I am sorry that I did not get a chance to update the website last week as I was out of town without internet access on Sunday and, as you can guess, Sunday's are the only time I have to update the site (usually). I am glad to hear from many of you that you noticed the missing update. With only a few weeks of school left, and with the upcoming trips, I know this site will be critical.
These final weeks bring great expectations along with great sadness. The year has literally flown by and it seems like just a few weeks ago, I settled in and met these amazing young men and women. I came with high expectations and believe that they were met in many wonderful ways. Each and every student has made great strides in learning and character development. They have been exposed to academic and spiritual challenge and, in their own, unique way, made it through the year. To those who move on to different schools, well, I will truly miss them. I even threatened to fail the eighth graders so that I could have them another year!
The balance between academic rigor, and plain fun, is a tough one to manage. If learning were all fun, and just play, I would teach in that manner. Unfortunately, learning is a discipline, and those who are successful, find ways to enjoy the discipline of learning. It is true, that there needs to be adequate fun, or else I would never make it through a week, but a week without discipline would reap emptiness and sloth. My job as teacher is to demonstrate love by recognizing the strengths of each individual, challenging them to see it for themselves and prepare them for what I believe lies ahead. As a father, my job was not to befriend my sons, but to mentor and guide them...until they become adults. As a teacher, my job is not to befriend your student, but to mentor, guide and challenge them toward excellence in academics and spiritual understanding. I pray for each student many times during the week and ask God to work in their hearts. It is my hope that they have seen our Savior through the process of learning and the year we have had together. If that has occurred, then I have done my job to love your child. It is also my hope that they look forward to a great summer and another year together (for those who will be returning). I also hope that I have been an answer to your prayers as you entered a year that had many uncertainties. I will say it now, and I will say it again; I will never forget the lives God has placed in my care, and in some way, I hope that down the road of life, they will take time to remember a time when God blessed us together.
6th Grade
Our crystals are still in process (it usually takes quite a bit of time) and hopefully the ants won't get to them. There will be a test on Chapter 16 Thursday and there is a great deal of information in this chapter. Please have your student go over the worksheets we have worked on in class.
Wednesday, we will be visiting the book fair from 8:15- 8:45. Please be sure to send money with your student if you wish to let them purchase books.
On Thursday, June 6th, from 1:15- 4:15 the sixth graders will have an opportunity to operate DSS 12 (Deep Space Station 12) a radio telescope to gather data on Jupiter for scientists at JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratories). I will be training them to operate it and understand the purpose and nature of the science we will be embarking on. Keep your eyes and ears open to this exciting, real science, opportunity for our students. You will be amazed at what they will be able to do and know.
7th Grade
There will be a test on Chapter 24 Wednesday. You student should have completed all worksheets by that date and use them for study. We will begin chapter 25 and then be off to Catalina.
The Catalina trip is upon us and here are a few more instructions. I have informed your child that they may bring 2 (TWO) cans of silly string and that their squirt gun should not exceed 12 inches in length. Please label the water shooting apparatus with the students name as I will be collecting them when we settle in at camp. I will also be setting the parameters for the silly string when we arrive as well.
Remember to please provide your student with breakfast (or money to purchase something to eat at the berth) and a sack lunch. While they can buy some food on the boat ride, they are usually inundated with the multitudes of students on the boat and there is no guarantee that they will get enough to eat. Please remember that the goal is to leave at 5:45 so plan to arrive in a timely fashion.
8th Grade
As we examine heat, we will culminate the unit with a test on Wednesday. We will move on to electricity and also work our way to a project on June 7th from 1:15-4:15. The eighth graders will be given an opportunity to operate DSS 12 (Deep Space Station 12) a radio telescope to gather data on Jupiter for scientists at JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratories). I will be training them to operate it and understand the purpose and nature of the science we will be embarking on. Keep your eyes and ears open to this exciting, real science, opportunity for our students. You will be amazed at what they will be able to do and know.
These final weeks bring great expectations along with great sadness. The year has literally flown by and it seems like just a few weeks ago, I settled in and met these amazing young men and women. I came with high expectations and believe that they were met in many wonderful ways. Each and every student has made great strides in learning and character development. They have been exposed to academic and spiritual challenge and, in their own, unique way, made it through the year. To those who move on to different schools, well, I will truly miss them. I even threatened to fail the eighth graders so that I could have them another year!
The balance between academic rigor, and plain fun, is a tough one to manage. If learning were all fun, and just play, I would teach in that manner. Unfortunately, learning is a discipline, and those who are successful, find ways to enjoy the discipline of learning. It is true, that there needs to be adequate fun, or else I would never make it through a week, but a week without discipline would reap emptiness and sloth. My job as teacher is to demonstrate love by recognizing the strengths of each individual, challenging them to see it for themselves and prepare them for what I believe lies ahead. As a father, my job was not to befriend my sons, but to mentor and guide them...until they become adults. As a teacher, my job is not to befriend your student, but to mentor, guide and challenge them toward excellence in academics and spiritual understanding. I pray for each student many times during the week and ask God to work in their hearts. It is my hope that they have seen our Savior through the process of learning and the year we have had together. If that has occurred, then I have done my job to love your child. It is also my hope that they look forward to a great summer and another year together (for those who will be returning). I also hope that I have been an answer to your prayers as you entered a year that had many uncertainties. I will say it now, and I will say it again; I will never forget the lives God has placed in my care, and in some way, I hope that down the road of life, they will take time to remember a time when God blessed us together.
6th Grade
Our crystals are still in process (it usually takes quite a bit of time) and hopefully the ants won't get to them. There will be a test on Chapter 16 Thursday and there is a great deal of information in this chapter. Please have your student go over the worksheets we have worked on in class.
Wednesday, we will be visiting the book fair from 8:15- 8:45. Please be sure to send money with your student if you wish to let them purchase books.
On Thursday, June 6th, from 1:15- 4:15 the sixth graders will have an opportunity to operate DSS 12 (Deep Space Station 12) a radio telescope to gather data on Jupiter for scientists at JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratories). I will be training them to operate it and understand the purpose and nature of the science we will be embarking on. Keep your eyes and ears open to this exciting, real science, opportunity for our students. You will be amazed at what they will be able to do and know.
7th Grade
There will be a test on Chapter 24 Wednesday. You student should have completed all worksheets by that date and use them for study. We will begin chapter 25 and then be off to Catalina.
The Catalina trip is upon us and here are a few more instructions. I have informed your child that they may bring 2 (TWO) cans of silly string and that their squirt gun should not exceed 12 inches in length. Please label the water shooting apparatus with the students name as I will be collecting them when we settle in at camp. I will also be setting the parameters for the silly string when we arrive as well.
Remember to please provide your student with breakfast (or money to purchase something to eat at the berth) and a sack lunch. While they can buy some food on the boat ride, they are usually inundated with the multitudes of students on the boat and there is no guarantee that they will get enough to eat. Please remember that the goal is to leave at 5:45 so plan to arrive in a timely fashion.
8th Grade
As we examine heat, we will culminate the unit with a test on Wednesday. We will move on to electricity and also work our way to a project on June 7th from 1:15-4:15. The eighth graders will be given an opportunity to operate DSS 12 (Deep Space Station 12) a radio telescope to gather data on Jupiter for scientists at JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratories). I will be training them to operate it and understand the purpose and nature of the science we will be embarking on. Keep your eyes and ears open to this exciting, real science, opportunity for our students. You will be amazed at what they will be able to do and know.
posted by Bob Arii at
10:38 PM
