Busy

A lot has been happening here these past two months. The school science fair is just a week and a half away, and our students are hard at work preparing their projects. We didn't have a science fair last year because of the school cancellations in January, so our students don't have the experience of grade 5 to fall back on. Working so independently is a new expectation and many of them had difficulties selecting projects and setting their own research goals. 

We seem to be getting the hang of things now. There are a few projects that stand a good chance at being selected for the Winnipeg science fair in March, and this year we are able to take 8 students! Front runners include building a simple robot and re-inventing the battery.

Our school was selected to participate in the Provincial Festival for the Arts in Winnipeg next week. I am able to take 12 students and 3 teachers to represent our school. The trip is next week and we've been scrambling to raise additional funds and plan. The trip will be similar to the science fair so I'll be taking two very similar trips to Winnipeg only weeks apart. It's a great opportunity but it's left me little time to think about much else.

Recently we've met some of the new nurses and have been spending time with them. It's funny that it's taken us over 2 years to talk to any of the nurses (they only live a 10 minute walk away) but I guess better late than never.

Ender and I often bring both classes together in either my room or his to do combined lessons. A few weeks ago after one of these combined lessons my students and I came back to our room find that a puppy had sneaked in and was taking a nap in the book nook. We have no idea how it got into the school, but one of my students thought it looked like her cousin's puppy and took it home with her. 

September

It has been a difficult start to the school year. Our colleague and friend Patricia McIssac  passed away September 14th, and it has hit us and the school community pretty hard. She did so much for the school and the kids that it's difficult to think of anyone being able to replace her.

We had a relatively cool summer in Ontario this year, and we've had a similarly cool fall in Garden Hill. The few warm days we had this month I spent hiking and berry picking. Jordan and I found plenty of blueberries and cranberries. 

     

Being back in Garden Hill for one more year brings up a lot of conflicting feelings. On the one hand I'm happy to be back teaching, and our students seem excited to be in our classes. On average these kids are stronger in reading and math than last year's grade sixes. I've got plans to improve upon last year's lessons, and I have the materials needed to follow through on those plans. On the other hand living here is proving to be much more difficult psychologically. While I would definitely work at another school on a reserve I don't think I could live here another year after this one. 

First Full Week Back

It's impossible to start a fire and not have a swarm of kids show up.

It’s the weekend, and other than the tell-tale throat tickles and headaches, Ender and I have survived our first full week of teaching grade 6 together. Our classrooms are beginning to shape up (though my supply closet is still a mess and I haven’t even started on the filing cabinets. This week in art we made chalk letters to display this year’s art quote:

Thanks Degas

Many of my students have a hard time articulating their thoughts and feelings. For some it’s because they aren't as comfortable with English, and others just aren't used to being asked. Art is a great way to communicate ideas without having to speak, and sometimes it’s easier to talk about a piece of art you made than it is to just say what your feeling.

We also started some torn paper animals. I like this project because it’s deceptively easy. Starting with a contour drawing, students need to try and fit their torn pieces together like a mosaic to fill in the shapes making up their animal. The really successful ones consider the negative space and how everything fits together. It’s a project that’s really hard to rush and have something that makes sense.

 

Ender and I tried to find the trail leading to the cranberry patch we visited last year this morning. While we were able to find a path and what looked like what might be where the cranberries were last year, we were unable to find any actual berries this time out. It may have been that we were looking in the wrong place, or it just might be that we came too early or too late, or that this year there aren't many berries at all. Still it was nice to get outside while the weather is still relatively warm.

We have one more week till ‘Traditional Week,’ and I am excited to use the break as a chance to regroup, get my classroom and lessons in order and get one camping trip in before the cold weather hits.