A Quality Irish Website To Help Parents Help Their Children...

I don't think I've mentioned this valuable website before now... www.helpmykidlearn.ie 

As a review of it said, it "gives many creative ideas for activities that parents can do with their children to improve their child's speaking, reading, writing, and maths skills. The website highlights the way children learn as part of their everyday lives, especially the things they can learn at home and when they are out and about with their parents."

Information is broken down into five age groups: 0 to 2 years, 3 to 4 years, 5 to 7 years, 8 to 9 years, and 10 to 12 years.

Activities are organised into five main areas: talk, play, read, write, and count.

The website includes audio and video content to support parents who have literacy difficulties themselves.

It was developed by the National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA).

Try it out. It's free and it's good.

Not sure? Then watch this one minute video about it and then decide.

RSE... Great Resource for you from the HSE to help you teach your child

I only found out at our staff meeting two days ago that some parents were given a copy of this great RSE teaching resourc (click here). (RSE stands for Relationships and Sexuality Education.) The parents who received it were those parents who were able to attend a meeting in the school which covered what the school teaches in regard to RSE. Because some parents received it, I thought it only right that all parents should be able to receive it, which is why I'm posting it here for you to view (click here).

As you know, I and Ms Wynne have taught your 6th class child various RSE lessons over the last few weeks (including lessons on AIDS, on taking care of babies, and more). And so it's a good time now for you, if you want, to talk with your child about their changing bodies.

The document was prepared by the HSE (Health Service Executive). In school we show an accompanying DVD, which is excellent, covering the same material, except there's been a decision made that we don't show the chapter 'Making Babies'... instead we read from the RSE Dept of Education book, discuss it, & encourage and answer questions. Despite what it says in first part of the booklet, your child has not been given a copy of this booklet. We leave that decision up to you. 

What Fr Eamon Said to You To Help You Prepare Your Child for Confirmation

There's many ways the school helps you and the parish prepare your child for confirmation. One way is a talk for parents about confirmation, which this year was given by Fr Eamon Devlin in the church in late January. Fair play to each one of you for attending, especially on such a wet night. Here is what Fr Eamon said (click here).

 

A Few Maths Websites You Might Want to Look At if Giving Extra Time to Maths at Home

In the recent Parents Maths Survey some of you said you'd like hints and tips to help your child; some of you said you'd like extra work to give your children. (Some of you and your children have already asked me for such work. Three of the class for example are doing extra Word Problems work. Ask me directly if you want this too.)

As regards hints and tips and extra work, in no particular order, you might find these useful for your 6th class children...

• http://topicbox.net/mathematics/ (loads and loads of games for the children to play, such as games for TIME here... http://topicbox.net/mathematics/time_maths/ ) (Note: make sure you click on the green links at the top, and not the ads at the bottom).
• http://mathforum.org/mathtools/sitemap2/m6 (this gives you LOTS of resources, sorted by need... this means that if you know exactly what you're looking for, you can find it quickly)
• http://ie.ixl.com/math/class-6 (this is super: unfortunately you only get say 15 questions a day before you have to pay... still 15 questions a day for free is pretty good practice!)
• http://www.mathletics.eu of course! Your child is already registered and is using this good-o.
• http://nrich.maths.org/primary-upper (not bad, but the others you might find better)

Let me know if I can help you further!

Best,

Martin

As per your request... the Maths Plan for the rest of the year...

Hi everyone,

And thanks to those who filled in the 'Parents Maths Survey' the school sent out last week. Much appreciated.

I've read through all your answers. And I've made myself a To-Do List based on them. On the list is one of your requests... to know in advance what will be taught. And so I'm doing that in this post...

Below is the remainder of my Maths Plan for the year. Each number represents a week's work. Generally they tie in very closely with similarly/identically-titled chapters in your child's main Maths book.

The following should take us up to the end of May, at which time we'll be doing the Standardised Tests again. These results will go forward to your child's secondary school. In June we'll be revising where the need is greatest.

(The full national curriculum for Maths in Primary Schools in Ireland is here in a pdf.)

Week by Week

The ‘Strand’ of Maths we’re covering

The ‘Strand Unit’ (the specific part of the strand we’re covering)(This is also the chapter title in your child's Maths book)

Our Aims for the Week, along with some examples

19	Algebra	Rules and Properties	know simple properties and rules about brackets and priority of operation use the calculator in exercises to find missing numerals and missing operator e.g. 37 ? 21 ? 23 = 800 27 ? (36 ? 11) = 675 identify relationships and record symbolic rules for number patterns deduce and record rules for given number patterns 2, 6, 12, 20, 30 ... 4:1, 8:2, 16:4 ...
20	Algebra	Variables	explore the concept of a variable in the context of simple patterns, tables and simple formulae and substitute values for variables identify and discuss simple formulae from other strands e.g. d = 2 x r; a = l x w substitute values into formulae and into symbolic rules developed from number patterns.
21	Measures	Area	recognise that the length of the perimeter of a rectangular shape does not determine the area of the shape construct rectangles of constant perimeter with varying areas calculate the area of regular and irregular 2-D shapes estimate and calculate area of shapes, and check by measuring with square centimetre units circles: calculate by counting squares only measure the surface area of specified 3-D shapes measure 3-D surfaces by measuring individual 2-D faces or by extending into nets calculate area using acres and hectares fields, large playgrounds, car parks identify the relationship between square metres and square centimetres explore and compare areas of one, four, twenty-five and one hundred square centimetres to establish relationships find the area of a room from a scale plan measure and calculate area of rectangular shapes by partitioning into rectangles and combining individual areas extend to finding area of room plans (rectangular) extend to using scale to find area of rooms from plans.
22	Measures	Weight	select and use appropriate instruments of measurement rename measures of weight rename measurements of appropriate metric units express results as fractions or decimals of appropriate metric units 750 g = 0.75 kg 4 kg 45 g = 4.045 kg.
23	Shape and Space	Lines and Angles	recognise, classify and describe angles and relate angles to shape identify types of angles in the environment recognise angles in terms of a rotation estimate, measure and construct angles in degrees explore the sum of the angles in a quadrilateral cut off the four corners of a paper quadrilateral and put them together to make 360 degrees measure the angles in a variety of quadrilaterals and calculate their sums.
24	Number	Multiplication	(Revision of what we've covered)
25	Number	Division	(Revision of what we've covered)
26	Shape and Space	2D Shapes	make informal deductions about 2-D shapes and their properties use angle and line properties to classify and describe triangles and quadrilaterals construct triangles from given sides or angles complete the construction of triangles, given two sides and the angle between them or given two angles and the line between them identify the properties of the circle relate the diameter of a circle to its circumference by measurement measure the circumference of a circle or object such as a rolling-pin or wheel e.g. use a piece of string construct a circle of given radius or diameter tessellate combinations of 2-D shapes construct a circle of given radius or diameter classify 2-D shapes according to their lines of symmetry plot simple co-ordinates and apply where appropriate use geoboards and squared paper use 2-D shapes and properties to solve problems.
27	All Strands	Revision
28	Number	Number Theory	identify simple prime and composite numbers identify and explore square numbers 16 = 4 x 4 = 4 to the power of 2 explore and identify simple square roots construct diagrams record and relate to square numbers identify common factors and multiples explore and record factors and multiples to identify common factors and multiples write whole numbers in exponential form 1000 = 10 x 10 x 10 = 10 to the power of 3 8 = 2 x 2 x 2 = 2 to the power of 3 .
29	Measures	Capacity	select and use appropriate instruments of measurement rename measures of capacity rename measurements of appropriate metric units express results as fractions or decimals of appropriate metric unit 625 ml = 5 eighths of a litre = 0.625 l 8 l 253 ml = 8.253 l find the volume of a cuboid experimentally fill a cuboid container with water and measure capacity in litres fill a cuboid container with unit cubes and count.
30	Measures	Money	explore value for money calculate sale prices, e.g. 10% discount, 20% VAT added convert other currencies to euro and vice versa identify and discuss exchange rates from newspaper calculate major currency equivalents for basic sums of euro convert sums of money in other currencies to euro equivalents.
31	Revision	Revision
32	Data	Chance	identify and list all possible outcomes of simple random processes discuss and list all possible outcomes of: rolling two dice and calculating the total (2, 3, 4 ... 12) selecting two numbers at random from the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (ten possibilities) estimate the likelihood of occurrence of events; order on a scale from 0 to 100%, 0 to 1 when tossing a coin, a head has 1 chance in 2 of occurring; thus the likelihood of a head is 1 in 2, or 1-2 or 50%, similarly for a tail when rolling a die, each outcome has a 1 in 6 chance of occurring -- therefore the likelihood is 1-6 when drawing a cube from a bag containing 3 red and 6 blue cubes, a blue cube has 6 chances in 9 of occurring and thus has a probability of 6-9 or 2-3 ; the probability of drawing a red cube is 3-9 or 1-3 what if the bag contains 5 red, 5 blue and 5 green cubes? or 3 red, 6 blue and 6 green? construct and use frequency charts and tables perform the experiment (toss two coins, draw a cube from a bag containing a number of different-coloured cubes) a large number of times; larger numbers of throws can be achieved by using group work record the outcomes and use to construct a frequency table; for example, when tossing two coins, the table might look as follows: outcome frequency 2 heads 20 2 tails 28 1 head, 1 tail 52 we estimate the chance of 2 heads to be 20/100, that of 2 tails to be 28/100, that of one head and one tail to be 52/100: discuss, is this what we expected? using two coins of different colours may help examine a table of school attendance for the class what is the chance of full attendance on any one day? what is the chance of more than 20% of the class being absent on any one day? pupils are given a bag and told it contains 10 cubes in 3 different colours; by drawing a cube repeatedly, say 50 times, and constructing a frequency table, they must estimate how many cubes of each colour there are in the bag.
33	Algebra	Equations	translate word problems with a variable into number sentences Peter cut a length of ribbon into five equal parts; each part was 30 cm long. How long was the ribbon before it was cut? x / 5 - 30 solve one-step number sentences and equations -3 + +6 - _ -4 + _ -+1 10 x _ - 8 x 5.
34	Shape and Space	3D Shapes	identify and examine 3-D shapes and explore relationships, including octahedron (faces, edges and vertices) draw the nets of simple 3-D shapes and construct the shapes.

Letter to Parents, January 20th, 2014

Teamwork: Working Together: Your child, you, me.

21^st January, 2014

Dear Parents,

If I haven’t already said so to you, happy New Year to you!! J

On your child’s education team is your child first of all, supported by you and me. It’s important you and I keep communicating for your child’s sake. It’s time for me to write to you to ensure you’re fully aware of all the following. Please take a moment to read this carefully.

1. Personal Goals: I have given every child three goals to reach for in January and February (based on the plans you and I drew up for your child at the Parent-Teacher meetings in November). Please work with them to help your child reach them.
2. Quality Workers: The quality of this class’s work is often stunning and humbling, especially the homework. The children are learning by doing, and they’re wonderfully talented kids.
3. Sitting in Groups: I’m now giving the class a chance to prove to me that they can work in groups. Some have shown me they’re not yet able and so, for the moment, they’re sitting in rows. We all need to learn how to work with others so, as long as behaviour is good, most of us will be sitting in groups.
4. Behaviour: The vast majority of this class is behaving well. However, some people let themselves down sometimes, and make life harder for everyone else when they selfishly waste time, disrespect others, or mess. These people have received cards recently for their misbehaviours and will continue to do so until they change. I would like parents of any such children to make sure the children know clearly that you want them to stop getting in trouble and start doing well.Manners: The school rule states: “Good manners are expected at all times.”Anything less than this is unacceptable. This has been a problem recently for a couple of children.Talking out of turn: Talking is only permitted in class when I say so: for example, if groups of children are told to “Partner up and practise.” Talking at other times is not permitted. We are in a very noisy classroom (no carpets) and ANY noise reverberates loudly and stops the class from working so I must be very strict on this.
5. Uniform: Again, nearly everyone is wearing the full uniform correctly. The full uniform is required every day. No necklaces or make-up. Some children sometimes forget their tie or, very rarely, aren’t wearing black shoes. Notes from home are needed if an item of uniform has gone missing temporarily.
6. Ready for Class: Just about everyone brings in two pens and a pencil. That’s great. But not everyone: they must do so or they are not “ready for class” (Rule 1). Similarly, your child must have blank copies ready to use when they fill other copies (most likely their Homework copy, Free Writing copy, or Notes copy). Well done to the class, nearly all of who had their Confirmation Copy ready to use when we began it yesterday.
7. Journals Signed: Mr Ruddy recently went around the class to check the journals. He is insisting that children get their parents to sign the journals each night. The idea is that it gives you a chance to enjoy, praise and encourage your child’s work, and to talk about school in general.
8. Punctuality: Well done to everyone for the class’s hugely improved punctuality. Last week only 2 children were late the whole week.
9. “Great Week Certificates”—each week I send a text to the parents of any child who has done really well that week and ended each day on the good side of the board, not the bad side. If you don’t receive a text, it’s because your child had at least one bad day (OR was out at least two days).
10. Homework Each Night: Remember it’s 10 minutes reading, 10 minutes writing (8 writing, 2 editing), 10 minutes on the maths questions from Mental Maths, and 10 minutes on Mathletics.
11. Mathletics: Mr Ruddy is checking every child’s Mathletics work: they must do it or risk staying in at lunchtime to do it.
12. Confirmation: Confirmation is a choice. It’s a choice your child makes to say that they want to and are ready to have the Holy Spirit strengthened in them, to get closer to God, to Love. It’s an opportunity for everyone who loves that child to think about their own relationship with God. As April 10^th draws nearer, please use the opportunity to think and talk with your child about how we can all do better in our day‑to‑day lives in receiving and giving God’s Love.
13. My blog for the children is talbotmrstuart.blogspot.ie (you can access this from the school website, on the right hand side of the Home Page)
14. The class’s blog, where they can share their great work with each other in a safe, controlled environment, is: kidblog.org/MrS2014
15. My blog for parents is usefulsiteforparents.blogspot.ie I will post this message up on it too. Please let me know if there’s anything in particular you would like to see posted. My email address is talbotmrstuart@gmail.com
16. Thank You for all your notes of support and your encouragement. Thanks for being strict with your child when needed, and for always encouraging your child to do well. One step at a time, we’re helping your child flourish.

The text of the text I just sent...

Hi again. Here's the text of the text I just sent to all parents of the class. I wish you all the very very best. God bless, and take it easy.


"Hi, I'd like to just say farewell to you, all parents of 6th Class: You're all so loving to your children, and that love enables your child to blossom and shine. 
I also want to thank you from the depths of my heart for all your support to me this year: it's all about teamwork. 
And I wish you well with everything, especially your ongoing parenting. 
Take it easy, 
Martin Stuart. 
Oh, final posts (photos etc) now on talbotmrstuart.blogspot.ie"

And, PS, thanks to everyone too for the thoughtful, lovely gifts and cards. Very very kind.

Occasional Newsletter (June 19th, 2013) for Parents

Hi, this is the text of the newsletter I sent home today...

Occasional Newsletter, Mr Stuart’s Class

June 19^th 2013:  So much going on!

Hi! There’s so much going on, I thought I’d put together this note, which you could use as a basis for a list to tick-off:

1. ·         School Reports: I’ve written them all. It took a long time as each child is so different and there’s so much good to write about for each child. Mr Ruddy will read them and sign them. The school requests either a stamped-addressed envelope OR 60 cents for the price of a stamp; I can then post them out to you (I’d like to post it to you this week so you can have a chance to discuss anything with me if you wish).
2. ·         School Play: Costumes/Outfits (black, white; OLD clothes; leggings/tracksuit bottoms; feel free to roughen their look—rips, dirt, ‘blood’ etc)

• ·         School Play: everyone in our class in by 7.20pm on Thursday (concert begins at 7.30).
• ·         TIP for Seating For the School Play: During rehearsals I noticed that if I am sitting on one side of the hall, I cannot see half of the class’s faces. SO, DO ASK your child which side of the hall (left or right as you are looking at the stage) to sit on so that you can see them. That way, you’ll see your child best.
• ·         Questionnaire for Parents: Thanks so much to those who’ve already given it back; if you’d like to fill it in and return it still, I’d be glad to hear your thoughts; thanks!
• ·         Lunches: Reminder: Glanmore have stopped their lunches to the school.
• ·         Friday: Basketball Blitz (6^th classes against each other)(sponsorship cards; money going towards fixing the community’s church roof which is leaking badly)
• ·         Next Week: Monday: Hopefully Sports Day for 4^th and 6^th Class, if the weather gods shine on us.
• ·         Next Week: Tuesday: the DFL Tour (3 children with the most stamps going on a day out)
• ·         Next Week: Wednesday: the three 6^th Classes tour to Avon Rí  Adventure Centre: if your child hasn’t yet paid fully, please do so THIS week (Wed/Thurs/Fri).
• ·         Next Week: Thursday: Graduation Ceremony in the school for 6^th Class
• ·         Next Week: Friday: In at 9am, ‘work’ til we go to the Church for a final goodbye

Any questions, please contact me as normal.

Best,

Martin Stuart

Tips for You As Parents to Help with your Child's READING COMPREHENSION

Hi,

One of you emailed me yesterday about extra maths help for her child and in email chat we also talked about Reading Comprehension.

In an email I just sent her I detailed for her the various specific Reading Strategies that your children have been taught to help them more easily understand what they read.

It's important because, of course, the less they understand of what they read, then the less use it is to them. And likewise the more they understand of what they read, the more use it is to them.

So the question is... just what are those Reading Strategies?

Well, here's bits of the email I sent. I hope you find it useful for YOUR child too. 

"All it is is helping her understand what she's reading. 

The current internationally-accepted way of teaching it is to help the kids try to consciously use specific 'strategies' when reading. 

... has been taught these strategies directly over the course of the year, and indeed over the last few years. 

By using them consciously, she will soon use them unconsciously. While we, as adults, might assume that all readers do these naturally, they don't. And so we need to actively teach them.

I can, if you would like, copy some sheets for you, which I think would be very helpful to you and indeed as a reminder to her.

Meanwhile, I will list here the strategies, together with a brief description of each.

BEFORE READING

1. Predicting   --- helps activate prior knowledge. It is based on clues in the text (pictures, subtitles, etc)
2. Self-questioning: Providing a framework for active learning as students engage with the text to find answers (basically this means to ask yourself one or more questions BEFORE you begin reading -- that way, you are concentrating more on understanding what you are reading.)
3. Skimming -- glancing quickly through material to gain an overall view of a text
4. Scanning -- glancing through a text to locate specific details, e.g. names, dates, etc

WHILE READING

1. Inferring -- THIS IS CRUCIAL -- taking information from a text and creating their own interpretation beyond the literal level. e.g. John looked to make sure the shopkeeper wasn't looking. Then he quickly put a Mars bar into his bag and walked out. (Infer: John was stealing the Mars bar.)
2. Connecting -- connecting prior knowledge to the new information. 
3. Comparing -- thinking more specifically about connections they are making, e.g. How is this different to...?
4. Synthesising: Piecing information together as students read a text, to keep track of what is happening.
5. Creating Images -- Creating sensory images to assist with overall comprehension of a text (the more senses you employ the better -- imagine the taste, smell, touch...)

AFTER READING

1. Determining Importance -- Prioritising the most important information, be it from a phrase, a sentence, a paragraph, a page, a chapter, or the whole text. Being able to do this really helps with the next strategy, summarising...
2. Summarising -- Re-writing or re-stating in your own words the text, using key words to capture the MAIN focus. Focus on the most important bits only. If something is not all that important, don't include it in a summary. You are reducing the size of the text. You are capturing the main idea(s)/point(s)."

If any of you would like me to photocopy for you some sheets that give more detail on this, I will gladly do so. 

All the best to you,

Martin

New Idea For This Class: "Help Each Other Hour"

A New Idea For This Class: “Help Each Other Hour”

Each class is different and as a teacher I try out different ideas to see what works best for each class. A new idea I have is an “Help Each Other Hour”. When I suggested it to the class, they were surprised, many thought about it, and many liked it. Here’s how it might work...

One hour a week, after school, they can work in pairs or any-sized groups on anything they like. I’ll be in the classroom, supervising for safety’s sake and providing whatever resources I can but not actually teaching (I’ll be hoping to be doing my own work: planning, preparing, writing up reports, and so on). I’ll be volunteering my time so there’ll be no charge. It’ll be on Mondays. Let’s give it a go, see how it works, and take it from there.

Obviously no child HAS TO sign up and also I don’t want to be spending any time or energy having to deal with children breaking the school rules, so, to be fair to all the children, any child who wants to take part will have to sign a ‘Good Behaviour Contract’ and if they mess up they will be barred.

Mr Stuart, 20^th March, 2013

I give permission for my child _________________________________ to take part in the “Help Each Other Hour” on Mondays after school until 3.40pm. The first Monday will be the Monday after the Easter Holidays on the 8^th April. I understand there is no cost. I understand school rules must be followed. I understand this is an opportunity for my child to develop teamwork skills with children who want to work and do well. I understand this is an opportunity for my child to work on anything they like in the classroom, maybe on one of the five computers, by themselves, in pairs, or in any sized-groups.

What your child can work on is only limited by his/her imagination: it can be part of one of the school subjects (Art, Music, Drama, Writing, Reading, Maths, Irish, Religion, Praying, History, Geography, Maps, Typing, Computer Skills, Science...) or it can be something else altogether.

Signed (parent): __________________________________  Date:      ______ March, 2013

Good Behaviour Contract (to be signed by each child taking part)

I would like to take part in the “Help Each Other Hour” each Monday. I understand that school rules apply and that Mr Stuart will bar me if I mess. I will behave well. I want to do well. I want to use this opportunity to learn; I am grateful for it. I want to uncover some of my skills, to strengthen some of my strengths, and to enjoy myself learning with others.

Signed (child): ______________________________  Date:      _____ March, 2013