Where am I?
All About 4th Grade
WELCOME
We are so excited to have the opportunity to teach and learn with your child this school year. We are looking forward to many great learning opportunities that will be both enlightening and enjoyable. This handbook is an evolving reference that we will share to help guide us through this eventful school year.
GOALS
Our goal as teachers is to help students become empowered learners. The industrial age has passed, and now we must prepare our children for a much different era of technology and service. Knowledge has become the ability to understand concepts, and integrate them in order to pose and solve problems. With fourth grade comes greater expectations. Because they are such important years, we spend time learning effective time management strategies and strategies to work independently. We will be devising many methods together to aid in our abilities to use class time and home time wisely. Another goal we value is to improve our understanding and awareness of responsibility. Along with that excitement comes responsibility as well as privileges. As the year progresses, we will share more of our goals with you, and we hope you will share your goals for your children with us.
COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS
We have spent a great deal of time discussing the important components of a community. We have decided that our community is a group of people living and working together. We will live by the four broad categories of character expectations designed by the Westchester staff . They are Be Cooperative, Be Respectful, Be Responsible and Be Safe. You can check the charts of expectations throughout the building and posted next to the door to our room. The students have decided that we are here to be kind and helpful to one another, respect our many differences and be the best person we can be every day.
The most powerful form of motivation and reward is intrinsic, that which comes from within us. We will praise and reinforce positive behavior and work with special opportunities. More importantly, however, your children will continue to benefit from the intrinsic gratification they receive from doing the right thing.
HOMEWORK POLICY
The district guidelines recommend 40 minutes of homework per night for fourth graders. This should include 20 minutes of nightly reading. You will find these are averages, with some nights exceeding this due to studying for upcoming tests. Some nights may require much less time. On these nights time could be spent studying math facts or states and capitals. If homework ever becomes overwhelming, please feel free to call us.
Homework is the student’s job with parents available to answer questions, and monitor progress. HOMEWORK IS NOT MOM AND DAD’S JOB! So please feel free to help, but keep in mind that homework is an extension of class work. Homework will not include new material that has not been presented in class.
All homework is collected at the beginning of each day. If their work is incomplete, they may have to finish it at lunch recess in the classroom.
HOMEWORK LOGS
The class takes time each day to record homework in an assignment notebook, and make sure that everything that they need is in their take home folder or in their backpack. We ask that parents sign the homework log daily indicating that you have seen the completed homework. Remember, the homework hot-line is available to check every night.
BIRTHDAY TREATS
Feel free to send in treats to celebrate your student’s birthday. Due to health concerns, we ask that the treats be store bought and individually wrapped. We also prefer that you do not bring frozen treats and if utensils are required, please provide them. Please send enough treats for all the students in the class. Time is made for the sharing of treats during the day. Please also be aware that there may be allergy situations in your child’s class and you should check with their teacher before sending in treats.
PERSONAL ITEMS POLICY
No toys or personal items, such as cell phones, trading cards, iPods and Game Boys, are allowed at school. Any personal item found in school will be taken and kept until the end of the year or until a parent comes to retrieve the item. Additionally, we ask that students not bring candy, gum, or soda unless given permission by the teacher.
NUMBERS TO CONTACT
We realize that there may be some incidents of confusion throughout the school year with regards to communication. We would much rather discuss confusions when they occur, than have families worrying about school issues. If you prefer, you may leave messages on voice mail and e-mail since we check those frequently. If you have an urgent message during the day for your child that she/he must receive before school is dismissed, please call the office (just in case I am absent or cannot access the message before dismissal). Students will not be allowed to use the phone to call home for things like missing homework or transportation confusion. Please arrange these things before your child leaves for school. If your child wants to ride the bus home with a friend, a note must be given to the office prior to them being allowed on the bus together.
NEWSLETTERS
A grade level newsletter and calendar of events will be provided monthly both electronically and hard copy as necessary. They are intended to provide information about units of study, important dates and information of interest to parents. We will provide the parent with personal messages from the teacher when necessary.
WEDNESDAY FOLDERS
Wednesday Folders are red, 2-pocket folders which hold all students’ work for the week and any important information for parents. The folder goes home on Wednesday and should be returned (empty) and signed, on Thursday. Please feel free to make comments or ask questions.
We are so excited to have the opportunity to teach and learn with your child this school year. We are looking forward to many great learning opportunities that will be both enlightening and enjoyable. This handbook is an evolving reference that we will share to help guide us through this eventful school year.
GOALS
Our goal as teachers is to help students become empowered learners. The industrial age has passed, and now we must prepare our children for a much different era of technology and service. Knowledge has become the ability to understand concepts, and integrate them in order to pose and solve problems. With fourth grade comes greater expectations. Because they are such important years, we spend time learning effective time management strategies and strategies to work independently. We will be devising many methods together to aid in our abilities to use class time and home time wisely. Another goal we value is to improve our understanding and awareness of responsibility. Along with that excitement comes responsibility as well as privileges. As the year progresses, we will share more of our goals with you, and we hope you will share your goals for your children with us.
COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS
We have spent a great deal of time discussing the important components of a community. We have decided that our community is a group of people living and working together. We will live by the four broad categories of character expectations designed by the Westchester staff . They are Be Cooperative, Be Respectful, Be Responsible and Be Safe. You can check the charts of expectations throughout the building and posted next to the door to our room. The students have decided that we are here to be kind and helpful to one another, respect our many differences and be the best person we can be every day.
The most powerful form of motivation and reward is intrinsic, that which comes from within us. We will praise and reinforce positive behavior and work with special opportunities. More importantly, however, your children will continue to benefit from the intrinsic gratification they receive from doing the right thing.
HOMEWORK POLICY
The district guidelines recommend 40 minutes of homework per night for fourth graders. This should include 20 minutes of nightly reading. You will find these are averages, with some nights exceeding this due to studying for upcoming tests. Some nights may require much less time. On these nights time could be spent studying math facts or states and capitals. If homework ever becomes overwhelming, please feel free to call us.
Homework is the student’s job with parents available to answer questions, and monitor progress. HOMEWORK IS NOT MOM AND DAD’S JOB! So please feel free to help, but keep in mind that homework is an extension of class work. Homework will not include new material that has not been presented in class.
All homework is collected at the beginning of each day. If their work is incomplete, they may have to finish it at lunch recess in the classroom.
HOMEWORK LOGS
The class takes time each day to record homework in an assignment notebook, and make sure that everything that they need is in their take home folder or in their backpack. We ask that parents sign the homework log daily indicating that you have seen the completed homework. Remember, the homework hot-line is available to check every night.
BIRTHDAY TREATS
Feel free to send in treats to celebrate your student’s birthday. Due to health concerns, we ask that the treats be store bought and individually wrapped. We also prefer that you do not bring frozen treats and if utensils are required, please provide them. Please send enough treats for all the students in the class. Time is made for the sharing of treats during the day. Please also be aware that there may be allergy situations in your child’s class and you should check with their teacher before sending in treats.
PERSONAL ITEMS POLICY
No toys or personal items, such as cell phones, trading cards, iPods and Game Boys, are allowed at school. Any personal item found in school will be taken and kept until the end of the year or until a parent comes to retrieve the item. Additionally, we ask that students not bring candy, gum, or soda unless given permission by the teacher.
NUMBERS TO CONTACT
We realize that there may be some incidents of confusion throughout the school year with regards to communication. We would much rather discuss confusions when they occur, than have families worrying about school issues. If you prefer, you may leave messages on voice mail and e-mail since we check those frequently. If you have an urgent message during the day for your child that she/he must receive before school is dismissed, please call the office (just in case I am absent or cannot access the message before dismissal). Students will not be allowed to use the phone to call home for things like missing homework or transportation confusion. Please arrange these things before your child leaves for school. If your child wants to ride the bus home with a friend, a note must be given to the office prior to them being allowed on the bus together.
NEWSLETTERS
A grade level newsletter and calendar of events will be provided monthly both electronically and hard copy as necessary. They are intended to provide information about units of study, important dates and information of interest to parents. We will provide the parent with personal messages from the teacher when necessary.
WEDNESDAY FOLDERS
Wednesday Folders are red, 2-pocket folders which hold all students’ work for the week and any important information for parents. The folder goes home on Wednesday and should be returned (empty) and signed, on Thursday. Please feel free to make comments or ask questions.