Setting Up Routines to Do Homework
Homework in my class is reading and responding to reading, practicing math facts and finishing some work not done during class time. I send home weekly homework folders with things students have not finished that they should complete. In the folders are also work students have finished and can stay at home and things to be signed. I don't assign weekly whole class packets; students often each have completely different things to do and they can choose what they want to read or how they practice their facts.
This article is written by a well-known US teacher who talks about how she helps her own children complete their homework.
Homework in my class is reading and responding to reading, practicing math facts and finishing some work not done during class time. I send home weekly homework folders with things students have not finished that they should complete. In the folders are also work students have finished and can stay at home and things to be signed. I don't assign weekly whole class packets; students often each have completely different things to do and they can choose what they want to read or how they practice their facts.
This article is written by a well-known US teacher who talks about how she helps her own children complete their homework.
Allergy Awareness
Our class reviewed the allergy awareness presentation for Anglophone District South on Sept. 4, 2019. Our school is a Nut, Peanut and Scent Free Zone and we ask anyone coming into the school to leave items that contain nuts, peanuts or scents at home. We want our space to be a safe zone for anyone coming in.
Students were taught the importance of reading food labels and we ask parents that are packing lunches to do the same. If a mistake is made, children will be asked to put the item in a resealable plastic bag and then their bag to take it home. They will not be allowed to eat the item.
Here is the link to the video by the BC student River, describing an allergic reaction, that our class viewed. It is part of a longer CBC Radio broadcast about allergy bullying that I enjoyed and here is a link to an article and the podcast of that episode of the show "White Coat, Black Art".
Students were taught the importance of reading food labels and we ask parents that are packing lunches to do the same. If a mistake is made, children will be asked to put the item in a resealable plastic bag and then their bag to take it home. They will not be allowed to eat the item.
Here is the link to the video by the BC student River, describing an allergic reaction, that our class viewed. It is part of a longer CBC Radio broadcast about allergy bullying that I enjoyed and here is a link to an article and the podcast of that episode of the show "White Coat, Black Art".
What's Happening to My Kid?
Grade 4 and 5 is the age when kids go from being youngsters to being pre-teens and sometimes that change sneaks up quicker than we are ready for. Here is an article about changes and milestones ten and eleven-year-old children go through.
Grade 4 and 5 is the age when kids go from being youngsters to being pre-teens and sometimes that change sneaks up quicker than we are ready for. Here is an article about changes and milestones ten and eleven-year-old children go through.
When Kids are Mean
Every year I get questions and concerns from parents about relationships between kids. Part of normal Grades 4 and 5 student development is growing independence and with that, kids are more interested in the opinions of their classmates. Ten and eleven year olds want to fit in and issues of peer pressure and friendship conflict sometimes happen more often at this age.
This article is from one of my favourite resource pages - A Mighty Girl. It is not just for girls, and has a lot of great resources for everyone. It talks about things parents can do at home when their child is having issues with friends or classmates.
PLEASE, if you child is upset at home about relationships and interactions at school, I want to know. There are resources here at the school we can use to help them and these issues do affect concentration, so they cannot learn well.
Every year I get questions and concerns from parents about relationships between kids. Part of normal Grades 4 and 5 student development is growing independence and with that, kids are more interested in the opinions of their classmates. Ten and eleven year olds want to fit in and issues of peer pressure and friendship conflict sometimes happen more often at this age.
This article is from one of my favourite resource pages - A Mighty Girl. It is not just for girls, and has a lot of great resources for everyone. It talks about things parents can do at home when their child is having issues with friends or classmates.
PLEASE, if you child is upset at home about relationships and interactions at school, I want to know. There are resources here at the school we can use to help them and these issues do affect concentration, so they cannot learn well.
PLEASE - Read Aloud to Your Child
Our class in May 2019 was talking about the importance of reading at home for 20 minutes daily and one student asked, "What happens if I don't read?" I struggled to answer it because I didn't want the student to feel like they wouldn't be successful at school if they didn't read, but most studies show that is true. Not every child needs or wants to be successful at school-based activities, but to make their elementary and secondary years easier (less painful), being able to read comfortably and independently is key. And children who are read to will do better.
This article explores the Million-Word Gap that can be created when children don't read at home.
Our class in May 2019 was talking about the importance of reading at home for 20 minutes daily and one student asked, "What happens if I don't read?" I struggled to answer it because I didn't want the student to feel like they wouldn't be successful at school if they didn't read, but most studies show that is true. Not every child needs or wants to be successful at school-based activities, but to make their elementary and secondary years easier (less painful), being able to read comfortably and independently is key. And children who are read to will do better.
This article explores the Million-Word Gap that can be created when children don't read at home.