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School Night!

Welcome!

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.

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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!

Positive Classroom Management

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

cweist@carmelunified.org