First Nine Weeks

I can't believe the children have been in school for 9 weeks already! 

I've thoroughly enjoyed getting to know your children.  They are all so unique and have wonderful strengths which make our class blend so nicely together.

A few notes about the end of the nine-week period:

1. From here on out, I would like only books read by your child to be written on the reading log.  I still HIGHLY encourage you to read to and with your child, but at this point, all of the children have the ability to read and I would like to reward them for only books THEY read independently.  Your help is always encouraged and it's a wonderful idea to talk with your child about the story after they finish.

2. Students need to build their reading stamina.  I would like to see each child read continuously by themselves for 30 minutes by the end of first grade. This nine-weeks we worked on reading for 5-10 minutes each day.  That proved challenging for many children.  Work on this at home by providing your child with a variety of books to look at.  Set a timer and tell them they should read (or look at) books for 5 minutes.  As your child accomplishes this goal, build on the time.  This nine-weeks we'll work on 10-15 minutes of reading time.

3. One of the goals in first grade is to build each child's independence.  By the end of first grade, students should be able to do things like complete homework on their own, follow 3-4 step directions, and work cooperatively in a group. You can help at home by allowing your child to take on responsibilities such as packing their own backpack, setting or clearing the dinner table, working on a section of their homework alone for a set period of time. Try giving your child 3-step directions one time and see how well they follow them.  Add more details or add to the number of steps as your child masters each level.

4. Every nine-weeks I pick a "Most Improved" student.  This nine-weeks the award goes to Mason T!  Mason has done an awesome job adjusting to first grade and has really begun to show off what a hard worker he is.  Mason has gone from mostly drawing pictures during Writer's Workshop to writing about three new stories a week.  His reading level is advancing beautifully and he's really got a handle on all of the new reading skills. I'm so proud of Mason for participating in class lessons and always being such a helpful friend whether he's at his table or working in a small group.  Great job Mason!  Keep up the good work!!!

I'm looking forward to another wonderful semester!