It's hard to believe that we've already completed 6 weeks of school. My how time flies. It was good to see some parents at last week's Open House. After the Title I meeting in the auditorium, the parents who attended and I brainstormed some ways we could work together to make this year successful for your child.
We still have a very large size class. The district has promised that we will be getting another first grade teacher so we can split the class and make two smaller, more reasonable sized classes. As time goes on and I get to know your children, it becomes more difficult for me to think about the fact that some of them may not remain with me. This is as difficult for me as for you and your child. Please rest assured that whoever comes to relieve our class size will work together WITH me. I will not have any say in how the class is split. This will be a random process. But the new teacher and I will be working as a team for the benefit of all students. (That is, WHEN we get a teacher.)
Here is what we've been working on:
Reading -
We have reviewed the entire alphabet and how to properly form our letter when writing. We have also reviewed rhyming words, syllables and segmenting words into beginning and ending sounds. All students were test individually on their knowledge of basic reading skills using both a teacher led assessment and a computer based reading assessment. I will be using the data from those tests to group the students for reading instruction. We are now beginning to review letter sounds and blend words for reading.
Math -
We have been working on what groups of numbers combine to make a larger number, the terms more than, less than, greatest and least. The work we have been doing will lead us up to addition and subtraction facts. It is vitally important that your child have an understanding of the difference between more and less in order for them to proceed. It may seem that we are going slow, but I believe it is worth it in the end.
This week we are moving on to patterns and pattern units.
When we do a workbook page, the front side is done together as a class. So, in most cases, there shouldn't be errors if your child is doing it along with us. On the back I usually get them started as a group and then leave the rest of the page for individual work. This is how I evaluate whether your child understands it concept or not. If not enough children "get it", then I go back over that concept the following day. Even if they do get it, I continue to give them practice while we move on as class to another topic. I try very hard to make comments on the back of the page if your child isn't getting it done correctly. This is to let you know they are expereincing difficulty or that they are playing around instead of working. If you have questions about any of my comments, please see me.
Spelling -
New spelling wordsfor the week are posted here.
Have a great week.
We still have a very large size class. The district has promised that we will be getting another first grade teacher so we can split the class and make two smaller, more reasonable sized classes. As time goes on and I get to know your children, it becomes more difficult for me to think about the fact that some of them may not remain with me. This is as difficult for me as for you and your child. Please rest assured that whoever comes to relieve our class size will work together WITH me. I will not have any say in how the class is split. This will be a random process. But the new teacher and I will be working as a team for the benefit of all students. (That is, WHEN we get a teacher.)
Here is what we've been working on:
Reading -
We have reviewed the entire alphabet and how to properly form our letter when writing. We have also reviewed rhyming words, syllables and segmenting words into beginning and ending sounds. All students were test individually on their knowledge of basic reading skills using both a teacher led assessment and a computer based reading assessment. I will be using the data from those tests to group the students for reading instruction. We are now beginning to review letter sounds and blend words for reading.
Math -
We have been working on what groups of numbers combine to make a larger number, the terms more than, less than, greatest and least. The work we have been doing will lead us up to addition and subtraction facts. It is vitally important that your child have an understanding of the difference between more and less in order for them to proceed. It may seem that we are going slow, but I believe it is worth it in the end.
This week we are moving on to patterns and pattern units.
When we do a workbook page, the front side is done together as a class. So, in most cases, there shouldn't be errors if your child is doing it along with us. On the back I usually get them started as a group and then leave the rest of the page for individual work. This is how I evaluate whether your child understands it concept or not. If not enough children "get it", then I go back over that concept the following day. Even if they do get it, I continue to give them practice while we move on as class to another topic. I try very hard to make comments on the back of the page if your child isn't getting it done correctly. This is to let you know they are expereincing difficulty or that they are playing around instead of working. If you have questions about any of my comments, please see me.
Spelling -
New spelling wordsfor the week are posted here.
Have a great week.