Sunday, January 20, 2008

Big Changes

I am sure that most of you have either read or seen the news that our district is in the midst of change. I am not sure how I feel about everything that has happened lately, but I am not about to get into the name-calling and finger-pointing I have seen in the newspaper comments and editorials. Many people seem to think one person, one board member, one administrator, or whomever can accept all the blame for any given problem. Things just don't work that way in real life, as easy as it may be to jump on a bandwagon.

For one, I see our school and class as an exception to many of the problems and complaints throughout the district. We have parents who are invested and involved in the lives of their children. (Some of you feel you are too involved, but consider the alternative.) Parents who care make choices that are in the best interest of their children. You have chosen our school as the best fit for your child. Some of you drive all over town to get your children to school each day. (I will refrain from commenting on tardies at this time! ;-) ) I truly believe that if more parents were like you, teachers, administrators, and schools would have no other choice than to get themselves into gear. I'll step off of my soapbox now.

I just have to point out the fact that the Patriots are headed to the Super Bowl. As much as that tears up a couple of my students, it is amazing to see history being made. Sorry Bubblez! I am disappointed that Brett Favre is done for the season. We agree on that!

Announcements:
  • No school tomorrow--Martin Luther King Jr. Day If you are headed for the parade, dress warmly!
  • Don't forget that the first installment payment for the LCO is due no later than January 31.
  • Book orders are due this Wednesday. You can order online by clicking HERE. Remember that our class username is: karraker and the password is: bookorder.
  • Math problem solving assessment is this week.
  • Little Bear basketball at TSU is coming up soon. Look for more information.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

As a parent I am amazed at the dedication of the teachers and staff at Jones Paideia. Each child is treated as their own and receives attention to help them perform at their best academically. God bless you Jones Paideia staff because the job you have chosen is not an easy one but you realize there is a higher calling in what you do.

Anonymous said...

ms. k could you help me understand the graphic novel craze going on in your classroom? i approve of the reading but want to sure i am being a responsible parent by allowing my child to read them. what got my attention was at the library the lady asked how old he was before she directed us to the section where we could find the books. then i just thought maybe the novels were advanced reading an she wanted to sure he was not over his head, well, when we found the section i notice other books that had some 'differient' looking illustrations. yes, i am an open minded person, i read judy blum but how is this in relation to age appropriate? and can you suggest some that are? take your time just when you are not busy doing anything else.

Anonymous said...

Good thing I wasnt cheering for Green Bay.I think the Giants should be thankful that they got that feild goal.But what im really happy about is that Patriots defeated the Chargers 21,12.I think the Giants are going to win.

Ms K said...

A few years ago I worked a summer job in a bookstore and was very surprised that the "graphic novels" weren't kept in a private room in the back of the store, if you catch my drift. I heard the word "graphic" and thought "adult." It instead refers to any book that has been converted into a comic style of illustration. The story can be on any topic, and could therefore be not appropriate for children. In the past children's stories written this way were called comics and were typically serialized.

Graphic novels have become more popluar in recent years and so more and more are coming out for younger readers. Boys are really drawn to this type of book (no pun intended), but we are finding that many girls enjoy the style, as well.

The genre is like any other type of book. You have to be careful. There are really good ones out there for kids, and then there are some that are for adults only. I give the same advice for a graphic novel that I would for any other book. Parents need to help with the selection of any reading material that is not specifically written for children (and even some of those!)

I am going to ask Mrs. Sharp to give your questions a look, as she might have better, more specific information for you. I can do some research and get you specific titles that are child appropriate if you would like. Give me a week or so, and I will make a new post specifically about this topic.

Thanks for letting me know about your concern! I'll update you in about a week!

Anonymous said...

The Patriots are going to beat the Giants 42 to 21.The only team that could beat the Patriots was the Colts and there out of the playoffs.The MVP of the game will be Tom Brady. Randy Moss will have at least 1 touchdown catch out of the game.So i'm going to basketball now.

Anonymous said...

the giants won the super bowl!