Homework
Every Monday, students will be sent home with a weekly homework menu and a quick update from the classroom. My one required task every night is that students read for at least 20 minutes. I understand that we all lead busy lives, and at times it may be busier than others, so this is why homework for the most part will be optional but encouraged through a system of points. Students will have the opportunity to earn homework points which will be tracked through their ClassDojo accounts. These points can buy them various coupons and small prizes. My purpose for homework is to give students more practice with the skills they are learning in class as well as to help build a sense of responsibility, time management skills, and a good work ethic. I am NOT aiming to take away from their social growth and time for rest and play. If homework is consistently taking longer than around 45 minutes, please let me know so we can devise a solution.
Behavior
My philosophy on behavior management is centered on building relationships with my students and focusing on positive behavior while also supporting them through redirection and refocusing when they find themselves having trouble. I will be using a behavior management tracking system called Class Dojo. Students earn and lose points tied to specific choices they make throughout the day. Class Dojo not only allows you as parents to track your child's behavior at school each day, but it also allows for students themselves to track and self-reflect on their behavior (keep an eye out for log-in info coming home the first week). In the event that Class Dojo becomes unmotivating and/or ineffective with a student(s), I may decide to devise an individualized plan in order to offer the best support for each of my kids that I can. You will be notified of any such changes. At some points throughout the year, your child may earn a "Refocus". This is an opportunity for your child to step away from a situation that is troubling them, reflect on what it happening, and refocus to get back on track. They may record this thinking on a "Refocus" paper that will be sent home for you to see in order to communicate the situation with you.
Grades and Reporting
Moscow School District is in the process of adopting a system for "Standards Based Grading". This means that your child's grades will reflect their achievement on each of the standards that they will learn in 4th grade. Instead of a letter reporting system where you see A's, B's, and C's, my class will transition to a number reporting system using numbers 1-4. Student work will be graded with the number system as a way to communicate their achievement levels in specific concepts and standards. Not all work will be graded. I grade for mastery and on performance, not on practice.
Library
Our class library day will be every Friday. Students will have a chance to checkout books from the wonderful selection Russell school offers. Each Friday students will need to either renew or return the books they checkout. Please help them remember to bring their books back to school on library days. In the event that library day needs to be rescheduled, I will notify you as soon as possible. Keep an eye on student planners for this information as well.
I generally suggest for students to checkout a mixture of nonfiction and fiction texts in their reading level. I encourage kids to focus on and finish one book at a time. Please help them monitor this from home.
Birthdays
Birthdays are to be celebrated, especially in 4th grade when most kids say goodbye to their single digit years and turn 10! Feel free to bring in treats to share with the class. Please check with me ahead of time for our class size as well as allergies, as it changes frequently throughout the year. Summer birthday? We can celebrate on their half birthday! Please just let me know ahead of time.
Snack Time
I will offer around 10 minutes each morning for students to eat a snack. This is not free time. Students will eat while they participate in learning. Please note that students will need to bring their own snack from home as one will not be provided at school. Students should only bring a snack if they find themselves unable to focus in the morning before lunch due to being hungry. Examples of appropriate snacks include: crackers, pretzels, fruits/veggies, fruit snacks, or cheese sticks. Students should be mindful of allergies in the class and ensure that their snacks do not contain allergens.
Toys and Personal Tech
Students may bring toys to school, but they are not allowed in the classroom during learning time. Students may bring to toys to recess to play with. If a student is playing with a toy during learning time, the toy will be taken away until the end of the day and returned to the student. After the first offense, the toy will be stored in the "Azkaban Prison" for toys (I'm a Harry Potter fan) AKA the "June Box". This means I will keep the toy until June. If you would like the toy back before then, please let me know and we can arrange for you to pick it up. Personal technology (phones, iPods, etc) should only be brought to school for communication with you before and after school. Otherwise I ask that devices are kept safely stowed in backpacks during school hours.
Every Monday, students will be sent home with a weekly homework menu and a quick update from the classroom. My one required task every night is that students read for at least 20 minutes. I understand that we all lead busy lives, and at times it may be busier than others, so this is why homework for the most part will be optional but encouraged through a system of points. Students will have the opportunity to earn homework points which will be tracked through their ClassDojo accounts. These points can buy them various coupons and small prizes. My purpose for homework is to give students more practice with the skills they are learning in class as well as to help build a sense of responsibility, time management skills, and a good work ethic. I am NOT aiming to take away from their social growth and time for rest and play. If homework is consistently taking longer than around 45 minutes, please let me know so we can devise a solution.
Behavior
My philosophy on behavior management is centered on building relationships with my students and focusing on positive behavior while also supporting them through redirection and refocusing when they find themselves having trouble. I will be using a behavior management tracking system called Class Dojo. Students earn and lose points tied to specific choices they make throughout the day. Class Dojo not only allows you as parents to track your child's behavior at school each day, but it also allows for students themselves to track and self-reflect on their behavior (keep an eye out for log-in info coming home the first week). In the event that Class Dojo becomes unmotivating and/or ineffective with a student(s), I may decide to devise an individualized plan in order to offer the best support for each of my kids that I can. You will be notified of any such changes. At some points throughout the year, your child may earn a "Refocus". This is an opportunity for your child to step away from a situation that is troubling them, reflect on what it happening, and refocus to get back on track. They may record this thinking on a "Refocus" paper that will be sent home for you to see in order to communicate the situation with you.
Grades and Reporting
Moscow School District is in the process of adopting a system for "Standards Based Grading". This means that your child's grades will reflect their achievement on each of the standards that they will learn in 4th grade. Instead of a letter reporting system where you see A's, B's, and C's, my class will transition to a number reporting system using numbers 1-4. Student work will be graded with the number system as a way to communicate their achievement levels in specific concepts and standards. Not all work will be graded. I grade for mastery and on performance, not on practice.
Library
Our class library day will be every Friday. Students will have a chance to checkout books from the wonderful selection Russell school offers. Each Friday students will need to either renew or return the books they checkout. Please help them remember to bring their books back to school on library days. In the event that library day needs to be rescheduled, I will notify you as soon as possible. Keep an eye on student planners for this information as well.
I generally suggest for students to checkout a mixture of nonfiction and fiction texts in their reading level. I encourage kids to focus on and finish one book at a time. Please help them monitor this from home.
Birthdays
Birthdays are to be celebrated, especially in 4th grade when most kids say goodbye to their single digit years and turn 10! Feel free to bring in treats to share with the class. Please check with me ahead of time for our class size as well as allergies, as it changes frequently throughout the year. Summer birthday? We can celebrate on their half birthday! Please just let me know ahead of time.
Snack Time
I will offer around 10 minutes each morning for students to eat a snack. This is not free time. Students will eat while they participate in learning. Please note that students will need to bring their own snack from home as one will not be provided at school. Students should only bring a snack if they find themselves unable to focus in the morning before lunch due to being hungry. Examples of appropriate snacks include: crackers, pretzels, fruits/veggies, fruit snacks, or cheese sticks. Students should be mindful of allergies in the class and ensure that their snacks do not contain allergens.
Toys and Personal Tech
Students may bring toys to school, but they are not allowed in the classroom during learning time. Students may bring to toys to recess to play with. If a student is playing with a toy during learning time, the toy will be taken away until the end of the day and returned to the student. After the first offense, the toy will be stored in the "Azkaban Prison" for toys (I'm a Harry Potter fan) AKA the "June Box". This means I will keep the toy until June. If you would like the toy back before then, please let me know and we can arrange for you to pick it up. Personal technology (phones, iPods, etc) should only be brought to school for communication with you before and after school. Otherwise I ask that devices are kept safely stowed in backpacks during school hours.