Attitudes of Gratitude

In the spirit of the Thanksgiving holiday, we took some time to reflect on what we are most thankful for.

I am most thankful for a good education. Without a good education, I wouldn't get a good job and be able to provide for my future family. To show my gratitude, I try to be the best student that I can be.    - "Champ"

I am most thankful for my family, friends, and teachers. I am thankful for them because they help me learn, have fun and I like them and love them. I show my gratitude by listening to them and playing with them.    - "Rocky"

I am most thankful for my family because they are always there when I need them and because not everyone has a nice family to live with. I show my gratitude for them by respecting them and saying 'please' and 'thank you' when they do something nice for me.    -" Mala"

I am most thankful that I have a family that cares for me and loves me and that like to have fun with me. When they sign me up for a sport, I try my best and practice every day. This is how I show my gratitude.     - "Drain"

I am most thankful for my brother because if he wasn't here, I would be an only child. I don't want to be an only child. I love my brother soooo much and never want him to leave for college. I show my gratitude for him by playing soccer with him inside with our small soccer ball whenever we have free time.     - "Ella"

I am most thankful for my family and their kindness because they are always there for me when I need them and they are caring, honest and thoughtful. I show my gratitude every night before I go to bed by giving them a hug and a kiss and telling them that I love and appreciate them so much.      - "Mango"

I am most thankful for being in this wonderful space called "The Hive" - I love everything about it. I am actually currently planning something for my teachers to show my gratitude, but I'm not going to spoil it. My lips are sealed.     - "Clover"

I am most thankful for my family because they help me get better at math, writing, reading and sports and they send me to this great school. I show my gratitude by doing chores to help my family out.      - "Stinky"

I am most thankful for trees because they provide oxygen for us to breathe. Trees also remind me to stand tall and that I can do anything. When I grow up, I plan to help prevent deforestation. This is how I show my gratitude for trees.      - "Cheese"

I am most thankful for having a home, always enough food, being warm when it is cold outside, and other things - there are too many to count. Some people do not have any of these things and they might be cold or hungry. I show my gratitude by trying my best not to be spoiled if I get a present I do not like. Instead, I try to think about other kids who might not have as much as me. Although it is hard to remember sometimes, I always try my best.      - "Cat"

I am most thankful for my sisters because I look up to them and they help me make good choices. I show my gratitude by caring for them.     - "Fia"

I am most thankful for the good education my teachers give me and I thank my teachers for this all the time.     - "Yo"

I am most thankful for my family and friends. They are the greatest because they care about me. I show my gratitude by caring about them and helping them when they are worried or sad. I love them so much.    - "Kirishi"

I am most thankful for my family, my pets and my friends. I'm thankful because I can't get another family, pet, or friends just like mine. They are always there when I need them. I show my gratitude by hugging my parents before I go to school and saying "I love you" and also kiss my dog and cats before I go to school. I try to be as nice as I can to my friends.     - "Ritzi"

We are thankful for our students who teach us new things every day and because they make us laugh. We are thankful for being challenged every day and for working in a school district that thoughtfully and generously supports all teachers and students. We are thankful for the forty beautiful faces that greet us each morning with a warm smile and a willingness and readiness to learn. Thank you also to the families of "The Hive" who believe in us and support us.  - "Ms. Davis and Mrs. Valzania"

Filling Our Buckets With Empathy

Learners met with a special guest on Tuesday at a fourth-grade assembly sponsored by the Tri-Town Council's DASH (Disability Awareness Starts Here) program. "Since 1994, the DASH Program has been bringing Tri-Town parents, teachers, and students together through an innovative sensitivity awareness experience. With a focus on abilities, not disabilities, DASH teaches children to value their differences while encouraging mutual respect and fostering friendships without fear." - TTC. Learners took some time to reflect on their experience. Here's what they had to say. #kidsbrimmingwithempathy  

I think it's important to understand about invisible disabilities because we should all want to know more about what people think, how they understand things, and how they live (example: do they struggle in life?) so that we can help people who might be dealing with an invisible disability.  - "Aloha"

It's important for us to know about invisible disabilities so that we can understand what people might be going through who have one. I enjoyed listening to the boy who had dyslexia and that he just keeps trying harder and harder and that he did his best when it was always a struggle for him. The DASH program has made me think that if you give someone a little time and a little help that it might make things easier for them and for you also.   - "Lize"

It's important for us to understand about invisible disabilities because if you meet someone with one, you will understand them more and be able to communicate with them easier. What I enjoyed most about the DASH assembly was when the boy told us about how it was hard to have dyslexia, and when he told us that it took until first grade for anyone to realize that he had dyslexia. Now that I have learned more about invisible disabilities, if I realize that someone is having a hard time, I will help them try to understand how to do it.  - "Cat"

I think it's important to learn about invisible disabilities because there are people in the world who have some struggles that people can't always recognize. If we learn about those types of disabilities, we will be able to understand how that might affect some people more than others. I enjoyed having a speaker with an invisible disability. I liked hearing him talk about his dyslexia and how he overcame some challenges. The DASH program changed how I might work with classmates in the future because we really are all the same, it's just that we all have different struggles.  - "Glisten"

It's important for us to learn about invisible disabilities so that we could know how someone with an invisible disability feels. What I enjoyed about the DASH assembly was when the boy told us that he had an invisible disability and what it was all about. Knowing about invisible disabilities does not change how I will make friends because I would treat everyone the same no matter what, and because everyone is different and has their own struggles in life.  - "Mango"

It's important to understand invisible disabilities because you will be able to know how people with them feel, and to know that sometimes things can be very hard for them. The thing that I liked most about the DASH assembly was that we could know what it feels like to have a disability like dyslexia. In the future, I would like to try harder to include everyone.  - "Wifi"

I think it is important to learn about invisible disabilities because if you were to meet someone with an invisible disability, you would probably want to know how to treat them so that you don't treat them badly.  -" Ritzi"

It's important to learn about invisible disabilities because we can take notice and help people when they need it. What I enjoyed most about the DASH assembly was when Shawn came in because I could relate to him because I have a relative with the same disability. In the future, if someone needs help, I will help them and then hopefully they will repay the favor and spread the same kindness in the world to make it a better place.   - "Champ"

It's important to know about invisible disabilities because you never know who might have one and it will help you to know what to expect. I think the DASH program has changed how I will work with my classmates in the future because I have a lot of experience working with people with invisible disabilities and maybe I can help them.  - "SANTA"

I think it's important to know about invisible disabilities because if you have a friend who has one, you'd be able to help them and understand them better. It's important to be patient with people and let them take their time in case they have an invisible disability and need that time.   - "Mala"

Since I know someone who has an invisible disability, I was happy to learn more about them. It was very interesting to learn about how other people with different invisible disabilities feel and how hard it is for them to learn or pay attention. Sometimes people just need more time to think - that might help someone with an invisible disability. Sometimes I need that, too!  - "Bell"

Connecting the Past With the Present

As we embark on our learning journey through the early civilizations of North America, we explored how Native Americans lived and worked together in families and communities.  Concern and respect for others, particularly elders in the family and community, was central to their daily life. Elders in ancient Native American communities played an important role in sharing knowledge, wisdom, and an understanding of people and the world around them through strong oral tradition and storytelling. To help make this topic relevant, we explored how we might connect the past with the present. Learners paid tribute to the elders in our own community, gaining new respect and empathy for the wisdom these elders can share with us as we navigate through life. 

As an entry event to a much-anticipated project-based learning experience, we invited some familiar elders into our classroom to share their own wisdom and life lessons with us. Momo and Grandma were gracious enough to share with us stories of their journeys through life and important lessons they've learned along the way. We were all ears.

As our learners reflect on these experiences, they are beginning to understand the true value they find in the relationships each of them has with elders in their own families and the positive influence they are having in their lives. Here are some of our learners' reflections:

What I respect and admire most about my aunt is that she has very good life lessons to share. I try to follow her example and try to remember what she told me about her life in the past. My aunt is special to me because her wisdom and advice helps me to feel like I have someone who is supporting and motivating me.   - "Glisten"


What I respect and admire most about Bradley is that she is very kind and encourages me to try new things. My aunt is special to me because her wisdom and advice helps me get better at stuff and to solve big problems.    - "Lam"

What I respect and admire most about my mom is how kind and truthful she is and how she is always there when I need her. My mom is special to me because her wisdom and advice helps me know what to do and to not make the same mistakes that she might have made in the past.     - "Mango"

What I respect and admire most about my agong is that he has his own publishing company and writes the most wonderful poems about the different people in my family and extended family. The poems are very meaningful to my family and me. My agong is special to me because his wisdom and advice helps me with my writing because I get more sophisticated words from his writing and poems (including the word 'sophisticated').  - Tazer

What I respect and admire most about my papa is that he is always healthy and actually pretty strong considering he is in his 60s. Every day he goes to the gym and he looks very young for his age. My papa is special to me because his wisdom and advice helps me know that someone can be very active at a somewhat old age. He also tells me that if you are very active, you can be happier and have more energy.    - "Cat"

What I respect and admire most about my grandfather is that he was a math teacher in college. He is special to me because his wisdom and advice helps me to become a better learner and teaches me some important lessons.    - "Champ"

What I respect and admire most about Bella is that she knows a lot about history and often tells me stories that I always enjoy. Sometimes she likes to tell me about very important life lessons. Bella is special to me because her wisdom and advice helps me not to make the same mistakes that she did when she was younger. For example, she had a lot of trouble with division, so she told me a rhyme she remembered from 6th grade to help me.     - "Clover"

On the Road to Success

Something that is going well in my learning is my writing. I have been so excited to continue with my narrative writing every day during my RTI exploration time.  I can't wait to finish my story! Something I can do better as I continue to work on my narrative writing is to try to put more detail in my story. Maybe I could also reread my story a few times to be sure that other people reading it will be able to understand it. Learning about narrative writing will be helpful to me in the future because when I get older, I was thinking about maybe becoming an author. Working hard at writing good small stories will help me get ready for the bigger ones.    - "Ritzi"

Something that is going well for me in my learning is math. Something I can do better as I continue to learn about math is to raise my hand more often and talk with the teacher when I don't quite understand something. Learning math will be helpful to me in the future because I will need to know my multiplication facts as math gets more challenging.    - "Fia"

Something that is going well in my learning is reading with fluency and understanding difficult words as I read them.  Something I can do better as I continue to improve my reading skills is to sit somewhere where I won't get distracted by a classmate so that I can focus on the book that I am reading. Learning how to read fluently will help me when I get older and get a job because I will have a lot of reading to do in my life.  - "Stinky"

Something that is going well in my learning is 2-digit multiplication. Something I can do better as I continue to learn about 2-digit multiplication is using the CMZCMAC method. Learning this will be helpful to me in the future because math is an everyday thing from paying bills to paying for groceries.   - "Rann"

Something that is going well in my learning in double-digit multiplication in math. Something I can do better as I continue to learn about this is remembering to add the zero when I am working through a multiplication problem. Learning this will be helpful to me in the future because if I ever have an event at my house, I will need to know how much food or how many party favors I will need to buy.    - "Lize"

Something that is going well in my learning right now is learning about different types of Native American cultural regions and tribes. Something I can do better as I continue to learn about this is maybe trying to raise my hand more with answers to questions the teacher is asking the class.  Learning about this topic will be helpful to me in the future because if we learn about what happened in the past, and the mistakes that people made back then, then we can learn from them so that we don't make the same mistake more than once.     - "Glisten"

Something that is going well in my learning is double-digit multiplication because when I work with my partner, it helps me a lot. Also, when I do the double-digit multiplication one way at a time, I can understand it better and then I could then get better at doing it a different way. Something I can do better as I continue to learn about this is doing it more slowly as I go and to do the problem over a couple of times to be sure I have the correct answer. Learning this will be helpful to me in the future because when I go to 6th grade I could know how to do the steps better and also when I get older and go to the store, I will need to know this kind of math in order to buy some stuff.   - "Mango"

Something that is going well in my learning is when the teacher is giving directions on an assignment, I am not talking. Something I can do better as I continue to learn about this is sitting in a good spot so that I am not tempted to talk. Learning this will be helpful to me in the future because it's not polite to talk while someone else is talking.   - "Yah"

Something that is going well in my learning is double-digit multiplication. Something I can do better as I continue to learn about this is to pay attention when we are learning about it and not talking to classmates while we are doing math problems. I need to do it in "the cave". Learning double-digit multiplication will be helpful to me in the future because I will be doing it a lot next year and the year after that.     - "Ella"

Something that is going well in my learning is reading and listening to the story Rules. Something I can do better as we continue to read this book is to keep up with the read aloud by following along in my own book. Learning about the topic in this book will be helpful to me in the future because if I meet someone with autism, I can better understand them or be able to communicate and help them.     - "Soda"

Something that is going well in my learning is my reading fluency because I am not having a lot of bumps when I read. Something I can do better as I continue to learn about this is to increase my independent reading time to 30 minutes a day instead of 20. Learning how to become a more fluent reader will be helpful to me in the future because everything we do involves reading!    - "Lil Nas"