As we approach our highly anticipated winter break, it's important to be intentional in taking the time to assess 'how things are going' as we reach the half-way mark in the academic year.  My students are halfway through their time with me and their fourth-grade year. Likewise, my families are half-way through their collaboration with me for their students' educational year.  In reflection, I think back to the beginning. We started with an open house time immediately before school started. Quickly after that, we hosted our annual Back to School Knight, walking parents through what school looks in my classroom for their students.  Since then, we have come together at each campus for See You at the Pole, enjoyed a campus-wide for a Homecoming celebration, took part in our annual First Responder's Day, and partnered with a myriad of parent volunteers and community collaborators to host our annual Hoedown fundraising effort.  My 4th graders are rehearsing even no...

We've got Thanksgiving break under our belt and Christmas plans are well under way. The hallways are abuzz with festive decor and crafts. Backpack hooks overflow with winter coats and puffy jackets. The countdown is on! Winter break is coming, and Christmas with it.    You may remember reading about my first classroom party, the Thanksgiving party that changed everything. As I have sat with colleagues and have noticed their preparations for Christmas and sat with my own ideas, I have noticed some differences in how each teacher approaches the season. One teacher in particular is a Kindergarten teacher and is giving her students '12 Days of Christmas.' She is using mostly non-tangibles such as pajama day, silly sock day, as well as small gifts she already had on hand, but the idea is that she is spending the days leading up to Christmas honoring her students with gifts. This idea gave me great pause as I stopped to wonder if that sort of approach sets our students up for a s...