WELCOME TOFIRST GRADE

Room

S-5

Mrs. Testa

Table of Contents

Personal Background Responsive Classroom Approach Daily Routines & Academics Programs in the classroom House Keeping

Personal Background

Education

Teaching Experience

Mrs. Testa, the person

Education

University of Massachusetts, Amherst• BA in Elementary Education• BA in Sociology

The College of New Jersey, Global Program• MEd. in Elementary Education.

Teaching Experience Allen W. Roberts School

13th year at AWRMy second year teaching first gradeI taught Kindergarten for 7 years and this is my 6th year in first grade.

Springfield School DistrictSpringfield, MA5th and 3rd Grade

Whately Elementary SchoolWhately, Massachusetts1st Grade - Student Teaching

The Responsive Classroom Approach

The Responsive Classroom is an approach to teaching and learning that fosters safe, challenging, and joyful classrooms and schools, kindergarten through eighth grade. Developed by Northeast Foundation for Children in 1981.

Principles of the Responsive Classroom

The social curriculum is as important as the academic curriculum.

How children learn is as important as what they learn: process and content go hand in hand.

The greatest cognitive growth occurs through social interaction.

There is a set of social skills children need in order to be successful academically and socially: cooperation, assertion, responsibility, empathy, and self-control.

Principles continued…

Knowing the children we teach–individually, culturally, and developmentally–is as important as knowing the content we teach.

Knowing the families of the children we teach and working with them as partners is essential to children's education.

How the adults at school work together is as important as individual competence: Lasting change begins with the adult community.

Responsive Classroom’s Teaching Practices Morning Meeting: A daily routine that builds

community, creates a positive climate for learning, and reinforces academic and social skills.

Rules and Logical Consequences: A clear and consistent approach to discipline that fosters responsibility and self-control.

Guided Discovery: A format for introducing materials that encourages inquiry, heightens interest, and teaches care of the school environment.

Academic Choice: An approach to giving children choices in their learning that helps them become invested, self-motivated learners.

Working with Families: Ideas for involving families as true partners in their children's education.

Hopes and Dreams Last week in school

students created their hopes and dreams that they would like to achieve in first grade. These hopes and dreams will allow the class to create rules based on giving everyone the opportunity to achieve their hopes and dreams.

Classroom Rules

Be good to yourself.

Be good to others.

Be good to the environment.

Discipline You break it, you fix it” can be used to mend

emotional messes as well as physical messes. A child can rebuild a block tower after accidentally knocking it over. A child can repair hurt feelings with an “apology of action” by doing something to soothe the injury, such as drawing a picture or playing a game. 

Temporary loss of privilege is a simple way to help a child remember to use that privilege (art materials, recess, group time) responsibly. Losing a privilege for a class period or a day can help a child pause to remember or relearn a rule. 

“Time-out” or “Take a Break” is a strategy to help children learn self-control. A child who is disrupting the work of the group is asked to leave for a few minutes. Give the child a chance to regain composure and rejoin the group on his own.

Daily Routines

Morning Meeting– Greeting– Sharing– Activity– Message

Calendar

Daily Routines and

Academics

Language Arts Reading

By the end of first grade students will be able to:– Identify all letters and all of the letter / sound

relationships– Decode short and long vowel words– Use various word solving strategies to decode

words– Fluently read books at a level H– Find meaning and make connections between

text and real life

Guided ReadingGuided reading uses small-group instruction and developmentally appropriate books called leveled readers. This approach recognizes that a wide range of reading ability exists within first grade, and that reading at the appropriate levels ensures success. A child is placed in a small group with other children of similar ability and/or skill needs. The teacher monitors and guides the reading of each child as needed. Discussion of the book follows, and the child keeps the book to read repeatedly.

What it is like to “read” with

90% accuracy

Pa followed Joanie with his dirty XXXX. Spoon rose to follow Pa, but one of the XXXX suns in the window caught the light of the real XXXX and sent off pure white XXXX directly at Spoon. He sat down again, XXXX by the XXXX orb, feeling as if he was on the brink of a meaningful thought, on the verge of XXXX his XXXX.

His eyes darted from one XXXX to the next. Something of Gram’s.

Thinking, thinking.

Readers Workshop Reader’s Workshop is an instructional model for

teaching reading. The workshop model combines explicit instruction in reading strategies with the opportunities for students to practice reading strategies independently and with classmates. In reader’s workshop, students experience what real readers do: self-select books, self-pace, reflect and share books with others. It is the role of the teacher to demonstrate how to explore and succeed with literature through direct instruction and modeling, small group instruction, and by providing individual feedback for independent reading.

Readers Workshop Schedule

1. Mini Lesson - 5 to 10 minutes

2. Independent Reading – 15 to 30 minutes

3. Conferring – working with teacher one-on-on or working in small groups

4. Partner Reading and Discussion

5. Sharing/Reflection

Word Study The field of "word study" provides students an opportunity to

manipulate words in meaningful and enjoyable activities and games. Word study activities call for active problem solving. Students are encouraged to look for spelling patterns, form hypotheses, predict outcomes, and test them. These activities require students to continually ask themselves, "What do I know about this new word, and how is it similar to words that I already know?"

A cycle of instruction for word study might include the following:1. Introduce the spelling pattern by choosing words

based on a child’s need as a speller.2. Encourage students to discover the pattern in their reading and writing

3. Students participate in engaging activities to help reinforce the spelling pattern.4. Spelling test

Word Study/Spelling Homework

Sample Word Study Homework

Language Arts

WritingBy the end of first grade students will be able to:

– Write for a purpose– Write a sentence with proper subject-verb

agreement– Include a clear beginning, middle and end in

their stories– Transition from inventive spelling to real

spelling

– Form all letters correctly

Writer’s Workshop The basic philosophy behind Writers

Workshop is to allow students to spend time writing for real purposes about things that interest them.  The ultimate goal of writing workshop is to develop life-long writers.  

Writers Workshop Schedule1.Mini Lesson - 5 to 10 minutes

2.Writing – 15 to 30 minutes3.Conferring – working with teacher one-on-on

or working in small groups4. Sharing/Reflection

Handwriting Without Tears

Handwriting Without Tears aims to make legible and fluent handwriting an easy and automatic skill that students can master. The program’s multi sensory curriculum design and common language make handwriting easy. We will send about 15 minutes per day on handwriting at the beginning of the year and less as the year goes on.

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MathematicsProgram: Go MathAligned with Common Core Curriculum Standards

Memorize addition and subtraction facts to 20

Addition and subtraction strategies Place value Comparing numbers Two Digit Addition and Subtraction Measurement Graphing

Science

Pebbles, Sand, & Silt Monarch Butterflies Plants Balance and Motion

The following topics will be covered:

Social Studies and HealthSocial Studies

Families

Where We Live

Good Citizenship

Jobs

America Long Ago

Health

Teeth

Eating Healthy

Personal Safety

HOMEWORK

READREADREAD

For 15 minutes every night!

Homework

Homework is important because it builds responsibility

and reinforces learning. In first grade, each child will

have homework Monday through Thursday. Homework

in first grade will be approximately 15 - 25 minutes per

evening, plus an additional 15 minutes of reading.

These minutes are based on the time estimated for an

average child working at an average pace. Your child

may spend more or less time. If your child spends

substantially more or less time than this amount on a

regular basis, please contact me.

Homework Journal

Each night your child will bring home a homework journal. The homework journal will tell you what your child’s homework will be for the night.

You can also find your child’s homework on my website.

Homework Requirements

All homework should be completed neatly. All writing should be done in PENCIL. Your child’s name should be written on all

homework assignments. When writing their name students should begin with a capital and the rest should be lowercase letters.

Assignments are due back the next day unless indicated by an email or on the paper.

Homework Policy

Each month your child will get 1 free homework pass. – 1 missed assignment per month: Use of

homework pass– 2+ missed assignments per month: Loss of

recess.

Home Folders

Please check your child’s home folder each night. Any homework dittos will be found in their homework folder.

Please have your child empty out the leave at home side of their folder each night.

Papers and notes that need to be give to me should be put into the bring back to school side of the folder.

Grades

Earned when a student has put forth their best effort to reach their potential. Assignment is student’s neatest work and 100% correct.

Earned when most of the work is completely correct and the student has put forth a good effort.

Incomplete or rushed work.

Corrected Papers

Please review corrected papers that are found in your child’s home folder.

Review errors on the paper with your child. At times you will see the word “fix” on the

paper. Please fix the mistake and return. TA – If your child’s paper has a TA on the top

it stands for Teacher Assisted. It is important to review this paper and review the concept with your child.

Report Cards

The first marking period you will receive a paper report card during conferences in November.

2nd, 3rd and 4th marking period report cards will be online. To access you need to log into Power School.

Sample Report Card

Monthly Report

At the end of each month I will post a summary of the learning that took place in first grade on my website.

Mrs. Testa's Website

Specials

•Sneakers with closed backs must be worn! No Clogs!

Monday – Music

Tuesday – PE and FLES

Wednesday – Sing Along and Library

Thursday – Art

Friday – PE

Programs In The Classroom

Mystery Reader

Each Friday a “mystery reader” will come to read the class.

Pointers– Please do not tell your child that you are the mystery reader.

The surprise is so much fun!– Some mystery readers like to dress up like characters in the

story.

SnackEach day students should bring in a small snack of fruits, vegetables, plain pretzels, or crackers in their lunch box or in a reusable bag. Students only have

about 5 to 8 minutes to eat snack.

Each day students should bring in a water bottle. This bottle will be sent home at the end of the day and

should return to school the next day.

Allergies

We do not have any life threatening allergies in this class. However, please refrain from bring a snack with peanut butter or tree nuts. It is Ok for students to bring peanut butter in their lunch.

House Keeping

Birthday Bags• On your child’s birthday, they will receive a AWR birthday poster. This poster will be signed by their classmates. During snack we will also celebrate your child’s special day by singing “Happy Birthday”.

•We do not celebrate birthday treats by bringing in food.

Other birthday related items•I discourage students discussing birthday parties in school! •No birthday party invitations are permitted in school, even if you are inviting the entire class!•Summer birthdays will be celebrated in June.•Goody bags will not be permitted to be distributed in class.

Owning your own books is special, andencourages children to be enthusiasticabout reading.

The price of the books are VERYinexpensive compared to Borders orBarnes and Noble.

The class earns free books for ourclassroom!

Safe List

The safe list is a list of three to four people who can pick up your child from my backdoor. i.e. relatives, neighbors, or car pool group. You indicated these people on your yellow contact form. Please review my list and make any corrections.

If someone is picking up your child, who is not on that list, I MUST HAVE A NOTE WITH YOUR WRITEN PERMISION!

How To Contact Mrs. Testa Sending a note in with your child is the

best way to communicate with me. You can also leave a message with

the secretaries with your name and phone number. Ask them to put it in my mail box.

Warning: I do not always check my voice mail. If you left a message and I did not get back to you in a day, please write me a note!

It is my goal to give your child the best education I know how! Please let me know if you have concern any concerns.

Allen W. Roberts

Phone Number(908) 464-4707

My Email Addressmtesta@npsd.us

Absence Policy

• If your child is sick or going on vacation any missed work will be given to the student after the child returns to school. Please make sure you contact the office about any absence.

Volunteers Needed

Mystery Readers Class Parties

Room Parent Introduction

Question and Answer Session

Thank you for coming!

I look forward to having a greatschool year and working hard with

you and your child.