I strive to create a classroom that is filled with cooperative learning and kindness. I try to instill these value into all of my students. With that being said, I have several ways that I encourage good behavior.
The boys and girls have various opportunities throughout the day to clip up on our classroom behavior chart. Sometimes this is a personal clip and sometimes we clip up as a classroom for outstanding group behavior. Negative behavior also warrants a clip down. The positive to this approach is that we can always redeem poor behavior and clip back up again for something done well.
As a group, my students earn puzzle pieces for classroom efforts: Quiet walking in the hallway, outstanding behavior during transition time, great math group, etc. are ways to earn puzzle pieces. Students collect these puzzle pieces on my front board....when the puzzle is complete, it reveals their incentive. My kids last year loved guessing what the next prize would be.
Students will earn brag tags from time to time to glue in their brag books. This is a sticker like tag with a reward saying. The boys and girls can earn this for AR points, academic successes, behavior, and much more! At the end of the year they will bring home their book filled with many wonderful accomplishments.
Reading: In our classroom we use small group instruction and a Guided Reading approach to our Reading curriculum. Many whole group mini lessons will be taught. In addition, the children will participate in small group reading instruction delivered at their reading level. While small group instruction is being delivered, students will also participate in individualized stations to help reading improvement.
Grammar: Grammar will be infused in Reading with weekly “Mentor Texts”, which are short books we will read as a class. We will pull out model sentences and have a new grammar focus each week. We will also keep a grammar interactive notebook. This will be a place the children will be putting new grammar skills. They will be able to use this as a reference the entire school year.
Spelling: Spelling will be introduced using spelling patterns. Each week there will be a new spelling pattern that will be the rule for the Spelling list. The students will be introduced to the spelling rule on Mondays, practice the words both in the classroom and at home through Spelling homework, and then take weekly Spelling tests on Friday.
Math: Our Math series is Eureka Math. Most of the students have participated in this program. We had great success implementing guided math last year with the students. This is a workshop centered math block. I will be working with small groups of students while the other students are busy working on interactive journals, math manipulatives, and technology. This is a great way to reach the needs of all of my students.
Please contact me if you have questions. Thanks!
Homework will be sent home at the beginning of each week. There will be activities for each evening. Homework will consist of spelling, a short decodable reader that reviews our spelling pattern, high frequency word practice, and math facts.
The evening homework routine should not take more than 30 minutes. The routine will be similar for each evening.
As your child completes his/her homework, you will sign off on their homework sheet. Each morning, I will review take home folders and give punches on homework punch cards. A completed punch card results in a small prize.
I understand that life is busy….being routine with homework will allow your child to establish good study skills!
Thanks in advance for all your help with our SECOND grade homework!
Our special or Encore classes will be an ABCD schedule.
My class rotation will be
A- P.E. 2, B-Library/Computers, C- Music, D-P.E. We will follow the ABCD rotation with these classes. This will be a little tricky for P.E. days. My suggestion is tennis shoes all day everyday or an extra pair kept in backpacks/lockers for P.E. days. Either of these suggestions will ensure that your child has appropriate shoes for P.E. Library will be before computers on Day B. If B falls twice in one week, library will be on the first day. The boys and girls will begin to remember the specials line-up with a little practice!