Parent Engagement Recap

Thank you, dear parents, for taking the time and effort to join us for our Parent Engagement writing lesson on Thursday. It was so great to see so many of you!

I hope the mini-lesson on elaboration was helpful, both for you and your child. It's one of those writing skills that takes time to learn and also plenty of practice. Even world famous authors continuing working towards improving their elaboration skills by writing in a way that is gripping, yet not too detailed, so know that your child is in good company.

For those of you who were not able to come, please feel free to avail yourself of the materials that I used:

• Lesson Overview
• 7 Strategies for Elaboration
• Grade 3 Narrative Writing Checklist 
• Pinterest Board with some good resources

Finally, here is the link for the pictures of our time together. (I tried to capture everyone, but I know I missed a couple of you, who had to sneak out early.) My heart was genuinely full as I watched you working with your sweetie. I thought to myself, "Now, how can I get these parents to come help everyday?!" :)

Thank you, all, once more for coming. It was a true delight to have your join us. 

Parent Engagement Recap

Thank you, dear parents, for taking the time and effort to join us for our Parent Engagement writing lesson on Thursday. It was so great to see so many of you!

I hope the mini-lesson on elaboration was helpful, both for you and your child. It's one of those writing skills that takes time to learn and also plenty of practice. Even world famous authors continuing working towards improving their elaboration skills by writing in a way that is gripping, yet not too detailed, so know that your child is in good company.

For those of you who were not able to come, please feel free to avail yourself of the materials that I used:

• Lesson Overview
• 7 Strategies for Elaboration
• Pinterest Board with some good resources

Finally, here is the link for the pictures of our time together. I tried to capture everyone, so hopefully I did. My heart was genuinely full as I watched you working with your sweetie. I thought to myself, "Now, how can I get these parents to come help everyday?!" :) I could see such a difference in their writing in just 40 minutes! 

Thank you, all, once more for coming. It was a true delight! 

Parent Engagement Week

February 7-11 is our Parent Engagement Week in the ES. It's always a special time, one which I look forward to, as it means that you, parents, are welcome to come in and be a part of the learning.

This year, our focus in Grade 3 will be on writing. Each teacher will engage their classroom parents and students a little differently, as it depends on his/her class' needs.

In 3LN, we will be focusing our attention on the craft of elaboration.

So often, I hear students say, "I'm done!" and when I read over their work, I'm somewhat disappointed because they've hardly written anything at all and I know they are capable of so much more. Perhaps you've experienced that at home, as well, when you've helped your child with a writing assignment, travel journal entry, or a creative story of their own.

In our time together, which will be Thursday, February 11, from 8:15-9:15, I hope to give you and your child the tools needed to extend those great ideas, add more details, create more vivid images, and push thinking to a deeper level.

If you're able to make it, I'm looking forward to seeing you then!

FYI regarding Reading and Writing

A note from ES Admin...

Reading and Writing Workshops:  As you know, we use the Reading and Writing Workshop approach in our literacy instruction.  This approach effectively supports the teaching of our literacy standards and requires students to apply skills learned through lessons to their own reading and writing.  The nature of this work requires students to work at deeper literacy levels, which frequently requires time beyond a 40 minute period in the school day.  Therefore, to better support your child's learning in reading and writing, shortly we will begin to alternate the reading and writing workshop lessons from one day to the next. This will provide the necessary time for students to delve more purposefully into their reading and writing work.  This only applies to the formal Reading and Writing Workshop lessons, and other reading and writing activities will still occur in other forms throughout the school day.