Welcome to 2nd semester! Last week in ELA, students took some time to reflect on the fact that they’ve made it through their first semester of middle school, and have gained no small amount of knowledge and wisdom along the way. For some, the shift from 5th to 6th grade is jolting, and it’s not until this time of the year that things can really start moving full steam ahead. I hope you and your child have had some opportunity to reflect together on the things they’ve learned - not just content, but habits and ways of thinking.

Along these lines, I’d like to remind you of the Growth Mindset page on my website, which has resources for parents about how to encourage a growth mindset in your child. Having a mind to persevere and accept challenges as learning opportunities is one of the greatest determiners of success in a person’s life.

Grades vs. Learning

I’ll tell you what I’ve told the kids: As the report cards arrive in the next week or so, let’s keep a reasonable perspective about grades. Grades are just one factor in the big picture of education. A traditional grading system tends to falls short in measuring some of the most important skills that kids will need as they grow into responsible adults that contribute to the well-being of their communities. Don’t get me wrong - the online gradebook is a useful tool for communication between teacher and parent. However, I encourage you all to be focused on the LEARNING, not the grades. For example, instead of just asking “What are your homework assignments?” each night, try asking, “What are some new things you learned today?” and. “How do you plan to practice what you’ve learned so it becomes a skill?” If the answer is "nothing," that's a bigger red flag than an M in the gradebook. That's a sign your child is disengaged in learning, and something needs fixing. I know many of you already do this. I just figure, we ALL (even I, the teacher!) need these reminders now and then.

A love of Reading

We just wrapped up my favorite unit of the year: a literary analysis unit on the novel Walk Two Moons. What I love so much about this unit is the way that just about every student can’t HELP but get into the story. In fact, several students have come up to me and said that YOU, parents, are now going to read the book because of what they’ve told you about it. My heart nearly explodes with joy when I hear that! This is how I know that there’s no such thing as a kid who “doesn’t like reading.” Sometimes, it’s just about finding the right kind of story - and even better, finding someone with whom you can talk about that story. With that in mind, I have a challenge* for all you parents: Find a book to read WITH your child. Our next independent reading genre study is Historical Fiction. Is there a historical event that interests you? Can you find a novel (fictional story) that is based on that true event in history and that also suits your child’s reading level? How cool would it be to read a book together again?!

*If you’d like to do this, please let me hear about it! If you’re not sure where to start a book search, please email me and I’ll try to offer suggestions.