Two of My Favorite Tips From My Son's 4th Grade Teacher



"ABC" by luigi diamanti via Freedigitalphotos.net

We all know how many papers there are to read the first month of school.

Medical sheets, emergency forms, permission slips, classroom guidelines, homework policies, safety procedures and more....UGH.

But, here is one I haven't seen before:

"How my child's teacher will challenge him this year."
   -Interesting-

I read further, of course, because that's what good parents do right? READ the papers that come home?

I figured it would be cookie cutter, and say things like:
  • This is how we discipline
  • This is how I instruct them on certain topics
  • I would like to encourage students to answer their own questions before providing the answers

But instead-MUCH to my delight-it was a change from the normal list of what would be going on in class! It was actually 'a way of doing things' list!

WOW! That was awesome to me! And, just like my way of thinking!

I'm always stressing the importance of the manner in which things are approached, handled and mostly how we look at things.

Naturally, I completely agreed with ALL 10 of the points and strategies!

My favorites? 

#'s  8 & 9:
8.  All students also need to learn to work together. They need to listen to one another, and take one another's perspectives. They also need to learn how to present their thoughts to others who might not be thinking the same way in which they are thinking.

9.  Students need classroom experiences that encourage higher level thinking, that involve choice, that provide opportunities for creativity. 
I appreciated #8 because I felt it makes children interact in way which promoted acceptance, tolerance, fairness, community and most of all, maturity.

I loved #9 because who doesn't like to make their own choices? And, because I am a mom who believes that kids need many opportunities a day for this because it promotes their intelligence and teaches them cause and effect on a larger level while promoting individuality.


Another thought I had while reading these?
These could easily be translated to parents when working with their own children and companies with their employees...

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