Happy Monday Messages
Tuesday, February 19th, 2019.
Abigail: I loved how when you had free time on Monday you kept working on your Super Puppy story. I loved how you read it over to make sure you had the correct punctuation and were not missing any capitals or words. I also loved how you handed out the grammar books on Wednesday and wrote out how much money Anna had at the general store on Thursday.
Alex: It was so nice of you to offer to help Barry with the Kindergarten projects yesterday. You are such an incredible teacher. I also loved how you sat in a quiet place when you did your grammar and did it all without help!
Alicia: I was so impressed with how well you worked on your nonsense story on the Chromebook with Violet. You had such awesome teamwork it was so wonderful to see! I also loved how you took charge of the calculations for the general store on Wednesday and Thursday.
Amelia (Mia): I loved how much you participated during our daily grammar lessons last week. I also loved how you wrote about your swimming adventure on Monday. I am so sorry Sam kept kicking you in the face in the pool!
Anna: I was so impressed with the way you helped Emma with her spelling when writing the symbol from Follow the Drinking Gourd. I also loved how you offered to file all the math sheets in everyone’s individual binders.
Annalise: I was so impressed with how focused you were during the writing the symbol from Follow the Drinking Gourd activity. It was so amazing how you completed two different symbols during such a small amount of time.
Audrey: I loved how you truly took your time when drawing your symbol. Your hard work definitely paid off!
Brigid: I loved the surprise, special picture you drew for me on the wipe board after school on Wednesday. I also loved how on Monday you used fictional characters to write a weekly narrative.
Carlo: I loved that when you were finished your weekly narrative on Monday, you read over your work and corrected 4 misspelled words. I also loved how you included 2 funny stories in your narrative.
Clark: I loved that when you came in on Thursday you went to the “Thank You” board and thanked Carlo for something kind that he did this week.
Conor: I loved how you were such a great friend to Henry and read a book to him. I also loved that you brought in a friend a fidget spinner because you thought it would help him.
Emma: I loved that when you were awarded 10 cents for being the most focused student on the carpet you said, “I would like to give this away to someone else.”
Henry: I was so impressed with how focused you were when you were writing and drawing the clues from the Follow The Drinking Gourd it was amazing how much you accomplished in such a short amount of time.
Max: I loved how you wrote the word “Downstairs” like it was a set of stairs in your narrative on Monday. This made it so interesting to read.
Pablo: I was so proud of how focused you were during grammar time on Wednesday. I also loved how you asked so many questions about walking in the water and the dead trees in the song “Follow the Drinking Gourd”, until you understood why these things were important.
Ruwan: I loved how patiently you waited for other students to be finished when signing up for the roles for the musical. I also loved how you read the Underground Railroad book during silent reading and whenever you had free time.
Seine: I loved how much you loved reading your book called, “Drama” all last week! It was so hard to pull you away from it when it was time for The Daily News.
Violet: I was so impressed with how well you worked on your nonsense story on the Chromebook with Alicia. You had such awesome teamwork it was so wonderful to see!
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, February 11th, 2019.
Abigail: I loved that last week you spent your free time helping to make the Follow the Drinking Gourd sign for our Bristol board display. It was also so thoughtful of you to bring in items for our classroom general store.
Alex: You did such an incredible job tutoring one of the grade one students last week. He went and told Kelly what an amazing teacher you are. Thank you for correcting two sentences with him and giving him a sticker when he got a correct answer.
Alicia: I loved that when you and your friend both wanted the same role in our classroom play you decided to create a new character for the script so you could both have roles you want.
Amelia (Mia): I was so proud of how many ideas you wrote out independently after the Follow the Drinking Gourd lesson. I loved that you used so much proof from the story, the song and your schema to back up your arguments.
Anna: I loved that you published another book in your series last week. I also loved how you helped cut out the stars and hang them up on our classroom mural last week. I also loved how you volunteered to put our new erasers in our classroom general store.
Annalise: I was so proud of how many ideas you wrote out independently after the Follow the Drinking Gourd lesson. I loved that you used so much proof from the story, the song to back up your arguments.
Audrey: I loved that last week you spent your free time helping to make the Follow the Drinking Gourd sign for our Bristol board display.
Brigid: I loved how you used clues from the song Follow the Drinking Gourd to infer how Peg-Leg Joe led the slaves to freedom. I loved that you published your work on the computer and even added an image of The Big Dipper.
Carlo: Thank you for working so hard on our classroom mural of Follow the Drinking Gourd outside of our class. The finished product looked amazing!
Clark: I loved that you chose a quiet place to work every time you were given an assignment last week. Your focus is going through the roof!
Conor: I loved how you took a leadership role with your team last week. At the start of the week you were discouraged because your team was not working together. You turned this around when you encouraged others to do their best.
Emma: I loved that you published another book in your series last week. I also loved how you volunteered to put our new erasers in our classroom general store.
Henry: Your printing when you wrote out your ideas during social studies last week was the neatest I have ever seen it. I am so proud of you for working so hard on your lower-case letters.
Max: I loved that last week you spent your free time helping to make the Follow the Drinking Gourd sign for our Bristol board display.
Pablo: You did a great job decoding the song Follow the Drinking Gourd last week. I was so proud of you for writing three whole ideas on the page.
Ruwan: Congratulations on publishing another book last week. Your alien story was funny and a joy to read. I loved that when you were done your first draft you edited it with me before you printed it.
Seine: I loved how you used clues from the song Follow the Drinking Gourd to infer how Peg-Leg Joe led the slaves to freedom. I loved that you published your work on the computer and even added an image of The Big Dipper.
Violet: I loved that when you and your friend both wanted the same role in our classroom play you decided to create a new character for the script so you could both have roles you want.
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, February 5th, 2019.
Abigail: Thank you so much for helping to set up the boards at the start of the day on Monday. I love that when I forget to write out the lottery numbers you jump in and do it for me. I also loved reading The Patchwork Path with you and Annalise on Thursday. Your reading has come along so much.
Alex: I loved that you wrote out your narrative on the computer on Wednesday. I loved how when you did it this way you were able to add so much more detail to the page. I loved when you were finished writing it you read it over with me to look for missing words and punctuation.
Alicia: I loved that at the end of the day on Tuesday and Wednesday, you wrote out a problem of the day for our Daily News Routine and the lottery numbers. I also loved how you and Violet wrote out the third verse to Amazing Grace for the class.
Amelia (Mia): I loved that even though you were not feeling 100% you still wanted to do The Beep Test on Wednesday. You are so tough! I also loved that during your free time you and Seine wanted to work on your second Evil Pancake story. I can’t wait to hear it!
Anna: I loved that you wrote out good copies to three of your stories last week. I also loved that when you were done your Explorers book you read it to the class on Tuesday. I could not believe how much you projected your voice.
Annalise: I loved reading The Super Puppy story that you wrote with Abigail last week. I also loved that when you were finished your weekend report on Wednesday you wanted to type it out and edit it on the computer. I can’t wait to see the finished product.
Audrey: I loved that when a money problem was difficult on Thursday you stuck with it and tried and tried again until you got it. You are such a determined student and it pays off.
Brigid: I loved that at the end of the day on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday you wanted to stay a little later so you could clean the boards and help set up our Daily News for the next day. I also loved how you wrote a new morning message with Alicia and a problem of the day.
Carlo: I loved that when you wrote a great story with Clark on Tuesday you read it to Kelly’s class when you were done. It was such a hit. I also loved how you went home that night and wrote another story to add to your collection!
Clark: I loved that when we were doing math and it asked you to draw coins that made up 99cents you drew a loonie and a coin that was worth -1. I also loved how on Tuesday the only thing you wanted to do all day was write stories. It was amazing watching you sit at a computer for over an hour writing a story.
Conor: I can’t believe that you wrote 4 stories last week. I loved that each time you were done you wanted to proofread it with me so you could print and publish it.
Emma: I loved the song that you made up last week. I loved the message. I loved how it encouraged others to play with toys instead of video games because using your imagination is better than using electronics.
Henry: I loved how much detail you added to your narrative when you used a computer last week. I could not believe how much it helped you to focus.
Max: You and Pablo did such a great job making up a dance together during M.S.I. time. I also loved how you shared your Transformer story with Kelly’s class on Tuesday. I loved the story and how well you projected your voice.
Pablo: I loved that you made up a dance with Max on Thursday. You were so focussed. I also loved that you went back and added to your Dragon story with your free time last week. You are growing as a writer.
Ruwan: I loved that when you were finished your weekend report on Wednesday you asked if you could edit it and type it out on the computer. Your writing has improved so much this year.
Seine: I loved that during your free time you and Mia wanted to work on your second Evil Pancake story. I can’t wait to hear it! I also loved that you always wanted to do a tidiest bin contest each day you were here last week. You really know how to get the class organized.
Violet: I loved the dance that you and Alicia made up together on Tuesday. I loved that you wrote all the steps out during writing centres and then performed it for the class and Kelly’s class when you were done. You are such a confident performer.
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, January 29th, 2018.
Abigail: I loved it at Crawford Lake when the presenter asked if anyone could name a First Nations group, you put up your hand quickly and shouted out “Anishinabek”. I also loved how when you faced a problem with a friend on Monday you discretely wrote me a little note so I could help you solve the problem. I also loved that you and Annalise started writing an original story called, “The Emoji Family” last week. I can’t wait to see what happens in it.
Alex: I loved that you worked on your story called The Awesome Person each day that you came in last week. I cannot wait to see what happens in this book. I also loved that when someone erased some of your story you were determined to work hard and fix it.
Alicia: I loved that you and Violet decided to write your book, “The World’s Tennis Championships for All Minions” in cursive on Friday. I love that you love to teach yourself new things.
Amelia (Mia): I loved that you worked with Seine during Writing Centres time to publish a book on The Evil Pancake. I can’t wait for you to finish it!
Anna: I loved how determined you were to learn how to make a gimp bracelet last week. When a new skill was hard you didn’t give up until you got it!
Annalise: I loved how kind and welcoming you were when two students from room 301 wanted to join our group to play Lacrosse at Crawford Lake. I also loved that you and Abby started writing an original story called, “The Emoji Family” last week. I can’t wait to see what happens in it.
Audrey: I loved that during writing centres you wrote out the steps to a dance on Friday. I also loved how during “Finish it Friday”, you wrote a book called, “The Night Before Christmas.”
Brigid: I loved that you lay on the carpet for an hour during writing centres and wrote a story on a chrome book. I loved that every few lines you would go back and read your work to yourself to see if you were missing any periods or capital letters.
Carlo: Clark told me that when he was lonely outside you came up to him and asked him to play. Thank you for being such a kind friend.
Clark: I loved that every time you had independent work to do last week you would grab your work, a pencil and an eraser and set yourself up a the back table. I loved your initiative and how much it helped you focus.
Conor: I loved that on Thursday you were so excited about writing a story on the computer so much that you asked if I could email it to your Mom so you could work on it at home.
Emma: I loved it at Crawford Lake when the presenter asked if anyone could name a First Nations group, you put up your hand quickly and shouted out “The Haudensaune Confederacy”.
Henry: I was blown away when you sat an entire hour to write your book, “The Magical Dragon,” with Clark. I loved the opening line, “In the spookily dookleley mountains there lay a dragon.”
Max: I loved how focused you were when you were working at Writing Centres on Friday. I loved hearing all the “Would You Rather” questions you came up with.
Pablo: I loved that you used 3 pictures from a book to get ideas for your own original story last week. I love watching you take control of your learning.
Ruwan: Conor told me that last week when you were playing outside at recess, someone took someone else’s ball and you got it back for them. This was so kind of you.
Seine: I loved that you settled down in your seat on Friday and finished a book from the Princess in Black series. I also loved that when you were done this you went and got a book from the Would You Rather series. I also loved that you were able to answer the trivia question at the end of the day on Thursday after our trip to Crawford Lake.
Violet: I loved that you and Alicia decided to write your book, “The World’s Tennis Championships for All Minions” in cursive on Friday. I love that you love to teach yourself new things.
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, January 21st, 2019.
Abigail: I loved that when you were stuck on a story last week you wrote out “The Red Crayon Story.” I cannot wait to include this story in Gavin’s birthday book.
Alex: I loved the comic that you wrote about the treaty that the Settlers presented to the First Nations people in Canada in 1763. I loved that you wanted to copy it out as well so you could take it home.
Alicia: I loved how eager you were to present, “The Book with No Pictures” to the class last week. I loved that you made the connection that Gavin likely grabbed his new catch phrase from this book. We missed you at the Research Symposium last week. I want you to know that Anna and Emma helped deliver all the lines you wrote in your research project and they presented your canoe.
Amelia (Mia): I loved the comic that you wrote about the treaty that the Settlers presented to the First Nations people in Canada in 1763. I loved how you incorporated the perspective of both sides of the treaty.
Anna: I loved the book you wrote last week called The Treaty. I loved how you included the First Nation perspective on the treaty and the Settler’s perspective. I also loved how you decided to sing the Anishinabek travelling song in your presentation at the Research Symposium.
Annalise: You did such a great job writing your weekly report last week. I loved how you used dialogue, sound effects, included your internal thinking, and stretched out the action so you could include so much detail. It was so fun to read.
Audrey: I was so proud of how well you read your report in front of all the parents and your peers last week. You used expression, projected your voice and smiled. You are a natural performer.
Brigid: It was so kind of you to set up the lottery numbers on the board before you left on Wednesday. I also loved how you
Carlo: It was so kind of you to help out Ruwan when his partner was not here last week for the Research Symposium. I also loved how you volunteered to read the paragraph on Spring during the Research Symposium so that your group could make a tableau of the community activities of the Anishinabek people in the 1700s.
Clark: I was blown away last week when you grabbed your grammar book, sat down quietly at the back table and completed three sentences in less than 7 minutes last Tuesday. This was the most focussed you have ever been. I also loved how well you projected your voice during the Research Symposium. Everyone in the room could hear you and perked up because of your energy. I also loved how many suggestions you had for others during our community circle last week. I loved that you explained to your friends that if someone gives you a put-down you should just “outsmart them”. You explained that they could do this by agreeing with the person’s putdown because they wouldn’t be expecting that and it wouldn’t give them the reaction they wanted.
Conor: We missed you last week. We hope you are feeling better this week.
Emma: It was so kind of you to offer to give Brigid your wampum belt for the presentation when she lost hers. You are such a kind friend. I also loved how when Anna’s partner was sick for the Research Symposium you jumped in and read her partner’s part. I also loved how many suggestions you had for people during our community circle of what to do when someone gives you a put down. I loved how you shared with the class that the best thing to do was not react because that person is looking for a reaction so to stand tall and say, “whatever” to them.
Henry: You did such a great job projecting your voice when you read about Haudenosaunee homes last week. I loved how you kept your chin up and made sure everyone at the back could hear you. I also loved when your friend hurt their leg you let them know you had experienced something similar before and made sure they were okay.
Max: I loved that with your free time last week you worked with Pablo to write a Transformer story on the computer. I loved that you figured out how to find a transformer colouring page for the title page and how to print your work.
Pablo: I loved that with your free time last week you worked with Max to write a Transformer story on the computer. I loved that you figured out how to find a transformer colouring page for the title page and how to print your work.
Ruwan: Thank you for bringing bannock to your presentation for The Research Symposium last week. It was so delicious! I also loved how you reminded people in line to be quiet when we were coming back from gym. You are such a natural leader.
Seine: I loved that you and Mia stacked all the chairs for your table at the end of the day on Thursday. You are always looking for ways to be helpful in class.
Violet: It was so brave of you to sing your song for all the parents and your classmates last week during The Research Symposium. I loved how you projected your voice and your overall confidence.
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, January 14th, 2019.
Abigail: I loved how on Tuesday you took out a clock and used it to show me important benchmark times in our daily schedule. It was amazing that you could show me what the clock would look like 10:10am at recess and at 3:25pm when it was the end of our day together. I also loved how when you came in on Tuesday you settled down in your seat right away and read a book from the Owl Diary series. I also loved how during calendar time when you were chosen to write the date you decided to let someone else around the room who really wanted to do the step to do it. I also loved how when I was finished teaching the grammar lesson, you took the initiative to hand out all the grammar books without being asked.
Alex: Thank you so much for organizing the hundreds on our place value chart last week. I also loved how you wrote me back in your Notes to Amy book last week. I also loved how you came up with two ideas for the Treaty that you wrote on your own. I also loved how you used the computer to write out a story during writing centres. I cannot wait to see what happens in the story.
Alicia: I loved how when you came in each morning last week you worked with Violet to write out jokes from a joke book you got over the holidays. I also loved what an amazing job you did reading the book you wrote with Violet in front of the class. I loved how you explained why you chose to write the book and how you changed the minion characters. I also loved how you and Violet wanted to stay in from recess so you could write a list of all the things you did over the winter break!
Amelia (Mia): I loved that when it was time to tidy up on Thursday, you tidied up a mess that you didn’t make to help your fellow classmates. I also loved how you set such a great example every day last week by coming in and reading each morning. I also loved working with you during math time. You understand the concept of time so well. I loved that you used a hand-held clock to make sure you moved the minute and hour hand to the right place when we were studying elapsed time. You also did a great job as line leader last week. I loved how you projected your voice when you got the students in line.
Anna: Thank you so much for sharing all of your photos and stories about your adventures in England last week. I loved the card you made me with the union jack and the British flag. I loved how many details you put in your report on your vaction. It was the most you have ever added!
Annalise: I loved how independently you worked on creating an imaginary treaty last week after we had read the book A River Ran Wild. I loved that even though most people worked in partners you wanted to work alone to record your original ideas. I also loved how you read your pollination book to the class on Wednesday. You projected your voice so well and read slowly so everyone could hear each word you said.
Audrey: You did a great job reading the book “Mortimer,” aloud last week. This was a challenging book and you read it with such ease. I cannot wait to post this video on Fresh Grade so your classmates and the parents can listen to you read this story.
Brigid: You did such a wonderful job reading the story that you wrote to the class on Wednesday last week. I cannot wait to put up your read aloud on Fresh Grade so we can share it with the class again and the parents. I also loved how you came up with a great solution with your friends when you were creating an art piece together. I know you felt frustrated when one person wanted to erase the car you drew so they could draw a dog inside. It was a great solution that you helped them draw the dog in another place. I also loved how after class on Thursday you took the initiative to wipe off all the blackboards, and wipe boards and re-set up our daily news. It was so thoughtful of you to write a problem of the day and a pattern for the lottery numbers so that I had less work to do in the morning. I also loved how you helped each group by organizing their pencil crayons and markers into rainbow colour.
Carlo: I loved how eager you were to work on completing your story during quiet reading time last week so you could get a recording of it on Fresh Grade. I loved that whenever you were stuck on a word you would come and get help. You also did a great job last week writing a problem on elapsed time for your friends and solving this problem.
Clark: I could not believe that you finished your time book for the week in one day last week. Great job! I also loved how you were able to get all your belongings for recess together on Thursday by the end of the countdown without any reminders.
Conor: I loved that you did a read aloud to the class on a book about sportsmanship last week. I loved that you explained to the class that the lesson in the book was that you don’t have to win every time and it is more important to support your friends.
Emma: I loved that when you came into class every day last week you copied out a recipe you wanted to make from our class collection. I also loved how when making a list of things you did over the holidays was a bit challenging, you persevered until you did it. I also loved how you told Violet that the song she wrote was the most beautiful song you have ever heard. You certainly filled her bucket.
Henry: I could not believe that you finished your new time book in one day last week. I also loved how you took charge of helping your body focus during writing time. I loved how you decided to use headphones and a timer to get out as many ideas as possible. I also loved how you revised your work by adding periods with me and correcting two words.
Max: I loved that when it was time to get in line for lunch you walked around to each table group and made sure that everyone had put away their wipe boards and pens. I also loved how you wanted to do extra work on time with me last week when I was working with smaller groups.
Pablo: I loved that during Writing Workshop on Tuesday you wrote down whatever was in your mind. You came up with great silly details. I was so impressed. I also liked how when it was carpet time you asked if you could work in your writing book or math book instead. I love when you take the initiative to do your work. I also loved how excited you were to mentor a grade one student last week and write a story on the computer with Max.
Ruwan: Thank you so much for the gift that you brought me back from Sri Lanka. It was so thoughtful of you. I loved that you did a read aloud to the class on a book about sportsmanship last week. I loved that you explained to the class that the lesson in the book was that you don’t have to win every time and it is more important to support your friends.
Seine: I could not believe how many details you put into your writing when we wrote an imaginary treaty last week. I also loved how you reminded those around you to turn off their conversation when they came into the class after recess so they could sing our lullaby. I also loved how during M.S.I. time you asked if you could curl up and read a book. Thank you for setting such a great example in the class.
Violet: I loved how when you came in each morning last week you worked with Alicia to write out jokes from a joke book you got over the holidays. I also loved what an amazing job you did reading the book you wrote with Alicia in front of the class. I loved how you explained how passionate you were about minions how you changed the minion characters. I also loved how you and Alicia wanted to stay in from recess so you could write a list of all the things you did over the winter break!
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, December 25th, 2018.
To all the parents and students in room 101,
I just want to thank you for your very generous gift that you presented to me before the holiday season. I look forward to using this on my trip to Florida with my family. I hope you all have a super break and enjoy all this well-deserved down time with your family.
Love,
Amy
Abigail: Thank you so much for putting all the group stickers on the job sticks, math and grammar books on Thursday. You are so helpful. I also loved how when we were on a field trip you offered your seat to an elderly person on the subway.
Alex: You did such a great job writing with purpose last Monday. I loved that when you were stuck on an idea for your weekend report you wrote me a letter. When you were done you remembered what you wanted to write about and you got straight to writing.
Alicia: Thank you for volunteering to read a story to the class last week on a First Nations tradition. You always look for ways to help teach the class.
Amelia (Mia): I loved reading your celebration story last week. I loved how you used sound effects, dialogue, and so many adjectives to make your story come to life. I also loved how hard you worked on your art work on Thursday and Friday so it would be ready for the holidays.
Anna: Thank you for helping me put on the new name tags on each table last week. I also loved how you helped put on all the group stickers on the job sticks, math and grammar books on Thursday.
Annalise: I loved that you noticed that it was Anna’s turn at the general store on Thursday so you put up her name and how much money she had in the general store.
Audrey: Thank you so much for helping to put the group stickers on the grammar books last week. It was so kind of you to help organize the classroom. I also loved how when we were on a field trip you offered your seat to an elderly person on the subway.
Brigid: It was so kind of you to help Mia with her artwork when she was absent for a week so she could have it ready for the holidays. I also loved how when I finished laminating everyone’s posters you asked if you could help cut them out.
Carlo: Thank you so much for helping me come up with the different groups last week and helping me to attach all the name tags. This was so kind and helpful of you.
Clark: Thank you so much for teaching the math lesson on time when I was absent on Tuesday. The substitute teacher was raving about what a great teacher you are.
Conor: I loved how when you came in on Thursday, you read a Captain Underpants book with a friend at your table. Thank you for sharing your love of learning with the class.
Emma: I could not believe how many original ideas you created on why we are all connected during writing workshop on Thursday. I loved how you wrote that we all share Grandmother Moon and Grandfather Sun. I also loved how you copied out a recipe as soon as you came in on Thursday. You are such a hard worker.
Henry: I loved how after you got settled on Thursday morning, you sat down in your seat and read a book with a friend. I also loved that when it was time to work and focus you grabbed the things that you needed to help you (i.e., your timer and cardboard portable cubicle.)
Max: I loved how as soon as you came into the class on Thursday, you settled down in your new seat and read a book. I also loved how you helped your group tidy up when it was time to come to the carpet.
Pablo: I loved that you wanted to make up a scavenger hunt for the class last week. I also loved how helpful you were on Friday. I loved how you offered to cut out all the laminated posters and work with Abby and Anna to put the group stickers on the math books, grammar books and job sticks.
Ruwan: We hope you are having a fantastic vacation in Sri Lanka. We miss you!
Seine: Thank you so much for the advent calendar you bought me last week. I thought it was such a thoughtful and well planned gift considering I had just told you the story of how cheeky Gavin had eaten the chocolate out of all of my kids’ advent calendars.
Violet: Thank you for leading calendar on Tuesday when I was away. You are such an incredible teacher. I also loved listening to you share your Christmas story in front of the class. I loved how you created such a vivid mental picture of Christmas morning by using so many adjectives and describing how you were feeling.
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, December 17th, 2018.
Abigail: Thank you for sharpening so many pencils when the pencil monitor was absent on Wednesday. You are so helpful. I also loved how you took your celebration story outside at lunch so you could keep working on it after writing workshop.
Alex: I was so proud of you for sounding out your words on Wednesday during Writer’s Workshop. I could not believe how much detail you added to your story on your own.
Alicia: I loved that almost every day last week you made sure all the board were wiped off and ready for the next day. I love how you always look for ways to be helpful in the class.
Amelia (Mia): I loved how hard you worked the minute you came back from your trip. I loved how you wanted to stay at your seat during The Daily News to keep working on your pattern. I also loved how you made your story about your favourite celebration come to life by using vivid mental pictures, dialogue and sound effects.
Anna: You did a fantastic job leading calendar on Wednesday. I loved how you only picked students to come up if they quietly raised their hands.
Annalise: I loved how you loved writing about your celebration so much that you took your work outside during lunch to continue writing. I also loved that you offered to help file the math worksheets before you came to the carpet on Thursday. Thank you for always being so helpful.
Audrey: You did such a great job learning about time last week. I loved that when you were stuck on something you came to me until you were sure you got the concept and revised your work yourself. I loved how you loved writing about your celebration so much that you took your work outside during lunch to continue writing.
Brigid: I loved how before lunch on Friday, you wrote me a note on the wipeboard telling me how much you loved me as a teacher. Thank you for filling my bucket!
Carlo: I loved that when a group forgot to stack their chairs on Wednesday, you stacked them for the group. You are so kind.
Clark: I loved that when you were finished your math work on Wednesday, you looked for a way to be helpful in the class. Thank you for removing all the old name tags from the desks. I also loved how you offered to sing a solo standing on a chair while we were waiting to go on stage on Tuesday night. You have one rocking voice.
Conor: I was so proud of you during Writing Workshop on Wednesday and Thursday. I loved how you slowed down when you were doing your writing so you could do your best printing. I also loved how you added as many elements as possible that could help your writing come alive such as sound effects, dialogue, feelings and vivid mental pictures.
Emma: I loved that when you were in the playground on Thursday and a boy that you didn’t know fell over you stopped to see if he was okay and help him. You are such a kind student.
Henry: I loved how you helped organize your group at the end of the day on Tuesday. You really helped your group work as a team to clean up. I also loved how much writing you did when you were able to stretch out on the carpet to do it! You included so many details in your story.
Max: Thank you for volunteering to sharpen all the pencils when our pencil monitor was away on Tuesday. This was so kind of you. I also loved what a great job you did during the Daily News on Wednesday. You always raised your hand and set such a great example.
Pablo: I loved that when the snacks containers spilled at the concert rehearsal you volunteered to help Emma clean them up. This was so kind of you. I also loved how much you participated in The Daily News on Thursday and how you sat in the front row for each lesson.
Ruwan: I hope you are having an amazing time in Sri Lanka! We can’t wait to hear about all of your adventures in your travel journal.
Seine: I loved that you reminded me about the tidiest bin contest every day last week and took charge of your group’s pencil drawer. I loved that you always organized the pencils by height and the markers and pencil crayons by rainbow order.
Violet: Thank you for leading The Daily News on Friday when I was at a workshop. The substitute teacher raved about your classroom management skills. She said to keep everyone sitting nicely you praised how people were sitting in the audience and waited when people started talking.
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, December 10th, 2018.
Abigail: I loved how when you came into the room on Wednesday you took out a book right away and started reading. I also loved how you were the first person on the carpet when the daily song came on.
Alex: I was so proud of you for putting away your things so quickly after recess on Wednesday and sitting in the front row so you could belt out the daily song. I was so proud of you for winning the special cushion to sit on because you set such a great example.
Alicia: You did such a great job with your learning buddy this week. When they insisted on taking over the gingerbread project you were so patient with them and helped them in such a kind way.
Amelia (Mia): You did such an incredible job writing your weekend report on Monday. The way you introduced your story was so gripping for the reader because you used such a vivid mental picture.
Anna: I loved watching you with your brother during learning buddies. I loved how you taught him to use the scissors by using the double-scissors with him. I loved how you both decided together on the pattern of the gingerbread’s buttons and worked as a team to complete it.
Annalise: I loved how you did not want to leave for lunch on Monday until you had revised your weekend report and corrected the 5 words I had assigned you.
Audrey: You did such a great job making up symbols for your celebrations and traditions last week. I loved how you took your time when you created the pattern for your border.
Brigid: I was so impressed with how you listened so patiently to your friend’s ideas and how you both worked so hard to compromise to reach a solution that included both point of views.
Carlo: Congratulations on winning the prize during Writing Workshop on Monday. You worked the hardest I have ever seen you work. I could not believe how you used a vivid mental picture, dialogue, humour and exciting words to pull in your reader.
Clark: I could not believe how you wrote 5 sentences in under 4 minutes when I was sitting beside you. I loved you used a tally system to keep track of how many details were in your work and would not stop until you had completed the task.
Conor: I loved how on Monday when someone was interrupting the lesson you turned to them, put your fingers on your lips and reminded them that it was learning time.
Emma: I was so impressed with how you stayed so calm and was still so polite and respectful to your peer even when you were frustrated with the situation. You were a true role model.
Henry: I liked how well you worked as a team to make the fire for your house and how you made sure you each had a special role to make the fire perfect. Your hard work definitely paid off.
Max: I was so impressed with your excellent teamwork when you were making the fire for your house. You were an amazing team player when you were so encouraging of your partner’s ideas.
Pablo: I was so proud of you on Monday for completing your writing task. I loved how in the last 10 minutes of class you found a quiet place to sit and wrote down your 5 ideas. I loved that even when you didn’t know how to spell a word you slowly sounded it out.
Ruwan: I was so impressed with you for being the first one in line for music class on Wednesday. You got ready so fast and were such a great listener. You are a great role model to your classmates.
Seine: I loved that you shared with the class your family tradition on Wednesday during carpet time. I also loved how seriously you took your lunch bin monitor job. Thank you for remembering to go with a partner each day to get it after lunch.
Violet: I was so impressed with how you listened so patiently to your friend’s ideas and how you both worked so hard to compromise to reach a solution that included both point of views.
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, December 3rd, 2018.
Abigail: I loved how you wanted to work on your independent research project whenever you had free time last week. I loved how you didn’t get frustrated when one attachment technique didn’t work but just kept trying until you found the right solution.
Alex: I loved that when your friend was having a hard time coming to the carpet you said to him that you bought him a bag of jellybeans so he would be a good listener. I loved how when you told him this he came right to the carpet. I also loved how you insisted being in charge of the big bag of mitts, scarves, hats and socks we bought at Dollarama each time a group went to the cash.
Alicia: I loved that you took the initiative to carry the lunch bin when no one else did last week. I also loved that during indoor recess you decided to write your numbers out to 300 for fun.
Amelia (Mia): You did such a wonderful job organizing your research project on food into paragraphs. I was so proud of how well you worked independently.
Anna: I loved that with your free time you decided to teach Emma how to make a wampum belt. You are such a wonderful teacher.
Annalise: You did such a wonderful job making a growing pattern for your wampum belt during math time. I also love how well you added up the items in your basket when you were at the dollar store. You are such a great mathematician.
Audrey: I loved how you wanted to work on your independent research project whenever you had free time last week. I loved how you didn’t get frustrated when one attachment technique didn’t work but just kept trying until you found the right solution.
Brigid: I loved that you took the initiative to carry the lunch bin when no one else did last week. I also loved how you expressed to your friend what you wanted when you were feeling frustrated. You did such a great job solving the problem this way.
Carlo: I was so proud of you for sitting away from your magnet buddy on the carpet on Friday. I also loved how you helped your group add up the total for your basket at Dollarama on Thursday. You are such a wonderful mathematician.
Clark: You also did such a great job adding up the totals at Dollarama. I love how you took into account tax so you didn’t go over the $35.00 limit per group.
Conor: You did a great job projecting the words of the song “Count on Me” on the carpet on Thursday. I also loved how you insisted on carrying the bag of mitts, scarves, hats and socks we bought at Dollarama all the way back to the class.
Emma: I loved how caring you were when Alex fell on our walk. It was so kind of you to ensure he was okay and see if he needed help.
Henry: You did such an incredible job writing out your paragraph on longhouses on Friday. I was so proud of you for using lower case letters and working without a timer!
Max: I was so proud of how hard you worked on your research project last week. It must have been so frustrating when you had to start your work over again because it was on the wrong topic. I loved how you were not discouraged but just got right to work.
Pablo: You did a wonderful job completing your grammar on Thursday. I was so proud of you. I was also proud of you for working so hard on your model of an arrow and spear for your research project. You were so focussed.
Ruwan: You did such a great job assembling paragraphs for your research project on Anishinabe food last week. I loved how you researched this topic using books and the internet.
Seine: You did such a great job working with your group to calculate how to divide $140.00 equally between 4 groups. You are such a wonderful mathematician.
Violet: I loved that you wanted to contribute more of your own money when we were buying items at Dollarama for families in need. I also loved how you thought of including a baby blanket because lots of people could use this item.
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, November 26th, 2018.
Abigail: I loved how you took the initiative to create new magnets for our place value chart last week. I also loved how you organized everyone’s work in order on the side of the stage for our Reader’s Café.
Alex: You were so entertaining during the Reader’s Café. The banter that passed between you and Pablo definitely kept the audience entertained.
Alicia: You did such a great job presenting your poster at The Reader’s Café last week. I could not believe how much the projection of your voice improved from the beginning of the week to the end of the week.
Amelia (Mia): You did such a great job presenting at our Reader’s Café on Friday. You engaged the audience by slowing down your words, smiling and projecting your voice. I also loved that when you came in on Thursday you continued your independent research project on traditional Haudenosaunee food.
Anna: You did a great job presenting the poster about why we need plants at our Reader’s Café on Friday. I also loved how much detail you included on your research project on Annishinabe transportation last week.
Annalise: You did such a great job presenting your story at the Reader’s Café on Friday. I loved how you paused so the audience could laugh and respond to your book.
Audrey: You did such a great job presenting your story about the life cycle of a plant on Friday at our Reader’s Café. I also loved how much research you did on how Annishinabe people who inhabited High Park created their homes in the 1600s.
Brigid: You did a great job presenting the poster on why plants are important during our Reader’s Café last week. I also loved how hard you worked on your independent research project on traditional Haudenosaune clothing last week.
Carlo: We missed you last week. We hope you are having a great trip.
Clark: You did such a fantastic job presenting at the Reader’s Café. I loved how you encouraged the audience to sing along to Henry’s song on photosynthesis and how you kept addressing the audience in character.
Conor: You did such a great job coaching others and helping them to project their voices for the Reader’s Café. Thank you for using your leadership to help others.
Emma: You did such a great job presenting your story and the poster about the importance of plants during our Reader’s Café. You always put a smile on your face and projected your voice as loud as possible.
Henry: You did such a great job presenting at the Reader’s Café last week. I loved how when you were finished you had your puppets take a bow.
Max: It was so brave of you to present your song in front of all of the parents during the Reader’s Café independently. Great job!
Pablo: You were so entertaining during the Reader’s Café. The banter that passed between you and Alex definitely kept the audience entertained.
Ruwan: You did such a great job coaching others and helping them to project their voices for the Reader’s Café. Thank you for using your leadership to help others.
Seine: You did such a great job projecting your voice when you were reading to the parents at our Reader’s Café. I could not believe how much stronger your voice was after you practised all week.
Violet: You did such a great job presenting your story at the Reader’s Café on Friday. I loved how you paused so the audience could laugh and respond to your book.
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, November 19th, 2018.
Abigail: I loved that when the perimeter work was challenging, you asked for help until you figured out why your answer was wrong. You are such an amazing mathematician because you always look for opportunities to learn.
Alex: It was so kind of you to offer your friend a candy incentive if he finished 4 pages of his work on Thursday. You are always thinking about how you can encourage others to do their best.
Alicia: I could not believe how many ideas you recorded on the poster last week to explain why we needed plants on the earth. I loved that you wrote that we need plants to produce our food as they are important in the food chain. I also loved that you wrote that we could not breathe without plants.
Amelia (Mia): You did such a great job drawing the illustrations for your story on germination last week. I also loved that when your group won the opportunity to pick their jobs at the end of the week, you voted to let another group have a turn because you had already won 4 times.
Anna: I could not believe how loudly you projected your voice on Thursday when you were reading your germination story to the class. Dex told me that he has never heard you speak so loudly in front of the class.
Annalise: I loved the ending of the story you wrote about the life cycle of a plant last week. I loved that you wrote that when Big Stem met the plant that pollinated her and she didn’t like him, she looked after her two seed babies on her own. I thought your comment that, “these are the times we live in,” was very insightful.
Audrey: I loved that when the perimeter work was challenging, you asked for help until you figured out why your answer was wrong. You are such an amazing mathematician because you always look for opportunities to learn.
Brigid: I could not believe how many ideas you recorded on the poster last week to explain why we needed plants on the earth. I loved that you wrote that we could not breathe without plants. I also loved that you wrote that we needed plants for wood and paper.
Carlo: You did a great job explaining why we needed plants on the earth last Tuesday. I loved that you wrote that we need plants because they give us oxygen, food and shelter.
Clark: You did a great job rehearsing and presenting your puppet show on the life cycle of a plant on Thursday. You really know how to make the audience smile because you are such an enthusiastic performer.
Conor: You did a fantastic job reading the story you wrote for The Reader’s Café in front of the class. I loved how you projected your voice and used so much expression. You knew exactly how to deliver the funny lines of the book so the audience would laugh on cue.
Emma: It was so nice to have you back at school on Thursday after your vacation. I loved how well you read the book that you and Anna had written on germination to the class on Thursday. You used so much energy to deliver all the words.
Henry: I was so proud of you for doing such a wonderful job in line on Thursday. The entire way to the lunch room you stayed away from your magnet buddy and kept your finger on your lips.
Max: I loved that when the board monitor forgot to do their job on Thursday, you did it for them. I was also proud of you for typing out the song you had written on germination. I loved how you worked so hard to make sure each line rhymed.
Pablo: I could not believe that you illustrated 4 pages of your comic on Thursday. It was so kind of Alex to offer you one of his Halloween candies when you completed the task.
Ruwan: You did such a wonderful job presenting the story you had written to the class on Thursday. I loved how you projected your voice and made sure that you pronounced each word clearly. This really helped everyone in the audience hear each word you read. I also loved that when your group won the opportunity to pick their jobs at the end of the week, you voted to let another group have a turn because you had already won 4 times.
Seine: You were a fantastic line leader last week. I loved how by the end of the week you really projected your voice so even the students at the back could hear you. I also loved that when your group won the opportunity to pick their jobs at the end of the week, you voted to let another group have a turn because you had already won 4 times.
Violet: I loved the ending of the story you wrote about the life cycle of a plant last week. I loved that you wrote that when Big Stem met the plant that pollinated her and she didn’t like him, she looked after her two seed babies on her own. I thought your comment that, “these are the times we live in,” was very insightful.
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, November 12th, 2018.
Abigail: I could not believe how you wrote 18 details in your weekend report last Monday. I loved how you made a tally mark on the side of your page to record how many details you added. Your writing gets more detailed each week.
Alex: I could not believe how many arguments and details you wrote to support why we need plants on earth last Wednesday. I loved that you wanted to work on this assignment over recess and with your free time. It was the most I have ever seen you write.
Alicia: I loved that on Thursday last week you used math manipulatives to see how you could divide the number 48 evenly. I also loved how you did this because you saw there was 48 pencils in the bin and you wanted to divide them equally between each group.
Amelia (Mia): I loved that you learned to read and write in dragon last week. Thank you for writing me a note in dragon. I also loved your argument as to why plants are important last week. It is true that if we did not have plants the soil would blow away and we would not have O2. I also loved how you wrote we would not have meat either because animals eat plants.
Anna: You added so much detail to your poster on the life cycle of a plant last week. I loved that you researched each important part of the cycle but drew from your background knowledge to add even more detail to your work.
Annalise: I could not believe you wrote two pages of details in your weekend report last Monday. I also loved that when you were done, you read over your work to look for missing periods. I also loved the letter you wrote to the dragon last week. I hope he writes back to you soon.
Audrey: You did such a great designing a Café using area and perimeter last week! You are so creative and such a wonderful mathematician.
Brigid: I loved that when you noticed the technology monitors were carrying a lot, you automatically offered to help them last Thursday. Thank you for always taking on extra jobs to help our classroom run smoothly. I also loved how when you were chosen to write the date during our Daily News you decided to give your turn to someone else because they hadn’t done that step in a while.
Carlo: It is so inspiring to watch you write during your free time. I love how you are always working on a story or a comic in class and asking me whenever you are stuck on a word. I also loved last week how you came closer to the front during carpet time so you wouldn’t be distracted when others were talking.
Clark: I loved that when you heard that the dragon was trying to destroy all the plants in Fairyland last week, you made it your personal mission to stop him. Thank you for learning to read and write in dragon so you could translate his letters. I also liked that you started writing your name like this when you wanted to sign out to go to the bathroom, and on your math sheet.
Conor: It was so kind of you to hold the door for our class twice when it wasn’t your turn to do so on Thursday. Thank you for being a leader and looking after our class.
Emma: You did an incredible job on your life cycle of a plant poster with Anna last week. I also loved the story you both wrote and illustrated on germination. You are such a hard worker.
Henry: You did such a great job working on your story about the life cycle of a plant on Wednesday. I loved how you and Clark used the computer to type out your ideas.
Max: I loved how when you were writing your song on Wednesday about germination you looked over your words to make sure each line rhymed. I also loved that when you were writing a story about the life cycle of a plant you edited the beginning when it started to stray from the storyline.
Pablo: I loved what you created in Maker Space last week. I love how you came up with the idea to create a mailbox for a candy competition. I loved that you wrote out the announcement that you wanted to share with the class during your free time at lunch. I also loved how well you typed out the story you and Alex had written during Grammar on Thursday. It is great how focused you become on a project when you have chosen it.
Ruwan: I loved that when you were finished the 7th Amulet book and you couldn’t find the 8th one in the class you searched through our library until you found a new series that you liked. I hope you will do a book talk on a Magic Tree House book soon because no one in the class has shared that series yet.
Seine: You wrote a very convincing argument last week explaining why plants are important. I loved how you wrote that people need plants for food, paper and oxygen. I love how you wrote that the soil needs plants because without it, it would blow away.
Violet: I loved how when you were writing a story about the life cycle of a plant last week the adult plant had a coffee from Seedbucks. You are such a creative writer!
PLEASE VISIT THIS PAGE TO READ YOUR CHILD'S WEEKLY HAPPY MONDAY MESSAGE
HAPPY MONDAY MESSAGES:
Imagine working for two different companies. In one company, you have a boss who is continually telling you the areas in which you need to improve and another company where your boss praises you on a weekly basis for your accomplishments. Which boss would you want to work harder for? In my experience, students blossom as a result of positive reinforcement. For this reason, each week I post a Happy Monday Message on our classroom website to each child in my classroom. This messages focuses on a newly developed skill that the child has developed, or positive character traits they have exhibited in the classroom.
The Story of Evan
In my first year teaching I worked with a student named Evan (name changed for the purpose of anonymity). Evan was a bit of a trouble-maker and loved to test the limits of how far he could push people of authority. One morning, Evan tried to sneak into class before the bell had rung. I told him that if he were to come into the class, he could help his fellow students by unstacking the chairs. He did so a tad reluctantly. The following Monday, when I read aloud each child's Happy Monday Message, I thanked Evan for coming in and unstacking each child's chair in the classroom. I thanked him for his kindness and for caring for the classroom community. That week, Evan took it upon himself to come and unstack the classroom chairs each day. He did so until the very last day of school, but this was not all. Each morning after he had unstacked our classroom chairs, Evan went to our neighbouring classrooms to see if he could unstack their chairs as well. By the end of the year Evan had taken the initiative to unstack the chairs of the 4 main classrooms on the first floor. That year, Evan proved himself as an inspirational, caring leader. He demonstrated how far a little positivity can go.
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, November 5th, 2018.
Abigail: I loved that when you were finished your math last Thursday, you decided to make up additional questions for yourself! I could not believe how many ways you were able to divide the number 18.
Alex: I loved that on Thursday you took on extra jobs to get the class in order. Thank you for erasing the boards, sharpening the pencils and picking up pencils off the floor. You are so kind. I was also proud of you for working so hard on your 10 times tables.
Alicia: I loved how many symmetrical designs you came up with for our jack-o-lantern’s face on Halloween. Your vampire and skull were so creative! I
Amelia (Mia): I loved that when you used a timer last week during Writing Workshop you wrote the most you had ever written. I loved that you wrote your narrative from the perspective of when you were a baby! It was so creative.
Anna: I loved that when your friend was scared to go in the Haunted House last week, you took their hand and told them they could stay with you. I also loved how you organized your group’s bin by taking out all the papers they were finished with.
Annalise: You wrote a very convincing argument as to why Dex should not trade in all his candy for a toy last week. I loved how you wrote that he will spread out his candy and brush his teeth each night so it will not affect his teeth.
Audrey: You did such a great job dividing 28 into equal groups last week. It was amazing how you divided the number by ones, twos and fours.
Brigid: You were so incredibly helpful last week. Thank you for helping erase the boards, stacking leftover chairs and helping me set up the daily schedule on Tuesday. You are always thinking of ways to give back to the class.
Carlo: I loved that you decided to write your narrative from the perspective of your cat last week. It was so creative and fun to read.
Clark: I loved that you used quotation marks to show dialogue in your writing last Tuesday. I also loved that when you were finished your math on Thursday, you asked if you could work in your cursive book.
Conor: I cannot believe that your symmetrical pumpkin design won the most votes on Halloween AND you won the pumpkin for estimating how many seeds it had inside of it. Halloween was certainly your lucky day!
Emma: You did such a fantastic job on your 10s times tables last week. I also loved how you asked me for a math book so you could practise your triple-digit addition.
Henry: You wrote such a convincing argument as to why Dex should keep all his candy and not trade it in for a toy last week. I agree with you that he will get a toy on his birthday and if he brushes his teeth each night it won’t hurt his teeth.
Max: You wrote a very convincing argument as to why Dex should trade in his candy for a toy last week. I loved that you wrote that if he traded his candy for lego he could build many things and this would help his brain to grow.
Pablo: I loved that when you were finished your times table booklet last week you asked for me to write you out a problem. I loved how many different ways you were able to divide 20 into.
Ruwan: You wrote a very convincing argument as to why Dex should not trade in his candy for a toy last week. You are right that Dex uses a lot of energy flipping around the class and climbing. He does burn a lot of energy doing this and candy could fuel him. I wonder if healthier foods would help him get this energy too. What do you think?
Seine: You wrote a very convincing argument as to why Dex should not trade in his candy for a toy last week. It is true that Dex worked very hard to get this candy and he did earn it.
Violet: I loved that when you were finished your math last Thursday, you decided to make up additional questions for yourself! I could not believe how many ways you were able to divide the number 18.
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, October 29th, 2018.
Abigail: Thank you for writing out so many answers to our worm questions on our classroom poster on Wednesday. I also loved how you helped set up our calendar each day by writing out our general store totals. What I loved the most was how you volunteered to help the blue group earn a point during announcement time. This really filled their bucket.
Alex: You did such a great job answering questions about pollination and germination at the farm presentation on Wednesday. I loved how you remembered that bees brought pollen from the male part of the flower to the female part of the flower when they drank nectar.
Alicia: I loved how many interesting facts on worms you wrote on our classroom poster on Wednesday. I also loved how you completed the writing for your Great Wolf Lodge Maker Space project.
Amelia (Mia): Thank you so much for letting me read your weekend journal last week. I loved writing back to you. I hope you write more this weekend!
Anna: I loved the house that you made during Maker Space last week. I loved that it had a patio and awning attached to it. It was really well designed.
Annalise: You did such a wonderful job as a scientist in role last week. Thank you for teaching the class that when a seed sprouts, the root anchors it to the ground and takes in water and nutrients.
Audrey: I loved the story you started writing with Abby last week on germination. I loved how you explained that when the seed is at the right temperature and the seed coat is softened by the rain, it begins to grow.
Brigid: I loved the song you wrote with Annalise on germination last week. I thought Germination Across the Nation was a great title. I also loved that when you encountered a problem with your friend on Tuesday last week you used the script to work through the problem piece by piece. This was so brave of you and so admirable.
Carlo: You did such a great job leading The Daily News on Tuesday. I loved that when students started talking you told them that you were waiting for 4 pairs of eyes.
Clark: I was so proud of you for doing extra research on Wednesday your printing looked so great when you used meatball spaces between the words and spaghetti spaces between the letters. You also did a great job presenting our classroom robot to the class. Thank you for helping us learn how to code.
Conor: You did a great job in role as a scientist in front of the class last week. I loved how you explained to the class how to grow seeds needed to be at the right temperature and their seed coat had to be softened by water such as rain. I also loved how you started usntacking chairs at another table when you were finished unstacking the chairs for your group on Wednesday. This was so kind of you.
Emma: I loved that when skip counting by 2s was challenging last week, you said you would not give up until you got it because we learn when we do something hard. I also loved how you reassured another student who found it difficult that they would learn the concept.
Henry: Michelle told me how much she loved reading Robert Munsch books with you on the carpet after our field trip. Thank you for sharing your love of reading with others.
Max: You did a great book talk for the class last Wednesday. Thank you for sharing your favourite joke from the joke book. It certainly had the class in stitches!
Pablo: It was so kind of you to help your friend when they were frustrated on Tuesday. When they found a concept difficult it was so kind of you to reassure them that they would learn it and you could help.
Ruwan: I love how attentively you listen to the announcements each morning. When I ask a question about the announcements you are always the first one with your hand up so you can earn a group point. You also always come up with an additional statement that you heard on the announcements that I didn’t inquire about.
Seine: I loved how focused you were when you were writing your comic on germination with Mia last week. I also loved that during writer’s workshop on Monday, you wrote more than you ever have! Your writing is getting better each week.
Violet: You and Alicia did a great job on your germination comic last week. I loved the characters you created such as Mr. Seedly and Dr. McSeedster. They had such creative names!
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, October 22nd, 2018.
Abigail: I loved that you chose to be second in line on Tuesday last week so you could hold the door for the class. I love watching you help the other students in the class. You are such a leader and when you use this skill to help others you fill everyone’s buckets.
Alex: I loved how many notes you wrote to me in your new journal last week. You are becoming such a wonderful writer. I love how you are using your journal to express your thoughts, ask questions and make requests.
Alicia: I loved that you made a hotel for the LOL dolls during Maker Space and continued this project at home last week. I also loved that you and Violet finished your story called, “The Missing Minion”, last week and that you presented it to the class.
Amelia (Mia): You are such a hard worker. I love that you requested to come in at lunch to finish your test on Tuesday. I also loved how
Anna: I loved the book talk you did on the Junie B. Jones book last week. I loved how much energy and enthusiasm you used to tell the problem in the story and share your favourite part. Thanks for sharing your love of reading with the class.
Annalise: Thank you for being our official recorder last week while we did our worm bin activity. You did such a great job using procedural writing to record all of the steps involved in making our worm bin.
Audrey: You did such a great job coming up with questions during our worm bin project last week. I loved how you and Abby researched together whether or not worms like banana skins. It was neat to find out that we should cut the banana peel into little pieces so they eat it faster.
Brigid: I loved the narrative you wrote on Tuesday about having nothing to write about. I thought it was so amazing how you repeated a pattern of three words throughout the narrative to express how you were feeling and what you were thinking. This made it so interesting and engaging to read.
Carlo: I loved that on Friday last week you decided that the book you were writing would actually be a part of a series. I think “The Magical Mysteries,” is a great title for a series of stories.
Clark: You did a great job leading The Daily News on Friday last week. I loved that people started talking you looked at the audience and said, “I am waiting for 4 pairs of eyes.” I also loved that when you were writing out the instructions on how to make a worm bin last week you wrote “R.I.P. the newspaper,” because you thought we were destroying the newspaper.
Conor: The narrative that you wrote during writing workshop on Tuesday was the best work you have ever done. I loved how you slowed down on the first page to focus on where your letters hit the lines and how many details you put in your work. I was most impressed with you last week when someone was doing something to frustrate you on purpose and you came to me to get help.
Emma: I was so proud of you for putting so much effort into your worm bin instructions work last Friday. You did such a great job writing out each step and reading it to the class. I also loved the questions you came up with and how you researched these questions with Anna. I thought it was great how you wanted to know what our wormies eat.
Henry: I loved that the incentive you wanted as a reward for finishing your work on Friday was for me to tell you the story of Gavin and the red crayon. I love how much you love a good story.
Max: I loved that you wanted to know if the worms needed a male and female to go through a life cycle. You did a great job finding a picture of a worm life cycle on the computer. I also loved how you created a pointer during maker space last week and wrote out the steps involved in this process.
Pablo: I loved that you found a new series of books that you love reading in the class last week. I was so proud of you for picking up your book whenever you finished your work and asking me for help on a word when you were stuck. I also loved how much you participated during the Daily News last week and The Banana Dance.
Ruwan: I loved all the questions you came up with after we had created our worm bin last week. I think it is very smart to ask whether the worms will survive in a bin and if they will like it or not.
Seine: I was so proud of you for doing so much writing on Friday. I loved that you wrote out each step on how to make a worm bin and came up with so many great questions that will help us care for our worms. I thought it was very clever to ask if the worm bin had to be kept at a certain temperature and if the worms will reproduce while they are in our bin.
Violet: I loved that you chose to work in a quiet place, free from distraction last week when you were writing your weekly narrative. It helped you add so much detail to your work. I also loved that you and Alicia finished your story called, “The Missing Minion”, last week and that you presented it to the class.
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, October 15th, 2018.
Abigail: I loved that when you noticed that we forgot the lunch bin on Thursday, you went and got it. Thank you for looking after the other students in the class. I also loved how when you came to the carpet on Friday you remembered to raise your hand whenever you wanted to share.
Alex: You did such a great job on your weekend report last Tuesday. I loved that you sat in a place that was best for your focus and challenged yourself to write as many details as possible. You wrote the most I have ever seen you write.
Alicia: I loved that with your free time last week you decided to write your numbers out to 1000 for the second time. You are such a hard worker.
Amelia (Mia): We missed you at the beginning of last week but were so happy that you got to go to New York for your birthday weekend. Thank you for jumping in and starting your work as soon as you walked in the door.
Anna: I loved that with your free time last week you wrote another book for your series. The Explorers truly have gone on a lot of adventures. I loved reading The Explorers go to the Zoo and The Explorers Get Lost. I also loved that with your free time you started writing out your numbers to 1000 for the second time. I also loved that during learning buddies you taught the kindergarten kids the difference between the letter “I” and an exclamation mark.
Annalise: It was so kind of you for bringing in two books for our classroom library last week. The Fly Guy and Geronimo Stilton series are some of our favourites. I loved that when you had free time last week you chose to read Archie comics. Thank you for sharing your love of reading with the class.
Audrey: I loved that when it was time to come to the carpet on Wednesday you made sure you were not sitting next to your magnet buddy so you could try to sing the words to the challenging song. I also loved how you managed to catch the attention of the entire class as call-back monitor by saying “Mac and Cheese” and waiting for them to respond “Everybody freeze!”
Brigid: I thought it was so kind of you to write so many letters to Dex last week. He told me when I came in on Thursday how much he values your friendship. I was so proud of you for sharing what you knew about how rock breaks down with the class on Wednesday. Isn’t it neat how rain, ice and plant roots can help break up rock over time?
Carlo: We missed you at the beginning of the week last week. I loved that as soon as you came in you looked through your absent folder and started working on things that you had missed. I also loved that when you had completed your grammar you continued working on the book you are writing. I can’t wait to read the completed version of The Magical Forest.
Clark: I loved that when made a recipe for soil last week and you found out it would take 1000 years for the soil to be ready, you asked if there was anyone immortal in the class who could watch over it. I also loved how you sat down and completed all of your grammar in less than 10 minutes on Thursday. Your focus was in high gear!
Conor: I loved that with your free time on Thursday, you decided to help your friend review for the grade 3 standardized test. You are so kind.
Emma: I loved how you helped the class solve our daily problem peacefully on Wednesday. You really helped show the class that it was not kind to push each other’s buttons. I also loved how hard you worked on your weekend narrative on Tuesday and how you requested extra math homework.
Henry: I loved how during science on Wednesday, you explained in your work that when water gets into the cracks of rock and freezes it expands which can break up the rock.
Max: I loved how you explained in your report last week that it takes 1000 years to make soil because rock and organic matter need to be broken down. I loved how you explained that rock can be broken down by acid rain, and when water gets in the cracks of rock and freezes. Isn’t it neat that when water freezes it expands and can break the rock?
Pablo: I loved how you joined our class all of last week during The Daily News Routine. I loved when you volunteered to correct the sentence during Grammar time and identify which number out of 2117 and 2717 was bigger. It was great that you could teach the class about place value.
Ruwan: I loved that when you came in on Thursday, you put all your things in the right place (special folder, lunch bag and backpack) and settled down in your seat to read a book. It was no wonder that you were picked to lead the daily news again because you set such a wonderful example for the class.
Seine: I loved that when you were attendance monitor last week you always picked someone different to join you on your walk to the office. I also loved how when you solved a double and triple addition problem on Wednesday you answered it with numbers, pictures and words.
Violet: You did such a great job on your components of soil recipe yesterday. I loved that you made your diagram into a cartoon. You are so creative!
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, October 10th, 2018.
Abigail: I loved that when you came in on Wednesday you saw how you could be helpful in the class. Thank you for helping me file the math booklets into everyone’s math folders. This was so kind of you.
Alex: I loved how eager you were to work on your comic about pollination last week. I loved that when your partner wasn’t happy with the original ending you told him that you could re-write the ending so it was perfect. I also heard how you want to publish this comic! What a great idea!
Alicia: You did such a great job writing out the steps you took to make your cardboard school house last week. I could not believe how many steps were involved in this process.
Amelia (Mia): I loved how when you came in on Thursday you settled down in your seat and started writing out your numbers to 1000. You are such a hard worker.
Anna: I loved how hard you worked on publishing your maker space work last week. You did such a great job writing out a detailed account of how you made your car.
Annalise: You did such a great job editing the morning message on Thursday last week. I loved how you noticed that the word “could” was missing a “u.”
Audrey: I loved what you created in maker space last week. I thought it was so neat how you used cardboard to create an ipad and book holder. I loved seeing you use it to hold your book.
Brigid: I loved that with your free time last week you helped a friend with their artwork and continued to write your Chester story. I loved that you also signed up for another book talk. Thank you for sharing your love of learning with the class.
Carlo: You were a fantastic line leader last week. I loved how you would not lead the class until everyone was standing in a respectful way.
Clark: You were such a fantastic phone monitor last week. I loved how you answered the phone, “Room 101 students speaking.” each time. I also loved how you led the morning news on Thursday. The math equation you created for the class to solve was really challenging and helped them learn a new adding technique.
Conor: I loved that you wrote me a note on Wednesday to remind me to make more bonus math books. I love how eager you are to do extra math!
Emma: I loved how hard you worked on your double digit dynamic subtraction last week. I love how when this concept was hard, you didn’t give up. I also loved how when you found it challenging to make a flower with radial symmetry, you didn’t give up!
Henry: You did such a great job drawing a diagram of a chicory plant last week during art. I loved how when you were stuck on how to do the radial symmetry you came and got me. This helped you work so well independently!
Max: I was so proud of you for writing out your numbers to 900 when you had free time last Thursday. You are such a hard worker.
Pablo: I loved how on Wednesday last week, you made it your project of the day to create model boats out of different materials to see which design would float best. You have the mind of a scientist!
Ruwan: You did such a great job incorporating radial symmetry into your diagram of Golden Rod last week. I love how you took your time with your art so that you could do your best work.
Seine: I love that whenever you come in each morning you settle down quietly with a book. Thank you for sharing your love of reading with the class.
Violet: I loved that when you came in on Thursday, you asked if you could read a book to Dex. I also loved that you used this time to finish the book you made with Alicia and sign up for a book talk.
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, October 3rd, 2018.
Abigail: It was so kind of you to bring in an orange shirt for me when you heard that I didn’t have one for orange shirt day. I also loved how you helped me put up the art work last week and write out the name of each student on the front so we knew who each piece belonged to.
Alex: You did such a great job writing out the words to your pollination story last week. I was so proud of you for working so hard.
Alicia: Thank you for erasing the boards at the end of the day last Thursday. You are always thinking about how you can help in the class. I also loved how much bonus math work you did last week and Maker Space Projects.
Amelia (Mia): I was so proud of you for working so hard on your pollination song last week. You had some great ideas!
Anna: I loved the mask that you made in Maker Space last week. You did such a great job writing out the instructions of how you did it so you could publish it on our classroom website.
Annalise: You wrote the most I have ever seen you write during Writing Workshop on Monday. I loved that when you were finished you read over your work and corrected 5 misspelled words on the page.
Audrey: I loved seeing the deluxe fan that you made during Maker Space. You did such a great job with your writing. Congratulations for publishing your work on our classroom website this week.
Brigid: I loved that when you were finished your writing on Monday, you read over your work to make sure you had capital letters at the beginning of each sentence. You did a great job as Chief Editor of your work.
Carlo: I loved reading the story about the unicorn that you worked on during your free time last week. The characters in the story such as the magical frog were so interesting.
Clark: I loved working with you on your story last week. I loved your descriptive line, “dark clouds hung from the sky.” I also could not believe how much your printing improved over the course of the week. All your hard work has paid off!
Conor: I loved how much bonus math work you did last week. You are such a hard worker. I also loved how you worked on a story and comic with your free time last week. You are such an eager student.
Emma: I loved how hard you worked on your dynamic subtraction questions last week. I also loved that you worked on building a school house and mask during Maker Space.
Henry: You wrote the most I have ever seen you write during Writing Workshop last Monday. I loved how when I timed you, you wrote a sentence in no time flat. I also loved the pollination song that you wrote out last week. I was proud of you for earning Maker Space time for your hard work.
Max: I loved watching you and Carlo work together on your pollination comic last week. I loved how you divided the work load in such a fair way. It was neat how you wrote out the words on a wipe board and he copied them.
Pablo: I loved seeing how excited you were to write about your birthday party on Monday. I loved that after you I gave you 5 words you settled down in a quiet place and would not stop writing until sharing time.
Ruwan: I was so impressed with how eager you were to do bonus math work at home last week. Congratulations on completing your multiplication booklet in one night!
Seine: I loved that during your free time last week you worked on writing your numbers out to 300. You are such a hard worker.
Violet: You did such a great job working on your dynamic subtraction last week. I loved that you came to me whenever you needed help and didn’t give up until you understood the concept.
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, September 24th, 2018.
Abigail: You did such a great job generating research questions for your project on the plant Fleabane last week. I also loved how helpful you were when you asked if you could record the money earned by the other students during reader of the day on Wednesday.
Alex: I was so proud of you for writing out your numbers to 1000 last week and then asking if you could take another booklet home to work on. You are such a hard-working mathematician. I also loved the idea for the spooky story that you started writing with Henry. I can’t wait to read it.
Alicia: I loved that with your free time last week you wrote out cue cards with jokes on them. Thank you for reading the ones you liked best to me!
Amelia (Mia): I loved that when you were coming up with research questions last week on Golden Rod, that you made two columns. I loved that in one column you wrote what you knew about Golden Rod and in the other column you wrote about what you wanted to find out.
Anna: I loved that you wrote a book with your spare time last week so that you could present it to the class as a book talk. Thank you for sharing your love of learning with the class.
Annalise: You did such a great job coming up with research questions to figure out how we could germinate Golden Rod seeds in our class last week. I also loved how you researched your questions and presented your findings with the class.
Audrey: I was so proud of you for writing out your numbers to 1000 last week! I could not believe how hard you worked on this booklet during your free time! I also loved how many books you read to yourself during DEAR time last week. It was so nice to hear you read a book from the Wigglebottom series.
Brigid: You did such a great job coming up with research questions on the plant that you selected from the Black Oak Savannah last week. I loved how you wanted to know how the plant processed its food. I can’t wait for you to find out.
Carlo: I loved that when you came in on Thursday you found out what you missed when you were sick and got right to work. You are such a hard worker. I was proud of you for selecting a plant from the Black Oak Savannah and developing research questions so you could learn more about it.
Clark: You did such a great job on your Math last week. I loved that you wanted to start with the most challenging questions first. I also loved how you wrote three research questions so you could find out more about the Pale-Leaved Sunflower last week. You were so focussed when you had a chance to wiggle between each question.
Conor: I loved that when a new style of doing addition was challenging, you would not stop working with me until you could do it independently. Your perseverance is incredible and it certainly pays off.
Emma: You did such a great job sitting and reading The Owl Diaries in class last week. I also loved how when you encountered a double digit math question that was difficult, you persevered until you understood how to do it.
Henry: You did such a great job on your dynamic addition last week. I could not believe how quickly you figured out the sums. I also loved the story that you started writing with Alex on Thursday. I loved how you drew from your own experience but added a spooky twist!
Max: I loved hearing about all the interesting facts you knew about cars on our walk to High Park together last week. You taught me so much. I also loved the way you wrote your research questions on the plant you were studying. I loved that you directed these questions to the plant in role.
Pablo: I was so proud of you for reading so many Fly Guy books in class last week. I was also so proud of you for working so hard on your Maker Space writing and design. I was so happy to publish it on our classroom website.
Ruwan: I loved that when you were finished your Math on Wednesday you worked ahead and finished your entire booklet for the week. You are such a hard worker.
Seine: ): I loved that when you were coming up with research questions last week on Wild Rye, that you made two columns. I loved that in one column you wrote what you knew about Golden Rod and in the other column you wrote about what you wanted to find out.
Violet: I loved that one of your research questions about Little Blue Stem was whether or not its seeds needed to be stratified. I loved that you remembered that when we studied milkweed last year the seeds needed to be stratified so they were tricked to thinking they had been exposed to winter.
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, September 17th, 2018.
Abigail: I loved that you offered to hold the door for the rest of the class even though it wasn’t your turn to do so on Thursday. I also loved that on this day you sat in the front row during our morning news and always raised your hand when you had something to say.
Alex: I loved that you found a series that you liked reading during D.E.A.R. time and during your free time last week. I also loved that during our daily news routine you decided to multitask and did your math book while you listened.
Alicia: It was so thoughtful of you to bring in material for our Maker Space last week. I also loved how hard you worked on all your different Maker Space projects. What I loved most is how you included anyone who wanted to help. You are so kind.
Amelia (Mia): I was so proud of you for learning to tie your shoes on Thursday. You learn to do things so quickly and seem to persevere until you have mastered a new skill.
Anna: I loved that whenever you had free time last week you would always pull out your bonus math book and work on writing out your numbers to 1000. I can’t believe you made it all the way to 600.
Annalise: You did such a great book talk on the Junie B. Jones book last week. When you told the class the main problem in the story it really made me want to read it.
Audrey: Our new student teacher Michelle told me how much she loved hearing your read on Wednesday. She was raving about how much expression you used when you read the story. I also loved last week that whenever you were done your work you would work on a story book you were writing.
Brigid: Thank you for the poster that you made me with Violet on Thursday. I also loved that you brought in the new series BONE to share with the class. You are so kind and considerate.
Carlo: Congratulations on being the first student in the class to have your work published on our Makers Space site. You worked so hard all week to perfect and write about your sling-shot design. I loved how you revised your ideas when something was not working.
Clark: I loved the spinner game that you invented with Henry last week during Maker Space and during your free time. I loved that when you had finished building it you wrote out the instructions so we could publish it on our classroom website. I also loved how you wrote that the spinner with the least amount of friction will spin the longest.
Conor: You did such a great job on your book talk last week. I loved hearing about what happened in the Amulet book. Thank you for sharing your love of reading with the class. I also loved that whenever you had free time last week you would chose to work on the story that you and Carlo were working on together.
Emma: I loved that when you were filling in your 100 chart on Thursday and it was a bit difficult, you persevered. I also loved how you acted out what you could do if you saw someone being picked on someone in the playground. You are so kind and such a great leader.
Henry: I loved the spinner game that you invented with Clark last week during Maker Space and during your free time. I loved that when you had finished building it you wrote out the instructions so we could publish it on our classroom website. I also loved how you wrote that the spinner with the least amount of friction will spin the longest.
Max: You were such an incredible helper last week! I loved that when one of your classmates accidentally dropped her snack, you rushed over to help her. I also loved how on the carpet on Thursday you sat like such a self-manager and always remembered to raise your hand.
Pablo: I loved that each day when you came in last week you would put your lunch and special folder in the right place and settle down in your seat. I loved that before and during our daily news you would work on your artwork or bonus math book. I loved how you would put your hand up for the steps you found interesting as well.
Ruwan: I loved that whenever you had free time last week you would always pull out your bonus math book and work on writing out your numbers to 1000. I also loved what a good listener you were in line last week. I can’t believe that even though our line leader whispered the instructions you followed all the directions.
Seine: I loved that even though some students were working in pairs last week you decided you wanted to write a letter in role all by yourself to Maya. I also loved how whenever you had free time you always wanted to work on your bonus math book. Thank you as well for bringing in materials for our Maker Space. You are so thoughtful.
Violet: Thank you for making me such a great poster last week. You are so kind. I also loved how many ideas you included in your letter to Maya last week and in your weekend report. You seem to include more details in your written work each week!
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, September 10th, 2018.
Abigail: You set such a wonderful example on the carpet on Friday. I loved that when we were reading the book, “The Important Thing,” you always raised your hand when you knew the answer to the riddle.
Alex: You did such a great job helping the class with extra jobs last week. Thank you for helping to create the classroom calendar and help make sure everyone had pushed in their chairs when they came to the carpet. I also loved how you and Pablo started to incorporate all the attachment techniques we had learned to create a room in a cardboard house.
Alicia: I loved that during writing workshop last week you modeled for the class how to do “think-pair-share” and you wrote two narratives instead of one.
Amelia (Mia): I was so impressed at your letter formation when you were writing out your poem, “The Important Thing About Me”, last week. I loved learning about all the things you love such as sea turtles.
Anna: I loved watching you revise your ideas during Maker Space last week. I loved that when your wheels didn’t turn you created a structure around them to give them more space. I loved that you also created tape stoppers so the wheels would not slide out of place. You are quite the inventor.
Annalise: I loved that when you came in on Thursday, you didn’t just unstack your chair but you unstacked all the chairs for your table. You are such a kind girl.
Audrey: I loved that when you came in on Thursday you also unstacked all the chairs at your table. I also loved that when you were done, you sat down quietly and started copying out a recipe.
Brigid: You set such a great example for the class when you came in last week. I loved how after you had unstacked your chair you settled down in your seat and quietly drew in your drawing book. Thank you as well for the kind note that you wrote me.
Carlo: You did such a great job last week creating a sling-shot and a stand for your sling-shot during Maker Space last week. I loved how you took your time and revised your design so your slingshot could stand up on its own.
Clark: I loved how when you came in on Thursday, you un-stacked all the chairs at your table. You are so kind. I also loved how you showed your friend how they could use their alphabet chart when they were stuck on a letter sound in their writing. I also loved how you started planning a comic to do with your friend during your free time.
Conor; I loved that when Maker Space was done on Wednesday when you were finished tidying up the materials you were using, you also helped others tidy up.
Emma: I loved that during Maker Space on Thursday you started creating a wonderful doll house with Alicia. I also loved that during quiet reading you decided to copy out a recipe.
Henry: I could not believe how quickly you were able to write out your sentences last week when I timed you! You wrote so much this way! I also loved that you and your friend started planning a comic you would like to write during your free time.
Max: I was so proud of you during Writing Workshop on Tuesday. I loved how you started on your words right away and added so much detail independently! I loved reading about your summer adventures.
Pablo: I loved that last week when you knew what you wanted to write about you would not get up until you had finished your work. I couldn’t believe that even though it was recess and lunch you didn’t want to stop until you had completed your work. I also loved what a good listener you were on the carpet when you sat in the front row.
Ruwan: You did such a great job during The Daily News last week. I loved how you always had your hand up to write out the date, to do the lottery numbers and correct the sentence. I also loved what a great presentation you did for Barry’s class on how to walk in the hall like a leader.
Seine: I loved that when everyone was finished their art work on Thursday, you went around a collected all the sharpies in the class. You are so kind. I also loved how when the lullaby was on after recess you quickly got a drink and then came to the carpet to follow along with the song.
Violet: You did such a great job as line leader last week. I loved how you got the class ready by saying, 3-eyes on me, 2-hands like glue and 1-fingers on your lips. I also loved how you taught the class a secret signal for when there was a gap in the line that needed to be fixed.
Tuesday, February 19th, 2019.
Abigail: I loved how when you had free time on Monday you kept working on your Super Puppy story. I loved how you read it over to make sure you had the correct punctuation and were not missing any capitals or words. I also loved how you handed out the grammar books on Wednesday and wrote out how much money Anna had at the general store on Thursday.
Alex: It was so nice of you to offer to help Barry with the Kindergarten projects yesterday. You are such an incredible teacher. I also loved how you sat in a quiet place when you did your grammar and did it all without help!
Alicia: I was so impressed with how well you worked on your nonsense story on the Chromebook with Violet. You had such awesome teamwork it was so wonderful to see! I also loved how you took charge of the calculations for the general store on Wednesday and Thursday.
Amelia (Mia): I loved how much you participated during our daily grammar lessons last week. I also loved how you wrote about your swimming adventure on Monday. I am so sorry Sam kept kicking you in the face in the pool!
Anna: I was so impressed with the way you helped Emma with her spelling when writing the symbol from Follow the Drinking Gourd. I also loved how you offered to file all the math sheets in everyone’s individual binders.
Annalise: I was so impressed with how focused you were during the writing the symbol from Follow the Drinking Gourd activity. It was so amazing how you completed two different symbols during such a small amount of time.
Audrey: I loved how you truly took your time when drawing your symbol. Your hard work definitely paid off!
Brigid: I loved the surprise, special picture you drew for me on the wipe board after school on Wednesday. I also loved how on Monday you used fictional characters to write a weekly narrative.
Carlo: I loved that when you were finished your weekly narrative on Monday, you read over your work and corrected 4 misspelled words. I also loved how you included 2 funny stories in your narrative.
Clark: I loved that when you came in on Thursday you went to the “Thank You” board and thanked Carlo for something kind that he did this week.
Conor: I loved how you were such a great friend to Henry and read a book to him. I also loved that you brought in a friend a fidget spinner because you thought it would help him.
Emma: I loved that when you were awarded 10 cents for being the most focused student on the carpet you said, “I would like to give this away to someone else.”
Henry: I was so impressed with how focused you were when you were writing and drawing the clues from the Follow The Drinking Gourd it was amazing how much you accomplished in such a short amount of time.
Max: I loved how you wrote the word “Downstairs” like it was a set of stairs in your narrative on Monday. This made it so interesting to read.
Pablo: I was so proud of how focused you were during grammar time on Wednesday. I also loved how you asked so many questions about walking in the water and the dead trees in the song “Follow the Drinking Gourd”, until you understood why these things were important.
Ruwan: I loved how patiently you waited for other students to be finished when signing up for the roles for the musical. I also loved how you read the Underground Railroad book during silent reading and whenever you had free time.
Seine: I loved how much you loved reading your book called, “Drama” all last week! It was so hard to pull you away from it when it was time for The Daily News.
Violet: I was so impressed with how well you worked on your nonsense story on the Chromebook with Alicia. You had such awesome teamwork it was so wonderful to see!
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, February 11th, 2019.
Abigail: I loved that last week you spent your free time helping to make the Follow the Drinking Gourd sign for our Bristol board display. It was also so thoughtful of you to bring in items for our classroom general store.
Alex: You did such an incredible job tutoring one of the grade one students last week. He went and told Kelly what an amazing teacher you are. Thank you for correcting two sentences with him and giving him a sticker when he got a correct answer.
Alicia: I loved that when you and your friend both wanted the same role in our classroom play you decided to create a new character for the script so you could both have roles you want.
Amelia (Mia): I was so proud of how many ideas you wrote out independently after the Follow the Drinking Gourd lesson. I loved that you used so much proof from the story, the song and your schema to back up your arguments.
Anna: I loved that you published another book in your series last week. I also loved how you helped cut out the stars and hang them up on our classroom mural last week. I also loved how you volunteered to put our new erasers in our classroom general store.
Annalise: I was so proud of how many ideas you wrote out independently after the Follow the Drinking Gourd lesson. I loved that you used so much proof from the story, the song to back up your arguments.
Audrey: I loved that last week you spent your free time helping to make the Follow the Drinking Gourd sign for our Bristol board display.
Brigid: I loved how you used clues from the song Follow the Drinking Gourd to infer how Peg-Leg Joe led the slaves to freedom. I loved that you published your work on the computer and even added an image of The Big Dipper.
Carlo: Thank you for working so hard on our classroom mural of Follow the Drinking Gourd outside of our class. The finished product looked amazing!
Clark: I loved that you chose a quiet place to work every time you were given an assignment last week. Your focus is going through the roof!
Conor: I loved how you took a leadership role with your team last week. At the start of the week you were discouraged because your team was not working together. You turned this around when you encouraged others to do their best.
Emma: I loved that you published another book in your series last week. I also loved how you volunteered to put our new erasers in our classroom general store.
Henry: Your printing when you wrote out your ideas during social studies last week was the neatest I have ever seen it. I am so proud of you for working so hard on your lower-case letters.
Max: I loved that last week you spent your free time helping to make the Follow the Drinking Gourd sign for our Bristol board display.
Pablo: You did a great job decoding the song Follow the Drinking Gourd last week. I was so proud of you for writing three whole ideas on the page.
Ruwan: Congratulations on publishing another book last week. Your alien story was funny and a joy to read. I loved that when you were done your first draft you edited it with me before you printed it.
Seine: I loved how you used clues from the song Follow the Drinking Gourd to infer how Peg-Leg Joe led the slaves to freedom. I loved that you published your work on the computer and even added an image of The Big Dipper.
Violet: I loved that when you and your friend both wanted the same role in our classroom play you decided to create a new character for the script so you could both have roles you want.
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, February 5th, 2019.
Abigail: Thank you so much for helping to set up the boards at the start of the day on Monday. I love that when I forget to write out the lottery numbers you jump in and do it for me. I also loved reading The Patchwork Path with you and Annalise on Thursday. Your reading has come along so much.
Alex: I loved that you wrote out your narrative on the computer on Wednesday. I loved how when you did it this way you were able to add so much more detail to the page. I loved when you were finished writing it you read it over with me to look for missing words and punctuation.
Alicia: I loved that at the end of the day on Tuesday and Wednesday, you wrote out a problem of the day for our Daily News Routine and the lottery numbers. I also loved how you and Violet wrote out the third verse to Amazing Grace for the class.
Amelia (Mia): I loved that even though you were not feeling 100% you still wanted to do The Beep Test on Wednesday. You are so tough! I also loved that during your free time you and Seine wanted to work on your second Evil Pancake story. I can’t wait to hear it!
Anna: I loved that you wrote out good copies to three of your stories last week. I also loved that when you were done your Explorers book you read it to the class on Tuesday. I could not believe how much you projected your voice.
Annalise: I loved reading The Super Puppy story that you wrote with Abigail last week. I also loved that when you were finished your weekend report on Wednesday you wanted to type it out and edit it on the computer. I can’t wait to see the finished product.
Audrey: I loved that when a money problem was difficult on Thursday you stuck with it and tried and tried again until you got it. You are such a determined student and it pays off.
Brigid: I loved that at the end of the day on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday you wanted to stay a little later so you could clean the boards and help set up our Daily News for the next day. I also loved how you wrote a new morning message with Alicia and a problem of the day.
Carlo: I loved that when you wrote a great story with Clark on Tuesday you read it to Kelly’s class when you were done. It was such a hit. I also loved how you went home that night and wrote another story to add to your collection!
Clark: I loved that when we were doing math and it asked you to draw coins that made up 99cents you drew a loonie and a coin that was worth -1. I also loved how on Tuesday the only thing you wanted to do all day was write stories. It was amazing watching you sit at a computer for over an hour writing a story.
Conor: I can’t believe that you wrote 4 stories last week. I loved that each time you were done you wanted to proofread it with me so you could print and publish it.
Emma: I loved the song that you made up last week. I loved the message. I loved how it encouraged others to play with toys instead of video games because using your imagination is better than using electronics.
Henry: I loved how much detail you added to your narrative when you used a computer last week. I could not believe how much it helped you to focus.
Max: You and Pablo did such a great job making up a dance together during M.S.I. time. I also loved how you shared your Transformer story with Kelly’s class on Tuesday. I loved the story and how well you projected your voice.
Pablo: I loved that you made up a dance with Max on Thursday. You were so focussed. I also loved that you went back and added to your Dragon story with your free time last week. You are growing as a writer.
Ruwan: I loved that when you were finished your weekend report on Wednesday you asked if you could edit it and type it out on the computer. Your writing has improved so much this year.
Seine: I loved that during your free time you and Mia wanted to work on your second Evil Pancake story. I can’t wait to hear it! I also loved that you always wanted to do a tidiest bin contest each day you were here last week. You really know how to get the class organized.
Violet: I loved the dance that you and Alicia made up together on Tuesday. I loved that you wrote all the steps out during writing centres and then performed it for the class and Kelly’s class when you were done. You are such a confident performer.
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, January 29th, 2018.
Abigail: I loved it at Crawford Lake when the presenter asked if anyone could name a First Nations group, you put up your hand quickly and shouted out “Anishinabek”. I also loved how when you faced a problem with a friend on Monday you discretely wrote me a little note so I could help you solve the problem. I also loved that you and Annalise started writing an original story called, “The Emoji Family” last week. I can’t wait to see what happens in it.
Alex: I loved that you worked on your story called The Awesome Person each day that you came in last week. I cannot wait to see what happens in this book. I also loved that when someone erased some of your story you were determined to work hard and fix it.
Alicia: I loved that you and Violet decided to write your book, “The World’s Tennis Championships for All Minions” in cursive on Friday. I love that you love to teach yourself new things.
Amelia (Mia): I loved that you worked with Seine during Writing Centres time to publish a book on The Evil Pancake. I can’t wait for you to finish it!
Anna: I loved how determined you were to learn how to make a gimp bracelet last week. When a new skill was hard you didn’t give up until you got it!
Annalise: I loved how kind and welcoming you were when two students from room 301 wanted to join our group to play Lacrosse at Crawford Lake. I also loved that you and Abby started writing an original story called, “The Emoji Family” last week. I can’t wait to see what happens in it.
Audrey: I loved that during writing centres you wrote out the steps to a dance on Friday. I also loved how during “Finish it Friday”, you wrote a book called, “The Night Before Christmas.”
Brigid: I loved that you lay on the carpet for an hour during writing centres and wrote a story on a chrome book. I loved that every few lines you would go back and read your work to yourself to see if you were missing any periods or capital letters.
Carlo: Clark told me that when he was lonely outside you came up to him and asked him to play. Thank you for being such a kind friend.
Clark: I loved that every time you had independent work to do last week you would grab your work, a pencil and an eraser and set yourself up a the back table. I loved your initiative and how much it helped you focus.
Conor: I loved that on Thursday you were so excited about writing a story on the computer so much that you asked if I could email it to your Mom so you could work on it at home.
Emma: I loved it at Crawford Lake when the presenter asked if anyone could name a First Nations group, you put up your hand quickly and shouted out “The Haudensaune Confederacy”.
Henry: I was blown away when you sat an entire hour to write your book, “The Magical Dragon,” with Clark. I loved the opening line, “In the spookily dookleley mountains there lay a dragon.”
Max: I loved how focused you were when you were working at Writing Centres on Friday. I loved hearing all the “Would You Rather” questions you came up with.
Pablo: I loved that you used 3 pictures from a book to get ideas for your own original story last week. I love watching you take control of your learning.
Ruwan: Conor told me that last week when you were playing outside at recess, someone took someone else’s ball and you got it back for them. This was so kind of you.
Seine: I loved that you settled down in your seat on Friday and finished a book from the Princess in Black series. I also loved that when you were done this you went and got a book from the Would You Rather series. I also loved that you were able to answer the trivia question at the end of the day on Thursday after our trip to Crawford Lake.
Violet: I loved that you and Alicia decided to write your book, “The World’s Tennis Championships for All Minions” in cursive on Friday. I love that you love to teach yourself new things.
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, January 21st, 2019.
Abigail: I loved that when you were stuck on a story last week you wrote out “The Red Crayon Story.” I cannot wait to include this story in Gavin’s birthday book.
Alex: I loved the comic that you wrote about the treaty that the Settlers presented to the First Nations people in Canada in 1763. I loved that you wanted to copy it out as well so you could take it home.
Alicia: I loved how eager you were to present, “The Book with No Pictures” to the class last week. I loved that you made the connection that Gavin likely grabbed his new catch phrase from this book. We missed you at the Research Symposium last week. I want you to know that Anna and Emma helped deliver all the lines you wrote in your research project and they presented your canoe.
Amelia (Mia): I loved the comic that you wrote about the treaty that the Settlers presented to the First Nations people in Canada in 1763. I loved how you incorporated the perspective of both sides of the treaty.
Anna: I loved the book you wrote last week called The Treaty. I loved how you included the First Nation perspective on the treaty and the Settler’s perspective. I also loved how you decided to sing the Anishinabek travelling song in your presentation at the Research Symposium.
Annalise: You did such a great job writing your weekly report last week. I loved how you used dialogue, sound effects, included your internal thinking, and stretched out the action so you could include so much detail. It was so fun to read.
Audrey: I was so proud of how well you read your report in front of all the parents and your peers last week. You used expression, projected your voice and smiled. You are a natural performer.
Brigid: It was so kind of you to set up the lottery numbers on the board before you left on Wednesday. I also loved how you
Carlo: It was so kind of you to help out Ruwan when his partner was not here last week for the Research Symposium. I also loved how you volunteered to read the paragraph on Spring during the Research Symposium so that your group could make a tableau of the community activities of the Anishinabek people in the 1700s.
Clark: I was blown away last week when you grabbed your grammar book, sat down quietly at the back table and completed three sentences in less than 7 minutes last Tuesday. This was the most focussed you have ever been. I also loved how well you projected your voice during the Research Symposium. Everyone in the room could hear you and perked up because of your energy. I also loved how many suggestions you had for others during our community circle last week. I loved that you explained to your friends that if someone gives you a put-down you should just “outsmart them”. You explained that they could do this by agreeing with the person’s putdown because they wouldn’t be expecting that and it wouldn’t give them the reaction they wanted.
Conor: We missed you last week. We hope you are feeling better this week.
Emma: It was so kind of you to offer to give Brigid your wampum belt for the presentation when she lost hers. You are such a kind friend. I also loved how when Anna’s partner was sick for the Research Symposium you jumped in and read her partner’s part. I also loved how many suggestions you had for people during our community circle of what to do when someone gives you a put down. I loved how you shared with the class that the best thing to do was not react because that person is looking for a reaction so to stand tall and say, “whatever” to them.
Henry: You did such a great job projecting your voice when you read about Haudenosaunee homes last week. I loved how you kept your chin up and made sure everyone at the back could hear you. I also loved when your friend hurt their leg you let them know you had experienced something similar before and made sure they were okay.
Max: I loved that with your free time last week you worked with Pablo to write a Transformer story on the computer. I loved that you figured out how to find a transformer colouring page for the title page and how to print your work.
Pablo: I loved that with your free time last week you worked with Max to write a Transformer story on the computer. I loved that you figured out how to find a transformer colouring page for the title page and how to print your work.
Ruwan: Thank you for bringing bannock to your presentation for The Research Symposium last week. It was so delicious! I also loved how you reminded people in line to be quiet when we were coming back from gym. You are such a natural leader.
Seine: I loved that you and Mia stacked all the chairs for your table at the end of the day on Thursday. You are always looking for ways to be helpful in class.
Violet: It was so brave of you to sing your song for all the parents and your classmates last week during The Research Symposium. I loved how you projected your voice and your overall confidence.
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, January 14th, 2019.
Abigail: I loved how on Tuesday you took out a clock and used it to show me important benchmark times in our daily schedule. It was amazing that you could show me what the clock would look like 10:10am at recess and at 3:25pm when it was the end of our day together. I also loved how when you came in on Tuesday you settled down in your seat right away and read a book from the Owl Diary series. I also loved how during calendar time when you were chosen to write the date you decided to let someone else around the room who really wanted to do the step to do it. I also loved how when I was finished teaching the grammar lesson, you took the initiative to hand out all the grammar books without being asked.
Alex: Thank you so much for organizing the hundreds on our place value chart last week. I also loved how you wrote me back in your Notes to Amy book last week. I also loved how you came up with two ideas for the Treaty that you wrote on your own. I also loved how you used the computer to write out a story during writing centres. I cannot wait to see what happens in the story.
Alicia: I loved how when you came in each morning last week you worked with Violet to write out jokes from a joke book you got over the holidays. I also loved what an amazing job you did reading the book you wrote with Violet in front of the class. I loved how you explained why you chose to write the book and how you changed the minion characters. I also loved how you and Violet wanted to stay in from recess so you could write a list of all the things you did over the winter break!
Amelia (Mia): I loved that when it was time to tidy up on Thursday, you tidied up a mess that you didn’t make to help your fellow classmates. I also loved how you set such a great example every day last week by coming in and reading each morning. I also loved working with you during math time. You understand the concept of time so well. I loved that you used a hand-held clock to make sure you moved the minute and hour hand to the right place when we were studying elapsed time. You also did a great job as line leader last week. I loved how you projected your voice when you got the students in line.
Anna: Thank you so much for sharing all of your photos and stories about your adventures in England last week. I loved the card you made me with the union jack and the British flag. I loved how many details you put in your report on your vaction. It was the most you have ever added!
Annalise: I loved how independently you worked on creating an imaginary treaty last week after we had read the book A River Ran Wild. I loved that even though most people worked in partners you wanted to work alone to record your original ideas. I also loved how you read your pollination book to the class on Wednesday. You projected your voice so well and read slowly so everyone could hear each word you said.
Audrey: You did a great job reading the book “Mortimer,” aloud last week. This was a challenging book and you read it with such ease. I cannot wait to post this video on Fresh Grade so your classmates and the parents can listen to you read this story.
Brigid: You did such a wonderful job reading the story that you wrote to the class on Wednesday last week. I cannot wait to put up your read aloud on Fresh Grade so we can share it with the class again and the parents. I also loved how you came up with a great solution with your friends when you were creating an art piece together. I know you felt frustrated when one person wanted to erase the car you drew so they could draw a dog inside. It was a great solution that you helped them draw the dog in another place. I also loved how after class on Thursday you took the initiative to wipe off all the blackboards, and wipe boards and re-set up our daily news. It was so thoughtful of you to write a problem of the day and a pattern for the lottery numbers so that I had less work to do in the morning. I also loved how you helped each group by organizing their pencil crayons and markers into rainbow colour.
Carlo: I loved how eager you were to work on completing your story during quiet reading time last week so you could get a recording of it on Fresh Grade. I loved that whenever you were stuck on a word you would come and get help. You also did a great job last week writing a problem on elapsed time for your friends and solving this problem.
Clark: I could not believe that you finished your time book for the week in one day last week. Great job! I also loved how you were able to get all your belongings for recess together on Thursday by the end of the countdown without any reminders.
Conor: I loved that you did a read aloud to the class on a book about sportsmanship last week. I loved that you explained to the class that the lesson in the book was that you don’t have to win every time and it is more important to support your friends.
Emma: I loved that when you came into class every day last week you copied out a recipe you wanted to make from our class collection. I also loved how when making a list of things you did over the holidays was a bit challenging, you persevered until you did it. I also loved how you told Violet that the song she wrote was the most beautiful song you have ever heard. You certainly filled her bucket.
Henry: I could not believe that you finished your new time book in one day last week. I also loved how you took charge of helping your body focus during writing time. I loved how you decided to use headphones and a timer to get out as many ideas as possible. I also loved how you revised your work by adding periods with me and correcting two words.
Max: I loved that when it was time to get in line for lunch you walked around to each table group and made sure that everyone had put away their wipe boards and pens. I also loved how you wanted to do extra work on time with me last week when I was working with smaller groups.
Pablo: I loved that during Writing Workshop on Tuesday you wrote down whatever was in your mind. You came up with great silly details. I was so impressed. I also liked how when it was carpet time you asked if you could work in your writing book or math book instead. I love when you take the initiative to do your work. I also loved how excited you were to mentor a grade one student last week and write a story on the computer with Max.
Ruwan: Thank you so much for the gift that you brought me back from Sri Lanka. It was so thoughtful of you. I loved that you did a read aloud to the class on a book about sportsmanship last week. I loved that you explained to the class that the lesson in the book was that you don’t have to win every time and it is more important to support your friends.
Seine: I could not believe how many details you put into your writing when we wrote an imaginary treaty last week. I also loved how you reminded those around you to turn off their conversation when they came into the class after recess so they could sing our lullaby. I also loved how during M.S.I. time you asked if you could curl up and read a book. Thank you for setting such a great example in the class.
Violet: I loved how when you came in each morning last week you worked with Alicia to write out jokes from a joke book you got over the holidays. I also loved what an amazing job you did reading the book you wrote with Alicia in front of the class. I loved how you explained how passionate you were about minions how you changed the minion characters. I also loved how you and Alicia wanted to stay in from recess so you could write a list of all the things you did over the winter break!
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, December 25th, 2018.
To all the parents and students in room 101,
I just want to thank you for your very generous gift that you presented to me before the holiday season. I look forward to using this on my trip to Florida with my family. I hope you all have a super break and enjoy all this well-deserved down time with your family.
Love,
Amy
Abigail: Thank you so much for putting all the group stickers on the job sticks, math and grammar books on Thursday. You are so helpful. I also loved how when we were on a field trip you offered your seat to an elderly person on the subway.
Alex: You did such a great job writing with purpose last Monday. I loved that when you were stuck on an idea for your weekend report you wrote me a letter. When you were done you remembered what you wanted to write about and you got straight to writing.
Alicia: Thank you for volunteering to read a story to the class last week on a First Nations tradition. You always look for ways to help teach the class.
Amelia (Mia): I loved reading your celebration story last week. I loved how you used sound effects, dialogue, and so many adjectives to make your story come to life. I also loved how hard you worked on your art work on Thursday and Friday so it would be ready for the holidays.
Anna: Thank you for helping me put on the new name tags on each table last week. I also loved how you helped put on all the group stickers on the job sticks, math and grammar books on Thursday.
Annalise: I loved that you noticed that it was Anna’s turn at the general store on Thursday so you put up her name and how much money she had in the general store.
Audrey: Thank you so much for helping to put the group stickers on the grammar books last week. It was so kind of you to help organize the classroom. I also loved how when we were on a field trip you offered your seat to an elderly person on the subway.
Brigid: It was so kind of you to help Mia with her artwork when she was absent for a week so she could have it ready for the holidays. I also loved how when I finished laminating everyone’s posters you asked if you could help cut them out.
Carlo: Thank you so much for helping me come up with the different groups last week and helping me to attach all the name tags. This was so kind and helpful of you.
Clark: Thank you so much for teaching the math lesson on time when I was absent on Tuesday. The substitute teacher was raving about what a great teacher you are.
Conor: I loved how when you came in on Thursday, you read a Captain Underpants book with a friend at your table. Thank you for sharing your love of learning with the class.
Emma: I could not believe how many original ideas you created on why we are all connected during writing workshop on Thursday. I loved how you wrote that we all share Grandmother Moon and Grandfather Sun. I also loved how you copied out a recipe as soon as you came in on Thursday. You are such a hard worker.
Henry: I loved how after you got settled on Thursday morning, you sat down in your seat and read a book with a friend. I also loved that when it was time to work and focus you grabbed the things that you needed to help you (i.e., your timer and cardboard portable cubicle.)
Max: I loved how as soon as you came into the class on Thursday, you settled down in your new seat and read a book. I also loved how you helped your group tidy up when it was time to come to the carpet.
Pablo: I loved that you wanted to make up a scavenger hunt for the class last week. I also loved how helpful you were on Friday. I loved how you offered to cut out all the laminated posters and work with Abby and Anna to put the group stickers on the math books, grammar books and job sticks.
Ruwan: We hope you are having a fantastic vacation in Sri Lanka. We miss you!
Seine: Thank you so much for the advent calendar you bought me last week. I thought it was such a thoughtful and well planned gift considering I had just told you the story of how cheeky Gavin had eaten the chocolate out of all of my kids’ advent calendars.
Violet: Thank you for leading calendar on Tuesday when I was away. You are such an incredible teacher. I also loved listening to you share your Christmas story in front of the class. I loved how you created such a vivid mental picture of Christmas morning by using so many adjectives and describing how you were feeling.
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, December 17th, 2018.
Abigail: Thank you for sharpening so many pencils when the pencil monitor was absent on Wednesday. You are so helpful. I also loved how you took your celebration story outside at lunch so you could keep working on it after writing workshop.
Alex: I was so proud of you for sounding out your words on Wednesday during Writer’s Workshop. I could not believe how much detail you added to your story on your own.
Alicia: I loved that almost every day last week you made sure all the board were wiped off and ready for the next day. I love how you always look for ways to be helpful in the class.
Amelia (Mia): I loved how hard you worked the minute you came back from your trip. I loved how you wanted to stay at your seat during The Daily News to keep working on your pattern. I also loved how you made your story about your favourite celebration come to life by using vivid mental pictures, dialogue and sound effects.
Anna: You did a fantastic job leading calendar on Wednesday. I loved how you only picked students to come up if they quietly raised their hands.
Annalise: I loved how you loved writing about your celebration so much that you took your work outside during lunch to continue writing. I also loved that you offered to help file the math worksheets before you came to the carpet on Thursday. Thank you for always being so helpful.
Audrey: You did such a great job learning about time last week. I loved that when you were stuck on something you came to me until you were sure you got the concept and revised your work yourself. I loved how you loved writing about your celebration so much that you took your work outside during lunch to continue writing.
Brigid: I loved how before lunch on Friday, you wrote me a note on the wipeboard telling me how much you loved me as a teacher. Thank you for filling my bucket!
Carlo: I loved that when a group forgot to stack their chairs on Wednesday, you stacked them for the group. You are so kind.
Clark: I loved that when you were finished your math work on Wednesday, you looked for a way to be helpful in the class. Thank you for removing all the old name tags from the desks. I also loved how you offered to sing a solo standing on a chair while we were waiting to go on stage on Tuesday night. You have one rocking voice.
Conor: I was so proud of you during Writing Workshop on Wednesday and Thursday. I loved how you slowed down when you were doing your writing so you could do your best printing. I also loved how you added as many elements as possible that could help your writing come alive such as sound effects, dialogue, feelings and vivid mental pictures.
Emma: I loved that when you were in the playground on Thursday and a boy that you didn’t know fell over you stopped to see if he was okay and help him. You are such a kind student.
Henry: I loved how you helped organize your group at the end of the day on Tuesday. You really helped your group work as a team to clean up. I also loved how much writing you did when you were able to stretch out on the carpet to do it! You included so many details in your story.
Max: Thank you for volunteering to sharpen all the pencils when our pencil monitor was away on Tuesday. This was so kind of you. I also loved what a great job you did during the Daily News on Wednesday. You always raised your hand and set such a great example.
Pablo: I loved that when the snacks containers spilled at the concert rehearsal you volunteered to help Emma clean them up. This was so kind of you. I also loved how much you participated in The Daily News on Thursday and how you sat in the front row for each lesson.
Ruwan: I hope you are having an amazing time in Sri Lanka! We can’t wait to hear about all of your adventures in your travel journal.
Seine: I loved that you reminded me about the tidiest bin contest every day last week and took charge of your group’s pencil drawer. I loved that you always organized the pencils by height and the markers and pencil crayons by rainbow order.
Violet: Thank you for leading The Daily News on Friday when I was at a workshop. The substitute teacher raved about your classroom management skills. She said to keep everyone sitting nicely you praised how people were sitting in the audience and waited when people started talking.
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, December 10th, 2018.
Abigail: I loved how when you came into the room on Wednesday you took out a book right away and started reading. I also loved how you were the first person on the carpet when the daily song came on.
Alex: I was so proud of you for putting away your things so quickly after recess on Wednesday and sitting in the front row so you could belt out the daily song. I was so proud of you for winning the special cushion to sit on because you set such a great example.
Alicia: You did such a great job with your learning buddy this week. When they insisted on taking over the gingerbread project you were so patient with them and helped them in such a kind way.
Amelia (Mia): You did such an incredible job writing your weekend report on Monday. The way you introduced your story was so gripping for the reader because you used such a vivid mental picture.
Anna: I loved watching you with your brother during learning buddies. I loved how you taught him to use the scissors by using the double-scissors with him. I loved how you both decided together on the pattern of the gingerbread’s buttons and worked as a team to complete it.
Annalise: I loved how you did not want to leave for lunch on Monday until you had revised your weekend report and corrected the 5 words I had assigned you.
Audrey: You did such a great job making up symbols for your celebrations and traditions last week. I loved how you took your time when you created the pattern for your border.
Brigid: I was so impressed with how you listened so patiently to your friend’s ideas and how you both worked so hard to compromise to reach a solution that included both point of views.
Carlo: Congratulations on winning the prize during Writing Workshop on Monday. You worked the hardest I have ever seen you work. I could not believe how you used a vivid mental picture, dialogue, humour and exciting words to pull in your reader.
Clark: I could not believe how you wrote 5 sentences in under 4 minutes when I was sitting beside you. I loved you used a tally system to keep track of how many details were in your work and would not stop until you had completed the task.
Conor: I loved how on Monday when someone was interrupting the lesson you turned to them, put your fingers on your lips and reminded them that it was learning time.
Emma: I was so impressed with how you stayed so calm and was still so polite and respectful to your peer even when you were frustrated with the situation. You were a true role model.
Henry: I liked how well you worked as a team to make the fire for your house and how you made sure you each had a special role to make the fire perfect. Your hard work definitely paid off.
Max: I was so impressed with your excellent teamwork when you were making the fire for your house. You were an amazing team player when you were so encouraging of your partner’s ideas.
Pablo: I was so proud of you on Monday for completing your writing task. I loved how in the last 10 minutes of class you found a quiet place to sit and wrote down your 5 ideas. I loved that even when you didn’t know how to spell a word you slowly sounded it out.
Ruwan: I was so impressed with you for being the first one in line for music class on Wednesday. You got ready so fast and were such a great listener. You are a great role model to your classmates.
Seine: I loved that you shared with the class your family tradition on Wednesday during carpet time. I also loved how seriously you took your lunch bin monitor job. Thank you for remembering to go with a partner each day to get it after lunch.
Violet: I was so impressed with how you listened so patiently to your friend’s ideas and how you both worked so hard to compromise to reach a solution that included both point of views.
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, December 3rd, 2018.
Abigail: I loved how you wanted to work on your independent research project whenever you had free time last week. I loved how you didn’t get frustrated when one attachment technique didn’t work but just kept trying until you found the right solution.
Alex: I loved that when your friend was having a hard time coming to the carpet you said to him that you bought him a bag of jellybeans so he would be a good listener. I loved how when you told him this he came right to the carpet. I also loved how you insisted being in charge of the big bag of mitts, scarves, hats and socks we bought at Dollarama each time a group went to the cash.
Alicia: I loved that you took the initiative to carry the lunch bin when no one else did last week. I also loved that during indoor recess you decided to write your numbers out to 300 for fun.
Amelia (Mia): You did such a wonderful job organizing your research project on food into paragraphs. I was so proud of how well you worked independently.
Anna: I loved that with your free time you decided to teach Emma how to make a wampum belt. You are such a wonderful teacher.
Annalise: You did such a wonderful job making a growing pattern for your wampum belt during math time. I also love how well you added up the items in your basket when you were at the dollar store. You are such a great mathematician.
Audrey: I loved how you wanted to work on your independent research project whenever you had free time last week. I loved how you didn’t get frustrated when one attachment technique didn’t work but just kept trying until you found the right solution.
Brigid: I loved that you took the initiative to carry the lunch bin when no one else did last week. I also loved how you expressed to your friend what you wanted when you were feeling frustrated. You did such a great job solving the problem this way.
Carlo: I was so proud of you for sitting away from your magnet buddy on the carpet on Friday. I also loved how you helped your group add up the total for your basket at Dollarama on Thursday. You are such a wonderful mathematician.
Clark: You also did such a great job adding up the totals at Dollarama. I love how you took into account tax so you didn’t go over the $35.00 limit per group.
Conor: You did a great job projecting the words of the song “Count on Me” on the carpet on Thursday. I also loved how you insisted on carrying the bag of mitts, scarves, hats and socks we bought at Dollarama all the way back to the class.
Emma: I loved how caring you were when Alex fell on our walk. It was so kind of you to ensure he was okay and see if he needed help.
Henry: You did such an incredible job writing out your paragraph on longhouses on Friday. I was so proud of you for using lower case letters and working without a timer!
Max: I was so proud of how hard you worked on your research project last week. It must have been so frustrating when you had to start your work over again because it was on the wrong topic. I loved how you were not discouraged but just got right to work.
Pablo: You did a wonderful job completing your grammar on Thursday. I was so proud of you. I was also proud of you for working so hard on your model of an arrow and spear for your research project. You were so focussed.
Ruwan: You did such a great job assembling paragraphs for your research project on Anishinabe food last week. I loved how you researched this topic using books and the internet.
Seine: You did such a great job working with your group to calculate how to divide $140.00 equally between 4 groups. You are such a wonderful mathematician.
Violet: I loved that you wanted to contribute more of your own money when we were buying items at Dollarama for families in need. I also loved how you thought of including a baby blanket because lots of people could use this item.
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, November 26th, 2018.
Abigail: I loved how you took the initiative to create new magnets for our place value chart last week. I also loved how you organized everyone’s work in order on the side of the stage for our Reader’s Café.
Alex: You were so entertaining during the Reader’s Café. The banter that passed between you and Pablo definitely kept the audience entertained.
Alicia: You did such a great job presenting your poster at The Reader’s Café last week. I could not believe how much the projection of your voice improved from the beginning of the week to the end of the week.
Amelia (Mia): You did such a great job presenting at our Reader’s Café on Friday. You engaged the audience by slowing down your words, smiling and projecting your voice. I also loved that when you came in on Thursday you continued your independent research project on traditional Haudenosaunee food.
Anna: You did a great job presenting the poster about why we need plants at our Reader’s Café on Friday. I also loved how much detail you included on your research project on Annishinabe transportation last week.
Annalise: You did such a great job presenting your story at the Reader’s Café on Friday. I loved how you paused so the audience could laugh and respond to your book.
Audrey: You did such a great job presenting your story about the life cycle of a plant on Friday at our Reader’s Café. I also loved how much research you did on how Annishinabe people who inhabited High Park created their homes in the 1600s.
Brigid: You did a great job presenting the poster on why plants are important during our Reader’s Café last week. I also loved how hard you worked on your independent research project on traditional Haudenosaune clothing last week.
Carlo: We missed you last week. We hope you are having a great trip.
Clark: You did such a fantastic job presenting at the Reader’s Café. I loved how you encouraged the audience to sing along to Henry’s song on photosynthesis and how you kept addressing the audience in character.
Conor: You did such a great job coaching others and helping them to project their voices for the Reader’s Café. Thank you for using your leadership to help others.
Emma: You did such a great job presenting your story and the poster about the importance of plants during our Reader’s Café. You always put a smile on your face and projected your voice as loud as possible.
Henry: You did such a great job presenting at the Reader’s Café last week. I loved how when you were finished you had your puppets take a bow.
Max: It was so brave of you to present your song in front of all of the parents during the Reader’s Café independently. Great job!
Pablo: You were so entertaining during the Reader’s Café. The banter that passed between you and Alex definitely kept the audience entertained.
Ruwan: You did such a great job coaching others and helping them to project their voices for the Reader’s Café. Thank you for using your leadership to help others.
Seine: You did such a great job projecting your voice when you were reading to the parents at our Reader’s Café. I could not believe how much stronger your voice was after you practised all week.
Violet: You did such a great job presenting your story at the Reader’s Café on Friday. I loved how you paused so the audience could laugh and respond to your book.
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, November 19th, 2018.
Abigail: I loved that when the perimeter work was challenging, you asked for help until you figured out why your answer was wrong. You are such an amazing mathematician because you always look for opportunities to learn.
Alex: It was so kind of you to offer your friend a candy incentive if he finished 4 pages of his work on Thursday. You are always thinking about how you can encourage others to do their best.
Alicia: I could not believe how many ideas you recorded on the poster last week to explain why we needed plants on the earth. I loved that you wrote that we need plants to produce our food as they are important in the food chain. I also loved that you wrote that we could not breathe without plants.
Amelia (Mia): You did such a great job drawing the illustrations for your story on germination last week. I also loved that when your group won the opportunity to pick their jobs at the end of the week, you voted to let another group have a turn because you had already won 4 times.
Anna: I could not believe how loudly you projected your voice on Thursday when you were reading your germination story to the class. Dex told me that he has never heard you speak so loudly in front of the class.
Annalise: I loved the ending of the story you wrote about the life cycle of a plant last week. I loved that you wrote that when Big Stem met the plant that pollinated her and she didn’t like him, she looked after her two seed babies on her own. I thought your comment that, “these are the times we live in,” was very insightful.
Audrey: I loved that when the perimeter work was challenging, you asked for help until you figured out why your answer was wrong. You are such an amazing mathematician because you always look for opportunities to learn.
Brigid: I could not believe how many ideas you recorded on the poster last week to explain why we needed plants on the earth. I loved that you wrote that we could not breathe without plants. I also loved that you wrote that we needed plants for wood and paper.
Carlo: You did a great job explaining why we needed plants on the earth last Tuesday. I loved that you wrote that we need plants because they give us oxygen, food and shelter.
Clark: You did a great job rehearsing and presenting your puppet show on the life cycle of a plant on Thursday. You really know how to make the audience smile because you are such an enthusiastic performer.
Conor: You did a fantastic job reading the story you wrote for The Reader’s Café in front of the class. I loved how you projected your voice and used so much expression. You knew exactly how to deliver the funny lines of the book so the audience would laugh on cue.
Emma: It was so nice to have you back at school on Thursday after your vacation. I loved how well you read the book that you and Anna had written on germination to the class on Thursday. You used so much energy to deliver all the words.
Henry: I was so proud of you for doing such a wonderful job in line on Thursday. The entire way to the lunch room you stayed away from your magnet buddy and kept your finger on your lips.
Max: I loved that when the board monitor forgot to do their job on Thursday, you did it for them. I was also proud of you for typing out the song you had written on germination. I loved how you worked so hard to make sure each line rhymed.
Pablo: I could not believe that you illustrated 4 pages of your comic on Thursday. It was so kind of Alex to offer you one of his Halloween candies when you completed the task.
Ruwan: You did such a wonderful job presenting the story you had written to the class on Thursday. I loved how you projected your voice and made sure that you pronounced each word clearly. This really helped everyone in the audience hear each word you read. I also loved that when your group won the opportunity to pick their jobs at the end of the week, you voted to let another group have a turn because you had already won 4 times.
Seine: You were a fantastic line leader last week. I loved how by the end of the week you really projected your voice so even the students at the back could hear you. I also loved that when your group won the opportunity to pick their jobs at the end of the week, you voted to let another group have a turn because you had already won 4 times.
Violet: I loved the ending of the story you wrote about the life cycle of a plant last week. I loved that you wrote that when Big Stem met the plant that pollinated her and she didn’t like him, she looked after her two seed babies on her own. I thought your comment that, “these are the times we live in,” was very insightful.
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, November 12th, 2018.
Abigail: I could not believe how you wrote 18 details in your weekend report last Monday. I loved how you made a tally mark on the side of your page to record how many details you added. Your writing gets more detailed each week.
Alex: I could not believe how many arguments and details you wrote to support why we need plants on earth last Wednesday. I loved that you wanted to work on this assignment over recess and with your free time. It was the most I have ever seen you write.
Alicia: I loved that on Thursday last week you used math manipulatives to see how you could divide the number 48 evenly. I also loved how you did this because you saw there was 48 pencils in the bin and you wanted to divide them equally between each group.
Amelia (Mia): I loved that you learned to read and write in dragon last week. Thank you for writing me a note in dragon. I also loved your argument as to why plants are important last week. It is true that if we did not have plants the soil would blow away and we would not have O2. I also loved how you wrote we would not have meat either because animals eat plants.
Anna: You added so much detail to your poster on the life cycle of a plant last week. I loved that you researched each important part of the cycle but drew from your background knowledge to add even more detail to your work.
Annalise: I could not believe you wrote two pages of details in your weekend report last Monday. I also loved that when you were done, you read over your work to look for missing periods. I also loved the letter you wrote to the dragon last week. I hope he writes back to you soon.
Audrey: You did such a great designing a Café using area and perimeter last week! You are so creative and such a wonderful mathematician.
Brigid: I loved that when you noticed the technology monitors were carrying a lot, you automatically offered to help them last Thursday. Thank you for always taking on extra jobs to help our classroom run smoothly. I also loved how when you were chosen to write the date during our Daily News you decided to give your turn to someone else because they hadn’t done that step in a while.
Carlo: It is so inspiring to watch you write during your free time. I love how you are always working on a story or a comic in class and asking me whenever you are stuck on a word. I also loved last week how you came closer to the front during carpet time so you wouldn’t be distracted when others were talking.
Clark: I loved that when you heard that the dragon was trying to destroy all the plants in Fairyland last week, you made it your personal mission to stop him. Thank you for learning to read and write in dragon so you could translate his letters. I also liked that you started writing your name like this when you wanted to sign out to go to the bathroom, and on your math sheet.
Conor: It was so kind of you to hold the door for our class twice when it wasn’t your turn to do so on Thursday. Thank you for being a leader and looking after our class.
Emma: You did an incredible job on your life cycle of a plant poster with Anna last week. I also loved the story you both wrote and illustrated on germination. You are such a hard worker.
Henry: You did such a great job working on your story about the life cycle of a plant on Wednesday. I loved how you and Clark used the computer to type out your ideas.
Max: I loved how when you were writing your song on Wednesday about germination you looked over your words to make sure each line rhymed. I also loved that when you were writing a story about the life cycle of a plant you edited the beginning when it started to stray from the storyline.
Pablo: I loved what you created in Maker Space last week. I love how you came up with the idea to create a mailbox for a candy competition. I loved that you wrote out the announcement that you wanted to share with the class during your free time at lunch. I also loved how well you typed out the story you and Alex had written during Grammar on Thursday. It is great how focused you become on a project when you have chosen it.
Ruwan: I loved that when you were finished the 7th Amulet book and you couldn’t find the 8th one in the class you searched through our library until you found a new series that you liked. I hope you will do a book talk on a Magic Tree House book soon because no one in the class has shared that series yet.
Seine: You wrote a very convincing argument last week explaining why plants are important. I loved how you wrote that people need plants for food, paper and oxygen. I love how you wrote that the soil needs plants because without it, it would blow away.
Violet: I loved how when you were writing a story about the life cycle of a plant last week the adult plant had a coffee from Seedbucks. You are such a creative writer!
PLEASE VISIT THIS PAGE TO READ YOUR CHILD'S WEEKLY HAPPY MONDAY MESSAGE
HAPPY MONDAY MESSAGES:
Imagine working for two different companies. In one company, you have a boss who is continually telling you the areas in which you need to improve and another company where your boss praises you on a weekly basis for your accomplishments. Which boss would you want to work harder for? In my experience, students blossom as a result of positive reinforcement. For this reason, each week I post a Happy Monday Message on our classroom website to each child in my classroom. This messages focuses on a newly developed skill that the child has developed, or positive character traits they have exhibited in the classroom.
The Story of Evan
In my first year teaching I worked with a student named Evan (name changed for the purpose of anonymity). Evan was a bit of a trouble-maker and loved to test the limits of how far he could push people of authority. One morning, Evan tried to sneak into class before the bell had rung. I told him that if he were to come into the class, he could help his fellow students by unstacking the chairs. He did so a tad reluctantly. The following Monday, when I read aloud each child's Happy Monday Message, I thanked Evan for coming in and unstacking each child's chair in the classroom. I thanked him for his kindness and for caring for the classroom community. That week, Evan took it upon himself to come and unstack the classroom chairs each day. He did so until the very last day of school, but this was not all. Each morning after he had unstacked our classroom chairs, Evan went to our neighbouring classrooms to see if he could unstack their chairs as well. By the end of the year Evan had taken the initiative to unstack the chairs of the 4 main classrooms on the first floor. That year, Evan proved himself as an inspirational, caring leader. He demonstrated how far a little positivity can go.
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, November 5th, 2018.
Abigail: I loved that when you were finished your math last Thursday, you decided to make up additional questions for yourself! I could not believe how many ways you were able to divide the number 18.
Alex: I loved that on Thursday you took on extra jobs to get the class in order. Thank you for erasing the boards, sharpening the pencils and picking up pencils off the floor. You are so kind. I was also proud of you for working so hard on your 10 times tables.
Alicia: I loved how many symmetrical designs you came up with for our jack-o-lantern’s face on Halloween. Your vampire and skull were so creative! I
Amelia (Mia): I loved that when you used a timer last week during Writing Workshop you wrote the most you had ever written. I loved that you wrote your narrative from the perspective of when you were a baby! It was so creative.
Anna: I loved that when your friend was scared to go in the Haunted House last week, you took their hand and told them they could stay with you. I also loved how you organized your group’s bin by taking out all the papers they were finished with.
Annalise: You wrote a very convincing argument as to why Dex should not trade in all his candy for a toy last week. I loved how you wrote that he will spread out his candy and brush his teeth each night so it will not affect his teeth.
Audrey: You did such a great job dividing 28 into equal groups last week. It was amazing how you divided the number by ones, twos and fours.
Brigid: You were so incredibly helpful last week. Thank you for helping erase the boards, stacking leftover chairs and helping me set up the daily schedule on Tuesday. You are always thinking of ways to give back to the class.
Carlo: I loved that you decided to write your narrative from the perspective of your cat last week. It was so creative and fun to read.
Clark: I loved that you used quotation marks to show dialogue in your writing last Tuesday. I also loved that when you were finished your math on Thursday, you asked if you could work in your cursive book.
Conor: I cannot believe that your symmetrical pumpkin design won the most votes on Halloween AND you won the pumpkin for estimating how many seeds it had inside of it. Halloween was certainly your lucky day!
Emma: You did such a fantastic job on your 10s times tables last week. I also loved how you asked me for a math book so you could practise your triple-digit addition.
Henry: You wrote such a convincing argument as to why Dex should keep all his candy and not trade it in for a toy last week. I agree with you that he will get a toy on his birthday and if he brushes his teeth each night it won’t hurt his teeth.
Max: You wrote a very convincing argument as to why Dex should trade in his candy for a toy last week. I loved that you wrote that if he traded his candy for lego he could build many things and this would help his brain to grow.
Pablo: I loved that when you were finished your times table booklet last week you asked for me to write you out a problem. I loved how many different ways you were able to divide 20 into.
Ruwan: You wrote a very convincing argument as to why Dex should not trade in his candy for a toy last week. You are right that Dex uses a lot of energy flipping around the class and climbing. He does burn a lot of energy doing this and candy could fuel him. I wonder if healthier foods would help him get this energy too. What do you think?
Seine: You wrote a very convincing argument as to why Dex should not trade in his candy for a toy last week. It is true that Dex worked very hard to get this candy and he did earn it.
Violet: I loved that when you were finished your math last Thursday, you decided to make up additional questions for yourself! I could not believe how many ways you were able to divide the number 18.
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, October 29th, 2018.
Abigail: Thank you for writing out so many answers to our worm questions on our classroom poster on Wednesday. I also loved how you helped set up our calendar each day by writing out our general store totals. What I loved the most was how you volunteered to help the blue group earn a point during announcement time. This really filled their bucket.
Alex: You did such a great job answering questions about pollination and germination at the farm presentation on Wednesday. I loved how you remembered that bees brought pollen from the male part of the flower to the female part of the flower when they drank nectar.
Alicia: I loved how many interesting facts on worms you wrote on our classroom poster on Wednesday. I also loved how you completed the writing for your Great Wolf Lodge Maker Space project.
Amelia (Mia): Thank you so much for letting me read your weekend journal last week. I loved writing back to you. I hope you write more this weekend!
Anna: I loved the house that you made during Maker Space last week. I loved that it had a patio and awning attached to it. It was really well designed.
Annalise: You did such a wonderful job as a scientist in role last week. Thank you for teaching the class that when a seed sprouts, the root anchors it to the ground and takes in water and nutrients.
Audrey: I loved the story you started writing with Abby last week on germination. I loved how you explained that when the seed is at the right temperature and the seed coat is softened by the rain, it begins to grow.
Brigid: I loved the song you wrote with Annalise on germination last week. I thought Germination Across the Nation was a great title. I also loved that when you encountered a problem with your friend on Tuesday last week you used the script to work through the problem piece by piece. This was so brave of you and so admirable.
Carlo: You did such a great job leading The Daily News on Tuesday. I loved that when students started talking you told them that you were waiting for 4 pairs of eyes.
Clark: I was so proud of you for doing extra research on Wednesday your printing looked so great when you used meatball spaces between the words and spaghetti spaces between the letters. You also did a great job presenting our classroom robot to the class. Thank you for helping us learn how to code.
Conor: You did a great job in role as a scientist in front of the class last week. I loved how you explained to the class how to grow seeds needed to be at the right temperature and their seed coat had to be softened by water such as rain. I also loved how you started usntacking chairs at another table when you were finished unstacking the chairs for your group on Wednesday. This was so kind of you.
Emma: I loved that when skip counting by 2s was challenging last week, you said you would not give up until you got it because we learn when we do something hard. I also loved how you reassured another student who found it difficult that they would learn the concept.
Henry: Michelle told me how much she loved reading Robert Munsch books with you on the carpet after our field trip. Thank you for sharing your love of reading with others.
Max: You did a great book talk for the class last Wednesday. Thank you for sharing your favourite joke from the joke book. It certainly had the class in stitches!
Pablo: It was so kind of you to help your friend when they were frustrated on Tuesday. When they found a concept difficult it was so kind of you to reassure them that they would learn it and you could help.
Ruwan: I love how attentively you listen to the announcements each morning. When I ask a question about the announcements you are always the first one with your hand up so you can earn a group point. You also always come up with an additional statement that you heard on the announcements that I didn’t inquire about.
Seine: I loved how focused you were when you were writing your comic on germination with Mia last week. I also loved that during writer’s workshop on Monday, you wrote more than you ever have! Your writing is getting better each week.
Violet: You and Alicia did a great job on your germination comic last week. I loved the characters you created such as Mr. Seedly and Dr. McSeedster. They had such creative names!
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, October 22nd, 2018.
Abigail: I loved that you chose to be second in line on Tuesday last week so you could hold the door for the class. I love watching you help the other students in the class. You are such a leader and when you use this skill to help others you fill everyone’s buckets.
Alex: I loved how many notes you wrote to me in your new journal last week. You are becoming such a wonderful writer. I love how you are using your journal to express your thoughts, ask questions and make requests.
Alicia: I loved that you made a hotel for the LOL dolls during Maker Space and continued this project at home last week. I also loved that you and Violet finished your story called, “The Missing Minion”, last week and that you presented it to the class.
Amelia (Mia): You are such a hard worker. I love that you requested to come in at lunch to finish your test on Tuesday. I also loved how
Anna: I loved the book talk you did on the Junie B. Jones book last week. I loved how much energy and enthusiasm you used to tell the problem in the story and share your favourite part. Thanks for sharing your love of reading with the class.
Annalise: Thank you for being our official recorder last week while we did our worm bin activity. You did such a great job using procedural writing to record all of the steps involved in making our worm bin.
Audrey: You did such a great job coming up with questions during our worm bin project last week. I loved how you and Abby researched together whether or not worms like banana skins. It was neat to find out that we should cut the banana peel into little pieces so they eat it faster.
Brigid: I loved the narrative you wrote on Tuesday about having nothing to write about. I thought it was so amazing how you repeated a pattern of three words throughout the narrative to express how you were feeling and what you were thinking. This made it so interesting and engaging to read.
Carlo: I loved that on Friday last week you decided that the book you were writing would actually be a part of a series. I think “The Magical Mysteries,” is a great title for a series of stories.
Clark: You did a great job leading The Daily News on Friday last week. I loved that people started talking you looked at the audience and said, “I am waiting for 4 pairs of eyes.” I also loved that when you were writing out the instructions on how to make a worm bin last week you wrote “R.I.P. the newspaper,” because you thought we were destroying the newspaper.
Conor: The narrative that you wrote during writing workshop on Tuesday was the best work you have ever done. I loved how you slowed down on the first page to focus on where your letters hit the lines and how many details you put in your work. I was most impressed with you last week when someone was doing something to frustrate you on purpose and you came to me to get help.
Emma: I was so proud of you for putting so much effort into your worm bin instructions work last Friday. You did such a great job writing out each step and reading it to the class. I also loved the questions you came up with and how you researched these questions with Anna. I thought it was great how you wanted to know what our wormies eat.
Henry: I loved that the incentive you wanted as a reward for finishing your work on Friday was for me to tell you the story of Gavin and the red crayon. I love how much you love a good story.
Max: I loved that you wanted to know if the worms needed a male and female to go through a life cycle. You did a great job finding a picture of a worm life cycle on the computer. I also loved how you created a pointer during maker space last week and wrote out the steps involved in this process.
Pablo: I loved that you found a new series of books that you love reading in the class last week. I was so proud of you for picking up your book whenever you finished your work and asking me for help on a word when you were stuck. I also loved how much you participated during the Daily News last week and The Banana Dance.
Ruwan: I loved all the questions you came up with after we had created our worm bin last week. I think it is very smart to ask whether the worms will survive in a bin and if they will like it or not.
Seine: I was so proud of you for doing so much writing on Friday. I loved that you wrote out each step on how to make a worm bin and came up with so many great questions that will help us care for our worms. I thought it was very clever to ask if the worm bin had to be kept at a certain temperature and if the worms will reproduce while they are in our bin.
Violet: I loved that you chose to work in a quiet place, free from distraction last week when you were writing your weekly narrative. It helped you add so much detail to your work. I also loved that you and Alicia finished your story called, “The Missing Minion”, last week and that you presented it to the class.
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, October 15th, 2018.
Abigail: I loved that when you noticed that we forgot the lunch bin on Thursday, you went and got it. Thank you for looking after the other students in the class. I also loved how when you came to the carpet on Friday you remembered to raise your hand whenever you wanted to share.
Alex: You did such a great job on your weekend report last Tuesday. I loved that you sat in a place that was best for your focus and challenged yourself to write as many details as possible. You wrote the most I have ever seen you write.
Alicia: I loved that with your free time last week you decided to write your numbers out to 1000 for the second time. You are such a hard worker.
Amelia (Mia): We missed you at the beginning of last week but were so happy that you got to go to New York for your birthday weekend. Thank you for jumping in and starting your work as soon as you walked in the door.
Anna: I loved that with your free time last week you wrote another book for your series. The Explorers truly have gone on a lot of adventures. I loved reading The Explorers go to the Zoo and The Explorers Get Lost. I also loved that with your free time you started writing out your numbers to 1000 for the second time. I also loved that during learning buddies you taught the kindergarten kids the difference between the letter “I” and an exclamation mark.
Annalise: It was so kind of you for bringing in two books for our classroom library last week. The Fly Guy and Geronimo Stilton series are some of our favourites. I loved that when you had free time last week you chose to read Archie comics. Thank you for sharing your love of reading with the class.
Audrey: I loved that when it was time to come to the carpet on Wednesday you made sure you were not sitting next to your magnet buddy so you could try to sing the words to the challenging song. I also loved how you managed to catch the attention of the entire class as call-back monitor by saying “Mac and Cheese” and waiting for them to respond “Everybody freeze!”
Brigid: I thought it was so kind of you to write so many letters to Dex last week. He told me when I came in on Thursday how much he values your friendship. I was so proud of you for sharing what you knew about how rock breaks down with the class on Wednesday. Isn’t it neat how rain, ice and plant roots can help break up rock over time?
Carlo: We missed you at the beginning of the week last week. I loved that as soon as you came in you looked through your absent folder and started working on things that you had missed. I also loved that when you had completed your grammar you continued working on the book you are writing. I can’t wait to read the completed version of The Magical Forest.
Clark: I loved that when made a recipe for soil last week and you found out it would take 1000 years for the soil to be ready, you asked if there was anyone immortal in the class who could watch over it. I also loved how you sat down and completed all of your grammar in less than 10 minutes on Thursday. Your focus was in high gear!
Conor: I loved that with your free time on Thursday, you decided to help your friend review for the grade 3 standardized test. You are so kind.
Emma: I loved how you helped the class solve our daily problem peacefully on Wednesday. You really helped show the class that it was not kind to push each other’s buttons. I also loved how hard you worked on your weekend narrative on Tuesday and how you requested extra math homework.
Henry: I loved how during science on Wednesday, you explained in your work that when water gets into the cracks of rock and freezes it expands which can break up the rock.
Max: I loved how you explained in your report last week that it takes 1000 years to make soil because rock and organic matter need to be broken down. I loved how you explained that rock can be broken down by acid rain, and when water gets in the cracks of rock and freezes. Isn’t it neat that when water freezes it expands and can break the rock?
Pablo: I loved how you joined our class all of last week during The Daily News Routine. I loved when you volunteered to correct the sentence during Grammar time and identify which number out of 2117 and 2717 was bigger. It was great that you could teach the class about place value.
Ruwan: I loved that when you came in on Thursday, you put all your things in the right place (special folder, lunch bag and backpack) and settled down in your seat to read a book. It was no wonder that you were picked to lead the daily news again because you set such a wonderful example for the class.
Seine: I loved that when you were attendance monitor last week you always picked someone different to join you on your walk to the office. I also loved how when you solved a double and triple addition problem on Wednesday you answered it with numbers, pictures and words.
Violet: You did such a great job on your components of soil recipe yesterday. I loved that you made your diagram into a cartoon. You are so creative!
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, October 10th, 2018.
Abigail: I loved that when you came in on Wednesday you saw how you could be helpful in the class. Thank you for helping me file the math booklets into everyone’s math folders. This was so kind of you.
Alex: I loved how eager you were to work on your comic about pollination last week. I loved that when your partner wasn’t happy with the original ending you told him that you could re-write the ending so it was perfect. I also heard how you want to publish this comic! What a great idea!
Alicia: You did such a great job writing out the steps you took to make your cardboard school house last week. I could not believe how many steps were involved in this process.
Amelia (Mia): I loved how when you came in on Thursday you settled down in your seat and started writing out your numbers to 1000. You are such a hard worker.
Anna: I loved how hard you worked on publishing your maker space work last week. You did such a great job writing out a detailed account of how you made your car.
Annalise: You did such a great job editing the morning message on Thursday last week. I loved how you noticed that the word “could” was missing a “u.”
Audrey: I loved what you created in maker space last week. I thought it was so neat how you used cardboard to create an ipad and book holder. I loved seeing you use it to hold your book.
Brigid: I loved that with your free time last week you helped a friend with their artwork and continued to write your Chester story. I loved that you also signed up for another book talk. Thank you for sharing your love of learning with the class.
Carlo: You were a fantastic line leader last week. I loved how you would not lead the class until everyone was standing in a respectful way.
Clark: You were such a fantastic phone monitor last week. I loved how you answered the phone, “Room 101 students speaking.” each time. I also loved how you led the morning news on Thursday. The math equation you created for the class to solve was really challenging and helped them learn a new adding technique.
Conor: I loved that you wrote me a note on Wednesday to remind me to make more bonus math books. I love how eager you are to do extra math!
Emma: I loved how hard you worked on your double digit dynamic subtraction last week. I love how when this concept was hard, you didn’t give up. I also loved how when you found it challenging to make a flower with radial symmetry, you didn’t give up!
Henry: You did such a great job drawing a diagram of a chicory plant last week during art. I loved how when you were stuck on how to do the radial symmetry you came and got me. This helped you work so well independently!
Max: I was so proud of you for writing out your numbers to 900 when you had free time last Thursday. You are such a hard worker.
Pablo: I loved how on Wednesday last week, you made it your project of the day to create model boats out of different materials to see which design would float best. You have the mind of a scientist!
Ruwan: You did such a great job incorporating radial symmetry into your diagram of Golden Rod last week. I love how you took your time with your art so that you could do your best work.
Seine: I love that whenever you come in each morning you settle down quietly with a book. Thank you for sharing your love of reading with the class.
Violet: I loved that when you came in on Thursday, you asked if you could read a book to Dex. I also loved that you used this time to finish the book you made with Alicia and sign up for a book talk.
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, October 3rd, 2018.
Abigail: It was so kind of you to bring in an orange shirt for me when you heard that I didn’t have one for orange shirt day. I also loved how you helped me put up the art work last week and write out the name of each student on the front so we knew who each piece belonged to.
Alex: You did such a great job writing out the words to your pollination story last week. I was so proud of you for working so hard.
Alicia: Thank you for erasing the boards at the end of the day last Thursday. You are always thinking about how you can help in the class. I also loved how much bonus math work you did last week and Maker Space Projects.
Amelia (Mia): I was so proud of you for working so hard on your pollination song last week. You had some great ideas!
Anna: I loved the mask that you made in Maker Space last week. You did such a great job writing out the instructions of how you did it so you could publish it on our classroom website.
Annalise: You wrote the most I have ever seen you write during Writing Workshop on Monday. I loved that when you were finished you read over your work and corrected 5 misspelled words on the page.
Audrey: I loved seeing the deluxe fan that you made during Maker Space. You did such a great job with your writing. Congratulations for publishing your work on our classroom website this week.
Brigid: I loved that when you were finished your writing on Monday, you read over your work to make sure you had capital letters at the beginning of each sentence. You did a great job as Chief Editor of your work.
Carlo: I loved reading the story about the unicorn that you worked on during your free time last week. The characters in the story such as the magical frog were so interesting.
Clark: I loved working with you on your story last week. I loved your descriptive line, “dark clouds hung from the sky.” I also could not believe how much your printing improved over the course of the week. All your hard work has paid off!
Conor: I loved how much bonus math work you did last week. You are such a hard worker. I also loved how you worked on a story and comic with your free time last week. You are such an eager student.
Emma: I loved how hard you worked on your dynamic subtraction questions last week. I also loved that you worked on building a school house and mask during Maker Space.
Henry: You wrote the most I have ever seen you write during Writing Workshop last Monday. I loved how when I timed you, you wrote a sentence in no time flat. I also loved the pollination song that you wrote out last week. I was proud of you for earning Maker Space time for your hard work.
Max: I loved watching you and Carlo work together on your pollination comic last week. I loved how you divided the work load in such a fair way. It was neat how you wrote out the words on a wipe board and he copied them.
Pablo: I loved seeing how excited you were to write about your birthday party on Monday. I loved that after you I gave you 5 words you settled down in a quiet place and would not stop writing until sharing time.
Ruwan: I was so impressed with how eager you were to do bonus math work at home last week. Congratulations on completing your multiplication booklet in one night!
Seine: I loved that during your free time last week you worked on writing your numbers out to 300. You are such a hard worker.
Violet: You did such a great job working on your dynamic subtraction last week. I loved that you came to me whenever you needed help and didn’t give up until you understood the concept.
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, September 24th, 2018.
Abigail: You did such a great job generating research questions for your project on the plant Fleabane last week. I also loved how helpful you were when you asked if you could record the money earned by the other students during reader of the day on Wednesday.
Alex: I was so proud of you for writing out your numbers to 1000 last week and then asking if you could take another booklet home to work on. You are such a hard-working mathematician. I also loved the idea for the spooky story that you started writing with Henry. I can’t wait to read it.
Alicia: I loved that with your free time last week you wrote out cue cards with jokes on them. Thank you for reading the ones you liked best to me!
Amelia (Mia): I loved that when you were coming up with research questions last week on Golden Rod, that you made two columns. I loved that in one column you wrote what you knew about Golden Rod and in the other column you wrote about what you wanted to find out.
Anna: I loved that you wrote a book with your spare time last week so that you could present it to the class as a book talk. Thank you for sharing your love of learning with the class.
Annalise: You did such a great job coming up with research questions to figure out how we could germinate Golden Rod seeds in our class last week. I also loved how you researched your questions and presented your findings with the class.
Audrey: I was so proud of you for writing out your numbers to 1000 last week! I could not believe how hard you worked on this booklet during your free time! I also loved how many books you read to yourself during DEAR time last week. It was so nice to hear you read a book from the Wigglebottom series.
Brigid: You did such a great job coming up with research questions on the plant that you selected from the Black Oak Savannah last week. I loved how you wanted to know how the plant processed its food. I can’t wait for you to find out.
Carlo: I loved that when you came in on Thursday you found out what you missed when you were sick and got right to work. You are such a hard worker. I was proud of you for selecting a plant from the Black Oak Savannah and developing research questions so you could learn more about it.
Clark: You did such a great job on your Math last week. I loved that you wanted to start with the most challenging questions first. I also loved how you wrote three research questions so you could find out more about the Pale-Leaved Sunflower last week. You were so focussed when you had a chance to wiggle between each question.
Conor: I loved that when a new style of doing addition was challenging, you would not stop working with me until you could do it independently. Your perseverance is incredible and it certainly pays off.
Emma: You did such a great job sitting and reading The Owl Diaries in class last week. I also loved how when you encountered a double digit math question that was difficult, you persevered until you understood how to do it.
Henry: You did such a great job on your dynamic addition last week. I could not believe how quickly you figured out the sums. I also loved the story that you started writing with Alex on Thursday. I loved how you drew from your own experience but added a spooky twist!
Max: I loved hearing about all the interesting facts you knew about cars on our walk to High Park together last week. You taught me so much. I also loved the way you wrote your research questions on the plant you were studying. I loved that you directed these questions to the plant in role.
Pablo: I was so proud of you for reading so many Fly Guy books in class last week. I was also so proud of you for working so hard on your Maker Space writing and design. I was so happy to publish it on our classroom website.
Ruwan: I loved that when you were finished your Math on Wednesday you worked ahead and finished your entire booklet for the week. You are such a hard worker.
Seine: ): I loved that when you were coming up with research questions last week on Wild Rye, that you made two columns. I loved that in one column you wrote what you knew about Golden Rod and in the other column you wrote about what you wanted to find out.
Violet: I loved that one of your research questions about Little Blue Stem was whether or not its seeds needed to be stratified. I loved that you remembered that when we studied milkweed last year the seeds needed to be stratified so they were tricked to thinking they had been exposed to winter.
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, September 17th, 2018.
Abigail: I loved that you offered to hold the door for the rest of the class even though it wasn’t your turn to do so on Thursday. I also loved that on this day you sat in the front row during our morning news and always raised your hand when you had something to say.
Alex: I loved that you found a series that you liked reading during D.E.A.R. time and during your free time last week. I also loved that during our daily news routine you decided to multitask and did your math book while you listened.
Alicia: It was so thoughtful of you to bring in material for our Maker Space last week. I also loved how hard you worked on all your different Maker Space projects. What I loved most is how you included anyone who wanted to help. You are so kind.
Amelia (Mia): I was so proud of you for learning to tie your shoes on Thursday. You learn to do things so quickly and seem to persevere until you have mastered a new skill.
Anna: I loved that whenever you had free time last week you would always pull out your bonus math book and work on writing out your numbers to 1000. I can’t believe you made it all the way to 600.
Annalise: You did such a great book talk on the Junie B. Jones book last week. When you told the class the main problem in the story it really made me want to read it.
Audrey: Our new student teacher Michelle told me how much she loved hearing your read on Wednesday. She was raving about how much expression you used when you read the story. I also loved last week that whenever you were done your work you would work on a story book you were writing.
Brigid: Thank you for the poster that you made me with Violet on Thursday. I also loved that you brought in the new series BONE to share with the class. You are so kind and considerate.
Carlo: Congratulations on being the first student in the class to have your work published on our Makers Space site. You worked so hard all week to perfect and write about your sling-shot design. I loved how you revised your ideas when something was not working.
Clark: I loved the spinner game that you invented with Henry last week during Maker Space and during your free time. I loved that when you had finished building it you wrote out the instructions so we could publish it on our classroom website. I also loved how you wrote that the spinner with the least amount of friction will spin the longest.
Conor: You did such a great job on your book talk last week. I loved hearing about what happened in the Amulet book. Thank you for sharing your love of reading with the class. I also loved that whenever you had free time last week you would chose to work on the story that you and Carlo were working on together.
Emma: I loved that when you were filling in your 100 chart on Thursday and it was a bit difficult, you persevered. I also loved how you acted out what you could do if you saw someone being picked on someone in the playground. You are so kind and such a great leader.
Henry: I loved the spinner game that you invented with Clark last week during Maker Space and during your free time. I loved that when you had finished building it you wrote out the instructions so we could publish it on our classroom website. I also loved how you wrote that the spinner with the least amount of friction will spin the longest.
Max: You were such an incredible helper last week! I loved that when one of your classmates accidentally dropped her snack, you rushed over to help her. I also loved how on the carpet on Thursday you sat like such a self-manager and always remembered to raise your hand.
Pablo: I loved that each day when you came in last week you would put your lunch and special folder in the right place and settle down in your seat. I loved that before and during our daily news you would work on your artwork or bonus math book. I loved how you would put your hand up for the steps you found interesting as well.
Ruwan: I loved that whenever you had free time last week you would always pull out your bonus math book and work on writing out your numbers to 1000. I also loved what a good listener you were in line last week. I can’t believe that even though our line leader whispered the instructions you followed all the directions.
Seine: I loved that even though some students were working in pairs last week you decided you wanted to write a letter in role all by yourself to Maya. I also loved how whenever you had free time you always wanted to work on your bonus math book. Thank you as well for bringing in materials for our Maker Space. You are so thoughtful.
Violet: Thank you for making me such a great poster last week. You are so kind. I also loved how many ideas you included in your letter to Maya last week and in your weekend report. You seem to include more details in your written work each week!
Happy Monday Messages
Monday, September 10th, 2018.
Abigail: You set such a wonderful example on the carpet on Friday. I loved that when we were reading the book, “The Important Thing,” you always raised your hand when you knew the answer to the riddle.
Alex: You did such a great job helping the class with extra jobs last week. Thank you for helping to create the classroom calendar and help make sure everyone had pushed in their chairs when they came to the carpet. I also loved how you and Pablo started to incorporate all the attachment techniques we had learned to create a room in a cardboard house.
Alicia: I loved that during writing workshop last week you modeled for the class how to do “think-pair-share” and you wrote two narratives instead of one.
Amelia (Mia): I was so impressed at your letter formation when you were writing out your poem, “The Important Thing About Me”, last week. I loved learning about all the things you love such as sea turtles.
Anna: I loved watching you revise your ideas during Maker Space last week. I loved that when your wheels didn’t turn you created a structure around them to give them more space. I loved that you also created tape stoppers so the wheels would not slide out of place. You are quite the inventor.
Annalise: I loved that when you came in on Thursday, you didn’t just unstack your chair but you unstacked all the chairs for your table. You are such a kind girl.
Audrey: I loved that when you came in on Thursday you also unstacked all the chairs at your table. I also loved that when you were done, you sat down quietly and started copying out a recipe.
Brigid: You set such a great example for the class when you came in last week. I loved how after you had unstacked your chair you settled down in your seat and quietly drew in your drawing book. Thank you as well for the kind note that you wrote me.
Carlo: You did such a great job last week creating a sling-shot and a stand for your sling-shot during Maker Space last week. I loved how you took your time and revised your design so your slingshot could stand up on its own.
Clark: I loved how when you came in on Thursday, you un-stacked all the chairs at your table. You are so kind. I also loved how you showed your friend how they could use their alphabet chart when they were stuck on a letter sound in their writing. I also loved how you started planning a comic to do with your friend during your free time.
Conor; I loved that when Maker Space was done on Wednesday when you were finished tidying up the materials you were using, you also helped others tidy up.
Emma: I loved that during Maker Space on Thursday you started creating a wonderful doll house with Alicia. I also loved that during quiet reading you decided to copy out a recipe.
Henry: I could not believe how quickly you were able to write out your sentences last week when I timed you! You wrote so much this way! I also loved that you and your friend started planning a comic you would like to write during your free time.
Max: I was so proud of you during Writing Workshop on Tuesday. I loved how you started on your words right away and added so much detail independently! I loved reading about your summer adventures.
Pablo: I loved that last week when you knew what you wanted to write about you would not get up until you had finished your work. I couldn’t believe that even though it was recess and lunch you didn’t want to stop until you had completed your work. I also loved what a good listener you were on the carpet when you sat in the front row.
Ruwan: You did such a great job during The Daily News last week. I loved how you always had your hand up to write out the date, to do the lottery numbers and correct the sentence. I also loved what a great presentation you did for Barry’s class on how to walk in the hall like a leader.
Seine: I loved that when everyone was finished their art work on Thursday, you went around a collected all the sharpies in the class. You are so kind. I also loved how when the lullaby was on after recess you quickly got a drink and then came to the carpet to follow along with the song.
Violet: You did such a great job as line leader last week. I loved how you got the class ready by saying, 3-eyes on me, 2-hands like glue and 1-fingers on your lips. I also loved how you taught the class a secret signal for when there was a gap in the line that needed to be fixed.
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