Knowledge is a treasure, but practice is the key to it!

Thank you very much for sending in candy for the Harvest Fest! We had a great turn out Friday night and everyone had lots of fun. Tomorrow starts the Candle Sale, so look in your child's Homework Folder for details.
We covered a variety of material during "Say Not to Drugs" week, and there were plenty of questions raised. It's important we keep that dialogue open with your child so they keep asking for information on the dangers of drug use.
We are focusing on remembering our Multiplication Facts through 12. Practice is the key! Everyone will be making flash cards to bring home, so please ask to see them and make sure they practice.

The Big Dog Room Needs Your Help!

The La Paloma Harvest Fest is Friday, October 29th. Our school is having a contest to see which class gets the most bags of candy donated for the big event! We can only win with your help!
 I don't think you we extra points for Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Snickers, or M & M's With Peanuts, but we should because those are my favorites!

Everything Looks Impossible For The People Who Never Try Anything!

I've been telling the class that if they work hard, and stay focused, there's no reason they all shouldn't be able to improve their math grades this quarter. When I sent home last week's homework folder, I told them they could earn points for their pod if they figured out what was so different about the math homework. No one found what they were supposed to circle, but a lot of them said it was "easy".
Today I told them I was so happy to hear how easy it was, because at the bottom of the page, they should have circled that it was 5th Grade work! They were giving each other high fives, and saying that I should "bring on the college math!"
Knowing they had done something as "impossible" as 5th Grade Math problems, really did a lot for their confidence. It was as quiet and on task as they've ever been when we got down to our actual 4th Grade Math lesson.
We have tests in a few subjects every Friday. In an effort to reduce the stress that some of them feel, I let them stretch out, and we sometimes play a game called "Teacher Says". Today, I added something that has worked great in the past. I showed them an acrostic poem that said, TESTS, drawn inside a large ghost.

Tests don't scare me!
Easy as pie!
Stay focused!
Try your best!
Smile!

Then I play the sound track to "Ghostbusters" and they have to sing along, only adding the word "TEST Busters, I ain't afraid of no test!" They are allowed to even dance. If they aren't loose and laughing yet, they are when they see me dance. I always point out that the correct way to say it would be, "I'm not afraid of any test.", but that just doesn't work with the song!
By doing this, I hope to get them thinking that Friday is the day we get to see Mr. Stauch dance to "Test Busters", and not, "OH NO we have to take a spelling test."
I'm proud to say, that I still have student's come up to me that I taught years ago saying whenever they take a test, they still crack a smile and it helps them relax just thinking about "Test Busters!"

The Mind Is Like A Parachute, It Works Best When Open!

I've been telling the class how important it is to come back to school next week with a positive attitude as we face the challenges of the new quarter together! School is hard sometimes, but if you don't have an open mind toward learning new things, that just makes it so much tougher. Everyone starts off with a clean slate and the opportunity to make the Principal's Honor Roll. Earning straight A's is difficult, but not impossible! In talking about grades before school got out, I used the quote, "Don't let the world say about us, 'we almost', let them say, 'We Did'!!"
I know we have many students in the Big Dog Room who are capable of straight A's, and I'm always striving to instill in them the confidence to reach their potential. A large part of that is taking the responsibility to finish all their homework on time. Homework is going to be a little different this quarter, so they don't get bored with the same old stuff. Reading for twenty minutes every night, and turning in three Big Dog Reading Logs signed by a parent,  hasn't changed, and is an easy way to earn a free Pizza Hut coupon!
Remind them of the Chinese Proverb, "A book shut tight, is but a block of paper."

Intelligence without ambition is like a bird without wings!

We had perfect attendance in the Big Dog Room for our 4oth day together! It's so important that your child is on time and in school for the entire day, everyday!
The students did a great job presenting their animal reports. It was important to be prepared, because they were asked some interesting questions by their peers.
Twelve students received Free Pizza coupons from Pizza Hut on Friday. For every three Big Dog Reading Logs that are turned in, and signed by a parent, your child will receive a coupon until I run out of them. Reading for at least 20 minutes every night has been part of their assigned homework since school started. Much like so many things in life, one becomes a better reader with practice, practice, practice.
Please be sure to check your child's Homework Folder every Monday for the La Paloma Link, which has valuable information on what's happening at school. Everything on the Left Side of the Homework Folder is Left at Home.

Attendance Tomorrow Is Extremely Important!

Please don't forget that Thursday, Oct. 7th is our 40th Day of School and it is very important that we have 100% attendance in The Big Dog Room!
Thanks!

If You Don't Look Out For Others, Who Will Look Out For You!

We had some interesting discussions in the Big Dog Room last week. Being able to talk about problems with your friends is an important part of growing up. Eliminate the gossip, speak the truth, and follow a good rule of thumb that you never say something behind someone's back that you wouldn't say to their face, and you will have a lot of friends looking out for you!
We made an "Honesty Chain" in class, with everyone contributing a link that gave their reason why being honest was important. It's hanging in our room to remind everyone that all the links together make the chain stronger. Just like everyone giving that extra effort in class to get along, make us all a little stronger too.