News to Note

Ok, can someone please tell me how it can be February already?! This year is flying by way too fast and I'd really like it to slow down just a bit, so I we can all enjoy it even more. Hopefully, the day off yesterday provided a great opportunity to do just that...and the weather was just glorious! Though we teachers were at school, it was a fantastic day of professional growth as we learned from Brian and Robin Fogarty, who are renowned experts in education. Our time was very well spent.

Since it's been a while (so sorry!), I wanted to touch base about a few things:

• I want to offer a huge thank you to those of you parents who were able to come to our Track and Field Day last Tuesday, Jan. 31. I so appreciate your help, encouragement, time, effort, and support. It made our day so much more fun having you there with us, so please know that I am very appreciative. (I'll be posting pictures soon!) 

• Swimming is canceled for this cycle and the rest of Trimester 2, as the recent storm caused some damage to the pool area and it will take time for the repairs, insurance, inspection, etc. Thank you for your understanding. I know the children are disappointed, but this is a great opportunity to use a favorite expression in our classroom, "C'est la vie." (That's life.) 

• Parent Engagement Week in the ES: You are invited to join us in our classroom on Wednesday, Feb. 15, from 8:10-9:00. I will be teaching a mini-lesson about how to effectively elaborate in narrative stories (in this case, our fractured fairy tale). Knowing a few strategies will help to equip you at home when/if your child gets stuck as a writer and doesn't know what else to add to his/her story. I hope you'll be able to join us! 

• We will be going on a field trip next Thursday, Feb. 16. First, we'll head over to the Dubai Museum to learn about life in the UAE, Bedouins, pearl diving, and more. Then, we'll walk down the block to the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding. There, we'll partake in a full Emirati meal, learn about local culture, and make a tile craft. (This is the reason why this field trip is a bit pricey. Rest assured that it's a high quality field trip, which students have typically greatly enjoyed and students will be brining home the art the create.)  
• If you would like to volunteer for this trip, please just let me know. It's a fantastic trip! We'll be off campus from 8ish until 1:30 pm. (You will need to drive your own vehicle, as parents are not allowed on school buses for insurance purposes.) 

• Valentine's Day is next Tuesday, Feb. 14. We will be having a small classroom party; however, it will just be limited to the students and me, since our time will be short. If you would like to send in some goodies (cookies, cupcakes, fruit, chocolate, etc.), you are welcome to. Just send me an email, so I know what to expect. 

• Students are invited to dress down in Valentine's Day colors (red, pink, white) on Tuesday, Feb. 14, for a minimum donation of AED 5, which will go to Dubai Cares. (Students who don't wish to dress down are also most welcome to still donate.)

• If you would like to have your child write valentines for their classmates, here is a list of our 3LN students: 

• Girls: Jenna, Mariam, Zoya, Anita, Sarah, Farida, Isabella, Sofiya (8 total) 

• Boys: Zayd, Zaid, Jordan, Aly, Efe, Woochan, Zunyi, Ali, Yehia, Julian, Leo, Alvin, Can (13 total)

• Next week will be Love Your Library Week, so be on the look-out for all the "lovely" details. 

• Also, you may have heard my big news that I have accepted a teaching position in Shanghai, China!! I told the news to our class and they share the same bittersweet emotions that I am also feeling. While I'm thrilled to be embarking on a whole new adventure, I will really miss my precious students, you parents, my colleagues, friends, and all of the other aspects of Dubai that I have come to know and love so well. It's difficult to leave. Having said that, however, I'm ready for a change, new challenges, and a whole culture in the Far East. (If you want to read  the whole story, which includes a very detailed description, you're welcome to view and read my personal blog post.) 

• Academics: We have been busy learning! Here's a brief summary...

• In reading, students are now in Unit 3 and learning more about characters through inferencing, examining the character's motivations, and forming theories about characters. Students are now reading fiction again in class, so please encourage your child to read his or her "just right" chapter book each night and bring the reading log back to school each day. Thank you! 

• In writing, we are also in Unit 3, which is all about writing fractured fairy tales. Students will be learning about fairy tale adaptations and how to write their own. They will write 1-2 short fractured fairy tales of their own, with the final goal being to publish their favorite one. 

• In math, we are wrapping up Chapter 5 (place value, decimals) and will have a test next Tuesday. 

• In science, students have been learning about the different between weather and climate, as well as weather tools, how to analyze weather data and draw conclusions, and how to predict the weather based on patterns. 

I think that's it. Thanks for taking the time to read all of our 3LN news and, most importantly, thank you so much for all of your ongoing support! Together is better.  :)