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General Information |
General Information
First Grade – Room 106
The following are topics that pertain to the curriculum, daily schedule and classroom policies and activities. Please save and refer to this during the year but always feel free to contact me if you have questions or concerns.
SCHEDULE: We begin prayer and attendance at 8:20 and classes begin at 8:30. Anyone arriving after 8:20 is considered tardy. Please check the student handbook for the policy on tardiness.
For the subjects of Science, Health and Social studies the children will switch classes. Mrs. Whitaker will teach Social Studies and I will teach Science and Health. These subjects will be taught one day a week.
SPECIALS:
Monday: Story time with Mrs. Luchsinger; Technology (starting Second quarter)
Tuesday: Music
Wednesday: Spanish and Gym – Please be sure your child wears gym clothes and gym shoes on Wednesdays. See student handbook for details about OLV spirit wear. First graders wear their gym clothes all day instead of changing.
Thursday: Library
Friday: Music and Art
Lunch is at 11:25, so there will be no morning snack. Please encourage your child to eat a good breakfast before coming to school.
GRADING: The Archdiocese of Cincinnati has a standardized report card used throughout the archdiocese. The grades reflected on the report card are as follows:
O (Outstanding) S-(Below Satisfactory)
S (Satisfactory Progress) N (Needs Improvement)
These grades are used for Religion, Language Arts, Handwriting, Math, Social Studies, Science, Health, Gym, Music and Art.
Please Note: On the report card, Reading includes reading comprehension, reading fluency, vocabulary and phonics. Expression includes spelling, grammar and creative writing.
When correcting your child’s work, I usually use a fraction to denote the number correct over the total items (24/25). We go over all directions together, do examples and practice the work before the children are expected to complete work independently. Graded papers will come home in the Brown Envelope (usually on Mondays). When you sign the Brown Envelope that lets me know that you have seen the papers. Ballpoint pen or Sharpie markers work best on the laminated surface of the envelope.
Daily practice work and fun papers will come home in the GREEN “TAKE HOME FOLDER.” These papers are not included in your child’s grade. They are practice work. PLEASE RETURN THE GREEN FOLDER EACH DAY. The green folder will be sent home daily. If you have anything that needs to go to the office or myself, please put it in the green folder.
DISCIPLINE: I use assertive discipline in my classroom. For example, “Joe, I like the way you raised your hand.” “I am so proud of the way you walked quietly in the hall.” This works because children enjoy compliments and positive remarks.
I also have a “Shining Stars” bulletin board in my classroom. Throughout the day, I try to catch the entire class cooperating, following a classroom rule, receiving a compliment from another teacher, etc. When this happens, I put a shining star on the bulletin board. When we have 20 shining stars, the class gets a reward (extra recess, movie with a treat, etc.) It helps our class work together as a team.
If a child is having discipline issues, they will be dealt with on an individual basis (removed from activity for a brief time, 5 minute loss of recess). If discipline issues continue to be a problem, the child’s parents will be contacted and a behavior plan will be developed.
READING: For the first couple of weeks, we will be reviewing letter sounds and simple sight words (the words on the inventory list). When we begin the reader, we will be covering about one story per week. The story will be used to teach vocabulary and comprehension. Many stories in the reader will be too hard for some children to read independently. If this is the case with your child, read to them and have them follow along reading words they do know or help them sound out a few new words. On Fridays we will take a vocabulary and comprehension test over the story.
You will receive a vocabulary list for each reader and I will list the specific vocabulary words and story we will be working on in my weekly newsletter and also on my website. PLEASE DO NOT READ AHEAD IN THE READER. This hinders some skills I need to teach, such as making predictions, etc. Thank you! I encourage you to read to your child as often as possible. Children learn to read fluently and with expression by our example and modeling.
I will be teaching the whole class together, as well as teaching in small groups. Our reading series has leveled books and extra stories to reinforce phonic skills. I will use these books and other leveled books to work with children in small groups. These groups are flexible, which means students are not necessarily with the same group all year. I will be figuring out reading levels at the beginning as well as periodically throughout the year.
While I am working with small groups, the students will be working at centers. This allows students the opportunities to practice the skills taught in class. Centers will include writing puzzles, art, spelling, math, phonics, reading, etc.
SPELLING: We will start spelling once we start the reader. Each week students will have a new list of 10 spelling words that follow the phonics skills that are being taught that week and 2 spelling words from the vocabulary list. A spelling list will be sent home on Friday in the green folder and a spelling packet will be sent home on Monday to help prepare for the spelling test. Students are to do one page of the spelling packet each night to help them study the new spelling words
CREATIVE WRITING: Your child will begin writing in our class immediately. At first, the creative process may consist only of pictures and a few letters. Soon individual words will begin to appear in their work. As the process develops, I encourage the use of “inventive spelling” – writing words the way they sound to the child (phonetically). At the beginning, this often excludes vowel sounds and sometimes the final sound. I also encourage the children to use the word wall that is in our classroom. It is a list of simple sight words. Please encourage your child to write often (a thank you note to Grandma, a letter to a friend, a sentence about a picture they drew, etc.). Writing will not be sent home on a daily basis. Each child has a Writing Folder with their writing inside kept at school.
HANDWRITING: When practicing at home, encourage the children to write their letters and numbers on the handwriting lines. NUMBERS AND LETTERS NEVER BEGIN ON THE BOTTOM LINE; ALWAYS START AT THE TOP AND GO DOWN. (See attached handwriting sheet). Students should be writing their name using a capital letter only for the first letter in his/her name.
MATH: Our school uses a program called Saxon Math. It helps children understand the concepts of math, as well as, learn the basic addition and subtraction facts. A letter about the math program and details about how to complete math homework was already sent home. The homework needs to be corrected, signed/initialed by a parent and returned the next day.
HOMEWORK: Most of the time, homework consists of the oral reading, spelling packet and math paper. Homework will be listed in my weekly newsletter or marked “Homework.” Try to make homework fun by taking turns reading, playing a memory game with the vocabulary words, etc. I suggest that you complete homework in small time frames.
MASS: We will attend Mass weekly on Thursdays at 8:30 a.m., as well as on Holydays and All School Mass days. When we have an All School Mass or Prayer Service, we will not attend Mass on Thursday. Please feel free to join us at Mass.
PRAYERS: In first grade, we will learn the following prayers: The Sign of the Cross, Guardian Angel Prayer, Our Father, Hail Mary and the Glory Be. We also make up our own personal prayers to God.
STAR OF THE WEEK: In our classroom, we have a “Star of the Week” bulletin board. Each child will have a turn to be the “Star of the Week.” More information on this activity will be coming home soon! This activity is a great way to encourage oral language, practice listening skills and build self-esteem.
SUPPLIES: Glue sticks and pencils will need to be replaced several times during the school year. You may want to buy these supplies while they are still on sale. I will try to send a reminder home or have a reminder in my newsletter about supplies running out. PLEASE STICK TO THE ORIGINAL SUPPLY LIST (GLUE STICKS, #2 PENCILS, SMALL BOX OF CRAYONS, ETC.) WHEN REPLACING SUPPLIES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION.
BIRTHDAYS: You are welcome to send a treat for your child’s birthday. Cookies, cupcakes or individual bags of snacks work best in the classroom. You are also invited to be a guest reader for your child’s birthday. This is not mandatory, but the kids love it! If you would like to read to our class on your child’s birthday (or during their birthday week) please let me know. I’m flexible and can work around your schedule. If your child has a summer birthday, feel free to celebrate their half birthday, or pick a day in May to celebrate!
VOLUNTEERING: It is mandatory for you to have the Child Protection Decree and Fingerprinting to participate in field trips, be a room parent, volunteer in the classroom, etc.
TRANSPORTATION: If your child is going to go home a different way than you indicated on the transportation form, please write me a note. If you forget to write a note, please call the office and they will let me know. Thanks! It is a priority with me that your children are safe.
COMMUNICATION: You will receive a weekly newsletter (usually on Monday) to communicate curriculum, activities, homework, etc. for the week. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns with a note, email or phone call. I believe that communication is very important! If it is a matter that needs to be addressed during the school day, please call the office at 347-2072. They will get a message to me. My email address is browng@olv-school.org. My voicemail number is 347-8878. Please do not send me an email or leave me a voicemail about something that needs to be addressed that day (for example a change in transportation). I may not be able to read/listen to the message before the students leave for the day.
