Welcome to Mr. Chipman's 麦老师 Mài Lǎoshī blog.

     I'm looking forward with excitement and anticipation to begin helping your 5th grader continue their journey learning Math, Science, Literacy....and Chinese.  This will be an exciting year as your student has now reached a level of Chinese proficiency that their learning can really begin to accelerate exponentially and they can begin to reach for genuine advanced-level language and continue learning valuable academic content.
 
   The immersion program has been exciting for many reasons, but by far the most exciting is that we still have not reached these kids ceiling or potential.  We honestly don't know how good they can become.  Every goal post we set they just keep passing it  by with ease, making us set the goal post a little further.  This year, my goal is to really see what these kids can do!  The only way we can really see their potential is if you, the family, are as engaged in the process as possible.

   This blog will serve as the primary (but not only) tool to make the home-school connection both possible and effective. My number one priority this year is to communicate and involve the family in the learning process, and to understand your student's unique mind and circumstances,  both of which are really just two sides of the same coin.
   To turn these goals into realities, I commit to the following actions:
     
        - Every Monday post on this blog what we will be studying that week, and how families can help in the learning process. (Also available in paper form for those who would prefer.)
     
        - Every Friday post on this blog how the week went, what went well, and what we can improve on.  This will occasionally contain weekend observation assignments to reinforce what we are learning in class.  (Again, also available in paper form for those who would prefer.)

        -  Thoughtfully and carefully consider every suggestion, question, compliment and concern that you or your student raise.  Please also understand that it will be impossible please everyone 100%  of the time, and that their will be trade-offs to get what is best for everyone collectively, especially with so many students in each class.

   Please keep me accountable to these things.  I will also be much more motivated to post more content with you if I know that the blog is being read.  Please do your part and check it regularly.  Bookmark the page in your Internet browser.  Write down the URL on your fridge.  Whatever you have to do remind yourself to check it.

       It is my philosophy that it is better to make a mistake by over-communicating, than to mis or under-communicate.  Communication will be a large part of our classroom culture, meaning it is something we will emphasis a lot in the classroom. It will not only help us improve our Chinese, but also is a crucial skill to develop for life generally.  We can begin by setting a good example to our students by also communicating effectively with one another.
 
    I look forward to more communication soon...