Schools that Blog Together, Learn Together! 學校博客在一起 … 共同學習 !

For those who follow our blog outside the United States, visit this excellent History.com post about the history of Thanksgiving. And, for those of you who have not had a refresher course on this holiday,  you might find yourself learning some new facts to share around the Thanksgiving table later this week.  For those who think they know everything, test your turkey knowledge with this quiz.

If you would like to find out more about our teachers, visit this link to go on our most recent BLOG SCAVENGER HUNT. This month we are sharing silly stories about silly things we have done in our lives!

There is much to be known about the American tradition of Halloween.   Historians have found ancient traditions linked to this custom long before it was celebrated in America.  Today, we celebrate by dressing up in our favorite costumes and go door to door yelling, “TRICK OR TREAT!”

We do celebrate this holiday at school.  The children bring their costumes and put them on just before the celebration.  Once they are in their costumes, they parade through the school and show other students, teachers and parents what they are wearing.  When they return to their classrooms, they have a craft project, a game and usually a treat.  Visit these classroom sites to see what the celebrations look like in different classrooms:

Kindergarten, ages 5 and 6, Mrs. Bohl’s Room and Mrs. Nederveld’s Room

Grade 2, ages 7 and 8, Mrs. Kuieck’s Blog

Grade 3, age 8 and 9, Mrs. McDonald’s Blog

The staff and students at Raey Guang Elementary learn about American customs and traditions while they are studying English.  This week, they learned about Halloween—even holding an all school assembly about the holiday.  Enjoy these videos created for us!

I’m Helen, a new English teacher at Raey Guang Elementary school.  Halloween is in the air!!!

To celebrate this special holiday, we’re going to hold several activities that are related to the event on the following Wednesday-10/28.  We’ll video-tape the whole processing and upload it to the blog so that you can have a look and also share your experience about Halloween.

Hoping through this cultural interchange, we can know more about each other and widen teachers and students’ eye view at the same time.  Besides, I’d like to invite all of you visiting this RGPS to get the latest news about Raey Guang.
Best Wishes,  Helen

In the past four weeks, our sister school staff has posted comments of introduction to our blog.  You can find out more about each teacher below.  Feel free to leave comments of welcome for them and I will post these to the blog.

Hello, my name is Xu Uan Ling.
I am a teacher at Ray Guang.
I am the homeroom teacher at the sixth grade.
My teaching subjects are Chinese,Mathematics,Gymnastic.
I like reading in my free time.
I have taught at the elementary school for 17 years.

Hello, there:
My name is Pizzicato, coming from Taiwan.
I am now a student teacher at Raey Guang and I am also persuing my master degree now.
I like to listen to all kinds of music in my free time.
So, if you are also interested in music, you are totally welcome to contact me!!:-)

Hi,I’m Cherry ,coming from Taiwan.
I’m an elementary school teacher at Ray Guang.

Hi,I’m Ping Ru.
My teaching subject is science and technology.
I like to read and do exercise in my free time.

I am ROSE ,coming from Taiwan. I’m the homeroom teacher at Ray Guang.I’m fond of shopping in my free time. I have taught at the elementary school for seventeen years.

Hi,there,I’m Meng,lin,coming fromTaiwan. I’m the homeroom teacher at the 3th. grade. My teachin subjects are Math. Chinese andEnglish. I love to go shopping. Also,I’m fond of doing yoga in my free time.
I have been teaching at the Elementary school for 20 years. I’m an energetic and optimistic person. Being healthy and happy is my life priority. MY teaching philosophy is giving every student a chance forever and loving every child.
Hi T`m Chen Ming Hui,coming from Taiwan.
I`m a science and technology at Ray Guang.
I like to reading in my free time.
Thank you.

Hi, there. I’m Serry Chuang, coming from Taiwan.
I’m student teacher at Ray Guang.
I’m fond of watching movies when I’m free.

The Principal of Raey Guang Elementary wrote to share some exciting news.  Read on:

Dear Mrs. Reagan,

I would like to pass a good news to you! Our program of international networking with you has won the first place in Taiwan and I was invited to share the experiences in our ministry of education! Thanks to your help on much ideas-sharing and blog-constructing. This award belongs to you, too.

The new semester is running now. This semester, we are going to have new courses for students and teachers as well. For students, high-achievers and low-achievers of English will both be selected out and given special training. Furthermore, all students will have more courses about e-communication. We hope all children in our school can learn English well and have more communication with your students. All teachers are going to have extra English lesson, too. Learning is not just about the students, right?

Last, I hope children in both of our schools can be educated happily and have better global visions for their future.

Mrs. Chung Wen Yu

If you have been following the international news, you are aware that a typhoon slammed into Taiwan this past weekend.  Our sister school, Raey Guang Elementary is located in Pingtung Taiwan, and I have been following the news to determine if they are near any of the destruction.

Today, I ran across a CNN International web article referencing a rescue helicopter crash in Pingtung County.   The heavy rains (39 inches) have created dangerous mudslides.

I have emailed the staff to inquire about their safety, however, I am fully aware that schools are likely closed and that everyone is focusing on the health and well-being of family and friends.

Please keep the people in Taiwan in your thoughts as they struggle to overcome this weather disaster — and in many cases deal with the loss of loved ones.

In April of 2009, Mrs. DeWeerd invited our school to enter an international art exhibition in China.   Our  sister school  Raey Guang is in Pingtung, Taiwan, and  she felt this would be a natural connection for our students.

Mrs. Brouwer, our art teacher, selected five works of student art and submitted them to the 40th Annual World School Children’s Art Exhibition. This exhibition is held each August at the National Taiwan Arts Education Center in Taipei, Republic of China, and features children’s artwork from all over the world.

TWO of our student pieces were selected for display in the exhibition – Aubrey’s “Happy Robot” and Shari’s “Winter Pine”.

Selection for the Taiwan exhibition is a great honor and our Georgetown artists deserve congratulations for their hard work!  Their pieces were selected from over 30,000 submissions (yes, thirty thousand!) from 53 countries. Aubrey and Shari will be given a “Certificate of Merit” sent to me from the Republic of China for their participation in the Exhibition. Congratulations, Georgetown Artists!

We received a beautiful catalog that contains color images of the World School pieces that were awarded Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals in the competition. It will be on display in the art room….stop in for a look at the award winning artwork created by children living in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Bolivia, Brunei….and 47 other countries!

Both pieces of art will now be added to our permanent collection so that they can be appreciated and honored for years to come.

Many thanks to Mrs. DeWeerd for encouraging us to submit work, to Mrs. Brouwer for taking the time to safety pack and ship this work to China, and to our artists (Sheri & Aubrey) for creating the work that showcased our wonderful school and country!

At Georgetown, our teachers use the writing workshop approach. During this writing time students are given daily time to write, shown models of good writing, and provided with responses that help them improve their writing. Writing workshop is a valuable and favorite time of the day. Watch this movie (created by our incredible reading teacher, Mrs. Bast) to hear our students’ thoughts on writing.  WRITING