Meet+the+Teacher+Night+September+14,+2007.

Good evening Parents and students,

I am so glad to have had the opportunity to discuss with you this evening a little bit about what the Intensive French program is all about. I want to thank all the parents and students who came tonight. It was a pleasure to have you come and learn a little more about Intensive French and to support your child's education. For those parents who could not make it this evening, I am sorry we did not get the chance to meet. I look forward to meeting you at some point throughout the year. Tonight Mrs. Smyth and myself did a combined presentation together on what the year will look like for both Grade 5 classes. Tonight I discussed the following topics: What is Intensive French and how does it work? I discussed the homework expectations for Intensive French, as well as my discipline strategies for the classroom. To answer the first question : What is Intensive French? Intensive French is a literacy based approach to learning a second language. What this means is that the curriculum is broken down into 3 components: an oral component (speaking french), literature (reading in french), and a written component writing in french. All 3 components are practiced and modeled by the teacher and then by the students.

Homework expectations for Intensive French would include little homework. Students may be asked to bring in something from home to help with discussing a topic ( a kind of show and tell), and they may on occassion have to finish up work that they may have started in class and just need a little more time at home to finish. Any homework assigned by myself they will have already seen it class and will know what is necessary in order to complete the assignment.

The third topic discussed at tonight's meeting was my discipline philosophy for my classroom. I use the Quantum teaching strategy of Choosing to be responsible and living above the line of behaviour responsability. For instance if a student is not behaving welll I would ask the student if they are choosing responsible behaviour. If the answer was no then, the student would have to admit their mistake and tell me how they are going to change to not let it happen again.

Mrs. Smyth and myself also discussed the wonderful technology opportunities that will be taking place this year. This year my students as well as Mrs. Smyth's class will be participating in the storytellers forum. This project allows students voice their own creative writing and stories via a password protected webpage. This opportunity allows the children to learn more about creative writing, literacy, and technology.

Thank-you for taking the time to read this message. I look forward to working with you and your children and having a wonderful chance to grow and learn together.

Have a wonderful 2007-2008 academic year!

Cindy Hannah Grade 5 Intensive French cindy-lynn.hannah@nbed.nb.ca