November 15, 2022
Conejo Adventist Elementary School
Third & Fourth Grade Bread Company
The third- and fourth-grade students at CAES have started their own business: The Third & Fourth Grade Bread Company. Every day, everyone can to smell the fantastic aroma wafting from their classroom as students make a loaf of Honey Wheat Bread by using the bread machine that is in their classroom. Students measure all the ingredients, making sure to follow each step of the recipe. It’s then packaged for delivery to the lucky family who was able to sign up to receive this much anticipated treat!
Students practice money skills by counting the income ($6.00/loaf) accumulated. Also, students are able to figure out how much profit is made by subtracting the expenses from the income. As a class, they figure out how much ten percent of the profit will be so that it can be set aside as tithe. Who knew that baking bread could be so beneficial in teaching a multitude of valuable skills?
Monday Meetings at CAES
When Mrs. Robin Shea was asked to teach sixth grade after 14 years of teaching third and fourth, she graciously accepted the challenge and began to prepare. Because she knew that the social and emotional needs of sixth graders would require different tools, Monday Meetings was born.
Every Monday, sixth-grade students pull their tables together to create one giant table. Monday Meetings consist of four rounds: Appreciation, Forgiveness, Situations, and Affirmation. During the appreciation round, students will share something another student did that they are thankful for. Forgiveness is a chance to mend bridges. The situation round gives students a chance to ask for guidance and support from the teacher or other students. Finally, the meeting ends with students affirming one another and prayer.
At first a few students were apprehensive and timid, but after a few months of Monday meetings, students are feeling safe and happy. One student said, “Monday Meetings are a safe place where I can share something on my heart and let it go without laughter from my classmates.”
What a wonderful accomplishment from Mrs. Shea to bring these students together, and how rewarding it is to know that the students look forward to that time!
