Book Character Day

Wow, it's easy to get behind on posting pictures!

Here are the pictures for Book Character day. I know, it can be difficult to assembly costumes for the kiddies for this day (I know because I have to dress up too!) but it's always fun to see the kiddies all dressed up. And fun to try to call them by their character name all day. It was hard when you have multiples of the same character in class though!

So here they are, posing with their book to make it more clear for you just who they are :)

Spidey and the pirates working on their math test. What, you didn't know pirates knew math? They do!

Here's a good way to get in my good books: be a character from the Little House series. Here's Mr. Edwards.

Waldo #1, and winner of the costume contest.

Waldo #2! Perfect glasses eh? :)

Grade One:

Grade 2:

And all of us!

The Wonderful Concert Kids

Ok, so technically none of these students are in my class anymore, but it wasn't that long ago that each and every one of them was taught by me. So...they're still my students :) Besides they did such a fabulous job that everyone needs to see and hear them!

And of course, this is always something for my students to aspire to!

Our opener, sung with the ProMusica choir: All Things Bright and Beautiful

A reprise from last year's Pentecost program: Lord, I Stretch My Hands to You

A preview of our Christmas program! Gloria in Exclesis

And to close our portion of the concert: The Lord Bless and Keep You

A blurb from Miss V. :)

Hello all,

Note: This is a different kind of post in the sense that this is Miss Vanderwoerd, the student teacher, typing. :)

I'd like to say a "Hi" and also a "Bye" to all of you, for my three weeks in the grades one and two classroom of CCS are now over. You would be surprised how much goes on in just 3 weeks, and this makes it for a fun and busy time.

I arrived at the CCS with two (and a bit) years of experience of practicums at the Teacher's College (yes, "our" teacher's college) and yet I still had never, ever taught in a Grade 1 classroom. My palms were sweaty and my heart was beating fast on that first day, for I did not really know what to expect....These kids were going to be so small! What did they all know!?! Would I be able to teach them the essential things they needed to know?? I hadn't a clue how to go about it. But then again, that was why I was here.

Little did I know that these "little ones" (they weren't really that little) are quite independent. They didn't seem one bit fazed by the new face sitting in the back of the classroom watching their every move. They soon showed me the ropes. I had to quickly learn all of their routines and proceedures, what they did when and how they did it. If I forgot to do something or messed up, I was informed with a short, little gasp and an arm hastily flung into the air. It was fun to learn all of their routines, though, and to participate in them.

I soon became comfortable in the class and we got "down to business". In the mornings, I taught Grade 1 Math the entire three weeks I was here. We got to learn about counting, and then moved on to learn about the challenging concept of money. I also taught the Grade 1 class Language Arts several times. Wow are these kids smart! Not only do they know the whole alphabet and their sounds, but they have a type of sign-language to go with it! If you've never asked your child to show you, you should. It's pretty cool. And it definitely helps them remember the sound of each letter.

The Grade 2 class joined us after morning recess, and we learned even more things. Some things we got to learn about together was how important your family is. Below, I am using pictures of my own family to explain why and how each member in my family is important to me.

We also got to travel to a gym once a week. We got to play a fun game called "Baby Elephant", as well as dodge-ball. And of course, Marvin had to come check up on me, to see if I was teaching the games and skills properly...

During the second week I was there, we got to go to the cenotaph. The students excitedly put on their poppies, but soon became serious when the ceremony began. The school sang "In Flander's Fields" beautifully, and it was a great experience for all.

It was also D.E.A.R. week that week, and that meant we got to dress up at the end of the week! Boy, did the kids look great!

By the third week, everything was pretty much in place and things seemed normal. I got the opportunity to teach two full days (Tuesday and Wednesday), and they ended up being really great days. The students and I got even closer and I learned a lot (and the students? who knows ;P).

Thursday was a bitter sweet day. It was my last day, but a very fun-filled one. There was a ton of snow outside, so we headed outside at recess to make a "Frosty" or two.

After rolling the big body....

....we hoisted the rest of it ALL together on top.


And added the finishing touches....

And VOILA! a new friend....even holding hands. ;)

Since it was my last day, the students threw a little good-bye party for me. They gave me a very nice card and a CD from the school's choir, as well as a HUUUUUGE hug. I almost fell over from being hugged so hard.... ;)

And so, that gives only a taste of my 3 weeks at CCS. There are many, many more memories that I will keep and cherish. I really enjoyed myself in the Grade1/2 classroom, and I hope the students had a good time, too (and learned a lot ;) ).

A special thanks goes out to Miss J. for taking me into her class, as well as the principal and the rest of the staff for making my stay a good one.

I guess this is the official "Good-bye", and maybe I will visit someday or show my face at a function or two.

Til then,

Miss V.

playing with picassa...

We said goodbye to Miss V. today and put these collages in her goodbye card. And then I thought, hey I should share them!

Here you go:

Remembrance Day/Book Week

It's Book Week here at CCS which means we're doing a whole lot of reading in this school. We are reading with a purpose again this year. We would like to get our school goal of 750 books so we can have pizza. Each classroom will also have a prize for the person who has read the most books.

Book Week always comes a little early in the school year for me and my Grade One class, but that's why it's nice to have a double grade. Each Grade One student has a partner in Grade Two they read their little paper book to and then their Grade Two partner reads to them. It's all rather heartwarming to watch my classroom full of children reading to each other! I just had to take a video to show you :)

But videos aren't very easy to get off the internet and develop into photographs, so I've got pictures as well. Each day the students rotate their partner since there aren't enough Grade Ones to match up with Grade Two. Some Grade Two students need to read on their own during D.E.A.R. time even though they'd rather read to their Grade One friends












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CCS at the Cenotaph

For the first time while I've been at CCS the whole school headed off to the cenotaph for Remembrance Day. I must admit I was always a little envious of the upper grades when they went, so this year went together.

My cool shot. Yeah totally accidental...I suppose I shouldn't have told you that eh?

Our school gathered up to wait for the service. It ended up that we chose the wrong side to wait on. Next year we'll know better!


Awww. Such cute sibs.

See why we were on the wrong side? The colour guard marched in and stood in front of us for the entire service. Some of us wedged in between them to get a better look around :)

This was the favourite part for most of us in our class. They were rather impressed with all the people laying wreaths. I was most impressed with the Mounties :)

Here we are singing In Flanders' Fields.

On the rockin' bus ride home. Cutie pies!