Welcome to the 2009-2010 School Year!

It’s hard to believe that Labor Day Weekend has just passed and we’ve been in school for almost a month!  It is at this point in the school year that your student is probably getting into his or her routine.  The daily ritual is becoming familiar and easy to predict. 

This is key to a successful start of a school year; gaining and understanding of rules, routines, and procedures.  When students can predict what will happen next in their day, it frees them to be able to learn without worry of what will happen next. 

In reading, we want students to predict, much in the same way they do with their daily routines.  As humans, we predict all day long.  We predict what we will eat, what clothes we will wear, how we will feel, how others will treat us, and so on.  Most of the time, our predictions are accurate.  We use clues from our environment to help us create the predictions.  “I smell bacon, so I bet I’m eating bacon and eggs for breakfast.”    “There is only a 30% chance of rain.  I won’t need my umbrella” 

Sometimes, our predictions are wrong.  It is important that we try and revise our predictions based on new information.  “Ah, I see that there are some dark clouds out, so I bet it’s going to rain here.  I better take my umbrella.” 

Find a time today when you made a prediction, whether it be about a part of your daily routine or a book.  Post not only your prediction, but also your reason for making the prediction.