Welcome Parents! We have been working hard to create an exciting learning adventure in First Grade. This booklet contains general information, classroom expectations and a curriculum overview specific to our class. We look forward to working with you to make this a successful year for everyone!   Sincerely, The First Grade Teachers

We will talk about:Something about meGreat Expectations and Core ValuesCurriculum Map Classroom ScheduleClassroom rulesDiscipline and ConsequencesHomework PoliciesField Trip

Something about me: My name is Mary Zhang. I am the 1st grade, 1C class teacher for your

child this year at Yinghua Academy. I am from Beijing, China. And I graduated from a teacher’s college in China. This is forth year for me to teach 1st grade at Yinghua Academy. Before I started teaching at Yinghua, I experienced teaching Chinese to the different age students at several private schools. And I had some of teaching trainings at University of Minnesota. I enjoy teaching, especially teaching to the younger kids. I am able to explain and teach language patiently, so all of my students can progress at their own pace.

I am so glad that I can have the opportunity to teach your child this year as I’ve already seen many good things about this class during the first two weeks. I believe that you, your child and I will have a good time with one another in the rest of the year. As your child’s teacher, my main concern is to ensure that he/she is equipped with skills necessary for achieving academic and social success. Therefore, I will help them to develop a sense of motivation, peer cooperation, study skills and social skills (both at school and in their daily life) as well as to find out their talents and interests. Let’s work together to have your child’s hope and dream becoming true.

I would like to thank you in advance for your assistance and support for the following school year. I expect it to be an exciting, interesting, fun and happy learning year for everyone involved.

Great Expectations: Always try. Do your best. Cooperate and help others. Respect people and property. Manage yourself.

Core Values: Safety. Speak Chinese.Learn. Happiness. Global Citizen.

2013-2014 First Grade Curriculum Map(1)

2013-2014 First Grade Curriculum Map(2)

Student Schedule for 2014-2015Yinghua Academy1C Zhang Laoshi

Classroom Rules:We have our own classroom rules beside the

Great Expectations and 5 Core Values. Students are learning to recite them every day. The rules are:

Be on time.Be responsible.Be organized and tidy up your desk.Be nice/respectful to each other.Be on task in class.Raise your hand before talking in class. Hand in your homework on time.

At Yinghua Academy we use the Responsive Classroom approach to discipline. It is a proactive, logical management plan. During the morning, we use 4 steps (greetings, sharing, activities, and morning message) to create a happy learning community. Students learn to make friends with each other, enjoy learning, help others learn, and follow the instruction during the morning meeting.

When students are engaged in their work, there are usually few behavior problems, however, if a problem occurs, I may use one or more of the following consequences, depending on the situation:

*Verbal reminder

*Time out in classroom

*Time out in buddy classroom

*Student-teacher conference

*Parent contact

Homework Policies:1.1st graders will learn to collect all the worksheets in the “Homework” folder. They also have “Teacher/Parent Communication” folder for the homework check chart and other information/letters from the school or the teacher. They will bring all these folders home every day. 2.Please check their finished and not-finished homework and have your signature on the homework check chart every night. It is recommended to sign on each worksheet or exercise book.3.1st graders are asked to write neatly. Please remind your child to do so.4.1st graders are asked to make correction when they make mistakes on their class work or homework. Please remind them to check and correct the mistakes they have made on the worksheets or workbooks.5.Homework will be marked by using 1) 3 star grades — three stars (no mistakes), two stars (minor mistakes), and one star ☆☆☆ ☆☆

(too many mistakes); and 2) numerical system—from 0~100. ☆

Field TripThis year we plan to have 3 field trips. One is Sea Life in Mall of America (may be in

October); one is Children’s Theater in January or February; and one is MIA or Science Museum in May.

All field trip will related first grade CLA, Social studies &Science. More information will be send it home later.

Contact me by:mary.zhang@yinghuaacademy.org

Xie Xie!