Beaver Folders & Permission Slips

Coming home in each student's Beaver Folder is a letter from me about classroom procedures, management, etc.  In addition, attached to this paper is a permission slip regarding pictures on this blog.  Please sign and return this permission slip by Friday, September 5. Today, and in the future, to ensure everyone receives newsletters, permission slips, etc., I will also post copies on this blog (see below).

I want to thank you for a truly wonderful first week! Have a very happy and safe weekend!

Homework:

• Read 20 minutes  

Reminders:

• Blog permission slip due Friday, September 5.
• Please note that I will be checking planners for signatures tomorrow (and every Friday).  Please make sure you have signed your child's planner.  Thank you!

Classroom Supplies:

Thank you,

Ms. Smith
............................................................................................................................
August 29, 2014

• To follow our blog:  Enter your email address in the "Follow by Email" box.  By doing this, you will receive an email with a link to the blog, every time I post.

• Please sign and return the attached permission slip regarding our Class Blog and pictures.                                                                                                                                  …

Dear Parents and Guardians,                                                                                                    

Our school year is underway!  It has been great getting to know the children the past couple of days.  We have spent a lot of time learning classroom routines and getting familiar with each other.  We have a wonderful class!

To help you better understand how things are working this year, I’d like to share how we will be doing a few things in our third grade learning community.

…

Beaver Folders:

All students have a white school-issued folder that they will bring home with them every day. Inside the folder you will find homework that needs to be completed, notes from myself and the office, as well as any finished homework your child may have done.  Please take a moment to check the folder each week, and make sure your child brings it back to school every day.  It is important for us to communicate and this is a great way for us to keep in touch.

Unfinished & Absent Work:­

Any work not completed during the day will be sent home to be finished and returned the next day.  If your child is absent, he/she will need to complete the work that was missed.  Students will have a fair and appropriate amount of time to finish any assignment they may have missed. 

Math/ Homework:

Riverside Elementary utilizes the Everyday Math program for math instruction.  Specifically, third grade’s math curriculum involves group work, hands-on activities, problem solving, logical thinking, and decision-making lessons. You can expect your child to have math homework every week.  Math homework is intended to help reinforce concepts learned in class.  I will always explain how to do these assignments before students are sent home.  Your child should not be spending more than 30 minutes on math homework.  If this is the case, please jot me down a note at the top your child's homework, and I will work with your child one-on-one in the morning to complete the work.  It is important to also note that students can, and are encouraged to, bring home their math notebook to help them in completing their homework.

Independent Reading:

The amount of free reading done outside of school has consistently been found to relate to growth in vocabulary, reading comprehension, verbal fluency, and general information (Anderson, Wilson, and Fielding 1988; Greaney 1980; Guthrie and Greaney 1991; Taylor, Frye, and Maruyama 1990). Students who read independently become better readers, score higher on achievement tests in all subject areas, and have greater content knowledge than those who do not (Krashen 1993; Cunningham and Stanovich 1991; Stanovich and Cunningham 1993). Please set aside at least 20 minutes each night for your child to read independently or even better, aloud to you. 

Snacks:

Students will be allowed to have a snack at their discretion throughout the day.  We are a Nut Sensitive classroom; please keep this in mind when packing snacks.  Thank you!

Planners:

Planners are another way that we communicate with each other on a daily basis. At the end of each day, we will fill out planners together with brief information in each subject area so as to communicate what was learned each day. Please check and sign their planner every day. By signing your child’s planner, you are communicating to me that your child is completing their homework (this includes their 20 minutes of independent reading each day).  On occasion, I may write you a note in your child's planner.  Likewise, feel free to jot down a note in your child's planner for me to read, as well.  Students know to show me their planners in the morning if they have parent notes.  Every Friday I will check to see that planners are signed.   I will always let students know a day ahead of time when we will be checking planners.  Students who have more than two signatures missing will lose a ticket (for every 2 signatures missing, 1 ticket will be taken away).

Behavior & Classroom Management:

Our classroom will be using a ticket management system.  I have found this behavior management system to be the most effective in third-fifth grade classrooms.  Please read below.

Each child starts out with 5 tickets on Monday.  If your child follows our classroom expectations, turns in all homework, and has all signatures in their planner on Friday, they will keep all their tickets throughout the week.  On Friday, we will have “Bank Day”; students who still have all 5 tickets will receive a Smith Buck.  In addition, all students will receive a new set of 5 tickets, and return their remaining from the week.  Remaining tickets are entered into a raffle where students can win a “comfy seat” at their desk for an entire week. Towards winter break, we will have a class auction.  Students will use their Smith Bucks to participate.

Students will lose a ticket if they:  do not complete homework on time, do not follow our classroom rules and expectations, and/ or if they are missing more than 2 signatures in their planners on Friday.  I will communicate with you if your child is losing tickets on a regular basis.  See below for an outline of our ticket system.  These policies were developed with students.

If your child loses…

·         1 ticket = first warning

·         2 tickets =  second warning

·         3 tickets = 5 minutes by me at recess

·         4 tickets = contact home

·         5 tickets = parent meeting

Class Blog:  http://room13classblog.blogspot.com

Communication between school and home is crucial. The primary avenue I will use to keep you informed about the learning of your child is through our class blog. The purpose of this website is to keep you informed about the happenings inside our classroom and provide you with opportunities to support your student's learning outside of school. Here, you will find helpful resources, information regarding curriculum, important classroom news, as well as an updated blog. With our class blog, it is my intention, to keep you informed about our current goals, learning, and progress throughout the year. Each day you can expect to see any homework posted as well as upcoming reminders. Please visit our blog frequently for the latest information on what we're doing in Room 13!

I want to thank you again for all your support! I’m looking forward to a wonderful year full of growth and learning! I am best reached by email (HadleySmith@hcps.org), if you have any questions, comments, concerns. 

Thank you!

Hadley Smith

HadleySmith@hcps.org

......................................................................................................................

August 29, 2014

 Parents and Guardians,

First, I want to express my sincere joy in meeting each and every one of your children.  We have a great class, and I am so looking forward to a positive year of learning!

Second, one of my professional goals this year is to keep parents and guardians as informed as possible about our learning inside the classroom.   One of the ways I plan on doing this is through our class blog. With your permission, I will post pictures of your children learning and working together in our classroom.  Please check one of the boxes below.  If you decide that you DO NOT wish to have me post pictures of your child on our blog; I will make sure no pictures are posted that have your child in them.

Please check one of the following options and sign below:

________  YES,  I want you to post pictures of my child on room13classblog.blogspot.com

________   NO,  I do not want you to post any pictures of my child on room13classblog.blogspot.com

Parent Name (print):  ___________________________________________________________________

Signature:  ____________________________________________________________________________

Student’s Name:  ______________________________________________________________________

Math Homework Tonight

Today in Math Workshop, students learned to notice and note characteristics of number sequences and explain the patterns they observed.  Following the mini-lesson, students then went to four stations.  At each station, students work in pairs, groups, or individually to practice math concepts and strategies that reinforce and extend on what we learned in the mini-lesson.  In addition, students also see me during one of the stations; at my station, we work towards a conceptual, deep understanding of current concepts.  Students have math homework coming home today, due tomorrow.   Please note that if students are spending more than 30 minutes on math homework and are visibly frustrated, simply write me a note at the top of their homework, and I will work with them in the morning.  The purpose of homework is to reinforce concepts learned at school, not frustrate.  Furthermore, I set aside specific time in the morning when other students are going through our morning routine to help and support students with math concepts and/ or homework.

Tomorrow I will send home a letter further explaining classroom policies, homework, planners, classroom management, etc.   I will also post this note to the blog, in case it gets lost in the shuffle.

Homework:

• Math homework due tomorrow
• Read 20 minutes  

Reminders:

• Please note that I will be checking planners for signatures tomorrow (and every Friday).  Please make sure you have signed your child's planner.  Thank you!
• Student Information Cards due Friday, August 29.
• Parent Survey due Friday, August 29.

Classroom Supplies:

• Please aim to have all back to school supplies by this Friday.

Thank you for your support!

Ms. Smith

Choosing Just Right Books

In Readers' Workshop today, students learned how to use the Five Finger Rule to help them choose "Just Right" books.  This is just one strategy that students can use to help them find a book that they will be able to comprehend and think deeply about.  Tonight, ask your student what Just Right book they're reading.

In Writers' Workshop, students are continuing to work on their personal narratives.  Again, this is not graded; students' first writing sample simply gives me a baseline as to what they can do already and what they may not know how to do yet.  This pre-assessment helps track growth and inform my instruction.

In Math Workshop, we created Math Workshop expectations (i.e., what Math Workshop looks like and sounds like). We then practiced these expectations and students engaged in math concepts and strategies at four different stations, one of which is a teacher station.

In Social Studies, we continued our dialogue regarding rules and their implications on society.  We extended this discussion to help us grow ideas about laws and government's purpose.

In Word Study, students closely examined the word "give" using the Frayer Model once again.  This week in Word Study we are studying Riverside's Pledge words: excel, accept, give, engage, and respect.

In Read Aloud, we read Voices in the Park, by Anthony Brown.  Ask your child to give you a character trait for the first voice.  Ask them for evidence; how they know the character is that way.

Homework:

• Read 20 minutes.  
• Please note: By signing your child's planner every day, you are communicating to me that s/he has read their 20 minutes.  I check planners on Friday's for signatures. Thank you for your support!

Reminders:

• Student Information Cards due Friday, August 29.
• Parent Survey due Friday, August 29.
• If you missed Open House night, please check your child's Beaver Folder for important information about this year.

Classroom Supplies:

• Please aim to have all back to school supplies by this Friday.

Thank you,

Ms. Smith

Read Aloud

Today students assembled their Literacy Binders.  Literacy Binders will stay in the classroom; however, students are allowed to take home their notebooks, if they want.  Each Literacy Binder contains a reader's notebook, writer's notebook, and Word Study lessons.  Ask your child tonight how we treat our Literacy Binders. (Answer: We treat them like gold because they contain so much thinking and learning.)

In Readers' Workshop, we created and practiced (a lot!) our Readers' Workshop norms.  Tomorrow we will start learning specific comprehension strategies to help us build our reading stamina.

In Writers' Workshop, students used everything they know about effective writing to write a personal narrative.  This is the first writing sample I will collect from students, and will be used as a gauge for growth and next instructional steps.  Very importantly, this will not be graded; it is simply to show me what students know and may not know yet, so I can support their growth in writing this year.

In Read Aloud, students learned to pay close attention to illustrations to help them learn and grow ideas about characters.  Often I will use picture books to model and teach specific elements of writers' craft or comprehension strategies.  It is important for students to understand that writers are very purposeful in the words and illustrations they include (or don't include) in their books.  Furthermore, it is our job as readers to closely read these texts and infer ideas about characters, plot, theme, etc. in order to critically think about texts.

In Word Study, we used the Frayer Model to help us define the word "accept", and think about this word in real terms.  We use the Frayer Model to help us make meaning of unknown or unfamiliar words and expand our vocabulary. I will post some examples tomorrow!

In Math Workshop, students took a pretest on Unit 1: Routines, Review, and Assessment. Tomorrow we will begin digging in to math concepts.

In Social Studies, students defined and explained why rules were important through writing and productive dialogue.  Ask your child to tell you a "talk move" that we use in the classroom.

Homework:

• Read 20 minutes.

Reminders:

• Student Information Cards due Friday, August 29.
• Parent Survey due Friday, August 29.
• If you missed Open House night, please check your child's Beaver Folder for important information about this year.

Classroom Supplies:

• Please aim to have all back to school supplies by this Friday.

Thank you,

Ms. Smith

Our First Day!

What a great first day!  We did a lot of first day routines and procedures today including unpacking, getting to know you activities, creating classroom management guidelines, and exploring our classroom.

In addition, students worked in collaborative groups to create a mission statement for our class.  In doing so, this gives the kids an awareness of our purpose here at school.  Here's what we came up with:  "We are the third grade Riverside Beavers.  We are here to learn, respect our peers, and make new friends.  We will work hard to get good grades and excel in the 2014-2015 school year."

Homework:

• Read 20 minutes.
• "Bag it!" Activity

Reminders:

• Coming home with each child tonight is a Parent Survey, I'd so appreciate any information given to help support your child this year. This is due back this Friday, August 29.
• If you missed Open House night, please check your child's Take Home Folder for important information about this year.

Classroom Supplies:

• Please aim to have all back to school supplies by this Friday.

Thank you,

Ms. Smith

Welcome!

Welcome to the third grade! My name is Hadley Smith, and I will be your child’s third grade teacher this year. I am very excited to support your child in their continued growth as a learner! I am looking forward to meeting and working with you and your child this year. Working together, we can provide a successful learning experience for your child. 

A little bit about me, I graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelors in Elementary Education and received my Elementary Teaching Certificate. Originally from Michigan, I just moved to Baltimore following the conclusion of the 2013-2014 school year. Last year, I taught fourth grade at Hardy Elementary School, in Michigan. At Hardy, I was also a "Girls on the Run" Coach. Prior to my position at Hardy, I completed a yearlong student teaching internship at Walled Lake Elementary, in the fifth grade. In addition, I spent my summer teaching summer school for the Walled Lake Consolidated School District, again in Michigan. As a summer school teacher, I taught grades 2-4. When I am not teaching, I love to read, travel, and run!

When your child enters our classroom, he/she can expect a safe and nurturing environment where all students are respected, valued, and contribute to our learning community.  Third grade is an important year for your child. This year, students will become more independent and responsible.  Children learn best when they are active participants in their learning.  Many opportunities will be provided for them to be creative and develop a love for learning. This kind of learning enhances self-esteem and independent thinking.

I have high, yet attainable, expectations for every student and myself.  Students will often be expected to work in collaborative groups, actively participate in discussion and discovery, and build from prior knowledge and relate ideas to everyday life.  It is very important to me that all students are challenged to reach their full potential.  I will work to create an environment where students feel encouraged to take intellectual risks and engage themselves in the learning process.  I feel that such skills are vital for their future as lifelong learners.

An important goal that we will work on in our classroom is developing responsibility and organization.  Because I feel that it is critical that we work together on this, and no one knows your child better than you do, communication is key.  I will keep you well informed of your child's progress, and I encourage you to express any concerns or questions that you may have. I am always available before and after school, and also by e-mail and voice mail.

Class Blog:  http://room13classblog.blogspot.com

Communication between school and home is crucial. The primary avenue I will use to keep you informed about the learning of your child is through our class blog. The purpose of this website is to keep you informed about the happenings inside our classroom and provide you with opportunities to support your student's learning outside of school. Here, you will find helpful resources, information regarding curriculum, important classroom news, as well as an updated blog. With our class blog, it is my intention, to keep you informed about our current goals, learning, and progress throughout the year. Each day you can expect to see any homework posted as well as upcoming reminders. Please visit our blog frequently for the latest information on what we're doing in Room 13!

• To follow our blog:  Enter your email address in the "Follow by Email" box.  By doing this, you will receive an email with a link to the blog, every time I post.

I'm looking forward to a wonderful year of learning!

Thank you for your support,

Ms. Smith