Fields’ Focus

20 Minutes of Reading 

 Here’s an interesting little thing that Mrs. Jones, our principal, sent out to us.  It really makes you stop and think!

Hello, parents!  Due to my absences in class and copier problems, this is my first day to get to tell you about my blog, so it’s probably your first day here.  As I said in my newsletter, I want this blog to be primarily for you.  I will be posting various things that might interest you.   If you have any feedback for me,  I would love for you to e-mail me about it.

 If you are like me, you might not be very familiar with blogs.  I was unaware that blogs begin at the BOTTOM of the page.  New material is at the top of the webpage while older postings are found below.  Therefore, you will need to scroll down to see my other postings.  I am currently working on adding more to my other pages.  If you have any questions, again, please e-mail me.  I hope you enjoy my blog!

Well, parents, I have discovered as of today that I will be having my gallbladder removed in the next couple of weeks.  this has come as a surprise, but as long as it keeps me out of pain, I am all for it.  I will keep you updated on how long I will need to be out and when.  Thanks so much for your thoughts and prayers!

This Republican debate occurred on January 10, 2008 in South Carolina. The participants in this debate are Mike Huckabee, Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney, and Fred Thompson.  Do you notice any more differences here between the debate in 1960? Is this debate different from the Democratic Debate?  What kinds of points are these men making?  Are THEY straight-forward or confusing?

Here’s the debate among Hilary Clinton, Barak Obama, and John Edwards. Notice how different this debate is from Kennedy and Nixon’s. How is the clothing and makeup different? What else is different in this debate from the one in 1960? On another point, what kinds of points are each candidate making? Do you find them confusing or straight-forward?

Here’s the infamous debate between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon in 1960. Notice the difference in both style and demeanor between the two men. If you are showing this to your child, ask them why the two men’s clothing and makeup made a difference.

Okay, my husband Steven came up with the title of my blog - “Fields’ Focus.” He thought I could come up with different topics and focus on them. Today’s focus is politics and the typical second grader.

Many of you probably already know this, but today’s youngest kids are interested in politics. They may have no idea what it all means, but they notice some of the things going on around them. I have already had a couple of kids ask me who I was going to vote for in the upcoming election. (Don’t worry, I always keep my politics in my private life. I think that it is imperative as a teacher to bring many viewpoints in the classroom, not just my own. Therefore, the kids will have no idea for whom I am voting.) Because of the snow day today, I was able to actually see The Today Show this morning. I am ashamed to say that I have not seen any of the debates between the candidates yet. You might have seen the one last night that had a very intense debate between Clinton and Obama. As I watched the report on this debate, it gave me the idea that the kids are going to be getting excited about this suddenly heated race.

Naturally, I will be teaching some basic lessons about elections in the classroom, but you can certainly talk about this at home as well. If your child is showing interest in the upcoming election, show them some clips from debates. Talk with your child a little about what each candidate stands for (if that’s easy to figure out!). Lead a discussion about how important these debates are for the children. Maybe even talk with them about the Kennedy-Nixon debate, the first televised Presidential debate, in which Nixon appeared sweaty and nervous while Kennedy was cool and collected.

In short, talk about this with your kids. I think it is a very exciting experience to share with your child. I know I still remember my mom and dad arguing over the Reagan election in 1984, when I was in second grade. My sister and I felt so “big” talking about this with our parents. Just give it a whirl and see what happens!

Well, I have to say that this is the first snow day where I would have preferred to be in the classroom! After being ill on Friday and having Monday off as well, I am missing my students! I’ll bet they don’t even remember what I look like! I hope they spent part of today reading. I know I did. I am currently reading the novel of The Princess Bride, which is very entertaining. It’s nice to read something other than a kid’s book once in awhile. Parents, what are some books you are reading at home? I’d like to know of those that you read with your kids and the ones you may be reading yourself.

Well, if you have made it to this page, you probably already know who I am. For those of you who have stumbled upon this glorious blog, I am Victoria Fields, second grade teacher at Dixie Elementary in Lexington, Kentucky. I am hoping to use this page as a way to communicate with my students’ parents and with my own friends and family. I hope you enjoy!