Back to School Night! Welcome !
Dec 28, 2015
My Goal
My goal is for each child in this class to leave second grade with a lifelong love of learning and a sense of accomplishment and pride in their efforts and work.
My Role
•Facilitator and guide• Provide a classroom environment that is
a safe, supportive, collaborative community of scholars
•Each child has unique strengths and needs that I meet by differentiating instruction to make it authentic and meaningful for each young scholar.
Readers Workshop• My number one goal is to create students
who love to read. • Right now we are building stamina in
Readers Workshop. Currently we are reading for 15 minutes a day and our goal is 40 minutes.
• Students read “Just Right Books” during Workshop. These are books at their independent level.
3
Writers Workshop
• A close second to building a love of reading would be to build a love of writing!
• Personal Narratives• Opinion Writing• Informational Writing
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Math Workshop• Envision Math• Math Wall/Math Games• Math Talks-Mental Math• Problem Solving-Cognitively
Guided Instruction, SVMI
• Direct modeling• Counting on
• Doubles/Near Doubles• Making Tens
• Friendly Numbers (10, 25)• Compensation(Give 1, Take 1)
• Break by Place Value• Algorithm 5
Teacher’s Aide
Our instructional aide, Kim Crozier, will be working with all children
daily during reading groups
from 9:00-10:30.
Hand in your best work!Enter the room prepared to learn.Raise your hand to speak.Obey rules & follow directions quickly.Exit the room leaving your area clean.Show respect to adults and peers.
Class Behavior Expectations -
We are HEROES!
We Are Bucket Fillers! Being a bucket filler encourages positive behavior as
children see how very easy and rewarding it is to express kindness, appreciation, and love on a daily basis.
During the past week, the children have learned the meaning of the terms bucket filling and bucket dipping .
They have discovered that when they fill someone's bucket, they fill their own. Our class goal is just like the
books message: Why not decide to be a bucket filler today and every day?
Six Pillars of Character
Focus on basic values and character education:
• Caring• Citizenship• Fairness• Trustworthiness• Respect• Responsibility
Scholarly Behavior
Why?• Successful people
exhibit certain scholarly behaviors
• Scholarly behaviors maximize student potential
• Scholarly behaviors explicitly teach students how to be learners
• Scholarly behaviors value the intellectual process
Scholars. . . •Set goals•Actively participate•Practice•Take risks•Thirst for knowledge•Ponder•Are task persistent•Are curious
Prize Box
Tickets are given to students that are being a Bucket Filler,
exhibiting behaviors consistent with the six Pillars of Good
Character, and for their scholarly work and behavior.
Super
Scholar of the Week
This year, each student will be a “Super Scholar of the Week”. Students will complete
a poster about themselves that will be shared and displayed throughout their
randomly selected week. During this time, the student will also be the classroom helper.
I am excited for the students to have a chance to celebrate themselves and be
creative!
Birthdays
We love to celebrate everyone's special day!
Please let me know if you would like to send or bring in a special snack.
Birthday party invitations are only to be handed out at school if everyone in the class is invited. If not, please mail your
invitations to avoid hurt feelings.
Library & P.E.Our class is scheduled to go to
the Tularcitos School Library each Monday. Please try to ensure
that your child’s library book is returned each week so that
she/he may check out a new one.
Our class will attend PE everyWednesday and Friday!
• Sports shoes are required.
Homework
• Homework consists of nightly reading and a weekly packet containing math, writing and spelling practice.
• Homework goes home Monday and should be returned Friday.
• A completed homework packet includes 2 spelling activities, all math pages completed, a writing
exercise, and a parent signature indicating they have checked the homework and that the student has read
each night for 20 minutes. • If your child is absent, your child may return the
completed homework when they return.• Scholars must return their reading book and Book Bag
daily as we often use the stories for more than one day and they are needed for rereading. Sometimes the Book Bag will have a phonics word list or sight
word flashcards inside. Whatever comes home in the Book Bag should be reviewed with a parent.
Field Trips
The children will experience a variety of off-campus fieldtrips
throughout the year. These trips are planned to specifically support
the second grade curriculum by providing students with a hands-
on experience with experts in different fields. Please let me know if you are interested in
chaperoning any of our fieldtrips.
Parent Volunteers
Your interest and involvement helps your child succeed in school. Our parent volunteers are a vital part of our
reading program.
Parent volunteers make it possible for me to work in small groups with students at their appropriate level
each day.
Please see the Volunteer Sign-up sheet to indicate the days that I can schedule you in the classroom.
If you are unable to volunteer in the classroom, we will have home projects and field trips with which you
might assist.Volunteers will start August 31st. Look for
an email for scheduled dates.
--Still Needed--
• Room Parent/Parents-to plan parties and coordinate school and PTO activities.
• Class Photographer-a parent who will attend field trips and parties, take pictures and send the pics to the yearbook committee. 19
Communication
As a parent, you are a key component in your child’s education. Learning does not stop when
a child walks out the classroom door; it continues and is enhanced at home. This is why
the school/home connection is so very important. Please feel free to contact me with
any questions or concerns. I am looking forward to
working with you and your child.
Welcome!!! Cathy Weist