Bring Your Own Device Day

The class has been working hard to earn "compliments" as part of our class reward system. Finally, today, they have reached their goal! 

The reward is to bring their own device (ipad, ipod, iphone...but please, no laptops) to school for one day, which I will allow for limited periods during the day for both fun and research. 

Please know that if your child does bring his/her device to school, it is his/her own responsibility to take care of it. I will happily offer my locked desk drawer for safety, if preferred. 

We are looking forward to a fun day of devices, as well are our regular lessons. :) Thanks for your support! 

Picture Day is Sunday for 3LN!

Please remember that students will be getting their individual pictures taken on SUNDAY, Sept. 28th, at 10:40 am in the ES Conference room. 

Please be sure your sweetheart is dressed in his/her formal uniform with his/her tie, mostly black or mostly white shoes, and looking tidy and smart! 

Thank you! 

ASA Registration!

It is that time of year again, one I'm sure you have all been waiting for, DAA's PS/ES After School Activities sign up.  

External Registration is happening this weekend on Saturday, September 27th, at 11 am until 1 pm in the PS/ES Lobby.  Please use the side entrance and wait for the doors to be opened.  If you miss Saturday, you will be able to register for external ASA on Sunday, September 28th, in the PS/ES Cafeteria from 7:30 until 9 am.  

Registration for Internal ASA is opening on Sunday, September 28th, online at 3 pm.  

Please visit http://daapsesafterschoolactivities.blogspot.ae/ for all of the ASA descriptions and to register your child at this time.

Kind Regards,

Annie Visneskie

Where Children Sleep

We are thoroughly enjoying our study on culture and feel thankful to have so many cultures represented in just one class. 

If we were to travel to your home country, what kind of children's bedrooms would we find? 

Photographer James Mollison captured images of children's bedrooms from around the world.

This fascinating series of images provides an interesting glance into the lives and homes of these children.

Enjoy! 

How the World Gets to School

 Just when we thought Dubai driving was pretty dangerous...

Check out these incredible journeys some of the children of the world must take just to get to school.

Be thankful for your education...and relatively easy access to it. 

What the World Eats for Breakfast

As part of our study on culture, we viewed this fun and fascinating short video called "What the World Eats for Breakfast." (We loved it so much, we actually viewed it twice.) 

Some of our sweeties didn't see their country represented, which prompted the thought that we could make our own video.  

Soooo, I invite you to snap a picture of your breakfast, lunch or dinner and email it to me with your child's name and the traditional names of the food included. Then, I will put together a 3LN version. 

Keep it simple and just use your device to snap the picture, then send it to me at l.nossal_daa@gemsedu.com. 

Looking forward to the cultural deliciousness! 

And, while I have your attention, you may enjoy this creative and adorable yumminess from Japan. 

Back to School Night PowerPoint

For those who were able, thank you for coming to our Back to School Night. I really enjoyed meeting/seeing a few new faces and also sharing a little about what we do here everyday. 

If you were unable to attend, know that we missed you, but we understand that it's not always easy to get out at night, especially with other siblings, absent spouses or other responsibilities. 

To help you feel more in the loop, I would like to invite you to view the PowerPoint I created. I hope it will serve to clarify any questions or simply give you a good overview. 

Looking forward to a great year ahead! 

Individual Student Photos coming soon!

Students will soon be getting their individual pictures taken. Our class photos will be on Sept. 28th at 10:30 am in the ES Conference room. 

Please be sure your sweetheart is dressed in his/her formal uniform (with his/her tie), looking tidy and smart! 

MAP Testing

MAP testing will begin next week. Information about MAP testing was included in last week’s SPOTS and additional information was sent home with all grades 3-5 students on Sunday. 

We give students MAP tests to determine individual instructional levels and to measure academic growth in the areas of reading, language arts and mathematics throughout the school year, and from year to year.  

The tests are completely computerized and are unique in that they adapt to be appropriate for each child’s level of learning.  As a result, each student has the same opportunity to succeed and maintain a positive attitude toward testing.

In addition to the information already provided, the following tips are helpful for parents in preparing their children for testing:

• Make sure that your child is well rested on school days. Children who are tired in class are less able to pay attention or focus on the demands of a test.

• Give your child a well-rounded diet.  A healthy body leads to a healthy and active mind.

• Encourage your child to listen to directions and give every question their best effort. 

• Please send a lunch from home on Tuesday as we will be testing during our regular lunch time and will need to eat in our classroom after finishing. 

I shared a Point Point with the class in an effort to lower their test anxiety and give them an idea of what to expect. We will also set some testing goals, then begin the first test Sunday at 8:30 am. Here is our testing schedule: 

Thank you so much for your support. We are looking forward to a great week! 

A note from DAAPA

Announcing the annual DAAPA EID for All New Toy Drive

DAAPA and the Red Crescent Society encourage all families to participate in the Eid for all New Toy Drive.  

You may drop off your NEW and UNWRAPPED gifts in the ES Foyer until September 28th.  

Involve your children in this initiative. Let them choose the gift and explain to them that they will be helping another child in this country who may not be receiving a present on the upcoming Eid.  

Thank you! 

A note from non-native Arabic...

Dear parents,

The ES Arabic team would like to keep the channels of communication open through emails and blogs. This year the Non-natives blog will be updated with the beginning of each unit, it will include the objectives of the unit and the new vocabulary.

Looking forward to a great year ahead!

http://esnonnativearabic.blogspot.ae/

Another great week...

We've had another great week together and I'm so pleased to see how the class is bonding, forming new friendships, and feeling even more comfortable as a class family. It's just so lovely to witness. This kind of solid foundation of respect, kindness and friendship is so important for a happy year full of maximum learning. I'm truly excited about our year ahead!

I hope you've all had a chance to peruse the blog, especially the weekly learning objectives as that is what we've worked towards this week. The children really did so well digging into their reading, starting new small moment stories and recalling math skills previously learned in Grade 2. We've also begun our unit on culture in Social Studies. As I told the class, we are so fortunate to have such a diverse class. Out of 22 students, we counted about 20 different cultures represented! We truly have so much to learn from each other.

We have established partners for reading and math, which will change frequently. Working collaboratively will simultaneously develop social and academic skills and deepen class friendships. (Funnily enough, when I randomly drew sticks with their names on them, most all of the partnerships were male/female, which elicited a few stifled groans and wide eyes. Oh, to be 8 and 9 again, right? They really are so cute.) The students have also completed one 2-week round of class jobs and showed some really stellar responsibility and independence. We'll choose new jobs on Sunday.

Be sure to check out what we are learning for the week of Sept. 14-18th. It's going to be another productive and happy week! ツ

Learning Objectives

Each week, I will be posting something I call "Assignment Sheet and News," but more specifically, it is a document that includes specific learning objectives for the week. This is a terrific way for you to see what your child is learning, so you can offer the best support.

Next week's objectives will be even more specific, so you can anticipate those. :)

For now, please view what we are learning for the week of September 7-11. On this page, you'll see Sept. 7 listed. Just click on this and you'll be taken to a PDF with all the good information.

This weekly document is especially useful for you to know what specials we have on which days (scroll down to page 2 on the PDF) and also what math lessons we are doing, so you can be sure to complete the same Homelinks pages for math homework.

I am also teaching the students how to use this, so they can take responsibility of their own learning.

Thanks for your wonderful support! 

A great first week!

Happy Thursday!  I wanted to update you on how our first week and give you some news to note.

Our class has had a fantastic start to the school year!  Thankfully, everything has gone very smoothly and there have been no tears or mishaps. We have been working very diligently to establish new procedures and routines, form bonds as a class family and get to know our new students, all of whom are just lovely. We even celebrated a birthday. Yasmine, turned 9 and had a very happy day with students sharing verbal “gifts” of kindness.  

The “Me Bags” were a big success as children shared their interests and things they love. It was truly a pleasure to see their personalities shine through and make connections to each other through shared interests, experiences and passions. What an impressive bunch!

Next week, we will dive into the real meat of our curriculum and the academic rigor will increase a bit. (Sunday is Day 6 on the schedule.) I have no doubt that this group is ready to jump right in. I’m already looking forward to the great things they will produce and achieve.

Here are some important items to note: 

Healthy Snacks

It is important that your child comes to school with a healthy snack for morning break.  The best snacks are nutritious; this means that they are low in sugar, fat and salt.  Fresh fruit, vegetables and foods that contain whole grains and protein are also good choices.  Follow this link for ideas on healthy school snacks.  

Absences

Please inform me if he/she is or will be absent in the future. We will make a note in the system and count it as an excused absence. If your child is sick, please inform me before 8 am so that I am aware of the situation and can complete the attendance properly. Feel free to communicate by email or a note in the passport.

Uniforms

Students are expected to be in proper DAA attire throughout the school day. They should be in either their formal DAA dress or their DAA PE uniforms. Both outfits should be coupled with appropriate shoes (either mostly black or mostly white shoes). Sweaters worn at school should also follow the DAA dress code. (Please send sweaters to school as our classroom tends to get chilly and I do not control the A/C.) Also, in light of the Dubai heat, students are not required to wear their ties with their uniform until after the Eid holiday. 

Parent Communication

Student passports are used to communicate with parents on a regular basis and should be checked and signed every evening. Feel free to send an email with any questions or concerns you may have. This is the best way to communicate any emergencies or other urgent matters. Also, please keep in mind that time before class is often very limited, and I may be unavailable to have a conversation about your child at that time.  A conference time can be arranged via email or passport.  

Homework

The Grade 3 expectations for homework are as follows: 20 minutes reading every day. Students will work on their Math Home Links daily, as well as complete additional material (this can include Grammar, Writing, Science and/or Social Studies). The time allotment for these subject areas is 10-15 minutes. Homework will usually require approximately 30 minutes every night (except on weekends), although our official DAA homework policy is currently a work in progress. More on this on our Back to School Night on Sept. 17. 

I think that’s it for now. I wish you each a very restful and happy weekend. :)