Where There's a Wills...There's a Way!

September 10, 2017

What a Great First Week...

Thank YOU so much for sending me such great kids! I have 22 respectful, task oriented students and I cannot wait for the upcoming weeks and months!

This week while I took pictures, I tried not to capture everyone's faces as I didn't have the signed permissions I needed yet. I'm pleased to say everyone is cleared for pictures now, so next time I post, we will be looking at their lovely smiles!

The first couple weeks are a mish-mash of establishing routines, infusing curriculum, and instilling a love a learning...we had a such a great start with all of that!

Take a look...

We spent lots of time this past week building a classroom community...with over half the class being new to UES, we needed to spend time getting to know each other better. We did this in many different ways...we shared All About Me bags with each other, participated in a Scavenger Hunt of interests, and played with "Fortune Tellers" full of questions to ask each other.

Another way we worked on building a classroom community is we developed our own "kindgom's" rules! We read the book, The Kingdom with No Rules, No Laws, and No King and then got into small groups to develop our own rules! The end result looks like a total mess, but what's so cool about it is that when you dissect it...it's a ton of statements that can all be categorized into FOUR main rules:

be respectful

be kind

be safe

be fair

Take a peek...

This week we read a book called My Name is Sangoel, about a boy from Sudan who comes to the United States and no one pronounces his name correctly. His name was from his Dinka tribe and was so very important to him. Sangoel figures out a way to teach those around him how to pronounce his name by designing a t-shirt with a picture of a SUN and a soccer GOAL...from then on kids and adults know how to pronounce his name.

So we decided to do the same...our name pronunciations are hanging in the classroom (you can see them Tuesday night!), but here are just a few of the creative ways that your kids came up with pictures and symbols and words to help others pronounce their names.

I hope you had a wonderful weekend with your families, and I'm looking forward to seeing you on Tuesday night for Back to School Night...it starts at 6:45 and there are three 20 minutes sessions...each session is exactly the same, but this allows parents an opportunity to see various classrooms if they have more than one child attending UES.

If you have any questions in the meanwhile, please shoot me an email

karen.wills@fcps.org

'til next time...

August 31, 2017

You must be on the back of your scavenger hunt if you're sitting here reading my blog!

GOOD JOB!!

If you brought your supplies, don't forget to unpack them and put them in your desk! I am really excited for the upcoming year and so glad you're in my class!

Have a great weekend and enjoy your families...

oh, and take a pink strip of paper with the blog address...

when you get home tell your parents to add it to their bookmarks or favorites, OK?

August 15, 2017

Welcome to the New School Year!

This is the place where I will post information every month about the goings on in our classroom. I am guessing that since you found this blog, you have received my letter!! If not, you should be getting it any day now. I am so excited for the upcoming year...we are going to have a great time together while stretching and growing our brains!!

I hope to get a chance to meet you all on Thursday, August 31st from 3-4 pm at our Open House. Feel free to bring your school supplies and put them in your desk that afternoon...it will make the backpack a lot lighter Monday morning!!

If you'd like to communicate with me BEFORE the 31st...maybe you'd like me to know what name you like to be called, or you'd like to tell me something interesting about your summer, or maybe you just have a question...please feel free to email me...karen.wills@fcps.org!

Enjoy the rest of your summer break...I will see you VERY soon!

August 6, 2017

Wanna know what Alex, Taylor, and Meibelle have been up to???

Take a look...

Alex has been doing lots of sightseeing with his siblings. He visited Independence Halk and the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia.

They all went to Atlantic City, Great Falls, Virginia, and Washington D.C.

Taylor spent a wonderful, relaxing time at the beach in the Outer Banks!

And Meibelle had a great vacation to Ohio where she did a lot of different fun things!

July 29, 2017

HOW'S YOUR SUMMER!?!!?

Hey there, everyone!! I will be switching this blog over to my new class in about two weeks...you have until then to send me some pix of what you have been up to this summer. I've heard from Meibelle...she and her family enjoyed some yummy Baskin-Robbins ice cream together...take a look!

Wanna know what I've been doing? I worked for four weeks writing FCPS Science curriculum for the upcoming year, but just last week I went to the beach with my whole family...and I'm headed back there this Monday! Here's a picture of me trying paddle boarding for the first time! (Also in the picture is Kate who is kayaking, my daughter-in-law, Kim, and my two grandsons, Evan and Tripp.)

Back row: Robert, Connor, Kim, me, Mr. Wills

Front row: Kate, Evan, Tripp

I said my whole family, however, Jake wasn't with us...he had to stay behind for baseball...we sure did miss him, but he's having a great summer season!!

I can't believe August will be here before you know it! I hope you are enjoying your families. I sure am enjoying mine! I miss you and look forward to seeing you at the Open House or on the first day of school!

So...now it's YOUR TURN!! I need to hear from you! Send me pictures!!

Love,

Mrs. Wills