Wow! I am exhausted. It's been a great week. Your children have worked really hard here at school and I am so proud of their efforts and resilience.
ELA- We read our first story, When Charlie McButton Lost Power and worked on the skills taught in our Reading Street curriculum. That story week as well as our current story week, What About Me?, my focus is reengaging in the learning process. I am watching the class and gaining insight on their pacing, strengths, and needs. Please have your child read at least 20 minutes each evening to work on their sustained reading efforts. Typically, I assess skills for ELA on Wednesdays. I refer to them as an "OPM" or an Opportunity to Prove Mastery. The new week begins on Thursdays. I started this after my daughter's third grade teacher did something similar. This gives students the chance to review the skills for a full 7 days. Family Times packets and homework will begin coming home this coming Wednesday. Page 2 will be assigned for Wednesday evening, Page 3 for Thursday, etc. We correct each page in class the following day. I go around the room and have each child give an answer to one of the questions. Having the work already completed reduces the stress of coming up with the correct answer on the spot. We correct the work just as if we were doing the worksheet in class. I will read all of the directions and any accompanying information on the page. We discuss difficult questions and I work with each child to find the best possible answer.
Math- We jumped into our enVision math curriculum last Tuesday. This was a bit tough for a couple of kiddos, but most have been able to find their stride. For the first several topics in math, the focus is multiplication. This is such an important concept for students to understand. The newer common core curriculum teaches math differently that many of us were taught as young learners. I was skeptical at first, but truly see the benefits. We complete the first two pages of the stapled math sheets in class. This leaves the final "homework" sheet to complete at home. We correct the homework in class the following day, working through every single problem. Please have your child complete the work at home and return it to school the next day. If your kiddo has put their best 3rd grade effort into their math for 20 minutes and has not completed the assignment, you may sign the math page indicating you are aware they were not able to finish the homework. They will receive full credit (class points, individual points, brag tag, treat, high-five, etc.) for that assignment. Math is tricky. I have found that nearly all students are able to complete the task in class, but once they are given a chance to "forget" the new skills, this is the challenge. Working on the math homework at home will give you, your student, and me a chance to see if they are able to retain the information presented in class. By going over the assignment completed the night before, students get another look at yesterday's concepts.
Planners- Hopefully your child is showing you their planner each evening. In it, students should be writing that night's homework and any upcoming events. Please sign the bottom of the planner AND write how many minutes your kiddo read that evening. They will receive a stamp for your signature and one if you indicated that they read for 20 minutes or more. Planners should go back and forth each day to and from school.
Home-School Talking Points-
1. What was our Morning Meeting like today?
2. Did your student show you their magic paper?
3. Who does your child sit by in class?
4. Mrs. Jerozal introduced herself on Tuesday. Who is she and what does she do here at East Sandy?
Enjoy your weekend,
Ms. Stroud