HAPPY MONDAY MESSAGES:
Imagine working for two different companies. In one company, you have a boss who is continually telling you the areas in which you need to improve and another company where your boss praises you on a weekly basis for your accomplishments. Which boss would you want to work harder for? In my experience, students blossom as a result of positive reinforcement. For this reason, each week I post a Happy Monday Message on our classroom website to each child in my classroom. This messages focuses on a newly developed skill that the child has developed, or positive character traits they have exhibited in the classroom.  

The Story of Evan 
In my first year teaching I worked with a student named Evan (name changed for the purpose of anonymity). Evan was an adventurous spirit who loved to test the limits of how far he could push people of authority. One morning, Evan tried to sneak into class before the bell had rung. I told him that if he were to come into the class, he could help his fellow students by unstacking the chairs. He did so a tad reluctantly. The following Monday, when I read aloud each child's Happy Monday Message, I thanked Evan for coming in and unstacking each child's chair in the classroom. I thanked him for his kindness and for caring for the classroom community. That week, Evan took it upon himself to come and unstack the classroom chairs each day. He did so until the very last day of school, but this was not all. Each morning after he had unstacked our classroom chairs, Evan went to our neighbouring classrooms to see if he could unstack their chairs as well. By the end of the year Evan had taken the initiative to unstack the chairs of the 4 main classrooms on the first floor. That year, Evan proved him self as an inspirational, caring leader. He demonstrated how far a little positivity can go.
~Amy Craze-Teacher
Monday, January 27th, 2020.
Happy Monday Messages 
Geronimo:  I loved that after you traced your numbers to 20 on Tuesday, you continued to write out your numbers independently to 60.    I also loved how every day last week after centres time you tidied up the cubbies for everyone.  I also loved how you wrote all about the beyblade you created during centres time.
Emma:   I loved that when Rosie couldn’t find a marker you helped her get one.  This was so kind of you. I also loved how helped Esther get her backpack when it was time to come inside on Thursday.  This was so kind.
Harry:  I loved that on Tuesday you asked for help to write your numbers out to 20.  You are such a hard worker. I also loved how you helped other people get their backpacks again last week when it was time to go inside.  You are so helpful. 
Mia: I loved that when we were coming inside you took the initiative to get other people’s backpacks off the fence and helped them put it on.  This was so kind of you! I also loved how you wrote your own song about Lunar New Year.  You are such a creative girl.
Theo:   I loved that on Thursday when you came in you put your shoes on right away and started writing out your name on your wipeboard.   I also loved how you offered to push in all the chairs after centres time on Wednesday. This was so helpful of you. 
Esther:   I loved that you wrote a song about Chinese New Year last week.  I loved all the details you gave about the dragon breathing fire.  I was so proud of you for writing it down. 
Yiorgos:   I loved that when your friend had the connector piece you needed to make a beyblade last week we problem solved together to get you the same kind of piece.  I also loved how you helped others put their backpacks on outside. This was so kind of you. 
Jonah:   I loved how you put your book away as soon as you heard me do the countdown on Thursday.  I also loved how when I did the countdown you sat on your spot on the carpet. This made my heart so happy. 
Ryder:  I loved that you helped others get their backpacks on Thursday when it was time to come in.  This was so kind of you. I also loved that as soon as you came in you started working on printing out your name on your wipeboard.  I was so proud of you. 
Katalina:   I was really proud of you for putting your shoes on as soon as you came into the class on Friday and starting to write your name on your wipeboard right away.  I also loved how you went and got a book bin for the class to look at when you were done. I also loved that when we were mixing the primary colours you noticed that red and yellow make orange. 
Rosie: I loved that you worked hard to write your numbers to 20 on your own to 20 on Wednesday.  You are such a hard worker. I also loved how you helped others put their backpacks on when we were outside.  This was so kind of you. You also did a great job writing your goal for the year. I loved how many lower case letters you used.
Lucas: You did such a great job as helper of the day on Friday. Thank you for ringing the bell to get all of the students in line.  I also loved how you picked students that were working in the green zone to answer questions on the carpet.
George:   I loved how many picture stories you wrote with me on Friday.  I loved how when I showed you how to write each letter you took your time and did each one.  I also loved how you meditated the whole way inside on Friday. You set such a good example for the class.   I also loved how you tidied up the cubbies with your mummy!  You are such a kind and thoughtful student.
Felix: I loved that after you traced your numbers to 20 on Tuesday, you continued to write out your numbers independently to 40.  I also loved how many picture stories you wrote about your Beyblades on Wednesday and Thursday. Your writing gets better every week.
Frankie:   I loved how you helped your friend get their backpack before we came inside on Friday.  This was so kind of you. I also loved how you noticed that when we mixed red and yellow together it made orange and blue and red together it made purple.  You are so observant! 
Poppy:  It was so kind of you to donate a tea set to the class last week.  This was so kind of you. I also loved how many picture stories you wrote last week.  I loved how you kept trying even when you got tired.
Ian:   I was proud of you for letting your friends help you tidy up on Friday even though it was hard at first.  Just remember they want to help you because they care about you. I also loved how you did such a great job with the number of the day on Wednesday.  You knew that 88 came after 87.
Gabriel:  Your 3 star colouring has turned into 5 star colouring this week.  I have been so impressed how you take your time and colour in the lines.  I also loved how you drew a picture of your beyblade and wrote about it during centres time.  You are such a wonderful author.
Oscar:  You did such a great job identifying which number came next during our calendar routine on Thursday.  You are right, 88 does come after 87! I also loved how you wrote all about the beyblades you created last week.  Your printing is getting so much better every week.
Leeloominai:  I loved how you showed Elizabeth how you could trace over your numbers to 20 last week.  I also loved how you came to the carpet during circle time when we did our number of the day.  This made my heart so happy. I also loved how you remembered that red and yellow make orange and blue and red make red during our colours lesson!
Willa:   I loved how hard you worked on your letters of the day all last week.  I loved that you didn’t want to come to the carpet until you had finished every letter on your page.  You are such a hard worker.
 Rafe:  Thank you so much for bringing your lego to share with the class last week. That was so kind of you.   I also loved how you noticed that when we mixed yellow and red together it made orange and how blue and red made purple.  You are an expert at your primary and secondary colours.
Monday, January 20th, 2020.
Happy Monday Messages
Geronimo:  I loved that during tidy-up time on Tuesday after you tidied up the beyblade you had created you went to each centre to make sure it was tidy.  This was so incredibly thoughtful of you. I also loved how when I asked the students to do their best 3 star colouring, you told me you would do 4 star colouring!  I also loved how you decided to tidy the cubby area for everyone.  You said you did this not so I would say thank you but because you knew it would make your friends feel so happy inside.
Emma: We missed you last week!  I hope you are having a great time in the Bahamas! 
Harry:  I loved that on Tuesday you offered to help everyone get their backpacks on when it was time to come inside.  This was so helpful and kind of you. I also loved how you sounded out the word, “at” in your writing.
Mia: I loved that you put on a play for me on our outdoor stage on Wednesday.  You retold such a great version of Little Red Riding Hood. I loved that you cast Esther as the wolf because she was wearing a wolf hat! 
Theo:  I loved that when you were the helper of the day you asked if you could walk around during work time and hand out stickers to all the students that were on task.  I also loved that when it was time to put your snowsuit on each day you would come up to me and tell me you needed help. I also loved how you used the poster to teach the class what 3 star colouring is.
Esther:   You were an incredible helper of the day on Wednesday.  I loved how you asked if you could hand out stickers to everyone who was on task during writing time.  I also loved how you only picked students to answer questions if they had their hand up quietly and were in the green zone.
Yiorgos:   You did such a great job with your letters on Tuesday!  I have never seen you write so many. I loved that you got to work as soon as you had put all of your belongings away.  I also loved that you collected the book bin and helped put it away with a friend on Wednesday when it was time to come to the carpet.  This was so kind and helpful of you.
Jonah:   We missed you last week!  I hope you are having a great time in Cuba!
Ryder:  I loved that every time you came in and did your letter and number work you kept on asking me if you were done.  When I said no you just kept working until I said you had done enough. You wrote the most I have ever seen you write and your printing keeps getting better and better! 
Katalina:   It was so kind of you to put away the book bin when it was time to come to the carpet on Wednesday.  I also loved how you used 3 star colouring when you coloured in your self-portrait. You made sure you stayed in lines and coloured in all the white spots.  Well done. 
Rosie:   We miss you and really hope to hear from you soon! 
Lucas:   You did the best writing I have ever seen you do last week.  You remembered that if you want to make a letter and you want to make it better you start it at the top!
George:   You did such an incredible job during reading buddies on Tuesday.  Even though it was a new buddy you got your book and skipped off to read.  You traced over your words and practised reading it with your buddy. This made my heart so big. 
Felix:  I loved that you taught the class that every minute has 60 seconds on Tuesday.  You certainly know your math facts! I also loved how hard you worked on your leveled book with your reading buddy on Tuesday.  They told me you did a great job decoding your book.
Frankie: I loved that you put on a play for me on our outdoor stage on Wednesday.  You retold such a great version of Little Red Riding Hood. I loved that you cast Esther as the wolf because she was wearing a wolf hat!  
Poppy:  I loved that when Willa was scared to walk on our new log structure you told her you would hold her hand and help her.  I loved that you said that when something is difficult, you just need to keep trying until it isn’t hard anymore.  
Ian:   You did such a good job drawing your self-portrait and writing out your New Year’s resolution on Tuesday.  I loved how hard you worked on your lower-case letter formation. Your writing is improving so much. 
Gabriel:   I loved that you wanted to stay in your seat and keep working on your letters during carpet time.  You didn’t stop until you had finished all the letters on your page. You are such a hard worker and it is paying off. 
Oscar:  I loved that you reminded everyone on the carpet on Wednesday that if they wanted to be picked to answer a question they needed to be in the green zone and raise their hand quietly.  I also loved how you helped put away the book bin when it was time to come to the carpet. This was so thoughtful of you.
Leeloominai:   I was proud of you for sitting on your spot in the green zone during carpet time on Tuesday.  I liked that when you needed to move you went to the loose parts table at the back but you did not go to centres.  I also loved how you asked me to help you put your snowsuit on by saying, “Hey teacher that I love, can you help me?”
Willa:    I was so proud of you for working hard until you mastered the log climbing structure in our Kindergarten yard last week.  The first time you tried it you said it was too hard and you never wanted to do it again. After a friend held your hand and helped you walk slowly around you felt ready to practice it on your own.  I am so glad you kept trying because now you can do it! 
Rafe:  I loved that when you came in every day last week you were the first person to put away all your belongings, put your shoes on and start your letter work.  I was so proud of you for being so focussed and working so hard.

Monday, January 13th, 2020.
Happy Monday Messages
Geronimo:   I loved that when Emma was the Helper of the Day on Thursday she kept calling you her “Rockstar” because every time she counted down and said “snowflake contact”  to get the class’ attention you would be the first person to make a snowflake with your body. I also loved how you meditated while walking in the school, while you were raising your hand on the carpet and while you made a snowflake with your body.  I was also loved that when Scientist Cathy came in on Wednesday you sorted objects by whether they floated or sank.  It was great that you noticed that the marbles, money, shells, car  and stones sank and the empty containers and wood floated. It was great when you experimented and counted how many pennies you could put in the container to make the container sink.  I also loved how you noticed that the bleyblade that you made out of cubes had radial symmetry.
Emma:  I loved that whenever I said “snowflake contact” last week you would stop what you were doing and make a snowflake with your body.  I loved that whenever the song of the day went on you would go to the wipeboard and put up the lyrics. I loved that whenever you walked in line you would meditate.  I also loved that when a friend was chosen on the carpet to have a turn you gave them a silent applause and a silent wow. I also loved that your goal for 2020 was to make new friends.  I also loved that when you were the Helper of the Day on Thursday you kept calling all of the students rock stars when they were on task an insisted on giving them stickers for doing such a great job.  I loved that you said, 3-2-1 snowflake contact to get everyone’s attention and how you told the class you were so proud of them for doing their personal best. You are such a wonderful teacher.
 
Harry:  I loved that when Scientist Cathy was here you made a boat that floated on the water.  I loved that you shared that a sailboat needs wind to move. When we didn’t have any wind in the class you decided to blow on your sail so it could move.  You also noticed that moving water and waves could move the boat. I also loved how when someone else on the carpet was chosen when you wanted a turn, you gave them a silent WOW.  I also loved how you created a beautiful snowflake and a bleyblade that used radial symmetry. You always absorb the concepts we are learning so quickly. 
Mia:  I loved that when Scientist Cathy was here you noticed that when water is a liquid it takes the shape of the container it is in.  I loved how you said that water copies the shape that it is in.  I also loved that you noticed that when water was in a sealed tube and put over a picture it made the picture look bigger.  I also loved how you created two snowflakes that used radial symmetry last week. You made such a beautiful one with loose parts and by drawing it on your own.
Theo:  I loved that when the scientist was here you observed that the cotton ball and the sponge absorbed water and the blue foam repelled water.  It was great that you predicted that this was because the sponge and the cotton had holes in it and the foam did not. I loved that you also sorted objects by whether they floated or sank.  It was great that you noticed that the marbles, money, shells, car and stones sank and the empty containers and wood floated. It was great when you experimented and counted how many pennies you could put in the container to make the container sink.   
Esther: I loved that when the scientist was in our class you shared that the place where a scientist works is called a lab.  I also loved that when you made a boat you shared that it could float on the water. You shared that boats need wind to blow and we didn’t have any in our class.  I loved that you problem solved that we could blow on our sail to make it move. I also loved that you worked so hard to create two snowflakes that used radial symmetry.  The one that you made with loose parts was beautiful and so was the picture that your drew.
Yiorgos:   I loved that when Scientist Cathy was here you noticed that when water is a liquid it takes the shape of the container it is in.  I loved that when it was in a cylinder you said the top looked like a circle and when it was in rectangular prism you said the top looked like a rectangle.   I also loved that you noticed that when water was in a sealed tube and put over a picture it made the picture look bigger.  I was also so proud of you for making a beautiful snowflake that used radial symmetry. I loved that you taught this term to Roberto’s grade 6/7 class.
Jonah:  I loved that when I taught you about radial symmetry during carpet time on Monday you remembered what it was the next day and could identify which shapes were symmetrical, had radial symmetry and were asymmetrical.  I also loved how you were counting by 6s and told me that 7x2=14 on Tuesday.  I also loved how hard you worked on your self-portrait and your goal for 2020 last week.  Your printing was the best it has ever been. I loved that you want to learn to be a better firefighter this year.
Ryder:   I loved that you came up with a new routine with me for the mornings on Tuesday.   I loved that you decided you would do 20 of your letters, then read a book and then make a bed with the cushions and lie down a bit before coming to the carpet.  I loved that when the scientist was here you observed that the cotton ball and the sponge absorbed water and the blue crayon repelled water.  It was great that you predicted that this was because the sponge and the cotton had holes in it and the crayon did not. I loved that you predicted that if we put a cloth over water on the table it would wipe it up because the water would go in the holes.

Katalina:  I loved that when you came in after lunch on Tuesday, you asked if you could help put out the math sheets.  When you were done you worked so hard to complete both sides of your numbers page! You were so super focused.  I also loved how when you were done this you read a book on the carpet and then collected all the books when we were done!  Thank you for being a leader. I loved that when Scientist Cathy was here you noticed that when water is a liquid it takes the shape of the container it is in.  I loved how when it was in a measuring cup you said it was in the shape of a cylinder.  I also loved that you noticed that when water was in a sealed tube and put over a picture it made the picture look bigger.
Rosie:  WE MISS YOU!!! We hope you come back soon! 
Lucas:  I loved that when the scientist was here you observed that the paper towel and the sponge absorbed water and the red crayon repelled water.  It was great that you predicted that this was because the sponge and the paper towel had holes in it and the crayon did not. I loved that when you put too much water on the piece of paper you noticed that it absorbed water at first but when there was too much it stayed on top.  You learned that this was because the paper was too saturated to take in any more water. 
George:   I loved that you used the pattern blocks to build a snowflake last week.  You were so focussed while you were working. I also loved how hard you worked on your self-portrait and your goal for 2020 last week.  I love that you want to learn to be a better teacher this year. I can’t wait to help you with this goal. I also loved that during our math routine in the afternoon whenever you wanted to share you quietly raised your hand.  This made the helper of the day pick you so many times. Thank you for teaching the class what number comes after 78!
 
Felix:   I loved that when Scientist Cathy was here you noticed that when water is a liquid it takes the shape of the container it is in.  I loved how when it was in a measuring cup you said it was in the shape of a cylinder. I also loved that when we were outside on Thursday when you found a water bottle with ice in it you said that the water had turned into a solid.  I also loved that you created two snowflakes that incorporated radial symmetry last week. Thank you for teaching your learning buddy from Roberto’s class what this meant when they came to visit our class.  I also loved how you noticed that the bleyblades that you create daily use radial symmetry! 
Frankie:  I loved that when you made a boat with scientists in the school you shared that it could float on the water.  You shared that boats need wind to blow and we didn’t have any in our class. I loved that you problem solved that we could make a fan and wave it on our sail to make it move.  I also like that you could use a windmill to make wind for the boat. I was also so proud of you for drawing a picture of a lion’s life cycle and using lower case letters to write a sentence about the picture.  I also noticed how well you wrote your name all by yourself this week! Your writing gets better every week!
Poppy:  I loved that when the scientist was here you noticed that the cotton ball absorbed water.  I loved that when you looked through a magnifying glass you predicted that this was because it had lots of holes in it.  I also loved that when you learned that water could be a solid, liquid or gas you insisted on bringing in a frozen water bottle in from your car to show me.  It was so neat that the liquid turned to a solid and that it looked like a cylinder of water inside. Thank you as well this week for teaching your friend how to use their lower case letters to write out a sentence. You are such a great teacher.
Ian:   I was so proud of you for doing such a great job on your letters and numbers before you came to the carpet on Monday.   I also loved how when it was time to tidy up, without being asked you grabbed the basket and started to collect other people’s sheets.  I also loved how you helped to tidy up the nature centre even though you were not playing there. 
Gabriel: I loved that when Scientist Cathy was here you noticed that when water is a liquid it takes the shape of the container it is in.  I loved how when it was in a measuring cup you said it was in the shape of a cylinder.  I also loved that you noticed that when water was in a sealed tube and put over a picture it made the picture look bigger.  I also loved how you used the magnets to create a snowflake last week that incorporated radial symmetry. You are always able to incorporate the concepts we are learning in class into a building project.  I was also so proud of you for doing both sides of your numbers and letters sheets every day last week. Your writing gets better every day. I also loved how you wrote your name on your own!!

Oscar:  I loved that when Scientist Cathy was here you noticed that when water is a liquid it takes the shape of the container it is in. I loved how when the water was in a beaker you said it was in the shape of a cylinder.  I also loved how you noticed that when the same amount of water was poured into two containers even though it looked higher on one beaker it was the same amount. This is because it had to spread out on the wider container.  I also loved how when we were on the carpet you predicted that we would be learning about water because Cathy was holding a puppet that had an H2O sign on his belly and was in the shape of a water drop. I also loved that when we ate our snack on the carpet and I asked the students not to bring liquids on the carpet you said, “well then that means I have to drink my water at the table.”
 
Leeloominai: I loved that when the scientist was here you sorted objects according to whether they use water or whether they don’t use water.  I loved that you put the pasta, fish and boat in the water category and flashlight and scissors in the category that does not use water.  I loved that you put the marker in the water category because the ink needs water to work. I loved that you also sorted objects by whether they floated or sank.  It was great that you noticed that the marbles, money and stones sank and the empty containers floated. It was great when you experimented and counted how many pennies you could put in the container to make the container sink.   
Willa:  I loved that when the scientist was here you observed that the sponge absorbed water and the blue foam and the red crayon repelled water.  It was great that you predicted that this was because the sponge had holes in it and the foam and the crayon did not. I also loved how hard you worked on two different snowflakes that used radial symmetry last week and how hard you worked on your self-portrait and your goal for 2020.  I love that you want to get better at folding laundry! I wish my kids had the same goal. 
Rafe:  You rocked the green zone on the carpet last week.  I was so proud of you for raising your hand quietly every time you wanted to say something.  You really set a great example for the class. I also loved that when Scientist Cathy was here you noticed that when water is a liquid it takes the shape of the container it is in. I loved how when the water was in a beaker you said it was in the shape of a cylinder.  I also loved how you noticed that when the same amount of water was poured into two containers even though it looked higher on one beaker it was the same amount.  

Monday, December 23rd, 2019.
Happy Monday Messages
I hope you are all enjoying your winter break and the holiday season with your families.  I just wanted to thank all the parents and students for such a wonderful first term. Thank you as well to everyone who contributed to my group gift.  I cannot wait to spend the gift certificates at Dollarama on materials to enhance the classroom. Thank you as well for the money. I look forward to spending this on my family trip to Florida over the holidays.  Thank you as well for all the beautiful cards and notes of thanks. I am one spoiled teacher.
Happy Holidays everyone!
Amy
Patrick:   We misses you last week! We hope you have a Merry Christmas with your family!
Geronimo:  You did such a wonderful job with your family portrait last week. I love how you drew almond shaped eyes with pupils inside. They looked so realistic!  I also loved how you meditated the whole time you walked into the class. You set such a good example for the other students. I also loved that you told Jonah that he was an excellent reader! This was so kind.  Thank you as well for the beautiful ornament that you brought me! I loved it and the butterfly that you drew on the front of the box! I loved that you created a spinner that was symmetrical (radial symmetry) with over 20 pieces.  I loved that you spun your spinner clockwise and counter-clockwise against Felix to see which spinner would go the fastest. 
Emma:  You did such a great job making a star with your body every time I said “Star Contact!” I loved how you always stopped whatever you were doing to pay attention. I also loved that whenever I put on our lullaby, you would put up the words so the class could follow along on the wipe board. Thank you as well for the sweet cookies! They were delicious!
Harry:  I loved that when someone else was picked on the carpet last week you gave them a silent applause. This was so kind of you. I also loved how when you were finished your letters on Monday you read a book on your spot on the carpet with your stuffy.  I was also really proud of you on Tuesday for using the script when you were frustrated during centres time. You are such a leader. It was also so kind of you to hand out note pads to your friends on Friday as a holiday treat. You are so thoughtful.
Mia:   I loved that everytime I did “Star Contact” last week you would get in position while I was doing the countdown and before I even said contact!  I also loved that everytime you sat on the carpet and you wanted to share you meditated in the green zone and raised your hand quietly. You also did an incredible job walking in line while meditating on Friday.  I am glad you opened your eyes before you walked up the stairs though. Thank you so much for the beautiful picture and cashmere gift you gave me. This was so beyond sweet of you. I love your artwork so much and I put this picture on my fridge! 
Theo:  I loved how you took your time to draw a birthday cake and you blowing out the candles in your artwork last week.  I loved how you tried a new technique to draw eyes. It looked great when you drew big circles for eyes with a dot in the middle. I hope you have a wonderful time in England with your family! Thank you for my Tim Horton’s card! I can’t wait to use it to buy a treat!
Esther:  I loved the giant dreidel you drew in your celebration portrait last week. It was so nice that you drew a picture of you and your baby brother on top of it!  I also loved how you meditated the entire time you were in line on Monday. You also meditated the entire time you sat on the carpet and gave students who were picked to participate a silent applause.  You are so kind. Thank you for setting such a great example for the class. Thank you as well for the gift certificate to Dollarama! I can’t wait to buy some fun things for the class with it. I hope you have a wonderful Hanukkah and I will see you in the New Year.
Yiorgos:  I was so proud of you for coming to me right away when you were having a hard time undoing your snow pants! This way you didn’t get frustrated and upset! I also loved how quickly you put your whole snowsuit on by yourself on Tuesday. You must be practicing a lot at home!  I also loved the thoughtful gift you brought me on Thursday. The soap smelled delicious and I cannot wait to buy some tea with my gift certificate!
Jonah: I loved the pattern of red and blue hearts you made around the portrait of your family last week. I also loved that you worked hard to draw thicker legs and arms instead of stick figures. Your family looked great. I loved hearing about how your family likes to go to a cottage in the summer. What a nice tradition.
Ryder:   You were a writing sensation last week! I loved that you wrote your name 7 times on the portrait you drew of your family.  I was also so proud of you for taking your time when you drew your family portrait. You drew so many details on each face. I also loved that you took charge of tidying up all the toy insects on Tuesday so none of them went missing!  I also loved how you were the graffiti police last week and you let me know when a student drew the letter R on a desk and on the wall outside. Thanks to your evidence I caught the graffiti artist red-handed.
Katalina:  I was so proud of you for being in charge of taking out your special folder and putting it in your knapsack every day last week. I was also so proud of you for reading 20 books at home! You earned your first eraser from the general store!!  I was also so proud of you for taking your time and using a book to draw a rainbow with all the colours in the right order. It looked so beautiful. I loved that you practised using your lower case letters when you wrote out the description of what you had drawn.
Rosie:  We hope you are having the best time in Australia. Look forward to seeing you in the New Year! Have a Merry Christmas with your family!
Lucas:  I loved how much time you took to draw a picture of your family around a Christmas tree last week.  I loved how you practised drawing sausage bodies and legs instead of stick figures and how you drew dots inside of circles to make the eyes.  I also loved how you helped me make a survey of how many people wanted to go inside when it was super cold out. Wasn’t it neat that only 3 out of 15 kids wanted to stay outside.  I also loved how you helped Ms Gita clean up the room during after-care so you could all make a gingerbread house together.
George:  You did such a wonderful job drawing symbols that are important to you at Christmas last week. I love that you drew a carrot, a Christmas tree, a cookie for Santa and your polar bear pyjamas! You added so much amazing detail!  I also loved how when you worked on your numbers in the afternoon on Friday after I put a dot to show you where to begin you started all of them at the top. You remembered that if you want to make a letter (or number) and you want to make it better you start it at the top.  I also loved that you showed the other students to count from 71-74 during our math routine. You are so good at counting. Thank you as well for the hand cream, gift certificate, nail file and ACDC sweater you bought me. We get to match now!!
Felix:  You are an amazing engineer.  I loved that you created a spinner that was symmetrical (radial symmetry) with over 30 pieces.  I loved that you spun your spinner clockwise and counter-clockwise against Geronimo to see which spinner would go the fastest.  I loved that you took into account size and direction when you were spinning them. I also loved how you gave George a silent applause when he was chosen to put the units on the place value chart even though you really wanted a turn. 
Frankie:  I loved that you collected all of the math sheets when people were done and Friday and also pushed in all of the chairs.  You are so helpful. I also loved how hard you worked on all of your letters. It made me so happy to see you meditating on the carpet when you wanted to be chosen to participate.  It was also amazing that you walked in from outside all the way to the classroom meditating. You are rocking the green zone. You are such a role model.
Poppy:  I loved that you decided to draw a life cycle of a person on Tuesday. Thank you for describing each stage to me.  You did a very good picture of a ghost for the final stage. I also loved that you tried reading a level D book last week. It is always hard the first time you read it. I promise it gets easier every time.  I also loved how during writing centres you sounded out your sentence with me. Well done! I also loved how when Lucas was tired of colouring in his tree on Thursday you offered to help him. You are such a kind and helpful friend.
Ian:   You did such an incredible job making the soap with me on Friday.  I loved how carefully you stirred in the colour and how when you were done you quietly went outside and called the next student to come.  I also loved that you helped push in the chairs when people forgot when we came to the carpet on Friday. I also loved how quickly you got into the green zone by using the blow out the finger technique!  This was amazing! Thank you also so much for my lovely cup of treats and for handing out pencils to all your friends in the class. This was so thoughtful of you. 
Gabriel:  I loved that you wrote all about how you light a candle to remember when your family came to Canada from Hungary in your art work.  I also loved how you took your time to draw the Hungarian and Canadian flag in your picture. Your drawing gets better every week. I was also so proud of you for writing out all of your letters when I wasn’t watching on Friday.  You are a master letter maker!!! It was so kind of you to also hand out birthday invitations to all of your classmates on Friday. I hope you have an amazing birthday on January 1st!
Oscar:   I loved that every day as soon as you are done your letters and numbers you go and get the bin and walk around to collect the sheet of the students who are done.  I love that you always do this with a smile on your face. I also love how last week you worked so hard on your lower case letters when you were writing about Hanukkah in Winnipeg.  It was great that you remembered that when you want to make a letter and you want to make it better you start it at the top!
Isobel: You did such an incredible job as the helper of the day on Friday.  I loved how you only picked students to come and help if they were sitting in the green zone with their legs crossed like a pretzel and a quiet hand in the air.  I also loved how you insisted on handing out stickers to students who were really focussed when they were writing their letters on Friday. This made so many students smile.  I loved how you kept coming up to me to let me know who was doing a great job and how you let them know as well. Thank you as well for my beautiful Christmas present. I loved the Hudson Bay colours!  I am going to miss you so much in our class. I know you are going to rock your new classroom.
Leeloominai:  I loved that you wrote a song all about glowing Jingle Bells on Friday.  You are such an amazing song writer. I also loved how when you came to the carpet in the morning on Friday you remembered to sit on your spot and if your body needed to move you could go to the back table to play with loose parts. These are two excellent choices.  I also loved how much homework you are doing at night! I am so proud of you for doing so many worksheets and reading your books.
Willa:   You did such a great job working on your letters when you came in on Friday.  I really loved that you remembered that if you want to make a letter and you want to make it better you need to start it at the top.  I also loved that you held your special jewel so you could hold your marker properly. Those jewels really are magical. I was also so proud of you for helping to collect all the papers when everyone was done and reminding others to tidy the nature centre.  Thank you for putting all the pretend insects in the right place.
Rafe:  I loved that when you were the leader of the day on Tuesday you would only pick students to answer questions if they had their hands up and mouth shut. I also loved that when someone else was picked to answer a question on the carpet you gave them a silent applause! This was so kind of you!  Thank you as well for bringing me in honey as a gift because I have been helping you use your honey words. This made me smile. I also loved the delicious cookies you helped make. This was so sweet of you ;) I also loved how when you came in on Friday you told me I had better have a rocking Christmas.  I promise I will.

Monday, December 16th, 2019.
Happy Monday Messages 
Patrick:   I loved that you used the straws and connectors to build Ginger the Gingerbread a house.  You made an amazing rectangular based prism and log cabin for him. I also loved how you wrote to him and asked him a question.  It was also kind of you to invite the whole class to your house for a field trip. This was such a sweet thought. 
Geronimo:   You did a great job creating a pattern around the border of your artwork last week.  I know you don’t like putting your hands in paint but it turned out so well and you were so proud of yourself.  I also loved how loud and clear you sang during our rehearsals for the concert. Thank you for doing your personal best.  I also loved that whenever I asked the students to sit quietly on the carpet last week you would meditate. It was also great that you jumped in to help so many people clean up their centres when it was tidy up time last week.  
Emma:   I loved that whenever I asked the students to sit quietly on the carpet last week you started meditating.  You are such a role model student. I also loved that you always read a book on the carpet whenever you had finished writing out your letters every morning.  Thank you for always showing the other students what they are supposed to do. 
Harry:  You did the best writing you have ever done on Tuesday.  I loved how well you drew a picture of our Gingerbread friend Ginger and how you wrote him a question.  I also loved how when it was time to clean up on Monday you asked if you could wipe down all the tables.  You are so helpful! I also loved that when you were sad on Tuesday you used the breathing ball to get back into the green zone.  I was so proud of you.
Mia: I loved that whenever I asked the students to sit quietly on the carpet last week you started meditating.  You are such a role model student. I also loved that you always read a book on the carpet whenever you had finished writing out your letters every morning.  Thank you for always showing the other students what they are supposed to do.  
Theo: I loved that you used the crazy fort pieces to build a cube, a rectangular based prism and  a square-based pyramid on Tuesday. I loved that you wanted to make these as a house for our gingerbread friend Ginger.
Esther:   I loved that when your friend was trying to carry a block bin and it was too heavy you automatically came over and offered to help her carry it.  You are so helpful. I also loved that you asked me to take out more cloths so you could help wipe down all the tables after centres time. 
Yiorgos:   Thank you for offering to tidy up the nature centre when you were not even playing there on Tuesday.   I loved how you put the logs and animals away. I also loved how many numbers you wrote out after lunch on Tuesday.  You get better at your numbers every week. 
Jonah: I was so proud of you for tidying up as soon as you heard the tidy up song on Tuesday.  This made my heart so big! I also loved how quickly you put your jacket on all day on Tuesday when I did a countdown.   
Ryder:   I loved that you used the crazy fort pieces to build a cube, a rectangular based prism and  a square-based pyramid on Tuesday. I loved that you wanted to make these as a house for our gingerbread friend Ginger. 
Katalina:  You did an incredible job as the leader of the day on Monday.  I loved that when we made playdough as a group you picked students who were trying their personal best to be your assistant. I also loved how hard you worked on all of your letters and numbers during our daily routines.  Your writing gets better every week. I also loved that you helped one of the JKs with their letters when you were done yours. This was so kind.
Rosie:  WE MISS YOU!!! Send us a postcard from Australia! xx 
Lucas:    I loved that you earned the job of private investigator on Tuesday because you were the quietest and walked the most respectfully in the hall.  I loved that you spent the morning coming up to me and telling me who was doing a great job in class. I also loved that you asked for extra cloths on Monday so you could pass them out and lots of students could wipe off the tables after centres time.  I also loved how you insisted on checking all the cupboards to make sure they were locked for me. 
George:   I was so beyond proud of you for singing so loud during our rehearsal and during the concert.  You really blew me away!! It makes my heart so big when you join in and sing with our class and you took it to the next level.  I also loved how you wanted to join Roberto’s class after lunch for our rehearsal.  
Felix:  I loved that you took charge of tidying up the playdough on Wednesday.  This was so kind and helpful of you. I also loved that you wrote a letter to Ginger the Gingerbread last week.  Can you believe that his favourite food is candy? 
Frankie:   Thanks for letting me know that you wouldn’t be here on Wednesday because you are going on a trip around the world.  I can’t wait to hear all about this. I also loved how you wrote with me every day last week and you started copying words from the word wall on your own!  You are such a writer.
Poppy:  I loved that you made a pattern using 3 different colours in your artwork last night.  Your parents are going to love the finished product. I also loved how you told me that you want to be a carrot farmer when you are older.  What a neat job. 
Ian:   You did such a great job during our rehearsal for the winter concert last week.  I loved how strong and clear you sang when you with the big kids. I also loved how you worked with a reading buddy to create a 3D structure on Monday.  You are such a great builder.
Gabriel:   I loved that you created a 3D structure for Ginger the gingerbread to live in last week.  I loved that you told me that you created a cube! You are learning the 3D shape names so quickly.  I also loved that you wanted to try to fix the broken menorah in the class. You are always so helpful. 
Oscar:  I loved that as soon as you finished your letters on Tuesday, you took the initiative to get the bin for the sheets and walk around to see if you could collect any other sheets that people were finished with.  You also did your best writing on Tuesday when you were writing about being in the green zone. Your letter formation has improved so much since the beginning of the year.
Isobel:  I loved that as soon as you were done your letters on Wednesday you got the bin and started to collect all the finished sheets without being asked.  I also loved that you wrote a letter to Ginger the Gingerbread. I wonder if he has brothers and sisters too. 
Leeloominai: You have such a beautiful singing voice.  I am glad everyone got to hear it when we were at the concert on Tuesday night.  I also loved how you put your toy away when I asked you too and zipped it in your backpack.  
​​Willa:   I loved that when you were playing in the kitchen centre with Poppy and Esther last week you all raised your hands and put your fingers on your lips so you could take turns talking.  I also loved that you drew a picture of the doggie you want to get and wrote all about it. 
Rafe:  You did such a great job cleaning up the playdough on Wednesday.  Thank you for taking charge of this. I also loved how you remembered to raise your hand and put your fingers on your lips whenever you wanted to use your green lollipops during the carpet time.  I love it when you are in the greeny-green zone!
Monday, December 9th, 2019.
Happy Monday Messages
Patrick:   I loved that when another child had a structure that you both wanted, you counted the pieces together and divided them up equally.  This was so kind. I also loved how many of the 3D shapes you could name during our daily math song. Well done.
Geronimo: I loved that when we were learning about Hannukah last week you remembered that it is celebrated for 8 nights and there are 9 candles on a menorah.  I also loved that you built a spinning dreidel with cubes and counted how many cubes you used.
Emma:   I loved how quickly you got dressed for outside time on Thursday.  This made my heart so big. I also loved that when we were learning about Hannukah you remembered that there was 9 candles on a menorah.  I also loved the picture of a snowflake you made. You used so much detail.
Harry:  I loved that you remembered so many names of the different 3D shapes last week.  I loved that when I gave the class a clue about each shape you quietly raised your hand on the carpet so you could guess the shape. 
Mia:  I loved that you meditated the entire time we sat on the carpet and rehearsed our songs for the concert next week.  You were so focussed and set such a great example for the rest of the class. I also loved that you helped plan a class trip around the world on Thursday and you let me know you would get Suzanna in as a substitute if I wasn’t back in time to teach the students who couldn’t go.
Theo:   I loved that on Thursday you helped me put out all of the markers and sheets so the other students could practise their letters when they came in.  I also loved that you offered to help put away all the book bins with me and push in all the chairs when it was time to tidy up.
Esther:   You created such an amazing symmetrical shape with the pattern blocks on Wednesday.  I was so proud of you. I also loved that you helped push in all the chairs during tidy up time on Tuesday.  I also loved how you planned a class trip around the world for this weekend. I loved that you said you would try to get Suzanna in as a substitute if I wasn’t back in time to teach the rest of the students.
Yiorgos:   I loved that when you were the Helper of the Day on Monday you told all the students on the carpet that you couldn’t pick them to answer a question unless they were in the green zone.  I loved that you remembered so many names of the different 3D shapes last week. I loved that when I gave the class a clue about each shape you quietly raised your hand on the carpet so you could guess the shape. 
Jonah:   Your reading buddy was blown away at how well you read your levelled book on Wednesday.  I am so proud of you for practising your reading every day in class. I also loved how when someone else was chosen for a job you really wanted to do you gave them a silent applause on Thursday. 
Ryder:  I loved how you went and did your numbers every day after lunch without any reminders.  It was great that when you were done you went to read a book on the carpet or in our quiet library corner.  I also loved how you knew so many names of the 3D solids when we were singing our math song every day last week.
Katalina:   I was so proud of you for tidying up the animal centre after centres time on Thursday.  It was so great how you started tidying before the tidy up song went on. I also loved how well you tidied up your cubby last week and how at the end of the day you took charge of putting your red folder in your backpack without any reminders.
Rosie:   We hope you are having a great time in Australia!  We miss you!!
Lucas:   I loved that you helped me hand out all of the backpacks when we were getting in line outside last Tuesday.  I also loved that you collected all the letter sheets and the markers after our morning routine on Thursday and helped put the book bin away. 
George:   I loved that when we were studying Hannukah you remembered that it lasts 8 days.  I also loved how much writing you did on Thursday. You made such an incredible creation and I am so glad you wrote about it.
Felix:  I loved how many shapes you could name when we sang our 3D shape song during our math routine.  I also loved how you told me you wanted to use connecting cubes to make a spinning dreidel. This was a great STEM project. 
Frankie:  I loved that you were at the writing table every day last week.  You wrote so much!! I also loved that you filled out your entire page of letters and numbers every day last week. I also loved how you helped your friend who was having a hard time to get dressed at the end of the day on Thursday.  You are so kind.  
Poppy:  I loved how quickly you got ready to go outside on Thursday.  You put your shoes in your penthouse so quickly and had your jacket on before I even turned around!   I also loved how you put two of the building tubes on your arms and told me that they looked like cylinders and new muscles.
Ian: I loved that you sat and meditated the entire time we rehearsed our songs for the concert next week.  You were so focussed and set such a good example for the class.
Gabriel:  I was so proud of you for doing a whole page of numbers after lunch.  I also loved how even though you didn’t want to you put on your snow pants and went outside in under 5 minutes on Thursday.  This made my heart so big.  I also loved how you donated markers to the class last week.  I also loved how you organized the markers in the art centre.
Oscar:   I loved how many shapes you could name when we sang our 3D shape song during our math routine.  I also loved how you told me you wanted to use connecting cubes to make a spinning dreidel. This was a great STEM project. 
Isobel:   I loved that when I asked everyone to sit quietly on their spots you sat and meditated until everyone was ready.  I also loved how you could name so many of the 3D shapes during our shape song. Which shape is your favourite? 
Leeloominai:   It was so kind of you to help Rafe put his shoes on on Wednesday and help Willa put away her snow gear on Thursday.  You are such a sweet friend. I also loved how you helped me teach our concert song to the grade ⅔ class on Wednesday. 
Willa:   I loved that you shared your eraser with your friend when they didn’t have one on Thursday.  You are so kind and you know that sharing is caring. I also loved that you did such a great job sitting in the green zone on the carpet that you earned a special cushion.
Rafe:  It was so kind of you to bring in a classroom gift for the class on your birthday.  The other kids have loved playing with the play food in our kitchen. I also loved last week how you wrote all about your birthday and the day after your birthday during writing time.

​Monday, December 2nd, 2019.
Happy Monday Messages
 
Patrick:  You did a great job building a structure for a sphere with the ramps and arches on Thursday.  I loved how you pointed out two different spheres you found in the class, a marble and a wooden ball.
Geronimo:   You did such a great job reading your levelled book to your reading buddy last week.  I also loved the structure you created out of ramps and arches. It was so neat to see how far and fast you could make the wooden ball or sphere travel.
Emma:  You did a great job making a structure out of toothpicks and marshmallows on Wednesday. I loved that you remembered that this was called a cube.   
Harry:  I loved that when you were looking at the space sensory table you explained to your friends that the earth ball was falling out of your hands because of gravity.   
Mia:   You did such a great job making two different books about the seasons last week.  I loved that during our daily game show you remembered it took 24 hours for the earth to make a full turn or spin and this gives us day and night.  I also loved that you remembered that it takes a year for the earth to go around the sun and this gives us the seasons.
Theo:  I loved that you started tidying up before the tidy up song came on last Monday.  You are such a super helper. I also loved that you remembered that the shape of a globe is called a sphere.
Esther:  You did such a great job building a structure out of marshmallows and toothpicks on Wednesday.  I was so proud of you for remembering it was called a cube.
Yiorgos: You did a great job building a structure for a sphere with the ramps and arches on Thursday.  I loved how you pointed out two different spheres you found in the class, a marble and a wooden ball.  I also loved how when you walked in on Thursday you told me you were going to take charge of fixing my guitar so I shouldn’t worry.
Jonah:   I loved that when we were looking at 3D solids you noticed there was an isosceles triangle in it.  I also loved that you noticed that the pattern we made with the class was an AAB pattern. I also loved that you were counting down from 100 when we were in line. 
Ryder:  You did a great job making a cube out of toothpicks and marshmallows on Wednesday.  I loved that you wanted to know what the corners were called. Isn’t vertices a funny name for a point or where two lines meet?
Katalina:  I was so proud of you for putting your book away as soon as the tidy up song came on last week.  I also loved how you wanted to tidy up again last week until the class was spotless after centres.  This made my heart so happy. I also loved when you shared the markers and erasers with the other kids at your table on Thursday.
Rosie: Thank you for collecting all of the math pages after everyone was done.  I also loved how you used a wipe board with me to write a sentence without the yellow marker!  Your writing improves each week! We are going to miss you so much while you are in Australia. Please write us a letter!
Lucas:   Thank you for checking all of the cupboards after centres time to make sure they were locked last Wednesday. I also loved that you remembered the name of all 4 seasons during our daily game show and how you told me that in winter you like to play in the snow.
George:   I loved that when I read a book on the seasons and you learned that the earth makes a complete rotation around the sun once a year you made the connection that you have experienced this 4 times.
Felix:  I loved that you remembered the name of the cylinder, cone, sphere and cube when we were studying 3D solids last week.  I also loved that you found 2 different spheres in the classroom, the globe and a marble.
Frankie:  You did such a great job writing out all of your numbers on Wednesday.  Your printing gets better every week! I also loved how you helped put away the book bin on the shelf with your friends when circle time was about to start.  You are such a wonderful helper. 
Poppy:  I loved that when we read the book Stephanie’s Ponytail by Robert Munsch you said that the kids who just copied everything Stephanie did had no personal power.  I also loved that you knew that Stephanie did have personal power because she listened to her heart and didn’t just follow the crowd.
Ian:  I loved that even though you wanted to use the cushion during circle time on Thursday you looked to see who was doing a great job on the carpet and who was in the green zone and you let them use it.  I know this was hard but I was so proud of you! 
Gabriel:  I loved that you brought in a red circle from home after you learned about the red zones in the zones of regulation lessons.  I also loved how you remembered that a ball is called a sphere.  
Oscar:   I loved that you remembered that it takes 24 hours for the earth to spin around once and this gives us day and night.  I also loved that you remembered that it takes 1 year for the earth to rotate around the sun. You are such a great listener. 
Isobel: I loved that when we read the book Stephanie’s Ponytail by Robert Munsch you said that the kids who just copied everything Stephanie did had no personal power.  I also loved that you knew that Stephanie did have personal power because she listened to her heart and didn’t just follow the crowd.
Leeloominai:   I loved that on Thursday you remembered that you had two choices during circle time.  You knew you could sit on the carpet in the green zone or you could go to the loose parts table.  I loved how with gentle reminders you remembered you could not go to centres during circle time. 
Willa:   I was so glad we got to celebrate your birthday with you on Thursday.  I was also proud of you for working so hard on your numbers after lunch all last week.  I also loved 
Rafe:  I was so proud of you for putting your running shoes on all by yourself on Wednesday.  I also loved how you came up to tell me that Frankie and Emma were doing a great job writing their letters.

Monday, November 25th, 2019.
Happy Monday Messages 
Patrick:  I loved that after we had learned about how squirrels stay active in the winter, you went looking for a squirrel den outside in the trees.  I loved that when one of our classroom helpers asked you how squirrels survive the winter you said by cuddling together in a den. I also loved how you remembered that to stay warm some birds shiver in the winter and this helps warm them up.
Geronimo:  I loved that when we were playing our classroom game show in class last week that you remembered that to stay warm in the winter some birds puff out their feathers and cuddle up together.  You are such an attentive listener. I also loved how you showed me all of your letters before you erased your board and came to read to a stuffie on the carpet. I also loved how you helped make a snowy den with the leaves, squirrel figurines and mini tree house during centres time.
Emma:   I loved that you were one of the first people dressed last week at the end of the day.  I also loved that you reminded everyone before they came inside that their boots need to stand tall and kiss the wall!  This is a great way to keep our boots tidy. I also loved that you remembered to put the sticks on all of your lower case Ms last week! I also loved how when a friend said that he had a hard time putting on his snow pants you offered to help him.
Harry:  I loved how you looked at the footprints in the snow cards and used them to create your own bird prints in our salt dough.  They looked great.  I also loved how you identified what the pattern core was during our group lesson on Thursday and how you started counting by 5s to 50 during our general store routine at the end of the day.
Mia:   I loved that after we learned about how squirrels adapt to the winter you acted out with your friends how squirrels cuddle up together in dens to stay warm.  I also loved how you remembered during our daily talk show that to stay warm in the winter some birds shiver.
Theo:   You did such a great job tidying up all the Crazy Fort pieces on Thursday. I loved that you encouraged others to tidy as well but didn’t take them out of their hands.  I also loved that before we went out for outdoor playtime you took the initiative to get your jacket on all by yourself! This made my heart so happy. 
Esther:   It was so kind of you to make me a picture at home on Wednesday night.  I loved that you even wrote my name on it. I also loved how excited you were to read your leveled book to your reading buddy and take it home on Wednesday.  You also did a great job writing the sight words inside of it.  
Yiorgos:  I was so proud of you for taking a breath and asking for help when it was hard to put your snowsuit on last week.  Wasn’t it nice how so many friends offered to help? I also loved that when you came in on Tuesday and I had forgotten to put the number work out that you grabbed the sheets and started to put them out for everyone! 
Jonah: I loved that when we were studying patterns this week, you told the class that the pattern I made was an AAB pattern!  You do such a great job remembering facts, details and concepts. I was also proud of you for getting your boots on by yourself.  At first you said that you couldn’t do it but when you tried and persevered you did it all by yourself.  
Ryder: I loved that after we learned about how squirrels adapt to the winter you acted out with your friends how squirrels cuddle up together in dens to stay warm.  I was also so proud of you for being in charge of putting all the active winter animal stuffies away after we had read books to them. This was so helpful of you! 
Katalina:   You did such a great job tidying up all last week!  I loved how you always took out a little dustpan to sweep up all the bird seed on the ground.  I also loved how you offered to wipe down all the tables. I was so proud of you for explaining how squirrels grow warmer coats in the winter during our classroom game show.  You listened so well to all the information we were learning during story time.
Rosie: We missed you last week!  We hope you feel better this week. 
Lucas:  I loved that after we learned about how squirrels adapt to the winter you acted out with your friends how squirrels cuddle up together in dens to stay warm.  I also loved that when you came in on Thursday and realized that I had forgotten to put out the math sheets you automatically asked if you could help me put them out.
George:  You did such a great job practising your letters all last week.  You were so focussed! I also loved how when you needed a quiet minute you told me you were going to sit in your cubby for a minute and then shout, “Ready!” when you wanted to rejoin the group.  I also loved how when I said, 3-2-1 contact you stopped what you were doing, put your hands in contact with your body, your lips in contact with each other and your eyes in contact with me.
Felix: You did a great job identifying the pattern core during our group lesson on Thursday.  You also did a great job counting by 5s to 100 at our general store on Thursday. I also loved how you wrote about the birdhouse that you wanted to make.  Your lower case letters get better every week. 
Frankie:  I loved that after we learned about how squirrels adapt to the winter you acted out with your friends how squirrels cuddle up together in dens to stay warm.   I also loved how excited you were to read your leveled book to your reading buddy and take it home on Wednesday. You also did a great job writing the sight words inside of it. 
Poppy:  I loved how you used the tires to make up a game outside on Thursday morning.  You are so imaginative. I also loved how loud and clear you counted from 1-55 on the carpet during our number routine!  I also loved how during our daily game show you told the class that to adapt to the cold winter squirrels bury nuts in the fall, snuggle with friends in their tree dens and grow extra fur.
Ian:    I also loved how excited you were to read your leveled book to your reading buddy and take it home on Wednesday.  You also did a great job writing the sight words inside of it. I also loved that when you came in on Tuesday and I had forgotten to put the number work out that you grabbed the sheets and started to put them out for everyone!
Gabriel:   I was blown away when you wrote out an entire page of numbers on Thursday.  You are a number master! I also loved how you carried a bin of toys with two friends so you could put it on the shelf as a team during tidy up time.  Thank you for looking after the class. 
Oscar:  I loved that when one of your friends was sad because he didn’t have a tire to play with you looked all around the playground to find him one.  This was so thoughtful of you. I also loved how every day that you came in last week you started your letters right away and finished them all!!! Your writing gets better every week. I also loved that when you came in on Tuesday and I had forgotten to put the number work out that you grabbed the sheets and started to put them out for everyone! 
Isobel:    I loved how when we were studying birds that adapt to the winter last week you decided to bring in a bird book all about these animals.  You always make connections to what we are learning at home. I also loved that you picked out the picture of the bird that was symmetrical on Tuesday.  You learned this concept so quickly. 
Leeloominai:  I was so proud of you for sitting straight and tall during mystery object on Thursday.  It was amazing how when someone beside you was distracting you, you put your finger on your lip to remind them to be quiet.  I also loved how you wrote about the birdhouse you wanted to make and how you wrote your name with lower-case letters at the top of your math sheet on Thursday.  Your writing gets better each week.
Willa: I loved that after we learned about how squirrels adapt to the winter you acted out with your friends how squirrels cuddle up together in dens to stay warm.  I also loved that during our classroom game show you shared with the class that to stay warm some birds shiver. You really take in all the facts that you hear. 
Rafe:  I loved that on Tuesday you came up to me to tell me what a great job Frankie was doing with her letters.  This was so kind of you. I also loved that even though it was hard, when you found a bumblebee eraser on the ground you put it back in the general store even though you wanted to keep it.  I loved that after we learned about how squirrels adapt to the winter you acted out with your friends how squirrels cuddle up together in dens to stay warm.
Monday, November 18th, 2019.
Happy Monday Messages
 Patrick:  You did a great job explaining to the class what symmetrical means on Tuesday.  I loved that you knew that the picture of the Canada Goose I cut out was symmetrical and you even drew your own symmetrical picture on the wipeboard.  
Geronimo:   I loved that when we found out that Willa’s mystery object had 6 sides and 6 vertices you knew it was a hexagon!  I also loved how excited you were to make a symmetrical Canada Goose on Tuesday. You did such a great job cutting it out on your own.
Emma: Thank you for reviewing all my Spanish words with me last week.  You are such a great teacher. I also loved that when we were learning the continents you wanted  me to include Central America. You are so clever!
Harry:  I loved that during circle time you remembered that Canada Geese and Monarch butterflies migrate in the winter.  I also loved how you knew that the number 45 came after 44 when we were looking at the number of the day.
Mia:  You did such a great job sharing with the class what symmetrical means on Monday.  I loved how you explained that a heart and a butterfly are symmetrical. I also loved that you remembered that monarch butterflies and canadian geese fly south for the winter!
Theo:  I was so proud of you for being the first one in line on Tuesday with your snow pants on, your jacket and backpack.  I even loved how you went into the handout bin and put your song of the week in your special folder. It is so great when you take charge.  Thank you as well for collecting all the marker caps that were on the ground for when we have a marker emergency.
Esther:   Thank you so much for putting out all the markers when I forgot to do this on Wednesday after lunch.  You are so organized and always know what needs to be done! I also loved how you made sure your jacket and snowpants were on the hook in your cubby last week and your mittens and hat were in the penthouse of your cubby.  You are so organized.
Yiorgos:   You did a great job naming which animals migrate during our classroom gameshow on Tuesday!  Isn’t it neat that monarch butterflies and Canadian geese migrate South? I also loved that you remembered that they fly North again in the Spring.
Jonah:  I loved that when the tidy up song was on last Tuesday you handed me your book right away.  I know it is hard when you are in the middle of a good book to stop what you are doing. I also loved how you pushed in two chairs during the tidy up song.  It was also great how when we were learning about symmetry, you said that butterflies could be symmetrical! Well done. I also loved that you knew if something is not symmetrical it is called asymmetrical.
Ryder:   I loved how you sat on the carpet every circle time last week. I also loved that during our classroom game show you remembered that a squirrels stays active during the winter, a monarch butterfly migrates and a bear hibernates.
Katalina:  You did such an incredible job singing on the stage during our Remembrance Day assembly on Monday.  You have such a beautiful voice and you sang so loud and clear. I also loved all the dance moves you pulled out when you were dancing to our counting to 100 song last week!  I can tell you take dance lessons.
Rosie:  I loved that when we were studying symmetry last week you saw that a heart is symmetrical and so was the Canada Goose that we cut out.  I also loved how you used the drawing book last week to learn how to draw new pictures and write about them.  
Lucas:  I loved that when your parents asked you what you want to do better in school, you told them you wanted to find out how you could help Amy more.  You are always so helpful because you always tidy up and help others tidy up. I love that you always push in chairs and help me collect all the letter and number sheets.  We are so lucky to have you in our class.
George: I loved how you did your letters and numbers when you came in after outdoor play time last week.  I also loved how you sat down with me and made a symmetrical picture of a butterfly. It makes me so happy when you try something new.  I also loved how you worked so hard to put away your snack containers last week. This was so responsible of you.
Felix:   You did such a great job singing on stage on Monday during our Remembrance Day Assembly.  You held yourself with such confidence and sang all the words in a loud and clear way. I also loved how well you counted to 100 by 10s and 25s during our end of day routine.  You are such a great mathematician.
Frankie:  I loved that you reminded me on Wednesday that I should always wear my hair up at school so I don’t get lice.  I will make sure I do this from now on. I also was so proud of you on Wednesday for going through the whole day without your Mama shirt.  You were so brave!!
Poppy:  You did a great job figuring out what the number of the day was on Thursday.  I loved that you knew that the number that came between 46 and 48 was 47. I also loved that you remembered that monarch butterflies and Canadian Geese migrate South in the winter.
Ian:   It was so kind of you clean up all of the math sheets after math time.  I also loved how quickly you were able to put on your snowsuit and how you made sure you put your indoor shoes in the top shelf of your cubby!
Gabriel:  I loved that you created a vehicle for a migrating animal in case it gets tired on its journey south!  You are so thoughtful. I also loved how you made sure you put your mitts and hat in the penthouse of your cubby and your lunch box above your cubby on Wednesday.  You are so independent and organized.
Oscar:  I loved that when we found out that Willa’s mystery object had 6 sides and 6 vertices you knew it was a hexagon!  Well done! I loved that when the marker caps fell down you went and picked them all up without being asked. You always look to see how you can help the class.
Isobel:  I loved that you shared with the class that Monarch butterflies and Canadian Geese migrate in the winter.  I also loved that you remembered that when a shape is the same on both sides of a line it is called symmetrical.   You did a great job cutting out a symmetrical goose at the art centre.
Leeloominai: I loved how when Poppy couldn’t open her snack you offered to help her.  I also loved how you told me you needed quiet when you were working on your numbers.  I couldn’t believe how you wrote out all your numbers to 18 in a quiet spot. I was also so proud of you for putting your snowsuit on in under 2 minutes when we made it into a game.
Willa:  I loved that you always made sure that your boots were standing up tall and kissing the wall outside of the classroom before you came into the class after outdoor time.  I was also so proud of you for putting your hat and mitts in the penthouse of your cubby!
Rafe: I loved how when we were counting to the number of the day you knew that 45 came after 44.  I also loved that when you were the helper of the day you kept picking people to participate during circle time if they were in the green zone.  I also loved that when I helped the class sing the days of the week song you told me that I did a great job and I made your heart bigger.

​

Monday, November 11th, 2019.
Happy Monday Messages
 
Patrick:   I loved how you used different materials such as blocks, logs and connectors to build a house and cave for Bear Bear to hibernate in last week.  You are so great at building structures. I also loved how you came and told me when one of your friends was frustrating you came and told me so we could solve it together on Thursday.  I also loved how you came a read me a levelled reader on hibernation. I was so very proud of you.
Geronimo:   I loved that when you were finished writing out your letter of the week on Thursday, you went right to the carpet and started reading a book about hibernating and winter to one of our hibernating stuffies.  I also loved how during tidy up time on Thursday you worked with two other students to put the connectors away and the bin on the shelf. I love to see teamwork in action in our class. I also loved how you remembered that bears, groundhogs and ladybugs hibernate during our whole group lesson. 
Emma: It was so thoughtful of you to buy me a candle on the weekend.  It filled my heart so much because you were thinking of me. I also loved that you worked to add sticks to your lower case Ms last week and that you copied out a sentence below your picture during centres time. I loved the cave that you built for the hibernating bear and I loved that you wrote about it.  I also loved how you gave other students a silent applause when they were picked during calendar time. You are so supportive of your friends. 
Harry:  I loved that when you were finished writing out your letter of the week on Thursday, you went right to the carpet and started reading a book about hibernating and winter to one of our hibernating stuffies.  I also loved how during tidy up time on Thursday you worked with two other students to put the connectors away and the bin on the shelf. I love to see teamwork in action in our class. I also loved how you remembered that when an animal hibernates their breathing gets slower during our whole group lesson.  
Mia:  I loved that you wrote 3 picture stories this week.  I loved seeing the picture of you and your family playing tag!  I also loved that you remembered during our whole group lesson that ladybugs hibernate.  Isn’t it neat that they curl up together in a leaf or under a log? I also loved that during tidy up time on Thursday you worked with two friends to pick up so many items off the carpet.  You are such a wonderful tidier! 
Theo:   It was so kind of you to let me know which one of the students was being so responsible when I had to leave the room for a meeting on Tuesday last week.  I also loved that when you were upset you were able to tell me that you were in the blue zone. I also loved how hard you tried to sit on your spot during circle time and raise a quiet hand.  When you did this it set such a great example for others.
 
Esther:   You did a wonderful job making a puppet of a hibernating animal last week.  I also loved how you built so many different caves out of the blocks and logs for our hibernating friend bear to sleep in.  I also loved how when we played hibernation trivia on the carpet you remembered that an animals heart beat slows down when they hibernate.
Yiorgos:   I loved all the caves that you built for our little bear friend out of logs and blocks last week.  Our bear will be so happy to hibernate in these caves. I also loved how loud you sang the words to “I Will Remember You” to our little bear friend.  He was so worried to go and hibernate. Now that he knows we won’t forget about him while he sleeps for 3 months I am sure he will be excited to go to bed!
 
Jonah:  I was so proud of you for reading the levelled book on hibernation with me last Wednesday.  I am so excited to start sending levelled books home with you so you can continue to grow as a reader.  I also loved that you wrote one thing that you learned from the hibernation book. Isn’t it neat that snakes hibernate? 
Ryder:   Froggie was so happy to give you so many hugs when you were sitting in the green zone and ready to listen during carpet time last week.  I loved that when someone was being silly beside you on Thursday, you listened to your heart and used your personal power. You sat so nicely and listened to the speaker even when someone else wasn’t.  Leaders always listen to their heart and do the right thing even when others don’t. 
Katalina:  It was so kind of you to bring in a book to share with the class last week.  I am so glad you brought in a book about the life cycle of a butterfly because monarch butterflies migrate to adapt to the winter and we are studying migration this week.  I also loved that when the tidy up song went on in the morning on Thursday you tidied up as soon as it came on. This made my heart so big.
 
Rosie: I loved that when a friend lost his mitten you were the first one to offer to look for it for him.  I also loved how during our whole group lesson you remembered that bears, snakes, groundhogs and even ladybugs hibernate.  I also loved that you remembered that before they sleep they get big and round. I also loved that you remembered that when they hibernate their heart rate and breathing slows down.  
 
Lucas:  I loved how last week when we were talking about how bears prepare for the winter by eating a lot of food, building fat and hibernating you said that Polar Bears were built for the cold. This was such a great connection.  I loved that after this you wondered if Polar Bears hibernate. Did you know that only pregnant female polar bears hibernate? They can go up to 3 months without eating and live off of the fat stored in their bodies!
 
George: I loved that you told me that you thought the paper towels in class were a little bit rough and then you put a plan of action together on how I could get better ones from Costco.  I loved that you told me to take your car because it had a big trunk and then if I got there if I don’t see the paper towels in the store I should go ask the forklift driver outside if they had any on the forklift.  You did a great job as Helper of the Day on Wednesday. I loved how you picked students who were sitting in the green zone to go to centres. It made my heart so big on Friday when I lost my voice and you told me that you would sing the Hello Song for everyone.  I loved that this was the first time that you let me sing your name. I also loved that you wrote out all of your numbers to 20 on Friday after lunch as well!
 
Felix:   I loved how focussed you were when we were singing “I Will Remember You,” to our hibernating animal friends.  You sat up so tall and really projected your voice. You are going to do such a great job at our whole school assembly this week.  I also loved how when we made playdough as a class that you sat so patiently while you were waiting your turn to stir. You have mastered sitting in the green zone!
 
Frankie: You did a great job as Helper of the Day on Friday last week.  I loved that you did a countdown starting on Monday and let me know each day how many days left until you were the helper.  I also loved how many caves you built for our hibernating bears during centres time this week. I was so proud of you for remembering that when a bear hibernates its breathing and heart rate slows down.
 
Poppy:  You did such a great job drawing a picture of an animal that hibernates on Thursday.  Isn’t it so neat that some bees hibernate? I also loved that you decided to bring in a little bee to show to the class because you were thinking about hibernating creatures at home.  I also loved that you remembered during carpet time that when animals hibernate they eat a lot of food so they have enough energy to keep them over the winter. I also loved how you remembered that when they sleep their breathing and heart rate slows down.
 
Ian:   I think you deserve an award for patience.  I loved that when we made playdough as a class on Tuesday and everyone had a chance to stir it 3 times you sat so quietly, with your legs crossed like a pretzel until it was your turn.  You have mastered sitting in the green zone. I also loved that you drew and wrote a picture about how bears hibernate in the winter. You are a super writer and scientist.
Gabriel:   I loved that when we were on the carpet sharing you remembered that bears, ladybugs and even ground hogs hibernate.  I also loved that you would show me every time you did your numbers after lunch last week. I also loved how when you were done your letter work in the morning you found a hibernating animal stuffy that you could read to! 
Oscar:  I loved that when Theo dropped his hat outside on Friday you picked it up right away and brought it to him.  This was so kind of you. I also loved how you showed me everytime you finished your numbers last week during our quiet math routine.  I also loved how you created so many caves for our hibernating animals out of connectors and blocks. I loved that you remembered when an animal hibernates its breathing and heart rate slows down. 
Isobel:   I loved that when it was tidy up time on Thursday you tidied up the blocks and then you went over and cleaned the kitchen.  You earned 2 hearts on the board for this hard work. I also loved that when we were learning about hibernators you made this connection at home and brought in a book about bees and bears who both hibernate.  I also loved how loud you sang all the math songs on Thursday during our daily Math routine. You are a rocking mathematician. 
Leeloominai:  It was so kind of you to sing a song to one of your friends when they were upset last week. I also loved how when I wrote out the lyrics to one of your songs in yellow marker you insisted in tracing over it so we could hang it on the writer’s wall!  I also loved that you waited your turn when the playdough bowl went around the circle and you offered to hold it for others when they were stirring. I also loved that when it was time to go outside on Wednesday you asked if you could get a star on the board after you tidied your lunch and put on your jacket.  I was proud of you for doing both so quickly. I also liked that you got in line so quickly for the prep teacher when I told you she needed your songs to help others. 
Willa:   You did such a great job reading to your hibernating buddy friend on the carpet on Wednesday.  Thank you for doing your best to follow all of our classroom routines every day. I also loved that during our group lesson you remembered that bees, groundhogs, bears and snakes hibernate.  I also loved that whenever the tidy up song was on last week you stopped what you were doing right away and started tidying up.
 
Rafe:  I was so proud of you on Friday when you put your hands on your hips when you were feeling frustrated.  When you told your friend why you were mad with your honey voice they listened to you and said sorry. I also loved how you drew a picture of a ladybug during writing time and wrote all about how ladybugs hibernate.  I also loved that during our number of the day routine you knew that 43 is the number that comes after 42.

Monday, November 4th, 2019.
Happy Monday Messages
 Patrick:  I loved that when the tidy up song came on last Tuesday you went around and collected everyone’s books for them.  I was so proud of you for coming up to me when someone was upset because they didn’t want to hand over the book so we could solve the problem peacefully together.  I also loved how you came up to me on the carpet on Wednesday and told me how well Rosie was tidying up. It was so kind of you to recognize when others do something well.  I also loved how you were using the breathing ball when you wanted to relax and be mindful. It was so kind of you to show Frankie how to use it.
 
Geronimo:   I loved how you got to work right away when you came in on Wednesday morning.  I was so proud of you for doing your letters and also reminding others to stay on task.  I also loved how when you were finished writing your letters you tidied up your wipe board and marker and put it away before reading a book on the carpet.  I loved how when you looked on the ground and found a marker without a lid you shouted, “marker patrol” and looked around the class until you found the missing lid. 
Emma:   You did such an incredible job remembering the steps in the pumpkin life cycle last week.  Thank you for helping Palika’s class to learn all about it. Isn’t it neat that the pumpkin vine grows a yellow flower and that a bee needs to pollinate it before a pumpkin grows?  I also loved how you drew a picture of a pumpkin on Wednesday and called her Pumpkin Pie. I loved putting your work on the author wall. 
Harry: You did such a great job sharing with Palika’s grade ⅔ class all the steps in the pumpkin life cycle last week.  I loved how you told them that there was an embryo waiting to come out of the pumpkin seed. I also loved how you remembered that the flower needs to be pollinated by a bee before it can grow a new pumpkin.  I also loved how during tidy-up time on Tuesday you used a broom to tidy up the imaginative play area until it was as shiny as a diamond! 
Mia:   I loved the picture you did of your family dancing last week.  I was so proud of how well you copied the sentence off the wipe board and on to the page.  You did a great job starting your letters at the top and using finger spaces. I also loved how on Wednesday when you had finished tidying up you told me who else you thought was doing a great job. 
Theo:   I loved how badly you wanted to put the pumpkins in order by height during centres time on Tuesday.  I also loved how excited you were to write about this. I loved that when you finished getting your shoes, coat and backpack on after school on Tuesday you chose to borrow a book as a reward.  You were so responsible with the book. Thank you for giving it to me as soon as you got to school on Wednesday.
Esther: I loved how you were singing a song for your friends on Wednesday about how everyone is special and can shine.  I love how you always look for the good in everyone and are so encouraging. I also loved how you helped me to put the newsletter in different people’s red folders on Wednesday.  You are so helpful! I also loved how you put on a puppet show about the life cycle of a pumpkin that day. You are such a super scientist!
Yiorgos: I loved that you knew each step of the pumpkin life cycle on Tuesday and you wanted to help teach this to Palika’s class when we had reading buddies.  I also loved how when the tidy up song came on in the afternoon you showed me how well you could tidy. I also loved how you told Poppy she was really doing a great job.
Jonah:   I loved that you got to work right away when you came into the class on Wednesday. I was proud of  you for working on your letters and making sure that you started each one at the top. I also loved how when I asked you to put your book away during tidy up time you did.  I know it is hard sometimes when you want to finish things but it helps the whole class to be ready for the next activity together. 
Ryder:   I loved that whenever you came in last week you would put away your belongings and start working on your letters.  I also loved how you started working on your numbers after lunch. You did an incredible job during circle time showing the class how to raise a quiet hand when you wanted to say something as well.  I also loved that when you were the helper of the day you kept coming up to me and telling me who was doing a great job with the routines. You were right, Yiorgos was doing a great job tidying.
Katalina:   You did an incredible job coming in to class on Tuesday.  I loved how you hung up your jacket and backpack and put your special folder in the right place.  I also loved how you worked on your letters right away. I especially loved it when you helped others tidy up their books when the morning song came on.
Rosie: It was so kind of you for putting away the book bin after math and letter time all last week.  I also loved it when you offered to help Lucas find his ring when he lost it on Wednesday. You are so super kind.  I also loved how during writing centres you worked so hard to write your name starting at the left side of the page and moving to the right. 
Lucas:   I loved how during our carpet lesson on Tuesday you remembered each step in the life cycle of a pumpkin. Isn’t it neat how the bees have to pollinate the pumpkin flower before it can grow a pumpkin?  I also loved how hard you worked to tidy the imaginative play area during tidy up time on Tuesday. I loved that you and Gabriel wanted to tidy it until it was shiny as a diamond.
George:   I was so proud of you during circle time on Tuesday.  When I said 3-2-1 pumpkin contact you looked at me and stopped talking.  I also loved how you raised your hand when you wanted to share during carpet time on Tuesday.  When we take turns it is so much easier for us to learn from each other because we can hear what everyone has to say. 
Felix:   I loved the picture of a portal that you drew on Tuesday.  You did such a great job copying out a sentence from the wipe board and onto your page.  Your letter formation is getting so much better because you are remembering to start your letters from the top.  I also loved what a great job you did building the number of the day with base ten units on Tuesday.  
Frankie:   I loved how on Tuesday you came up and told me who was doing a wonderful job cleaning up.  This was so kind of you. I also loved how you helped me to put the newsletter in different people’s red folders on Wednesday.  You are so helpful! I also loved how you put on a puppet show about the life cycle of a pumpkin that day. You are such a super scientist!
Poppy:  I loved how during our carpet lesson on Tuesday you remembered each step in the life cycle of a pumpkin. Isn’t it neat how the bees have to pollinate the pumpkin flower before it can grow a pumpkin?  I also loved how you helped me put the pumpkins in order by height on Tuesday and then you wrote about this during centres time. You are such a great mathematician and writer.
Ian: I loved the pumpkin puppet that you made last week.  You did such a great job cutting out the different stages of the pumpkin life cycle to attach to the back of your pumpkin.  Do you think you could put on a puppet show for your little sister to tell her how a pumpkin grows? I also loved what a great job you did lining up last week.  I loved whenever I said, “Pumpkin Contact” you would make a pumpkin shape with your arms and smile at me quietly.
Gabriel: I loved that during clean up time on Tuesday you worked with Lucas and Harry to clean the imaginative play area until it was spotless.  I loved how you even grabbed a mini broom to sweep it up! I thought it was amazing that you wanted to tidy it until it was “shiny like a diamond!”  I also loved what a great job you did with your writing this week! Your letters and numbers get better every week. 
Oscar: It was so kind of you on Wednesday to come up to me during tidy up time and tell me that you thought Gabriel was doing a great job.  I also loved how during our group lesson you could recite each step in the pumpkin life cycle. You are such a super scientist. I also loved how when you were helper of the day you told the class you would only pick them if they were sitting in the green zone and ready to learn. 
Isobel: I loved that you brought in a book to read with the class on Wednesday.  This was so kind of you! Did you like how the whole class gave you a silent applause?  I also loved how you wrote about your trip to the farm last week. It was great how you wrote that you loved when your Mom came with us.  That was so nice! I also loved what a great job you were doing sitting on your spot on Wednesday afternoon. I am so glad Ryder chose you as the best helper of the day!
Leeloominai:  I was so proud of you on Wednesday when you came into the class.  You put your indoor shoes on, hung up your bag and coat all by yourself!  You earned 3 stars!! I also loved how when you were done you sat down and worked on your letters.  This earned you one more star. I was also proud of you for sitting on your spot during story time on Tuesday.  It makes my heart so big when you do this. 
Willa:   I loved your writing last week.  It was so neat to see you inspired to write about the photograph you were in.  You did such a great job tracing each word by starting each letter at the top. I also loved how you came up to me during tidy up time on Wednesday and let me know that Yiorgos was doing a great job tidying up.  This was so kind of you. 
Rafe: I loved that you knew each step of the pumpkin life cycle on Tuesday and you wanted to help teach this to Palika’s class when we had reading buddies.  I also loved how when the tidy up song came on in the afternoon you showed me how well you could tidy. I also loved how you told Rosie she was really doing a great job.



Monday, October 28th, 2019.
Happy Monday Messages
Patrick:  I loved how when we came in as a school on Wednesday you didn’t go into the class until a teacher went in first.  This was so responsible of you. I also loved how nicely you sat on the carpet all last week. Your legs were crossed like a pretzel, and you kept your eyes on the speaker.  I also loved how when we played game show on Wednesday you remembered that the roots of a plant help anchor it to the soil. You are such a super scientist. I also loved how you told the other students during outdoor inquiry that they needed to build the nest up in the tree so predators don’t hurt the birds. 
Geronimo:   I loved how on our farm trip on Wednesday, after the farmer was telling us about the life cycle of a pumpkin you remembered that the pumpkin flower needed to be pollinated by a bee.  Wasn’t it neat to see the picture of the bee on the screen with so much pollen all over its body? 
Emma:   It was so kind of you on Tuesday for writing a letter to Miss Hyma when she was away.  I also loved how hard you worked on your lower case letters when you wrote that you wanted her to feel better soon.  I also loved how when we played game show on Wednesday you explained to the class that a plant uses water, sunlight and carbon dioxide and turns it into sugar and oxygen.  You are such a super scientist.
Harry:  I loved that all day long on Tuesday you were chanting how to spell the word of the week “little” to yourself.  I love how well you listen and participate in the learning activities on the carpet. I also loved how when we went into Palika’s class for reading buddies you helped explain to the older students that seeds have a food store and an embryo inside of them and they need water to soften the seed coat and the right temperature to grow.
Mia:  I loved how when we came in as a school on Wednesday you didn’t go into the class until a teacher went in first.  This was so responsible of you. I also loved how when the music came on for tidy up time you started tidying up right away.  I also loved how when we made the artwork together you remembered that a plant takes in carbon dioxide, water and sunlight to make sugar and oxygen.  You are such a super scientist. 
Theo: You did such an incredible job last week with all of your routines when I added a star next to your name on the board.  I loved how you let me know that you were doing your letters and showed me when you had put your shoes on independently. I also loved how you showed me when you had cleaned your cubby and when you had put your snack bag away.  I also loved how when we were on the carpet you acted out for the class how a plant takes in water, sunlight and carbon dioxide to make sugar and food! 
Esther:   Thank you so much for always asking if you could wipe down all the tables after you had tidied up your centre during the tidy up song.  You are always looking for ways to help keep the classroom in good working order. I also loved how you helped me act out how plants use water, sunlight and carbon dioxide to make sugar and oxygen in front of the class.  I also loved how much writing you did on your own on Tuesday. Your writing gets better each week.
Yiorgos: We were so excited to celebrate your birthday with you on Wednesday.  I am so glad that we got to share that special day with you in class. I also loved how when we played game show as a class with Sammy the Seed you were able to explain that the root anchors the plant to the ground.  Isn’t it neat that it helps it suck in water and nutrients too? 
Jonah: You did such a beautiful picture last week to show how a plant uses water, sunlight and carbon dioxide to make oxygen and sugar.  I loved how you traced the leaf with yellow to show how the sun hit it and drew blue in the veins to show how the water traveled through the leaf.  I loved how when you were done the first part you asked me if we were going to add the green chlorophyll to the leaf next! 
Ryder:  I loved how each day that you came in last week you put away all your things and started to trace your letters right away.  You became an expert at tracing the letter K. I could not believe how many stars you earned each morning. I also loved how when we were on the carpet you acted out for the class how a plant takes in water, sunlight and carbon dioxide to make sugar and food! 
Katalina:  It was so kind of you to pick up Poppy’s hat when it had fallen on the floor and put it in her cubby for her on Wednesday.  I know this filled her bucket. I also loved how you worked with me to create such a beautiful picture of a leaf on Wednesday.  I loved that you showed how the plant uses water, sunlight and carbon dioxide to make oxygen and food. You are such a super scientist.
Rosie: I loved the picture you made for me last week to show me how much you loved me.  I could not believe how many hearts you drew on the paper. I also loved how when we were on the carpet you acted out for the class how a plant takes in water, sunlight and carbon dioxide to make sugar and food!  I also loved how you carried the bin of toys to the shelf each day with a little help from Lucas and Oscar. It was so nice to see you all working as a team.
Lucas:   I loved how when we came in as a school on Wednesday you didn’t go into the class until a teacher went in first.  This was so responsible of you. I also loved how you told me you wanted to reorganize where we keep all the stuffed animals in the class. You are so great at keeping our class organized and tidy.  I also loved that when we were playing a game show on Wednesday you were able to tell me that the roots of the plant anchor it to the ground so it doesn’t blow away. 
George: I loved that when we were at the farm on Monday you leaned over during the presentation to tell me that I made your heart so big.  This was very kind and sweet of you. I also loved how you helped me lead the line in on Thursday. You are such a great helper. I loved how you came to work with me at the art centre to colour the sunlight hitting a leaf and the water inside of it.  I loved how we talked about how plants take in Carbon Dioxide and breathe out Oxygen. You are such a super scientist. I also loved how you told me when you needed quiet time and reminded me when it was time to eat your cereal.
Felix:   I loved how you helped Theo tidy up all the corn and pumpkins off the carpet on Tuesday when you were not even playing with them.  I loved how you put them in order of height when you put them away. I also loved how when we were in Palika’s class for reading buddies you helped the grade 2 and 3 students learn that plants take it water, carbon dioxide and sunlight and make oxygen and sugar.  You are such a great teacher. I also loved that this week you created a lego structure with 100 pieces!!
Frankie:   I loved that when Hyma was away on Tuesday you made her a beautiful picture to let her know that you missed her.  I loved how hard you worked on all of your letters. Your writing gets better every week. I also loved how when we were playing game show on Wednesday you explained that the roots take in water and nutrients for the plant. I also loved this week that you started planning for next year.  Thank you for letting me know that you would like me to be your teacher in SK and how you would really like to stay in room 128 and not Barry’s room.
Poppy:  You did such a great job writing out a sentence this week during writing time.  I also loved how you let me know that you need to be reminded to eat snack because you always forget!  I will be sure to give you a reminder during centres time. I also loved how you played restaurant with me after we had made soup as a class.  I loved how you said that the soup was the “most magnificent soup” you had ever tasted!
Ian: It was so nice of you to make me a card last week.  You did such a great job writing out all the letters of your name.  I also loved how you wrote so much about the picture of you at the farm.  I am glad you were so excited that your Dad came. I also loved that you wrote me a note this week to tell me about something that had happened.  I promise I will help you address the problem. I also loved that you drew a picture of a fire truck and wanted to get to the writing right away. You are such an eager student and you always push yourself to do your personal best.
Gabriel: You did such a great job with your writing on Tuesday.  I loved how excited you were to write about what you were doing in the photograph I took of you.  The structure you created was so amazing. It was really a great rescue truck. I also loved that you wanted to do another piece of writing with me on Friday.  Your writing has improved so much since the beginning of the year. I also loved how you showed Lightning how well you could walk in line on Friday. I can’t wait for our class to show the whole school how to walk respectfully in the halls at the assembly. 
Oscar: I also loved how when we were on the carpet you acted out for the class how a plant takes in water, sunlight and carbon dioxide to make sugar and food!  I also loved how you worked as a team with Rosie and Lucas last week to put the heavy bin on the shelf. You are such a great team player. I also loved that after we played restaurant you wanted to wipe down all the tables.  It was also so wonderful that you did so much writing in class last week. I love when you get to work right away after lunch and show the JKs what they are supposed to do.
Isobel:  You did such a beautiful picture last week to show how a plant uses water, sunlight and carbon dioxide to make oxygen and sugar.  I loved how you traced the leaf with yellow to show how the sun hit it and drew blue in the veins to show how the water traveled through the leaf.  I also loved how well you tidied up the horse centre on Friday. I know this is your favourite centre and it makes my heart so happy when you tidy it up so nicely.
Leeloominai:  We missed you last week!  We are glad you are back this week. 
Willa: I was so proud of you for sitting in the green zone whenever you were on the carpet last week. You always had your eyes on the speaker and showed them you were ready to learn by sitting quietly.  I also loved how whenever I said, “meditation station” last week, you lined up so quietly. I can’t wait for you to help show the school how we walk respectfully in the halls when we have our school-wide assembly.
Rafe:  I loved that you told Rosie you were so proud of her for writing out all her letters yesterday when she came in.  You were such a supportive friend. I also loved how when we were making playdough as a class you raised your hand so quietly when you wanted a turn.  Wasn’t it so nice that Mia picked you to help because you raised a quiet hand. I also loved how you brought in chocolate for our whole kindergarten team the week before. This was so thoughtful of you.


Happy Monday Messages
 
Patrick: You did such an incredible job as Helper of the Day.  I loved how you made sure everyone was standing in line nicely and how you picked students who were sitting with their legs crossed like a pretzel and their hands up to answer questions on the carpet.  I also liked how you always came to me if someone frustrated you last week so we could solve it with them in a peaceful way. I also loved how you still keep offering to put away the math manipulatives away after number play and push in all the chairs.
Geronimo: You did such a wonderful job tidying your cubby all last week.  I loved that you came and told me who had also done a great job tidying their cubbies.  I also couldn’t believe what a great job you did tidying up after centres all last week.  Thank you for putting away the magnets when you were not even playing with them. I also loved how when Sammy the Seed came to visit our class you helped explain to him that he had a seed coat, and an embryo or baby plant inside.  I loved that you helped tell him he needed rain to soften his seed coat and the sun to grow.
 
Emma: You did an incredible job as leader of the day on Thursday.  Thank you for reminding all of the students to walk in the hall with their hands on their hips and their fingers on their lips.  I also loved how you reminded all the students to sit on the carpet with their legs crossed like a pretzel and to raise a quiet hand when they wanted to share.  I also loved how you took the initiative to hand out stickers when students were sitting quietly and working on their numbers. You are such a great leader.
 
Harry:  I loved that when tidy up time was over you offered to put back together all the puzzles.  They were tricky puzzles and you worked so hard until each piece was put away. This was so helpful and kind of you.  I also loved that when I said 3-2-1 contact to the students on Thursday, you made sure your hands were in contact with your body, your lips in contact with each other and your eyes in contact with mine.  You set such a wonderful example for the class. I think our class is going to win an award for being the best listeners in the school.
 
Mia: Thank you so much for tidying up the puzzles after centres time was done.  They were very tricky puzzles and I was so proud of you for taking charge of this task with Lucas and Harry when everyone was finished tidying up.  I also loved how when I said 3-2-1 contact to the students on Thursday, you made sure your hands were in contact with your body, your lips in contact with each other and your eyes in contact with mine. You also did a great job walking in the hall with your hand on your hip and fingers on your lips.  We are going to make such a wonderful video for the school on how to walk down the hall in a respectful way.
 
Theo:   It was so kind of you to bring in a beautiful picture for me, Hyma and Jane after the long weekend.  It was absolutely lovely. I also loved how when you needed a break from carpet time last week you knew to go to the special loose parts table.  You made such a wonderful structure there! I was also so proud of you for doing such a great job tidying your cubby on Thursday. It was also so sweet of you to let me know who was doing a great job tidying up after centres time.  I also loved how you showed baby Lucy where you ate lunch on Wednesday and stayed inside of the class when you were saying hello to her.
Esther: I loved the song you made up last week about how everybody can dazzle.  Everyone definitely dazzles in our classroom when they do their personal best!  I also loved how hard you worked on your seed, rain and sun puppets. I loved how you wanted to put on a puppet show to explain what a seed needs to grow.  I also loved how when we went outside to look for seeds, you told the class they shouldn’t just look down they should look up too! It was so neat to look up and see bunches of seeds on the branches of trees above us.
 
Yiorgos: You did such a great job writing your name on your mini greenhouse on Thursday.  I loved that you took your time and made sure you were pinching the marker. I also loved that you started all your letters from the top.  I also thought it was so nice that you told me who was doing a great job tidying up after centres time and how when another student was chosen to answer a question you gave them a silent applause.  You are such a supportive friend.
 
Jonah:   You did such a great job on your reading test last week.  I could not believe that you are reading at a grade one level already!  I cannot wait to send you home a reading log and some levelled books. I was proud of you for solving the problem peacefully with your friend when you both wanted to use the loose parts table last week. It was great that when you were given a little encouragement you both were able to find a solution that made you both happy.  When we added another chair to the table you were both able to play there so nicely.
 
Ryder:  I was so proud of you for doing so many numbers during math time on Thursday.  Your writing gets better every week. I was also so proud of you for keeping your hands on your hips and finger on your lips when you were walking inside on Thursday.  I can’t wait for you to help make a video for the school of how we can walk respectfully in the hall. I was also so impressed by how many numbers you wrote on your page on Thursday when  I let you use my special dry erase marker. Thank you for using it so responsibly working so hard with it.
 
Katalina:  You did a great job cutting out your mini greenhouse on Thursday.  I also loved how you made sure you put on the lids back on the markers after you had finished using them.  I also loved how when I said 3-2-1 contact to the students on Thursday, you made sure your hands were in contact with your body, your lips in contact with each other and your eyes in contact with mine.  I can’t wait to make a video for the school showing them how to walk in the hall like a leader. 
Rosie:   It was so kind of you to offer to push in all the chairs and put away the math books after our math routine.  I also loved how much detail you put into your seed, cloud and sun puppets. You did such a great job cutting out each character on your own and drawing on their faces.  I also loved how when you were making your mini-green house with me on Thursday you showed me how you could write your name even if your page was flipped upside down. This was super impressive.
Lucas: You are such a hard worker.  I loved that earlier this week when tidy up time was done, you offered to sweep up all the beans that spilled all over the floor.  I also loved how on Tuesday, you sat down with two other students to put back together all the puzzles after tidy up time. It was also so kind of you to put away the book bin with Rosie after reading time and to remind others in such a kind way when it was time to tidy up.  You are such a leader in the class because you show others to help out too.
 
George:   I loved the structure that you made on Wednesday during centres time.  I loved that you showed me where the axle were. I also loved how you gave me a running cuddle each day you were here last week and how you told me when you needed a cuddle because you missed your Mama.  I am so proud of you for saying what you need. I also loved that you created a structure at home on Thursday and had your Mama send me a picture of it. You are such a talented builder and creator.
 
Felix:   I loved that you helped tidy up the loose parts centre on Wednesday even though you were not playing with it.  I loved how you organized all the parts by attribute. I also loved how you pushed in all the chairs during tidy-up time on Wednesday and you collected all the magnets you found on the ground and put them away.  The class was spotless because of your help.
 
Frankie:   I loved that when Sammy the Seed came to visit our class you helped him learn what he needed to grow.  You are right! Seeds do need sunlight and water to grow. I also loved how you finished a whole page of numbers during our math routine.  You did such an incredible job. Your numbers get better every week. I also loved how hard you worked on your name when we made your mini greenhouse on Thursday.  You remembered that when you want to make a letter and you want to make it better you need to start it at the top.
 
Poppy:  I was so proud of how well you cut out your cloud puppet on your own on Tuesday.  At first you told me that you didn’t know how to cut on your own but you worked hard and didn’t give up until you did it all by yourself! I loved watching you put on a puppet show with your seed, cloud and rain puppet.  I loved how you explained what a seed needs to grow in character. I also loved that when another student did something that bothered you last week, you put your hands on your hip and told them that you didn’t like what they did and it made you sad and mad.  I am glad they apologised to you.
Ian:  You did a great job counting by 10s on the carpet on Thursday during our mini game show.  I was so proud of you. I also loved how when we were reading the math book about 10 black dots you said the dots could also make train wheels.  Wasn’t it neat to find that on one of the pages the author had made the dots into train wheels? You and the author think alike. I also loved how when I said 3-2-1 contact to the students on Thursday, you made sure your hands were in contact with your body, your lips in contact with each other and your eyes in contact with mine.  You are such a great listener.
 
Gabriel:   I was so proud of you for coming in and writing out a whole page of the letter N on Wednesday!  Your writing gets better and better each week. I also loved how you pushed in chairs, put away the bin toys and help clean off tables during tidy up time on Wednesday.  You are such a wonderful helper! I also loved how whenever I told the class that I needed help with a job you were one of the first to volunteer. You are such a leader in the class.
Oscar:   Thank you for reminding me to close the mystery box on Tuesday during tidy-up time.  It definitely has to be closed for the fairy to fill it up again. I also loved how you helped organize the loose parts bin on Wednesday even when you were not playing with them.  You are so kind and helpful. I also loved how you remembered that each seed has a tiny plant inside of it called an embryo on Wednesday. Isn’t it neat that the rain needs to soften the seed coat and the seed needs to be warmed by the sun to grow?
Isobel:   Thank you for helping to tidy up the loose parts after centres time on Wednesday even when you had not been playing with them.  This was so kind of you. I was also so impressed at how well you wrote your name on your mini greenhouse on Thursday. I loved how you remembered that when you want to make a letter and you want to make it better you start it at the top.  I also loved how many times you used the script last week when another student did something that bothered you. I loved how you held your head high, you put your hands on your hip and told them how you felt in such a confident way.
 
Leeloominai:  It was so sweet of you to sing a farewell to the squirrel who had passed away outside.  You are a true songwriter because you always put the best words in your song and they are so sweet and filled with emotion.  I also loved how you used song to line up all the students outside. I also loved how you offered to hold the bowl of playdough for each person while it was being passed around the circle so you could make sure that everyone had a turn to stir.
Willa:  I loved the seed, rain and sun puppets you made last week.  You did a great job looking inside a seed to find its embryo, seed coat and food store.  I loved that you used your puppet to explain to your audience that to grow the seed needed rain to soften its seed coat so the embryo could wiggle through.  I also loved how your sun puppet told the seed it needed to warm it so it was at the right temperature to grow. I also loved how when I said 3-2-1 contact in class on Thursday you always put your eyes in contact with mine, your lips in contact with each other and your hands in contact with your body.
Rafe:  I loved that when we were outside you found a stick and came up to tell me that it looked like the number 7.  Great observation! I also loved how you talked to Sammy the Seed and pointed out where his seed coat was and his embryo.  I also loved how you remembered to ask me so many important questions during outdoor inquiry and not just at the end of circle time.  It was also great that you were such a leader and cleaned up so many things during tidy-up time on Wednesday. You pushed in the chairs, helped put all the bins away and even wanted to help people at different centres tidy their mess.

Monday, October 21st, 2019.
​Happy Monday Messages
Patrick: You did such an incredible job as Helper of the Day.  I loved how you made sure everyone was standing in line nicely and how you picked students who were sitting with their legs crossed like a pretzel and their hands up to answer questions on the carpet.  I also liked how you always came to me if someone frustrated you last week so we could solve it with them in a peaceful way. I also loved how you still keep offering to put away the math manipulatives away after number play and push in all the chairs.
Geronimo: You did such a wonderful job tidying your cubby all last week.  I loved that you came and told me who had also done a great job tidying their cubbies.  I also couldn’t believe what a great job you did tidying up after centres all last week.  Thank you for putting away the magnets when you were not even playing with them. I also loved how when Sammy the Seed came to visit our class you helped explain to him that he had a seed coat, and an embryo or baby plant inside.  I loved that you helped tell him he needed rain to soften his seed coat and the sun to grow.
Emma: You did an incredible job as leader of the day on Thursday.  Thank you for reminding all of the students to walk in the hall with their hands on their hips and their fingers on their lips.  I also loved how you reminded all the students to sit on the carpet with their legs crossed like a pretzel and to raise a quiet hand when they wanted to share.  I also loved how you took the initiative to hand out stickers when students were sitting quietly and working on their numbers. You are such a great leader.
Harry:  I loved that when tidy up time was over you offered to put back together all the puzzles.  They were tricky puzzles and you worked so hard until each piece was put away. This was so helpful and kind of you.  I also loved that when I said 3-2-1 contact to the students on Thursday, you made sure your hands were in contact with your body, your lips in contact with each other and your eyes in contact with mine.  You set such a wonderful example for the class. I think our class is going to win an award for being the best listeners in the school.
Mia: Thank you so much for tidying up the puzzles after centres time was done.  They were very tricky puzzles and I was so proud of you for taking charge of this task with Lucas and Harry when everyone was finished tidying up.  I also loved how when I said 3-2-1 contact to the students on Thursday, you made sure your hands were in contact with your body, your lips in contact with each other and your eyes in contact with mine. You also did a great job walking in the hall with your hand on your hip and fingers on your lips.  We are going to make such a wonderful video for the school on how to walk down the hall in a respectful way.
Theo:   It was so kind of you to bring in a beautiful picture for me, Hyma and Jane after the long weekend.  It was absolutely lovely. I also loved how when you needed a break from carpet time last week you knew to go to the special loose parts table.  You made such a wonderful structure there! I was also so proud of you for doing such a great job tidying your cubby on Thursday. It was also so sweet of you to let me know who was doing a great job tidying up after centres time.  I also loved how you showed baby Lucy where you ate lunch on Wednesday and stayed inside of the class when you were saying hello to her.
Esther: I loved the song you made up last week about how everybody can dazzle.  Everyone definitely dazzles in our classroom when they do their personal best!  I also loved how hard you worked on your seed, rain and sun puppets. I loved how you wanted to put on a puppet show to explain what a seed needs to grow.  I also loved how when we went outside to look for seeds, you told the class they shouldn’t just look down they should look up too! It was so neat to look up and see bunches of seeds on the branches of trees above us.
Yiorgos: You did such a great job writing your name on your mini greenhouse on Thursday.  I loved that you took your time and made sure you were pinching the marker. I also loved that you started all your letters from the top.  I also thought it was so nice that you told me who was doing a great job tidying up after centres time and how when another student was chosen to answer a question you gave them a silent applause.  You are such a supportive friend.
Jonah:   You did such a great job on your reading test last week.  I could not believe that you are reading at a grade one level already!  I cannot wait to send you home a reading log and some levelled books. I was proud of you for solving the problem peacefully with your friend when you both wanted to use the loose parts table last week. It was great that when you were given a little encouragement you both were able to find a solution that made you both happy.  When we added another chair to the table you were both able to play there so nicely.
Ryder:  I was so proud of you for doing so many numbers during math time on Thursday.  Your writing gets better every week. I was also so proud of you for keeping your hands on your hips and finger on your lips when you were walking inside on Thursday.  I can’t wait for you to help make a video for the school of how we can walk respectfully in the hall. I was also so impressed by how many numbers you wrote on your page on Thursday when  I let you use my special dry erase marker. Thank you for using it so responsibly working so hard with it.
Katalina:  You did a great job cutting out your mini greenhouse on Thursday.  I also loved how you made sure you put on the lids back on the markers after you had finished using them.  I also loved how when I said 3-2-1 contact to the students on Thursday, you made sure your hands were in contact with your body, your lips in contact with each other and your eyes in contact with mine.  I can’t wait to make a video for the school showing them how to walk in the hall like a leader. 
Rosie:   It was so kind of you to offer to push in all the chairs and put away the math books after our math routine.  I also loved how much detail you put into your seed, cloud and sun puppets. You did such a great job cutting out each character on your own and drawing on their faces.  I also loved how when you were making your mini-green house with me on Thursday you showed me how you could write your name even if your page was flipped upside down. This was super impressive.
Lucas: You are such a hard worker.  I loved that earlier this week when tidy up time was done, you offered to sweep up all the beans that spilled all over the floor.  I also loved how on Tuesday, you sat down with two other students to put back together all the puzzles after tidy up time. It was also so kind of you to put away the book bin with Rosie after reading time and to remind others in such a kind way when it was time to tidy up.  You are such a leader in the class because you show others to help out too.
George:   I loved the structure that you made on Wednesday during centres time.  I loved that you showed me where the axle were. I also loved how you gave me a running cuddle each day you were here last week and how you told me when you needed a cuddle because you missed your Mama.  I am so proud of you for saying what you need. I also loved that you created a structure at home on Thursday and had your Mama send me a picture of it. You are such a talented builder and creator.
Felix:   I loved that you helped tidy up the loose parts centre on Wednesday even though you were not playing with it.  I loved how you organized all the parts by attribute. I also loved how you pushed in all the chairs during tidy-up time on Wednesday and you collected all the magnets you found on the ground and put them away.  The class was spotless because of your help.
Frankie:   I loved that when Sammy the Seed came to visit our class you helped him learn what he needed to grow.  You are right! Seeds do need sunlight and water to grow. I also loved how you finished a whole page of numbers during our math routine.  You did such an incredible job. Your numbers get better every week. I also loved how hard you worked on your name when we made your mini greenhouse on Thursday.  You remembered that when you want to make a letter and you want to make it better you need to start it at the top.
Poppy:  I was so proud of how well you cut out your cloud puppet on your own on Tuesday.  At first you told me that you didn’t know how to cut on your own but you worked hard and didn’t give up until you did it all by yourself! I loved watching you put on a puppet show with your seed, cloud and rain puppet.  I loved how you explained what a seed needs to grow in character. I also loved that when another student did something that bothered you last week, you put your hands on your hip and told them that you didn’t like what they did and it made you sad and mad.  I am glad they apologised to you.
Ian:  You did a great job counting by 10s on the carpet on Thursday during our mini game show.  I was so proud of you. I also loved how when we were reading the math book about 10 black dots you said the dots could also make train wheels.  Wasn’t it neat to find that on one of the pages the author had made the dots into train wheels? You and the author think alike. I also loved how when I said 3-2-1 contact to the students on Thursday, you made sure your hands were in contact with your body, your lips in contact with each other and your eyes in contact with mine.  You are such a great listener.
Gabriel:   I was so proud of you for coming in and writing out a whole page of the letter N on Wednesday!  Your writing gets better and better each week. I also loved how you pushed in chairs, put away the bin toys and help clean off tables during tidy up time on Wednesday.  You are such a wonderful helper! I also loved how whenever I told the class that I needed help with a job you were one of the first to volunteer. You are such a leader in the class.
Oscar:   Thank you for reminding me to close the mystery box on Tuesday during tidy-up time.  It definitely has to be closed for the fairy to fill it up again. I also loved how you helped organize the loose parts bin on Wednesday even when you were not playing with them.  You are so kind and helpful. I also loved how you remembered that each seed has a tiny plant inside of it called an embryo on Wednesday. Isn’t it neat that the rain needs to soften the seed coat and the seed needs to be warmed by the sun to grow?
Isobel:   Thank you for helping to tidy up the loose parts after centres time on Wednesday even when you had not been playing with them.  This was so kind of you. I was also so impressed at how well you wrote your name on your mini greenhouse on Thursday. I loved how you remembered that when you want to make a letter and you want to make it better you start it at the top.  I also loved how many times you used the script last week when another student did something that bothered you. I loved how you held your head high, you put your hands on your hip and told them how you felt in such a confident way.
Leeloominai:  It was so sweet of you to sing a farewell to the squirrel who had passed away outside.  You are a true songwriter because you always put the best words in your song and they are so sweet and filled with emotion.  I also loved how you used song to line up all the students outside. I also loved how you offered to hold the bowl of playdough for each person while it was being passed around the circle so you could make sure that everyone had a turn to stir.
Willa:  I loved the seed, rain and sun puppets you made last week.  You did a great job looking inside a seed to find its embryo, seed coat and food store.  I loved that you used your puppet to explain to your audience that to grow the seed needed rain to soften its seed coat so the embryo could wiggle through.  I also loved how your sun puppet told the seed it needed to warm it so it was at the right temperature to grow. I also loved how when I said 3-2-1 contact in class on Thursday you always put your eyes in contact with mine, your lips in contact with each other and your hands in contact with your body.
Rafe:  I loved that when we were outside you found a stick and came up to tell me that it looked like the number 7.  Great observation! I also loved how you talked to Sammy the Seed and pointed out where his seed coat was and his embryo.  I also loved how you remembered to ask me so many important questions during outdoor inquiry and not just at the end of circle time.  It was also great that you were such a leader and cleaned up so many things during tidy-up time on Wednesday. You pushed in the chairs, helped put all the bins away and even wanted to help people at different centres tidy their mess.

Monday, October 15th, 2019.
Happy Monday Messages
 
Patrick:  I loved how on Wednesday as soon as you came in you put your backpack on your hook and took out your red folder.  I also loved how you started your letter work right away.  I loved that when you were done you read a book about trees on the carpet and when you wanted to wiggle you asked for a job.  I loved how you collected all the name sheets and then handed out stickers to students who were still working and on task.  This was so kind.
 
Geronimo:  I loved how when it was time to tidy up you put your Lego creation on display and then helped to tidy.  I also loved how you went and checked all the cupboards to make sure that none of them were unlocked.  I also loved how during the fire drill you quietly put your hand on your hip and finger on your lip so we could get in a quiet line.  It is so important to walk quietly during a fire drill in case I need to give you emergency instructions.
 
Emma:  I loved that when you came in all last week you put your backpack on your hook and asked others for help when you had a hard time doing this.  I also loved how whenever the tidy up song was on you stopped what you were doing and started tidying right away.  I also loved how many times you practised writing your name on your own on Wednesday morning.  You are such a hard working writer.
 
Harry:   I loved how hard you worked last Wednesday on the carpet to raise your hand quietly when you wanted to say something and keep your hands in your lap.  I also loved how hard you worked on your self-portrait.  You took your time drawing each strand of hair and writing your name at the top.  I have never seen you do such a great job writing your name.  I was so proud.
 
Mia:  I loved how you helped a friend open their water bottle when it was stuck last week.  I also loved how nicely you were sitting on the carpet during our mini math lesson on Thursday.  You had your legs crossed like a pretzel and your hand up so nicely when you wanted to participate.  No wonder the Helper of the Day chose you to help!
 
Theo:  I was so proud of you for putting your backpack in your bag and putting your shoes on at the end of the day on Wednesday.  I am glad that having me take you for a walk before you went home was a nice incentive for you.  I also loved that when you were angry with one of the other students you put your hands on your hips and said, “I don’t like that it makes me mad and sad and I want you to stop!” 
 
Esther:  I loved that on Thursday you went up to another student in the class and let them know you were really proud of them for something they did the day before.  I loved how you explained how you like the strategy they used in the game outside.  I also loved how you shared with the class that the fairy had left you a message and she wanted everyone to meet her at the tree outside during outdoor play time.  I cannot wait to hear about the adventure she had in store for you.
 
Yiorgos:  I could not believe how many of your numbers you wrote out on Thursday.  When I left your table for 2 minutes you filled half your pages with your numbers from 1-10!  This was incredible.  I also loved how you helped surprise Miss Jennifer in the hall by helping to get the whole class to meditate while we waited for her.  She was so surprised!
 
Jonah:  Thank you for helping me sort all the pompoms, buttons, popsicle sticks and paper towel rolls for our STEAM task on Thursday.  You do such a great job getting the classroom organized.  I also loved how you helped me collect the attendance and make photocopies before school.  I also loved how during centres time when someone made you mad you put your hands on your hip and said, “That made me mad and sad and I want you to stop!”
 
Ryder:  I loved how you helped tidy toys that were left out during lunch time on Wednesday.  This was so helpful.  I also loved how you wrote out your name and each season on your artwork on Wednesday.  I could not believe that you did all of this in the two minutes.  I also loved how you surprised me on Thursday by writing all your numbers from 1-7 in under 2 minutes.  I could not believe how quickly you did this!
 
Katalina:  I was very proud of you for collecting all the math sheets for the class on Wednesday and helping to push in the chairs.  I also loved how when your friend was upset because she tripped you cuddled her and made sure she was okay.  I was also proud of you for sitting on your spot during both circle times on Thursday.  You are showing the class how to be a self-manager when you do this.
 
Rosie:  Thank you so much for offering to put away all the math sheets on Thursday.  It was so kind of you.  I also loved how many numbers you wrote out as soon as you came into the class after lunch.  I could not believe how you got to work as soon as the spa music came on.  I also loved how you offered to wipe the tables and push in the chairs during tidy-up time.  You are such a wonderful helper.
 
Lucas:  You did such a wonderful job drawing a flower last week.  I loved how you carefully drew a circle for the middle and circles all around. I also loved how hard you worked on your lower case letters when you wrote about your flower for the author’s wall.  Each week you get better and better at writing.
 
George:  I loved how hard you worked to tidy your snack on Wednesday.  I also loved when it was hard to open your containers you remembered to “Ask 3 before Amy.”  I also loved how you greeted me with a running cuddle each day you saw me last week.  This made my heart so much bigger.  I also loved the structure you created during centres time.  I am so glad I got a picture of it.
 
Felix:  I loved that you built another structure out of Lego last week with 54 pieces and you insisted on counting each one.  You are such a great counter.  I also loved how quickly you learned the counting by 10s song last week and how by the end of the week you could count dimes to $1 in our general store.  You are quite the mathematician.
 
Frankie:  I loved how you reminded me on Thursday which door to come in and leave from during a fire drill at school.  You are such a good listener and you certainly keep track of what we need to do to keep our class safe.  I also loved how you helped surprise Miss Jennifer in the hall by helping to get the whole class to meditate while we waited for her.  She was so surprised!
 
Poppy:  I loved how you offered to push in chairs when people forgot to during tidy up time.  I also loved how you helped another student tidy up their snack when they forgot to.  This was so kind and helpful of you.  I also loved how you did not need to be reminded to change into your outdoor shoes at the end of the day last week.
 
Ian:  You made me smile so much last week.  I loved that whenever you came in after lunch you sat down right away and started working on your numbers.  I loved how you kindly reminded others to tidy up when the tidy up song was on.  I also loved how you always sat quietly on your spot during circle time and you put your hand on your hip and fingers on your lip in the hall.
 
Gabriel:  I loved how you worked on a structure all week in the class last week and put it on display each night.  I also loved how in our apple tree unit you tested each apple and did so much writing and drawing to tell me which apple you liked best.  I also loved how when you were upset with your friend you put your hands on your hip and said that you were mad and sad and they needed to stop.
 
Oscar:  Thank you so much for drawing me and Hyma a dragon head on Monday last week.  It was so sweet of you to think of us.  I loved the envelope that you made.  I also loved seeing you fill in half your page with numbers on Thursday after lunch.  Each day you write more and more!  I also loved how you worked with friends to build a structure with the Crazy Forts on Thursday.  You are such a kind team player.  I also loved how you helped your friend put on their jacket during after care.  You are so helpful and kind.
 
Isobel:  I was so proud of you on Thursday because when someone was playing a game that started to get too rough you put your hands on your hips, told them to stop and you didn’t like it and found new friends who were playing in a kind way together.  I also loved how you helped surprise Miss Jennifer in the hall by helping to get the whole class to meditate while we waited for her.  She was so surprised!
 
Leeloominai:   You did such a great job as the Helper of the Day on Thursday.   I loved how you offered to carry Miss Jane’s bag for her when you came in from gym with Miss Jennifer.  I also loved how you helped organize and tidy up the apple tree centre with the buttons, pompoms and popsicle sticks.  You also did an incredible job with your numbers after lunch and tracing over your letters in the apple tasting centre.  I was so proud of you.
 
Willa:  I loved how many apples you made out of playdough on Wednesday.  I also loved how you always sat on your name during carpet time last week and raised your hand quietly when you wanted to share.  Thank you for always offering to wipe the tables during tidy up time and to push in the chairs.  What would I do without you?
 
Rafe: I loved that when you were mad at your friend on Wednesday you used the classroom script and told them that you were mad and sad and you wanted them to stop.  I also loved how you presented this script to the whole school on Monday so they could learn it. I also loved how when the tidy up music went on after centres on Thursday you started tidying right away and encouraged others to tidy too.  I also loved how you showed me how you put on your jacket by flipping it off the floor.  How clever of you!
​

Happy Monday Messages
Monday, October 6th, 2019.
 
Patrick:  I loved that on Wednesday you helped me stick a plastic cover over everyone’s name tag on the carpet.  I also loved how well you worked with Leeloominai to put away all the Lego and close the bin so we could put it away during tidy-up time.  I also loved how when our class found the apples outside you said we could plant a new apple tree from the seeds inside.  I also loved how you told the class that cardboard comes from trees.
 
Geronimo:  I loved how you helped the principal learn that the green pigment in leaves is called chlorophyll.  He told me he was so impressed that you could remember this big word.  I also loved how during tidy up time on Tuesday you offered to push in all the chairs. You are such a wonderful helper.
 
Emma:  I loved that when the beads spilled at the end of the day on Tuesday you jumped to help clean them up.  You are such a kind and helpful student.  I also loved how when we walked through the hall to deliver a gift to the principal’s office on Wednesday you held your partner’s hand and walked so quietly.  Thank you for setting such a great example.
 
Harry:   I loved how you collected all the pages after Math time on Tuesday when everyone was done and went on emergency marker patrol.  I also loved how when we walked through the high school to deliver a gift to the principal you walked quietly with your chin in the air like a leader.
 
Mia:  I loved how you helped the principal learn that the green pigment in leaves is called chlorophyll.  He told me he was so impressed that you could remember this big word.  I also loved how when the beads spilled at the end of the day on Wednesday you quickly helped to pick them up.  You are such a wonderful helper.
 
Theo:  I loved how you helped me hang up people’s writing outside of our classroom on Tuesday.  I also loved how you complimented Katalina by telling her you liked her picture and her letters. This was so kind of you.  Thank you as well for sitting on your name during song circle on Thursday. I loved hearing you sing all the songs.
 
Esther:  You did such a great job working on your lower case letters last week.  I loved how you wanted to come to the writing centre almost every day!  I also loved how as soon as the tidy up song came on after centres time on Wednesday that you tidied up right away.  I loved that you tidied up books you were not even reading and the art centre on your own.
 
Yiorgos:  I loved that during tidy up time on Thursday you offered to push in all the chairs.  I also loved that you offered to be on emergency marker patrol on Wednesday.  I loved during our outdoor inquiry on Tuesday you collected so many crab apples and asked if we could grow a crab apple tree in class.  This is such a great project for our gardening centre.
 
Jonah:  Thank you so much for helping me to hang up the student work outside of the class on Tuesday.  I also loved how you wanted to help me hand out the special folders after school on Wednesday and how well you read out everyone’s names.  I was also so proud of you for helping others find their name tags on the carpet.  You are so helpful.
 
Ryder:  I loved how hard you worked with me to draw a frog on Tuesday.  I also loved how you did your personal best and wrote out the word frog on the page.  I loved how you held your pen with your left hand and you went slowly so you could focus.  I also loved how you sat on your name tag during circle time on Wednesday.  I loved listening to you sing!
 
Katalina:  I loved how when we were outside during inquiry time on Tuesday you discovered apples on one of our trees.  I loved how you found an apple and told me that we should use its seeds to see if we could grow more apples in our class.  I cannot wait to do this in our gardening centre.  I also loved how as soon as the tidy up song came on Tuesday afternoon you started to clean up the dollies.
 
Rosie:  I was so proud of you for writing almost every day last week.  I loved how you took your time with me to work on your lower case letters.  I loved how you remembered that if you want to make a letter and you want to make it better you start at the top.  I also loved how when you were on the carpet you always put your hands in your lap and raised your hand quietly when you wanted to say something.
 
Lucas:  I loved that on Wednesday you helped me stick on everyone’s name tags on the carpet. This was so kind of you.  I also loved how you tidied up all the buttons after we had used them to make our numbers on Tuesday.  I also loved how many crab apples you collected outside on Tuesday and how you told me you wanted to use them to grow a crab apple tree in the class.  This will be a great addition to our garden centre.
 
George:  I loved that on Tuesday you greeted me with a running cuddle.  I also loved how during circle time you remembered to raise your hand and wait until I was finished singing a song to make a comment and ask a question.
 
Felix:  I loved that you showed me on Thursday how you could count to 100 by yourself.  I also loved how you used Lego to create a structure that had more than 50 pieces.  I also loved how you tried to teach 2 of the other students to count to 100.  You are such a wonderful teacher.
 
Frankie:  You did such a wonderful job as the Helper of the Day on Tuesday.  Thank you for holding the door for others and picking students on the carpet who were sitting like leaders to answer questions.  I also loved how on Tuesday when you noticed our markers were mixed up you organized them by colour.  Thank you for helping to keep our class organized.
 
Poppy: I was so proud of you for writing almost every day last week.  I loved how you took your time with me to work on your lower case letters.  I loved how you remembered that if you want to make a letter and you want to make it better you start at the top.  I also loved how when you were on the carpet you always put your hands in your lap and raised your hand quietly when you wanted to say something.
 
Ian:  We were so sorry that you felt sick last week but were so happy when you joined us again on Friday.  You did such an incredible job in the class on Friday. Thank you for tidying up your trains when the tidy up song went on.  I also loved how you offered to wipe the tables when they were covered in marker.  I also loved how you helped collect the math pages.  Thank you as well for always having your finger on your lips and hands on your hips in the hallways.  You made my heart so happy!
 
Gabriel:  I loved that when the beads spilled at the end of the day on Tuesday you rushed over to help tidy them up.  I also loved how when you were the Helper of the Day you always offered to hold the door.  I also liked how you picked students sitting like leaders on the carpet to answer questions and make comments.  I also loved how you asked for help when you found something tricky during Math time.
 
Oscar:  I loved how you remembered that the green pigment that colours leaves is called chlorophyll.  I also loved that you remembered that the pigment that makes leaves red and yellow is called carotenoids.  You are so good at remembering complex words.
 
Isobel:  I loved that when you were finished your math on Wednesday you automatically started collecting the math sheets and markers. You also started to push in all the chairs if people had forgotten. You are a leader because you chose to help the class without being asked to do so.
 
Leeloominai:   I loved that you offered to hold the door for the class on Tuesday.  I also loved how you helped two friends open their snacks on Wednesday. This was so kind of you.  I also loved how you made up a song to tell others to sit nicely on the carpet on Wednesday.  This helped to keep the class calm and quiet.  I also loved how you helped Patrick to close the Lego bin on Wednesday and how you insisted on putting the bin away on the shelf by yourself.
 
Willa:  I loved that on Wednesday as soon as Hyma asked for help to tidy up a centre you volunteered right away.  This was so kind of you.  I also loved how as soon as the tidy up song came on Tuesday morning you started putting the Lego away and helped others to tidy the kitchen.  I also loved how you asked for a cloth so you could clean the playdough table.
 
Rafe:  I loved how hard you worked on your writing on Wednesday.  I loved seeing the picture of you and your dad rocking out on the guitar.  I loved how focused you were when you did each letter.  I loved that you didn’t worry if the letters were done perfectly but instead you focussed on doing your personal best!  This focus is what helps you get better at your writing and drawing every week!
 
​

Monday, September 30th, 2019.
 
Happy Monday Messages
 
Patrick:  I loved that when you came in on Tuesday, you put away your special folder you put your outdoor shoes in your cubby and your special folder in the right place.  I also loved when it was tidy up time you offered to push in all the chairs, collect the wipe boards and you even erased them if people had forgotten.
 
Geronimo:  I loved that you checked to make sure all the cupboards were locked on Tuesday after we had put all the bins away.  I also loved that you and Yiorgos offered to help tidy up the cubbies during tidy up time.  I also loved seeing you draw all the Minecraft pictures and work on your lower case letters on Thursday.  I also loved that when your friend said they made a mistake in their drawing you said to them, “That is okay.  When you make a mistake your brain grows!”
 
Emma:  I loved that after people were finished their math on Thursday you went and started collecting all the sheets without even being asked to.  I also loved how every time you wanted to share on the carpet you raised your hand quietly.  Did you notice how many times the Helper of the Day picked you?
 
Harry: I loved how you offered to tidy up all the cubbies during tidy up time.  I also loved how while people were reading on the carpet you went around and pushed in all the chairs.  Thank you as well for offering to tidy the kitchen even when you had not played there on Tuesday.  You are so helpful.  I also loved the question you came up with after we made our snail habitat.  I can’t wait to research if snails need their shells.
 
Mia:  I loved that when someone took something from you on Monday you used the classroom script.  It was amazing that you put your hands on your hip and said, “I didn’t like it when you took that from me.  It made me feel mad and sad.”  Thank you for teaching the other students how to name their feelings.  I also loved how as soon as you came in after lunch you would start working on your math and then quietly read math books on the carpet.
 
Theo:  I loved that you shared your eraser with Poppy on Tuesday when you were both practising the letter T.  I also loved how you focussed all week at the end of the day to get your shoes right away and put them on yourself.  I also loved that when the tidy up music came on you tidied up even though you really wanted to keep playing.  I know it is hard sometimes to stop playing when you are having fun!
 
Esther:  Thank you so much for making the sign for November using loose parts on Thursday. I also loved how many numbers you made for us to display in class.  You are such a hard worker.  I also loved how hard you worked on your writing on Thursday morning.  I loved that you wrote that the most important thing about you was that you love your Mummy.
 
Yiorgos:  I loved that when you came in on Thursday and saw the survey of the day asked what colour eyes each student had you decided to complete the survey for everyone!  I also loved how you did the classroom script when someone took something from your hand on Thursday.  I was so proud of you for saying, “I didn’t like it when you were rude to me it made me feel mad and frustrated.”  You named your feelings so well and you used your honey voice when you said it so people wanted to listen.
 
Jonah:  I loved that you hugged your friend when they were feeling sleepy and sad on Tuesday morning.  I also loved that when you came in for daycare you started off your letter work for class instead of playing.  You are such a hard worker.  I also loved how you volunteered to collect all the shiny stones we were using to cover the number 3 on Thursday.  This was so kind and helpful of you.
 
Ryder:  I loved that you wanted to be the Chief of Marker Patrol on Tuesday and walk around to make sure that all the markers had their caps on.  I also loved how when you came in after lunch on Thursday you went right to a table and started drawing your numbers to 10.  I loved that you held your marker in your right hand, went slowly and did your personal best.  I loved how focussed you were.
 
Katalina:  I loved that you collected all of the jewels that we used to cover our letter of the day on Tuesday. I also loved how you offered to help push in the chairs and you sat on the carpet at the front so you could focus on the song.  I also loved how you sat down and drew a picture about the most important thing about yourself on Thursday. It was so sweet that the most important thing about you is that you can love.  I also loved how hard you worked on your lower case letters.
 
Rosie:  I loved that when it was time to come to the carpet on Thursday you looked to your right and looked to your left and made sure you were sitting next to someone that you would not be distracted by or touch.  You did such a great job sitting like a self-manager.  I also loved that you decided to be on marker emergency patrol and make sure all the markers had their caps on after we were finished writing on Tuesday.  I also loved how you swept up the floor after someone spilled some sand and beans on Tuesday.
 
Lucas:  I loved how you collected all the boards after letter time on Tuesday.  I also loved that when you were the Helper of the Day you picked the best listener on the carpet and let them go to centres.  I also loved how you walked at the front of the line and always offered to hold the door for the other students.  I also loved the question that you came up with for our snails.  You wanted to find out if they died in the winter.  I found out that snails actually hibernate in winter.  Isn’t this neat?
 
George:  I loved that as soon as you came in on Thursday you put your backpack away yourself and started to practise your letter T.  I also loved that you came to the carpet to sing along with us.  I will make sure that I send home the weekly songs for you so you can sing them with your Mum-just like you asked.  I also loved that you worked so hard on your wizard picture for “This is Not a Stick.”  You were so focussed and added so much detail.  I also loved how you worked to trace your letters.
 
Felix:  I loved that when you found a marker cap on the floor you walked up to me and said, “Marker alert!! Marker alert!”  I also loved how you taught two of your friends to draw Minecraft characters on Monday.  You are such a great teacher.  I also loved how you cleaned up Marble Run, pushed in chairs, collected Math sheets and looked for markers on the floor during tidy up time.  You really look after our class!
 
Frankie:  I loved how hard you worked on your writing on Thursday.  You took your time and went slowly and carefully.  I also loved how when someone took something from your hand and you didn’t like it you looked them in the eyes and said, “I didn’t like it when you took that from me.  It made me feel mad and sad.  I want you to say sorry.”  When you used your honey voice the person really listened!
 
Poppy:  I loved how focused you were when you were writing out the most important thing about you on Thursday.  I loved that you wrote the most important thing about you was that you like to pretend to be different animals.  You are so imaginative.  I also loved how every time you wanted to share on the carpet you quietly raised your hand.  Thank you for being such a role model in the classroom.
 
Ian:  I was so proud of you for tidying up as soon as the tidy up music went on last Thursday.  I also loved how when math time was done on Thursday you collected all the math sheets.  I also loved that when someone took a toy out of your hand during tidy up time you put your hands on your hips and said in a calm voice that you didn’t like this and it made you mad and sad.  Did you notice how well they listened when you used your honey voice?
 
Gabriel:  I was so proud of you for making a circle as soon as I starting singing the circle song on Thursday.  I also loved how when Willa had a hard time opening her snack bag you offered to help her.  I also loved how as soon as I asked the student to put their books away after math time you helped everyone clean up!
 
Oscar:  I loved that after we made our snail habitat you wanted to know how slowly snails moved.  I also loved how you collected leaves from outside so the snails would have something to eat on Tuesday.  Thank you as well for helping to build the worm house on Thursday.  You did a great job helping me put a hole in the lid with the drill (parents I was holding it with him…don’t worry!)  I also loved how when we wrote out the steps to making a worm bin you could remember all the materials we needed and steps involved.
 
Isobel:  We missed you last week.  We hope you are having fun in Florida!
 
Leeloominai:   I loved that as soon as you came in after lunch last week you would settle down quietly and practise your numbers.  I also loved how whenever I sang an instruction to you last week you would answer back in song and do what I asked you to do.  Thank you as well for making up new songs to get all the students in line.
 
Willa:  I could not believe how hard you worked to cover the sign for December with loose parts on Thursday.  You focussed on this task for over 15 minutes!  You are such a hard worker.  Thank you as well for helping to make the worm bin for our class.  I think the worms will be very happy with the bedding of newspaper you put in the bottom.
 
Rafe: I loved how all afternoon on Thursday whenever you wanted to share in class you raised your hand.  I was so super proud of you!!  I also loved how when it was tidy up time on Thursday as soon as the music came on you started putting the toys away.  I know it is hard sometimes when you want to keep playing but you did such a great job.  I also loved how in the morning on Thursday in daycare you started working on your letter of the day instead of playing games.   You are such a hard worker.
 
 
​

Monday, September 23rd, 2019.
Happy Monday Messages
 
Patrick:  I loved that you always sat close to the display board during circle so you could follow along with the song.  I loved that you put your hands in your lap and crossed your legs like a pretzel.  I loved that when we came in after lunch on Tuesday you showed one of the JKs how to work on the number 2.  This was so helpful of you.  You also did a great job building a bridge out of Lego during building time.
 
Geronimo:  I loved that you used the letter connectors to build so many different letters last week.  It was so kind of you to show these letters to Lightning so he could learn his letters.  I loved how you and Yiorgos called yourselves the tidy team when the tidy up song went on last Thursday and you went from centre to centre seeing if anything needed to be tidied.  This was so kind.
 
Emma:  I loved that you asked if you could be a part of the Emergency Marker patrol last week when you saw that people were leaving caps off the markers in class.  Thank you for going table to table to make sure all the marker lids were on.  You also did such a great job spelling our word of the week, “you” with your eyes shut last week!
 
Harry: I loved how nicely you shared the Lego with Ian when you were building last week.  When he asked you if he could build with you, you said, “Of course you can.”  I also loved how you spelled our word of the week “you”, with your eyes shut during carpet time last week.  You are so good at memorizing new things.  I also loved how you came to the front of the class to help teach them how to count to 100 by 25s on Monday.  You learn new concepts so quickly.

Mia:  I loved that as soon as you were finished working on our weekly numbers last Wednesday, you went right to the carpet to read a numbers book.  Thank you for modelling this classroom routine to others.  I also loved that when you were finished writing out our letter of the day in the morning on Friday you walked over and did our daily survey.  Well done.
 
Theo:  Thank you so much for tidying up the block centre and the straws last Thursday when you didn’t even play with them.  I was also so proud of you on Thursday when our end of the day song came on.  You went to your cubby and asked for help to put your shoes on.  I was proud of you for getting ready so quickly.  I also loved how when someone did something that frustrated you on Wednesday, you used our classroom script and told them you didn’t like it when they took your toy and it made you mad and angry.
 
Esther:  Thank you for holding one of our giant quarters and helping me how to count to 100 by 25 on Wednesday.  You learn different skills so quickly.  I also loved how when we were walking through the halls on Tuesday you reminded the class that they needed to be quiet because the High School students were trying to concentrate.  I also loved how you helped Yiorgos when he was hurt in the playground last week.  You are such a caring friend.
 
Yiorgos:  I loved how you asked if you could join the Emergency Marker Patrol last week when you saw that students were leaving caps off the markers.  I loved that you walked from table to table to make sure all the markers had their caps on. I loved how you and Geronimo called yourselves the tidy team when the tidy up song went on last Thursday and you went from centre to centre seeing if anything needed to be tidied.  This was so kind.  You also did such a great job as Leader of the Day on Wednesday.  Thank you for holding all the doors and choosing the best listeners on the carpet.
 
Jonah:  You did such a wonderful job as Helper of the Day on Friday.  Thank you for reading out all of the students’ names and helping me hand out their special folders.  I also loved hearing you count to 100 by 10s on Tuesday when we were playing roll to 20.  I also loved how when your friend was sad on Tuesday you went up and told them that you were their friend and gave them a hug right away.  This made them smile.
 
Ryder:  I was so proud of you for working on the letter of the week by yourself on Friday as soon as you had put your shoes, backpack and special folder away.  I also loved how well you were holding your pencil and when you had a hard time you put a little stone in the palm of your hand and held it with your baby finger, middle finger and ring finger.
 
Katalina:  You did such a great job spelling our word of the week, “you” with your eyes shut last week!  I also loved how you collected all the straws after centres on Thursday and put the bin on the shelf on your own.  I also loved how you looked on the floor after the class had made our weekly number with stones and you collected any stones that had fallen.
 
Rosie:  You did such a great job spelling our word of the week, “you” with your eyes shut last week!  I also loved how as soon as you came in after lunch, you put your indoor shoes on and started working on your number of the week.  I could not believe how many numbers you wrote out with the dry erase marker.
 
Lucas:  I loved that you took charge of organizing the play kitchen with Felix and Leeloominai last week. I loved how you organized the play food and the utensils into different containers and then did a presentation for the class on how to organize the kitchen.  I love watching you take a leadership role in the class.
 
George:  You did such a great job spelling our word of the week, “you” with your eyes shut last week!  Thank you for helping me make the snail terrarium with the class.  I loved how you gently poured the soil in the tank and smoothed it out with a shovel.  I also loved how you said when we collected worms with the class we needed to make sure they had enough moisture.
 
Felix:  I loved that you took charge of organizing the play kitchen with Lucas and Leeloominai last week. I loved how you organized the play food and the utensils into different containers and then did a presentation for the class on how to organize the kitchen.  I love watching you take a leadership role in the class.  I also loved how you created your own mystery box out of Lego and kept putting new structures you had created inside.
 
Frankie:  Thank you for helping me to peel off the tens frame tape off the carpet from the carpet when too many students were playing with it on Monday.  I loved how you helped me make new tens bars and a tens frame on Bristol board.  You are such a wonderful helper.  I also loved how you came to the front of the class to help teach them how to count to 100 by 25s on Monday.  You learn new concepts so quickly.
 
Poppy: I loved how when you were in the pizza centre on Friday you showed me how you put 3 different fractions together to make one “whole” pizza.  I also loved that when you noticed that the students beside you were spilling little pieces of playdough on the floor, you took the little broom and dustpan and swept them up.  You are so kind.  I also loved that when a friend was having a hard time writing their numbers, you worked with them until they felt confident enough to do it on their own.
 
Ian:  I loved how last week every time you wanted to share on the carpet you raised your hand and put your fingers on your lips!  I also loved how you worked on using your quiet whistle sound inside and your loud steam engine sounds outside.  I also loved how you reminded the other students to walk behind the teacher in the halls so they could stay safe.  You also did such a great job spelling our word of the week, “you” with your eyes shut last week!
 
Gabriel:  I loved that when we were working together in the garden centre last week you told me that the roots of a plant help anchor it to the soil and help it get water.  I loved how carefully you transferred the plant into the new container so you wouldn’t “hurt it”. I also loved how you tidied up all the blocks by yourself after centres time.  You are such a great helper!
 
Oscar:  I loved that when you were the Helper of the Day on Friday you held all the doors for the students in our class and helped me pick wonderful listeners from the carpet.  Thank you for bringing in a craft for the class.  The students had a great time making superhero masks and figuring out their superhero powers.  I also loved how you came to the front of the class to help teach them how to count to 100 by 25s on Monday.  You learn new concepts so quickly. I especially loved how you thanked me for your Happy Monday Messages. 
 
Isobel:  I loved how you wanted to use your lower case letters when you were writing out your song on Thursday even though writing upper case letters is easier for you.  I also loved how you decided to collect everyone’s wipe boards after they had finished practising their numbers during Math time on Thursday.  You do such a great job keeping our classroom organized.
 
Leeloominai:   I loved that you took charge of organizing the play kitchen with Lucas and Felix last week. I loved how you organized the play food and the utensils into different containers and then did a presentation for the class on how to organize the kitchen.  I love watching you take a leadership role in the class.
 
Willa:  I loved that when some students dumped out all the number books during Math time you took charge of putting them all back neatly.  I also loved that when you found writing out a number difficult during math time you asked for help and did not give up until you had mastered doing it by yourself.  You are such a hard worker.
 
Rafe: I loved that you taught the class the rule that they can “Ask 3 before Amy” when we need help with something last week.  You taught the class that we are all good helpers!  I also loved how often you raised your hand when you wanted to share last week.  You are becoming such an expert at this!  We were so sad to miss you on Friday.  We hope you feel better now.
 
Monday, September 16th, 2019.
Happy Monday Messages
 
Patrick:  I loved that when you were Helper of the Day on Monday you offered to hold all the doors and you wanted to pick the story that we read as a class.  I also loved how you made a personal connection to the story Howard B. Wigglebottom by saying it is okay to look for a safe stranger when you are lost like a police officer or a Mom with a baby.  I loved on Thursday how you took charge of cleaning up all the animals and mini blocks during clean-up time.  It was also kind how when you bumped into someone on the carpet you said, “I am sorry, that was an accident.  Are you okay?”
 
Geronimo:  I loved how all week long you tidied up as soon as the tidy up song went on.  I also loved how you put the bin of toys on the shelf by yourself.  I also loved how when you were helper of the day you held on the doors and helped me ring the triangle when it was time to get the student’s attention.  Well done!  I also loved that when the tidy up song came on you didn’t just tidy your own centres, you also went and helped a student tidy up their snack bag.
 
Emma:  I loved how when your friend’s lunch bag was stuck last week you offered to help them.  I also loved how you taught me one Spanish word a day when I told you that my son Gavin was learning Spanish at daycare.  I loved how when you were the Helper of the Day you took on extra jobs for yourself such as handing out all the Special Folders because you wanted to show me you could read all the students’ names.
 
Harry:   I loved how when you were Helper of the Day on Thursday, you reminded me to use the triangle when I needed to get the students’ attention and how you helped me ring it and put it away.  I also loved how you helped Rafe open his lunch box when it was stuck and you reminded the class to use their honey voice and not their hot sauce voices when we wanted something from each other.
 
Mia:  I loved how you offered to hug your friend when they were feeling worried on the way to gym class last week.  I also loved how you offered to help clean up a centre you didn’t even play with after centres time.  You are such a good helper.  I also loved the way always remembered to raise your hand quietly when you wanted to share during carpet time.
 
Theo:  You did such an incredible job putting your shoes on Wednesday afternoon.  I loved how you asked when you needed help to get started.  I also loved how you offered to clean up all the loose parts after centres even when you hadn’t been playing with them.
 
Esther:  It was so kind of you to let the students use your hat during outdoor exploration on Tuesday to collect fairy wings.  You are always thinking of others.  I also loved how after we read Leaf Man you suggested that we should make our own Leaf Man portraits.  Great idea!  I also loved how you let me know when someone didn’t turn the washroom sign and you did it for them.  Thanks for taking such initiative.
 
Yiorgos:  I loved how you whenever you were finished tidying up your centre last week you walked around to see who needed help tidying and helped them.  You are so thoughtful.  I also loved how you always picked a place to sit on the carpet free from distraction and always remembered to raise your hand.  You are such a role model student.  I also loved when we were outside you identified all your numbers to 10 on the hopscotch.
 
Jonah:  I loved how when the numbers were mixed up on the calendar last week you fixed them.  I also loved how you read our morning message aloud when you came in on Tuesday.  Well done.  I also loved how last week when a student was feeling unsure during transition time you offered to give them a hug.  Thanks for being so caring.
 
Ryder:  I loved how on Wednesday you sat at the front of the carpet and remembered to raise your hand when you wanted to share with the class.  I also loved the claws you made during building centres time with the magnet.  I loved that you were pretending to be an aardvark.  I also loved how before centers time you made sure you sat on the carpet for the entire lesson so you could show me you were ready for centres time.  I also loved how when you came in each morning and afternoon you worked on tracing your letters and numbers before coming to the carpet.
 
Katalina:  I loved how each morning when you came in last week you put your red folder away by yourself.  I also loved how after centres time you put away all the playdough and even cleaned the table with a cloth. I loved how after we found all the markers in the mystery box you helped sort them by colour.  I loved how you brainstormed how we should put the black and grey markers together because they were both shades.
 
Rosie:  I loved how each morning you came in last week, you put away your special folder and put your indoor shoes on.  I also loved the way that when you came to the carpet you sat down next to someone you knew you wouldn’t talk to.  I also loved how during math time you sat with me and put the correct amount of shell under each number.  I also loved how when we found a cicada you carried it over to a tree so that it would be safe.
 
Lucas: You are such an incredible helper in the class.  Whenever I ask the class if someone can help, you always offer.  Thank you for tidying up the blocks and loose parts centre when you were not even playing there on Friday.  I loved how when you and a friend both wanted the same toy you decided to share together.  It was great that you decided you could each hold onto it for 5 minutes each and then switch.
 
George:  I loved on Friday how you rushed into the playground to give me a hug.  I loved how you looked for your helpers from the grade 7 class so you could play with them in the yard.  I was so proud of you for sitting down with your grade 7 friends and completing your name tag.  I am glad we found googley eyes that felt like buttons to complete this task. I also loved how when we were drawing together you told me when you grow up you want to be a teacher and you will name yourself Miss Amy.  I am so flattered.
 
Felix:  You always did such a great job finding a quiet place to sit on the carpet last week.  Thank you for being such a self-manager on the carpet.  I also loved that you used the playdough during centres time to make cubes.  I loved how you extended this learning by asking me to help you write “Don’t press this button” on a piece of paper beside your invention. 
 
Frankie:  I loved how you asked me on Friday if you could make even more friends next week.  You are such a friendly student!  I also loved how each day when you came in after lunch and the spa music was on you would come in and put your outdoor shoes away and go to the tables to practise your numbers.  I also loved how when we were making our fairies you wanted to give yours a haircut. You are so creative.
 
Poppy: I was so excited to hear your baby brother Jasper arrived last week.  I hope you are giving him lots of cuddles.  I loved when we were outside last week you put the corresponding number of items under each number on the hopscotch.  I loved how you put one rock on the number one, two sticks on the number two, three helicopter leaves on the number three and ten leaves on the number 10.
 
Ian:  I loved how last week you remembered to raise your hand every time you wanted to share with the class.  Thank you for teaching the students how to be self-managers on the carpet so we can all learn from each other.  I also loved how you helped sort all the markers that the fairy left us for our art centre by colour.  Thank you as well for making up a verse on Thomas the Train to add to our Flora the Flower song.
 
Gabriel:  I loved that as soon as the tidy up song went on, on Thursday you started tidying up all the bin toys.  I also loved how when a friend was sad you gave them a hug.  I also loved how when someone took the toy you were using you used your words and told them that it made you sad and mad.  I was so proud of you for saying how you felt in such a confident way.
 
Oscar:  I loved that you shared with the class that if they find something difficult at first, they just need to keep trying until they get it.  You are so wise.  I also loved how you helped others clean up the beans at the math centre even when you were not playing with them.  I also loved how when Rafe couldn’t find the toaster in the play kitchen area you offered to help him.  I also loved how when we discovered that a marker was missing a cap you volunteered to help me find it.
 
Isobel:  I loved how you helped your friend reach the paper towel when it was too high for them last week.  I am glad we worked together to get a basket for it so everyone can reach it now.  I also loved how you offered to wipe down the tables after centres on Wednesday.  You are such a wonderful helper.  I also loved that when someone was touching you last week and it bothered you, you put your hands on your hips and said, “I don’t like that, please stop.”  You are so assertive.
 
Leeloominai:   I loved how when it was hard for you to sit on the carpet during our math mini-lesson, you quietly sat and did Montessori counting exercises and worked with our loose parts bin.  I also loved all the songs you came up with to get people to walk in a straight line.  I also loved how when your friend had a problem opening their snack you helped them.  I especially loved how when your friend was upset you sang them a song to cheer them up.
 
Willa:  I loved how you put your hand on your hip and finger on your lips when you were walking in the hall last week.  I also loved how you remembered to put your magnet on the right side when you had eaten your snack.  I also loved how helpful you were at the pizza dinner showing me where to get the pizza and dessert.  I also loved how when everyone was finished practising their numbers on Friday you took the initiative to collect everyone’s sheets for them to help tidy up.
 
Rafe: I loved that as soon as the tidy up song went on, on Thursday you started tidying right away.  I also loved how you remembered to raise your hand when you wanted to share during carpet time and you started giving the students who got a turn a silent applause.  I was so proud of you.  I also loved how when someone made you frustrated last week you put your hands on your hips and explained to them how you were feeling using our classroom script.  You are such a role model.
 



Monday, September 9th, 2019.
Happy Monday Messages
 
Patrick:  I loved how when the lullaby was on to go outside, you were the first one to put your outdoor shoes on and to get in the line. Thank you for setting such a good example.
Geronimo:  I loved how as soon as the tidy up song came on you tidied up all the bin toys that you were playing with and even tried to put the bin on the shelf on your own.  You are such a wonderful leader.
Emma:  You did such a great job putting your snack magnet on the right side when you went to eat snack.  Thank you for teaching others this routine.
Harry:  I loved how when we came in from outdoor exploration you found your name on the carpet and sat on it right away.  I loved how you remembered to raise your hand when you wanted to share something with the class.
Mia:  You did such a great job sharing with the class what you thought my sorting rule was after outdoor exploration time.  I loved how you knew that I sorted the sticks by colour.
Theo:  I loved how you put on your indoor shoes on as soon as you came into class on Friday.  I was also proud of you for listening to your body and getting your snack during centres time and going to the bathroom when you had that “got to go feeling”.
Esther:  I loved how quickly you found a best friend in class on Wednesday.  I also loved how you offered to sit beside your friend when they were feeling worried and sad.
Yiorgos:  I loved how even on the first day, you sat criss-cross applesauce whenever we had carpet time. You also loved sharing your ideas all week and were always smiling.
Jonah:  I loved that when a friend was sad in class you offered to hug them.  I also loved how when the beans spilled in the class you offered to sweep them up with the mini dust pan and broom.  It was also amazing how you found all the rocks that the fairy left us with our names on them.   You are so helpful.
Ryder:  You did such a great job tidying up the kitchen on Thursday.  I was so proud of you.  I also loved how during centres time you used the straws to measure how tall I was.  Thanks for letting me know I am 8 and a half straws high.
Katalina:  I loved that when you were finished your lunch on Thursday you sat quietly on the carpet with a book.  I also loved how when the beans spilled you asked if you could use a dustpan to tidy up.
Rosie:  You did such a great job tidying up the kitchen on Thursday after centres time.  I also loved how whenever the lullaby went on in the morning you quietly sat criss-cross applesauce on your name and how you always offered to hold the door for our class when we were going outside.
Lucas:  I loved how you collected all the popsicles in our play kitchen and put them in the proper container when it was time to tidy them up.  I also loved how you told the class that it is important to eat a healthy dinner so they can grow when they sleep.
George:  I loved how you listened to your body and got your snack out during centres time.  I also loved the running cuddle you greeted me with on Friday morning.  I also loved going on a scavenger hunt in the school with you so that we could find buttons that you could press.
Felix:  You did such a great job putting your special folder in the right place when you came in on Friday.  I also loved how you sat criss-cross applesauce when we listened to our story on Friday and how you always offered to hold the door for our class when we were going outside.
Frankie:  I loved how when someone forgot to put the lids on the markers on Tuesday, you did it for them.  I also loved how you offered to use the broom and dustpan to tidy up the beans when they spilled on Wednesday.
Poppy: Thank you for showing Frankie what to do during snack time on her first day.   I also loved how you helped to clean up the kitchen on Thursday after centres time.
Ian:  Thank you for helping me ring the fairy chimes on Wednesday.  I also loved how you did such a great job tidying up the trains after centres time on Thursday.
Gabriel:  You did a great job making a vehicle during centres time on Friday.  I also loved how at the end of the day you got your special folder, outdoor shoes on and sat on the carpet ready for after care.
Oscar:  I loved how during outdoor exploration time you told the other students that they should be careful with the hole in the tree because of a family of animals may live inside and we don’t want to scare them.
Isobel:  I loved how when you came in each morning, you put on your indoor shoes, put your special folder in the right bin and did the morning survey while I did attendance.
Leeloominai:   Thank you for helping me sing different transition songs with the students last week.  You made up such a great song for walking in the hall.  I also loved how you went to help a student feel better when they were sad on Friday by singing them a song.
Willa:  You did such a great job getting your snack when you were hungry during centres time last week. I loved how you worked hard to open your yogurt on your own.
​Rafe:  Thank you for teaching the students in class that it is important not to touch our friend Lightning.  I also loved how the name you chose for him was the name that was picked by our class when we voted.