Catie's Third Grade Class Blog: Medical Leave

Dear Families,

I hope that everyone has a restful and fun Spring Break, as tomorrow is the first day of spring! Some of you may not be aware that I am having abdominal surgery and will be taking 5-6 weeks off to heal, recover, and be back to work healthy and happily. This is all news to me, and am handling new information daily as it comes. If anything, patience, being present, and appreciating our class has been so helpful and a reminder of my own good fortune. My intentions are to work until April 1 (the Monday we return from Spring Break), at which point Jens (Heather's guest teacher from her maternity leave this fall and Jeremy's student teacher from last year), will take over for me. I plan to return in mid-May, barring any complications.

Jens will be in the classroom tomorrow for a short time during student-led conferences, going over lesson plans, routines, and students. As a class, we are collaboratively writing a "What You Need to Know to Teach and Learn Successfully in our Classroom" pamphlet for Jens, and anyone else!. I am confident that he will do a stellar job while I am away, and he taught all of this curriculum last year.

Of course, if he has any questions he has Jeremy and Heather, too!

During my absence I plan to check my email, if you have any questions you can contact me. Regarding daily classroom needs/questions/etc. please contact Jens at jenskh1984@gmail.com, who is already very knowledgeable about your children and their specific needs, and a great friend of mine.

Thank you so much for your support,

Catie

If your child is absent due to an illness I am happy to provide an overview of the work they missed in class that day or for those days they are out sick. Inevitably there are times when trips need to happen during the school year and your student should be assured that although they are missing class time, I encourage them to embrace the learning opportunities outside the walls of our school. Parents often ask me for a packet to bring along to keep their child engaged in some learning and kept busy in a car or on a plane, but I don't assign "trip work" packets. Trips on their own have the potential to be rich learning experiences from airport or car, to destination and back. Instead I ask that students keep a journal, photo journal or scrapbook of their trip which could be shared with me upon their return to class. They are also welcome to share these with the class, but I don't require them to do so. Finding a secret spot and having a special little journal in hand in which to write and sketch what they see is infinitely more valuable to your child than me giving them a story prompt. If you do want your child to have some 3rd grade-level busy work during travel you could visit Learning Palace or a similar store to purchase 3rd grade skills workbooks. The following are some ideas for meaningful learning during trips:

Math:
Have your child use math, reading and writing skills as often as possible. Have them pay for things and count change or add up the coins received back, use maps, figure out elapsed time or the time an activity took to complete, compare prices of menu items, look for patterns in nature or architecture, estimate the time it will take to complete an activity, collect data of some kind and create a bar graph (cars vs. trucks on a five mile stretch of road or the kinds of people around you on the plane who order soda vs. juice for example), etc.

Writing:
Have them bring their writer's notebook or more fun, have them choose and buy a special little notebook just for the trip where they can sketch possible characters, special spots or images to use in future writing. Everyone and everything they see can be given new life as a character or setting in future writing. A little set of colored pencils or tiny watercolors to go along with it can make it more fun as well. Have your child write and mail a postcard or letter to our class (even if it arrives after they return). Our school's address is 3421 SE Salmon St., PDX 97214. Thank you notes for guest accommodations or for hotel operators is always fun, too.

Reading:
Trips can be made more fun if your child is taken to the library or to Powell's for a special trip book or two. Perhaps they could visit a local book store at your destination where they can choose a book to read or purchase for the time they are there or for the trip back. As time permits, be sure they read at least 30 minutes or more each day.

Science or Social Studies:
We study rocks and minerals in 3rd grade and it's always a joy for kids when we begin this unit in winter to bring in a special rock from a place they have visited during the year. We also learn about the first peoples who lived on this land long before white settlers came to what is now known as Portland. It can be interesting for kids to learn about other first peoples who lived in places you visit. Just learning a bit about the history of a new place with a city walking tour, nature hike, scenic route or collecting little souvenirs or scraps can be fun for your child as well.

Catie's Third Grade Class Blog

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Medical Leave

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