Our Very Memorable First Day of School

Our first day of school was incredible. In addition to establishing guidelines, organizing supplies, and getting to know each other, we attended a very special assembly aligned with this year's theme at Chets: Around the World in 180 Days! Our very special guest, Mr. Bruce Junek, took our students on a virtual tour of a special trip he took with his wife Tass "around the world" several years ago. It was absolutely amazing. He and his wife traveled to over 25 different countries over a two year period, traveling 14,ooo miles (many of these miles by bicycle!). He led his presentation with a pictorial slideshow, sharing the triumphs and difficulties of their journeys. The most compelling part of the presentation was how he taught our kids to appreciate diversity by sharing the traditions, lifestyles, and beliefs of the many people he and his wife interacted with during their journey. He told stories of his visits to many places, including: Hawaii, Fiji, New Zealand, Nepal, India, Egypt, Jerusalem, Athens, Austria, and Switzerland. As he reflected on his experiences in each country, he taught us so much about the culture and the landscapes, the people and the way their lives compared to or differed from our own. Upon returning to our classroom after this special presentation, our class debriefed the experience and what we gained from it. A lot of what was discussed pertained to appreciating (and not judging) people who are different from us in America. Justin said that we should "Respect the things that we have and respect others for what they have." Many of the children we saw in the pictures had no shoes, or they had to walk with buckets to retrieve water each day for their family from nearby rivers. Other children Mr. Junek spoke about cared for younger siblings and worked to support their family instead of going to school to receive an education. In addition to developing a greater appreciation for others different from us, we also found that we were inspired to follow our dreams. As Ryan reflected, he said: "It doesn't matter what other people say of your dreams- you just do it." Shannon said we should "Try our hardest to accomplish our goals." What important life lessons we learned beginning in the first few hours of our journey together in 4th grade that has just begun! We are looking forward to many more life lessons to come!

First Day

Wow! What an exciting first day. I just wanted to thank our third grade teachers from last year. As always, I turn most conversations to math and today was no different. While taking roll I asked the class if they knew how many students were in the room? I told them we had seven tables with six chairs each and all the tables were full. Noah quickly stated that we had 42 students in the room. When asked how he knew, Noah responded, "I know 7 x 7 is 49, so 6 x 7 is one group of 7 less or 42!" He must of had a great teacher last year!

The World Around Us....and Beyond!

Hello 4th grade travelers! I have been very busy preparing for my first day at a new school. I have heard many rumors of the great traditions at Chets and I know I am in store for quite a big celebration on the first day. With all the excitement and buzzing going on in the hallways and classrooms this week, it is hard to think about anything else going on in the world outside of Chets Creek Elementary. Often times, It is easy to become so involved in your own little world, that you lose sight of the big picture. Over the last couple of weeks, many of the other teachers and I have made a habit of not leaving school until the sun has gone down for the day. We have been spending so much time in our own "little world". Today I turned on the news for the first time in several days and saw that I had missed so much! It made me realize how important it is that our students this year understand what life is like outside of their classroom and neighborhoods. There are so many things going on in our city, state, country, and all over the world. Knowing about things going on in the great big world makes you a more successful and productive member of society. (..and also gives you more to think, talk, and write about!) This really gets me excited that I will be teaching my students how to become more globally aware as we take a virtual trip around the world this year. We are about to set forth on a journey that will take us beyond the walls of our classroom. Get your bag packed....for a year of amazing adventures. Watch the video below to see some of the exciting places we may be "traveling" over the next 180 days!


-Ms.Launey