Congratulations on being done your first full week of school!  It has been so busy trying to nail down all our routines, rules, and figure out how to work it out with a mix of old and new friends but you have all been amazing!  It is such a pleasure to teach such a kind, hardworking group of students.
For your blog post this week, I’d like each of us to write a paragraph (or more if you’d like).  I would like you to use descriptive language (think your FIVE senses) to describe an event, lesson, or experience that you’ve had in class so far that has made you feel proud to be a part of 6-2! I can start.

The sun was streaming in through the streaked windows, and there was a hum of energy in the classroom.  Students could be seen in the class, not in just their desks but throughout the room, working in groups of 1, 2, 3, and more, talking quietly and focussing.  I felt proud as I walked around the room seeing what each group was working on.  There was two different groups of students working on building robots; they were focussed and kind, talking and building each other up, working towards a common goal.  Each other student was also hard at work, either alone or in a group but working on something meaningful, pushing themselves to be better today than they were the day before.  The class looked, felt and sounded like learning, and I was so proud to be their teacher.

​

Welcome to your first blog post of grade six!  Each week, I will post a prompt and one of your homework tasks will be responding to the blog.  We will read your posts on Fridays during social media morning.  This week I was struck by something that happened at the Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony.  The link to see the video is here.  The woman carrying the torch in falls down and is helped up, retrieving the torch and continuing on with her job.  I feel like this is such a powerful metaphor for our learning and what we will do this year in our class.  This is going to be a year that challenges, that pushes you, that takes you out of your comfort zone, and no matter what we will all fall down at some point.  The beauty of this video shows what will happen when you get up, when you struggle through;  people will help you,the crowd will cheer, and you will be able to accomplish your goals.  
For your blog post this week, I'd like you to write down your promises for the year.  What will you be sure to do and what can I, your classmates, and your parents hold you to?  What are three promises that you will make that you will strive for each day?
I can start.
This year I promise to:
1.  Give 110% in my lesson planning and delivery.   I will try to engage you through the activities I plan in class, making them meaningful, powerful, and helpful.
2.  Listen to you.  If you have questions, concerns, ideas, thoughts, anything and you would like to talk to me about them, I will be there to listen.  This can be in class, after school, before school, or at break.  I'm here for you.
3.  Expect amazing things.  I promise that my expectations for you will be high, that you can achieve in all subjects, that you are an exceptional learner and that you will succeed!
What are your promises?