patterns”. “BURP!!!!!!!” The disgusting sound rang out through the class. “Who did that? “ screeched Ms. Legault. “Who made that rude and disgusting noise?” “HA HA, it was meeeee. I’m Khaos now let me be. HEHEHEHEHE!” said the intruder as he hopped out from under the desk. Khaos began prancing around the class to the ultimate glee of the students, but to the ultimate horror of Ms. Legault. “Now, stop that right now. What are you doing here? Do you have a visitors’ pass?” questioned Ms. Legault. Ms Legault began chasing Khaos around the class, under desks over chairs, and by the coat rack. The students cheered in excitement, “GO Legault GO!!!!” When all of a sudden Khaos came to a halt . He turned and blew a huge kiss at Ms. Legault. She stopped frozen in her tracks. The students gasped. Not a word was heard throughout room 11...not a word as they waited their teachers next move. "Hurrah, “cheered Ms. Legault. “It’s free-time. Let’s Party!” The students quickly lined up behind Ms. Legault and a Conga Line was formed as they danced and partied throughout the day. Well it didn’t take long until news of the shenanigans in Room 11 to reach the office. Mr. Fleming the Principal, was not impressed, as you can well imagine. He quickly headed towards room 11 to investigate the goings on and the unusual behaviour of his grade 4 teacher. As he approached the room he felt the anger welling up inside him with every hoot and holler coming from the classroom. He stood gazing in disbelief at the class. Anosh, Fadli, and Vladimir were swinging ‘Spidey Style’ from the lights. Metrah, Danielle and Alissa were painting pictures on the walls; Aliya, Patricia and Keanna skipping along the shelf; and the rest of the class was involved in playing a game of desk basketball with makeshift baskets hung from the ceiling and the tops of desks acting as the court. Ms. Legault was leading her team to victory as she bounded across the desks bouncing the ball. “SWOOSH, I score!”, she cheered. As she passed the ball to Sophia who passed to Collene. Mr. Fleming raised his hand to stop the madness. The students stopped and watched with anticipation. Ms. Legault caught the ball and stared with a little look of apprehension. Sami and Nick covered theirs eyes, worried about what would happen next. Khaos leaped out from under the basketball court and said” Hey, where’s the party.” Everyone gasped as Mr. Fleming stared at Khaos. You could’ve heard a pin drop as everyone wondered what would happen next. It was Khaos that sprung forward first and proceeded to give Mr. Fleming a high Five. Mr. Fleming then jumped three feet into the air as the students froze. He proceeded to reach to the left and grab the basketball. “Whose team am I on?”, he shouted. Everyone cheered as Abdirashid announced “You’re with us Fleming- my- man.” Navid and Najib gave Mr. Fleming a high five and the game continued. Well the days turned into weeks and the weeks turned into months. Report cards went out. Adithya looked at his marks and he said, “AHHHH!!, where’s all my A’s.” Precious and Ayan were mortified. “We never got less than a B before. How are we ever going to go to University with marks like this?” Roman said, “Hey, I can do better than this!” Jadziah brought her report to Ms. Legualt demanding to know why her marks were so low. Nick and Najib did the same. “Who cares , announced Ms. Legault, “We’re having lots of fun. I need to work on shooting hoops.” Kuwayne said, “NO way, I CARE. We’re not learning anything. Chantel agreed saying we have to do something about this. The students all met at recess at the playscape to devise a planWhen the bell rang they all filtered inside the school in an orderly fashion. Instead of going straight into the class they all stood arm and arm beside each other at the back of the classroom. As Khaos tried to pass they raised their hands and said in unison “NOOOOO!” Neha spoke for the group saying, "Khaos, You’re no longer welcome in our class. ” And as she spoke she lifted up her hand to reveal the classes secret sign of solidarity. Khaos began to shrink. Abdirashid repeated the words. Khaos shrunk even more. Alissa continued, then all the students joined in repeating the phrase, "Khaos, you’re no longer welcome in our class.” Khaos was reduced to the size of a minuscule ant. Ms. Legault was the last to speak. As she looked at her class and saw their tremendous desire to learn and how they were working together to achieve this goal, she became so filled with the joy of teaching she spoke the final words,"Khaos, you’re no longer welcome in our class. And with those final words Khaos vanished into the air and with him all the silliness, disruptiveness and rudeness that had arrived with him at Braeburn. Principals, teachers and parents from around the world would’ve been proud that day as the students got back to their desks and began to do their work like never before. They stayed in for recesses and worked through lunch and stayed after school to make up for their lost learning. All of the students had their best report cards ever and all the parents were extremely proud of their children. As for Khaos, he tried to return from time to time throughout the year but the students would not allow him in. They’d hold up their hands in the secret sign and say, “No, Khaos is not welcome in out class.”

Homework Advice

If you have to do homework, here is some advice so you do not have problems with your homework. First make sure you have all your homework. If you are angry or upset, calm yourself down, perhaps through Silent Sitting. Also record your homework in your planner so if you forget your homework you will have it all recorded in your planner. Make sure you have everything you need to complete everyting. It's also a good idea to have a phone number of a friend that you can call in case you forgot some of yor homework or you need help doing it. You can also check Ms. Legault's classroom blog. As soon as you reach home, its a good idea to do your homework right away. Work in a quiet place so you can concentrate. Ask an adult to check your homework. If you have trouble doing homework, join a homework club. As soon as you finish your homework, put it in your bag and put the bag in a safe place so you can find it easily the next school day. By Adithya I give this advice about homework to anyone that's reading this page. Homework is for you to do at home. Teachers give homework as a part of your education and a part of your marks in the Learning Skills part of the report card (Homework Completion). Remember doing your homework is a good sign. Do your homework if you want good marks in your learning skills and to help improve your marks in all areas. By Fadli