CTU Strike 2012

As we enter day three of the strike, I would like to thank all of parents who have been extremely supportive of all the teachers!

We are on strike for MANY reasons.  The media is only portraying the strike as a fight for a raise in our salary.  However, it is so much more than that!

We are striking for:
-Class size: The current contract does not have a cap on classroom size, that means a classroom can have up to 55+ students per classroom.  This will prevent teachers from providing the one-on-one attention that some students require.  The union is asking for the new contract to put a limit at 28 students.
-Fair Working Conditions: The students are in classrooms without air conditioning for seven hours a day.  Our kids are complaining about headaches, nausea, and dizziness due to these conditions.  In July, of this year, a Cook County Jail shifted prisoners to a neighboring building when the air conditioning went out.  The prisoners are getting better treatment than our students!
-Supplies: On average, schools do not receive curriculum/textbooks until the 6th week of school.  Within these six weeks, the teachers are creating their own curriculum to bridge the gap between the grade level transition and pushing the kids forward.
-Services: Schools currently do not have full-time counselors, psychologists, social-workers, or nurses.  If your child comes to school and gets an injury on a day that the school nurse is not available, the will receive a band-aid or an ice pack and not the proper treatment.

These are just a few of the major reasons that the teachers are on strike.  We understand that the current circumstances are hurting our students by not having them in school learning right now.  However, we need to stand strong and receive a fair contract to help our students in the long run.  The days that are being missed right now will be made up, either during our break in October, during winter break, or at the end of the school year.  Please remember, we are not on strike because of our salary.  As we are on strike, we are not being paid.  However, we are still at home grading papers and lesson planning after we picket and rally.

We are on strike to fight for our students - your children!

Students were wearing these signs marching with teachers!

On strike on 67th St.

Marquette Students Rock! 

How we are all feeling as we wait for negotiations to end!

End of Week 3!

This week we covered a lot of new information in math!  We continued working with different types of lines, learned characteristics of quadrilaterals, started learning about the SOLVE method, and started our first set of centers!

We used straws and pipe cleaners to create our different two-dimensional quadrilaterals, or quadrangles, and manipulated them to have a better understanding of how the shapes relate to one another and each of their characteristics.  We saw:

A square has four congruent (or equal) sides, four right angles, and opposite sides parallel.
A rhombus has four congruent sides, opposite angles congruent, and opposite sides parallel.
A rectangle has opposite sides congruent, four right angles, and opposite sides parallel.
A parallelogram has opposite sides congruent, opposite angles congruent, and opposite sides parallel.
A trapezoid has one pair of parallel sides.  However the measure of angles and sides all depend on how the trapezoid is drawn.

We learned about parallel, perpendicular, and intersecting lines and found that perpendicular lines could also be intersecting lines.  Parallel lines are just like a set of train tracks.  The two tracks will never cross so that the train can continuously move forward.  Perpendicular lines cross and make a right angle.  Intersecting lines are lines that cross but do not have to form a right angle.  We also learned that these three can be formed with lines, line segments, and rays.

Finally, we covered first two letters of the SOLVE method.  We found that S stands for study the problem and O stands for organize the facts.  These five steps, which we will finish learning next week, helps guide us through solving word problems.

We also took our first NWEA/MAP test this week!  These assessments will continue every Friday for the next three weeks.  This week we took our math assessment, next week we will take the reading assessment, language on 9/14, and finally science on 9/21.

Next week, we will also begin learning about polygons and their characteristics and take our performance task assessment.

If you have not already, please make sure that emergency forms, lunch forms, parent surveys, and media consent forms are turned in to your homeroom teacher next week!

Hope everyone has a nice enjoyable three day weekend!

-Ms.Chan

End of Week 2!

Wow!! This week sure flew by fast!  It was very exciting being able to finally dive into our math curriculum.  This week we reviewed place value, comparing numbers with > (is greater than), < (is less than), and = (is equal to), as well as starting our unit in geometry with lines, line segments, and rays!

We received our textbooks on Monday and started looking through it to see what we would be learning this year and what resources in the books we can use to help us find answers.

On Tuesday, when we started place value we covered the basics from ones to ten millions.  On Wednesday, we went a little deeper and discusses the place values after the decimal with tenths, hundredths, and thousandths.  We discussed the difference between looking for a place and looking for a value for a number.

After completing our discussions on place value, we looked at comparing numbers on Thursday.  We found out that when we compare numbers, we have to compare their values and not just what the number looks like!  Therefore, a fraction like 1/2 = .50.  Even though they look different, their value is the same!

Finally, today we started our unit in geometry which we will continue next week.  We took a look at lines (which have no end points), line segments (which have two end points), and rays (which have one end point)!  We played math Simon Says with our vocabulary words.

This week I passed out our homework folders.  Each week we will be filling out our homework folders, writing in our assignments and filling in what color we ended on.  This will allow our students and parents to keep track of assignments and behavior.  Included in the folders of my homeroom students (210) were business cards with my contact information.  For the rest of my students, they will be receiving those cards later next week.

Incase anyone needs to contact me before then, or if students have lost their card.  The number to reach me at is (872)216-2840 or (872) 21-Math-0.  I can also be reached by e-mail at jlchan2@cps.edu.

Hope everyone has an enjoyable, well rested weekend and comes back ready to learn on Monday!

-Ms.Chan

End of Week 1!

Wow the first week of school is officially over!  We have been very busy practicing all of our routines and procedures this week.  Starting next week we will be getting into our curriculum - that means we will begin doing a lot more math and a lot more learning!  So remember, be prepared to learn everyday!

This week we went over our HALLS behavior, volume levels, ABC positions, and so much more!  We demonstrated what excellence looked like and made good choices in the decisions we made.  Let's continue the great work and prepare ourselves to become the future class of 2025!

While we reviewed our class rules and school rules this week we also took the time to review the non-negotiable, zero-tolerance behaviors.  These include, but are not limited to cursing, bullying, fighting, vandalism, weapons, drugs, and threats.  If any of these behaviors are exhibited, an instant dean referral will be issued.

For Monday, make sure you have all of your folders and notebooks - both in the colors blue, yellow, green, purple, orange, and red - and your uniforms.  All shirts need to be navy blue and opened toe shoes are not allowed.  Please review the student handbook for complete uniform requirements.  Referrals will be given out for students out of uniform starting Monday.

Now as promised...here are the final pictures of our updated and fully decorated classroom!  All of the teachers at the new Marquette School of Excellence have been working hard to get the school looking beautiful!  

This weeks homework in our homeroom/math:
Tuesday - All About Me Bags (due Friday)
Wednesday - Write an inspiring quote or a 4th grade goal on your 10x10 square
Thursday - Think about what you want to be when you grow up and 3 reasons you need math for it
Friday - Decorate your college flag

-Ms.Chan

Welcome to the first day of school here at the new Marquette School of Excellence!!

This year we will have a lot to cover and I can't wait to get the school year started!  Today, we practiced our classroom routines and procedures.  We will have to continue practicing until we get it right, but we are certainly off to a good start!

A lot of the students commented on how different the classroom and school looks now.  Here are some of the before pictures on the first day of classroom setup!  I'm glad everybody liked the new classroom - I'll upload pictures of the finished classroom later this week :)

Tomorrow, we will again practice the expectations here at Marquette and make the transitions much smoother!

Don't forget your homework for tonight:
1) Read over the Behavior Management Cycle packet with your parents and have it signed by yourself and by your parent.
2) Parent Survey

-Ms.Chan