Tiger Tale
December 14, 2017
Upcoming Events
December 20 - PBIS Assembly
December 21 - SCHOOL CLOSED First Day of Winter Break
January 4 - RETURN TO SCHOOL
January 10 - PTC Meeting 7:00pm
January 15 - SCHOOL CLOSED for Martin Luther King Day
Principal's Message
As you may know, the Beaverton School District completed a math adoption last spring, and teachers are very excited about these new resources! At the PTC meeting in December, Mrs. Piper talked parents through the learning progression in math and some of the strategies teachers are using to help students love math. I know most parents weren't able to attend this presentation, so I wanted to share a few highlights.
Mrs. Piper talked through how children initially develop in mathematics from starting with number words and counting up through an understanding of place value. Children move from a concrete understanding to a more abstract understanding. For example, they start with manipulatives, then build models, then represent ideas with just numbers, then eventually move into algebra.
One of our main goals at the elementary level is to build really strong number sense for students. We do this by having students use a variety of strategies - strategies they develop on their own, strategies other students develop, and strategies we guide them to understand. It's all about adding more strategies to their math toolkit that they can use whenever needed.
Here are a few math strategies Mrs. Piper shared at the meeting: Use manipulatives; Draw a math picture; Use a smaller or easier model; Ask "What do I know already? Where could I start?" Ask "Is my answer reasonable?" Ultimately, we are helping students focus on the process for finding their answer rather than just focusing on getting correct answers. There is a lot of learning that happens as we think through the process! We also celebrate mistakes as an opportunity for learning. We actually need to make mistakes in order to learn!
We also shared a fabulous resource for parents. Click here for an electronic copy. It comes from www.youcubed.org - a place teachers and families can go for activities, videos, and other resources.
Please consider joining us at the January 10 PTC meeting for a presentation by Mrs. McAndie about reading.
I wish you a restful winter break and hope you are able to enjoy special times together as a family. We look forward to seeing everyone back at school on Thursday, January 4!
Kind Regards,
Christy
Winter Break Dates
Winter Break / School Closed - Thursday, December 21 through Wednesday, January 3
First day of class - Thursday, January 4
Mark Your Calendar for Wednesday, January 10 at 7:00 pm
Are You Making Summer Plans?
After School Opportunities in January
Please send a note with your student EACH DAY they attend an after school activity or call us in the morning to confirm. We take dismissal very seriously and want to make sure every student goes where they should go at the end of the school day. We also inform teachers with a special "pink note" whenever there is a change to the Going Home Plan. Thank you for keeping us informed.
Volunteering & Siblings
Volunteers should not bring younger siblings and babies to school when they are scheduled to volunteer. It is a safety issue. It is distracting in the classroom and other areas and causes disruption when there are additional children in a classroom or other learning space.
We understand this may be new information for some volunteers. Here is one idea to consider: Perhaps you can trade child care with another volunteer so you are both able to volunteer without bringing younger children to school. Did you know you can document your time spent watching another parent's child as a volunteer activity in MyVolunteerPage.com? It is another way to volunteer at Terra Linda even if you are not able to come to the school.
Terra Linda Elementary School is on Facebook
Please follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/terralindatigers/ or search for Terra Linda Elementary. Watch for updates from our school!
About Us
Website: https://www.beaverton.k12.or.us/schools/terra-linda
Location: 1998 NW 143rd Ave, Portland, OR, United States
Phone: 503 356-1490
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/terralindatigers/