September 30, 2012

The weeks just keep going and going.  It seems like time is the hardest thing to truly keep up with.  I honestly can't believe that we are far enough into the school year to be having conferences already, but we are right about half way through the first term already...unbelievable...

There haven't been any real big events this week to relay.  Everything has pretty much been business as usual.  The one decision we did make was based around what our class play is going to be.  Over the summer, I wrote a Broadway musical review with an anti-bullying theme I wanted us to perform, but when I went to seek the rights to perform the songs, I was given several "No"s without a second glance.  The one song I did find that I have obtained rights to use is called "It Gets Better".  Below is the music video that was created for it.

I gave the students the choice.  We could either perform one of the Bad Wolf Press scripts I have, which is what I have done in the past, or we could take on a whole new project and finish the anti-bullying script I had written by writing our own songs to replace the Broadway songs.  The students have chosen to write their own songs, so with the help of Mrs. Bayn, our music specialist, we are going to writing our own songs this year.  This is similar to the concept of the Operas they performed last year, but with more teacher direction than the Operas by Children allows.  I'll keep you posted on this, but hopefully *crosses fingers*, sometime closer to the end of the year, you will be invited to watch our original anti-bullying musical.

 

The only other thing I really wanted to discuss was some changes to the ways I am entering things into the gradebook. As I get used to the changes they made to the system over the summer, I'm finding somethings I like, and  others I don't. 

• First off, we have the option of putting an 'E' if an assignment is excused.  Though I like this, I don't like the fact that excused assignments still show up on their missing assignment lists.  What I have decided to do for excused assignments is simply leave the score blank.  This still keeps it from counting against their grade, but also keeps it from showing up on the missing assignment list.
• Second, I felt like I needed a way to differentiate between assignments that are missing and can still be made up, and assignments that have been missing for long enough they can no longer be turned in.  Missing assignments are shown by putting an 'M' into the score category.  If their grade shows this 'M', than the assignment can still be made up.  Once the assignments passes the limited amount of time, I will change that 'M' to a '0' (zero).  The zeroes still show up on the missing assignment list, but it allows me to tell you which of these assignments can no longer be made up.

I hope these decision I've made make sense to you.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.  I look forward to seeing you all for conferences this week.  I love having the time to talk about the successes that we share each and every day.  Keep an eye out for next week's blog.  It should be a good one.  I'll give you a little clue: pink ties!

 

"Time is the hardest thing to truly keep up with." ~ Mr. Pratt (That's right, I quoted myself.  I was kind of proud of that line.)

Also, if I ever attach a video to the blog that Internet Explorer is not allowing you to watch, you might consider downloading Google Chrome. (https://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/browser/?&brand=CHMA&utm_campaign=en&utm_source=en-ha-na-us-bk&utm_medium=ha)  For some  reason my IE at home won't view the videos and this was the easiest way I found to solve the problem.