Giving Thanks
11/20/2018
Here it is already...Thanksgiving Break. While it is a time to rest, relax and eat lots of yummy food, it's also a time to reflect on the many blessings in life. Over this last week, I've heard the second graders express their thankfulness for a variety of things, from legos to grandma's cooking to family members. A common sentiment is however, is their love for their school. "At PNA, we don't have to worry about people being mean. And if they are, then someone tells them not to be. And I like that." As for me, I'm thankful to be part of a community that values children and their education. A place where people come together and support one another. It's a place that feels like home. I'm also thankful for each and every one of you and especially for your children.
Courage
11/10/2018
We educate students to be exceptional learners and independent thinkers of vision, courage, and integrity.The school's mission is on our walls, practiced daily and brought into conversations often. It is a mission statement that guides us in our daily endeavors to create lifelong learners and positive, constructive members of society. The words are great...but what does it look like in practice? Here are some recent examples of second graders showing courage. Trying out the equipment on the obstacle course created by the middle school was kind of scary, especially with the slippery snow. After taking a few deep breaths, second graders gave it their best efforts and were pleasantly surprised with their successes! Students at PNA are expected to stand up and use their voice every day in a variety of settings. They are given a safe place to share their ideas and opinions and know that even if others don't agree with them or have different ideas and opinions, that their voices are still respectfully heard. Doing so however, still takes an amount of courage. Courage can also be looked at as perseverance in a situation. Second graders were tasked with writing several different leads for their personal narratives. This practice made them really look at their writing and what they were trying to get across to the reader and it was really challenging at first. However, in the end, every student persevered and wrote a collection of engaging leads using mentor texts as examples. It takes courage to stand up in front of an audience in the best of times but even more so in a banana costume! Second graders did an excellent job at the fall concert and performed their songs with great volume and enthusiasm. Many second graders entered the lego design contest with a bit of trepidation. They were concerned about the outcome of the challenge but found the courage to enter their designs anyway. Two designs were chosen...a 4th grader and a 2nd grader! "Courage is not the absence of fear; it is acting in spite of it."
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Marcella HitchcockMs. Hitchcock teaches second grade, is a mom of two, an avid reader, lifelong learner, and a seeker of sunshine! Archives
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