Alexander Jaqueline 406 C4 Newsletter

8/3/2019 Alexander Jaqueline 406 C4 Newsletter

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/alexander-jaqueline-406-c4-newsletter 1/4

Ms. Alexander·s 4t GradeNewsletter

Introduction to School

Letter of Introduction

Dear Parents,

Hello! I am Jackie Alexander and Iam thrilled to be your child·s 4th grade teacher this year. This is myfirst year teaching at this school. Iam really looking forward to theyear ahead of us. Both this schooland I are fully committed tohelping your student reach his/hergreatest potential.I have recently graduated from the

University of Illinois. I majored inElementary Education with aconcentration in Math. In my freetime, I love to travel, read, anddance.I am looking forward to an excitingyear of learning and to getting toknow you and your child better!Sincerely,

Jackie Alexander

A picture of me on a trip to London.

Developing CommunityIn my classroom we are a familyand I expect each student totreat others with respect andequity. Throughout the year wewill be developing outcommunity skills by workingwith others in our classroom.Students will have theopportunity to work with one ormore students during groupprojects, center time, partnerreading, and more.

CultureAs a person who is always

interested in learning aboutother cultures, I want to sharethis interest with the class. Iwill teach students about thecultures I know aboutthroughout the year. I alsowelcome students to share theirown culture with the class.Students should feel free to

bring in possessions and storiesfrom their culture throughoutthe year. Through learningabout one another and othercultures, we will learn moreabout the world and becomemore tolerant of others.



Ms. Alexander·s Classroom Newsletter

Students workingnicely in groups, while

following the three

rules.

Classroom

Rules

Respect Others

RespectYourself

RespectProperty

Classroom Management

Student Expectations

Students are expected to show up to school prepared tolearn. This means students need to have their homeworkdone and their school supplies with them. Students arealso expected to treat others with equity and respect.Through these expectations, our classroom will become afamily that is prepared to learn.

Homework PolicyStudents are expected to turn in homework on time. Ifstudents do miss school, they will have two days tocomplete homework for every one class they were out.I welcome parents to help their children with theirhomework; I just ask that parents do not tell studentsthe answers. Instead please help guide student todiscover the correct answer themselves. Also, if parentswould like, I am willing to send home math answer sheetsfor the each new unit we are working on. I would bewilling to do this upon request. I want a lot of parentsupport at home. If students need a little extra help at

home with homework, I ask that parents give that help tostudents. If there is any way I can help parents givesupport at home, please let me know.I also expect students to be reading 30 minutes everynight. It is important for students to have continualpractice to develop their reading skills. It would be greatif students could read to parents a couple nights a week!Finally, I will require students to write down theirassignments in their assignment notebooks at the end ofevery day. It is my hope that parents will have theopportunity to look at assignment notebooks every night.If students show their parents their assignmentnotebooks and have parents sign the notebook to provethey have seen it, I will allow that student to sign therespect board for a chance to win a prize at the end ofthe week.



Management StrategyI believe in positive reinforcement. I thinkthat the students who are doing well

should be rewarded and that this will be anincentive for everyone to do well. However,if students continually misbehave, I am notafraid to use punishment. In my classroomwe will use the ladder managementsystem. Students will start off in themiddle of the ladder and go up the ladderand receive rewards if they do well or godown the ladder and face punishments if they misbehave. Below is a description of what will happen at every stage.

+5- The student¶s clothespin goes in

the hall of fame and they will begiven a new clothes pin.

+4- The student¶s clothes pin gets abling sticker.

+3- The student¶s clothes pin will be

pinned to the teacher¶s shirt andthe teacher will brag about thestudent to other teachers in thehallway.

+2- The student¶s clothes pin will go

up the ladder.+1- The student¶s clothes pin will go

up the ladder.

0- Starting point

-1- The student¶s clothes pin will godown the ladder and the student willreceive a warning

-2- The student¶s clothes pin willmove down and the student will losetheir beanbag privileges for read-to-self.

-3- The student¶s clothes pin will godown and I will make a call home to

parents.

-4-The student¶s clothes pin will godown and the student will receive apinkslip.

-5-The student¶s clothes pin will go

down and the student will receive adetention.

Your Child ShouldReceive an AI believe that students should be able to go back over work and fix the mistakes that they make. To me it is

much more important that my students eventuallyunderstand the material than about the grade they got

originally. I believe students should go back and fix their mistakes because if they do not go back and learn what

they did wrong and how to fix it, there will be a lesslikely chance that they will learn how do the material at

all and as a result they will have a harder time learningother new material that builds off the old material. If

students fix their mistakes and show that they now

understand the material, I will happily raise their grade. Iwill even allow students to redo tests, but they will haveto retake the test in the same setting. If your child is

willing to redo their work, to correct all their mistakes,there is no reason your child should not receive an A in

my class.

Late Homework I expect all students to turn in their homework on time,

unless they have excused absences. The first day students

forget to turn in their work, I will give them a verbalwarning. The second day that homework is late, I willtake off 10% of the student¶s grade. Late work is the only

time I will not allow students to receive 100% on anassignment. For every day after this another 10% will be

taken off every sequential day until the assignment isturned in. I think that as long as students put in the effort

they should be given the time it takes them to raise their grade. However, when students do not turn in homework,

it shows that they are not trying, so I will lower their grade as a consequence.

Absences from SchoolIt is the parents¶ responsibility to contact the school and

let them know if their child will be missing from school.If you know of an absence in advance please call the

school as soon as possible. Also please contact me asapof any upcoming absences so I can get students the work

they will miss. If it is not possible to let the school knowahead of time, please let them know as soon as the

absence occurs.




If you are interested in helping out in ourclassroom this year, please contact me. I

think it is important for students to see theirparents involved in their education. I wouldalso appreciate it if parents could sign up tovolunteer on fieldtrips or to bring in snacksfor classroom parties. Signup sheets for thesetwo activities will be coming home throughoutthe year closer to the dates. If parents areunable to help out, I totally understand. I justask that you support your student in their

education as much as you can at home.


Upcoming Events

Open House and Ice Cream Social

Tuesday, September 6, 6:30 P.M.

Classroom Potluck

Where: Hessel Park

When: Saturday. September 10, 12:00p.m.

What: This will be a chance for everyone fromour class to get together and meet everyone andtheir families. Please bring a dish that is

important to your family.

Please Contact Me!

I welcome parents to contactme whenever they have anycomments, concerns, orquestions about their child ortheir child·s education. I wouldbe happy to communicate withall of you either over thephone, through email, orpreferably through setting up a

conference before or afterschool. Below are all the ways Ican be reached by:

School number- xxx-xxx-xxxx

My phone number- xxx-xxx-xxxx

[email protected]

Parent Helpers

Alexander Jaqueline 406 C4 Newsletter

Documents

Transcript of Alexander Jaqueline 406 C4 Newsletter