Dr. Johnson's Reading Blog

Don't forget that student led conferences are this Thursday, Friday, and next week Friday. Please check Sign Up Genius   for your sign up time. Obviously, I've never conducted student led conferences during a pandemic so I wanted to share my vision of how student led conferences might work. With the pandemic, and online learning, these student led conferences play an even greater role. It lets you know what your child is learning and what they have been up to during school and virtual learning. When it is your child's time to conduct their student led conferences, they will log into our classroom Google Meet . The child and parent(s) will sit around the computer while they share their student led conferences, including the items they plan to share (your child should have a book and links to any online assignments in their presentation so they can demonstrate their work). The conference should be pretty low key. With the three of us in the Google Meet, your child will share,

Hello, my name is Taea Fonkert.  I will be Dr. Johnson's student intern this semester! I am from Summerville, South Carolina. I am a senior at the University of South Carolina majoring in Elementary Education and minoring in Counselor Education.  At school, I am involved in New Student Orientation.  I just completed my third summer as an Orientation Leader helping new students transition into the university as well as mentoring the new orientation leaders that are on the team each year.  I also do club gymnastics here at school.  I’ve done gymnastics since I was 2 years old so it’s been very fulfilling to get to continue that passion in college.  I am a Teaching Fellow so with that comes so many opportunities to be in schools pouring into the students and pouring into the Columbia area community.  I knew from a young age that I wanted to be a teacher.  I’ve always had that passion for helping children believe in themselves, in the gifts that each one of them has.  So, I am beyond e

Thank you to all parents during this time! Your support has been a blessing!!! Because COVID numbers are really going up, I am going to really emphasize to students the importance of continuing with staying at their seats, cleaning their hands, and keeping masks over their noses. We all want to make sure we are healthy especially before we head to the Christmas Break in a few weeks. You should have heard by now that Dec. 21 and 22 will be virtual. During those two days I should be in California (it's the only time my kids get to see their grandparents), so I'm looking forward to doing some live Google Meets from the Central Valley. I'm hoping to show them where our food comes from and how it's grown, oil pumps, and if the air is clear, showing them the geography of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Of course, who know what will happen in the next couple of days, so I may end up staying in town. On Wednesday, we will start a mini simulation of the Stamp Ace, Sugar Act, Townsh

I made a quick video that shows what the physical space looks like in our classroom.  

 As we move into Phase 2 next Wednesday, November 4, I wanted to send out some reminders, and some new information: All students returning to school should bring their school supplies. All school supplies will remain separate and used by only the child. Supplies will be kept in their cubbies and/or backpack. Here is a list of school supplies: a pair of scissors 4 composition notebooks (reading, writing, science, social studies) Spiral bound notebooks are fine 4 folders (any color) Art Supplies Crayola Markers Crayola Pencils Crayola Crayons (I don't remember if you need multi-colored construction paper) Multi-colored set of Sharpies Multi-colored white board markers and eraser (I use these for my mini whiteboards) 2 packs of pencils Colored highlighters pencil box (to keep personal  supplies  in) (optional) Mechanical pencils (.7 mm or larger) with extra lead if you get mechanical pencils for your child, then you don't need to bring in packs of pencils All students are required

Now that we are half-way through the first quarter, I will be emailing an interim report letting you know how your child is doing with virtual learning so far. I am spending this week meeting one-on-one with students, discussing the interim. If you have any questions please let me know.