Some weeks are just different than others!

Every classroom teacher addresses patterns to some degree, in either Math or ELE, over the course of a school year.  You may want to put these words/numbers on the board and have your learners think about what patterns they see in the words and the numbers:

THIS WEEK:

Sunday, 5/10/15

Monday, 5/11/15

Tuesday, 5/12/15

Wednesday, 5/13/15

Thursday, 5/14/15

Friday, 5/15/15

Saturday, 5/16/15 



Anyone need an answer key?

1.  The WORDS can be said to follow two patterns:

•       Each word ends with "day"
•       Each word ends with the phonetic spelling of the long a:  ay

2.  The dates, of this current week, follow the same pattern of numbers:

• the order is the same, whether or not you read them backwards or forwards

May 4-8, 2015 - National Teacher Appreciation Day / Week - posted in honor of the teacher who is reading this! You are appreciated!

THERE'S A BEAUTIFUL BUTTERFLY INSIDE THAT CATERPILLAR!

As you watch these 3 video clips there might be something that will jump start an idea to help you in finishing the year strong.  

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Video Clip - 1:  

I once had a student who wrote so small that his handwriting had to be enlarged on the copy machine to read it.  His handwriting frustrated many of his teachers; he seemed to make no effort to write larger.  Today, he is a surgeon, doing intricate surgery on the feet and legs.   What seemed to be his disability was really his gift!

If you have a child, in your classroom, who doesn't put out the effort you expect, have you gotten to the point that you've decided he/she is lazy or unmotivated? Is it possible that the child has some kind of challenge that you do not understand? 

Watch the video to find out what happened to this young man.
 

     

 

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VIDEO CLIP - 2:

You may have some students who seem to have insurmountable odds.  Focusing on a student's strengths, interests, preferences, and experiences while partnering with the family, provides great opportunities for success.
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As you look back at this year, do you know the GPS of each of your learners?  How about their GPS-SWIPE?  
.
Geno-gram?
Personality type?
Strength?
-
Strength?
Weakness?
Interests?
Preference of learning style?
Experiential background?

~  ~  ~

Video Clip - 3:  

Watch this clip, as you think about one of your learners.  Consider these words that are part of the transformation process:

• change
• eventually
•  over time
• pushes
• gyrates
• rid of old
• finally...
• gradually...
• emerging...
• transformation! 

I love this quote that I heard at the butterfly palace in Branson, Missouri many years ago:

"The most beautiful butterflies

are often the caterpillars

who have had the biggest/longest struggles."

 

Here's to some positive perspectives 

for finishing the school year 

STRONG!