We're getting back to normal

It is back to normal in Room 22 this week. We have welcomed Sophie, Maneo and Logan back to Christchurch and to St Albans School. All 3 of them enjoyed their time away at new schools. We were also pleased to have Shayan return after having been told that he wasn't! Sadly though we have lost Blais. Her family have relocated to Tauranga. All the kids who have had time in other schools around NZ have come back reporting how special it was and how they sometimes felt they were 'famous' as everyone was so interested in their stories about the quake. While Logan was at school in Wellington he was interviewed about the earthquake. If you go to the Muritai School blog page you can watch him www.muritaitv.blogspot.com

Miss Whiteside has settled in and is helping in the classroom and starting to take lessons. Next week she will begin her 12 days of full control which she is really looking forward to. She has some great things planned so we are all excited that she is here with us. Yesterday Miss Whiteside had her visiting lecturer observe her teaching art. The kids made some fabulous markings with a paintbrush - lots of experimenting was done with great results and we look forward to using these new painting skills soon.

In writing we have been learning all about 'letter writing.' Westmere School in Auckland sent us some great cards with poems and jokes in them to cheer is up after the earthquake. They also sent a CD with a recording of them singing to us. We needed to write back and thank them. We have also written to some Burnside High school students who helped clean up liquefaction from the cricket pitch and field.
We came up with a list of purposes for writing letters
- to say thanks
- to apologise
- to recount
- to inform
- to ask for help, donations, etc
With the help of a great website 'Writing is Fun' we have learnt the correct format for setting out our letters.

Yesterday we wrote to our buddy class, Room 5 and told then all about oursleves and our interests. We also asked them questions in the hope that they may write back to us.

We are also going to write to Gavin Bishop to thank him for the fabulous book he illustrated 'Quaky Cat'. Many of the children with younger brothers and sisters at school will know that Gavin and others involved with this book donated a copy to hundreds of Yr 0 and 1 students in Canterbury. We also have a copy in class and think it is a fabulous recount of what many of our pets went through in the September Earthquake.

Here is a song my daughter was shown while working with Mrs Wakefield in the Targeted Learning Room this week. It is great for all of us to recap the vowels, their sounds and spelling rules on a regular basis.