About Ms. Quinn
• Mom of 3 kids ages 19, 20 & 22
• Steven & Jaclyn college
• Caitlin graduated Rider University and
employed as a Geologist!
• Fluent in Greek, English & 2nd grade dialect
• Teaching for 32 years, since 1984…long enough to see the
“fruits of my labor”!
My Beliefs
• Try our very best at everything we do
• Short range goals: Bring out the best academic ability, work habits, good character, and social skills in every child.
• Long Range Goals: Today’s students are ultimately being prepared for real life jobs, life and social situations/relationships and our positive efforts now will affect their futures.
Expectations
• I expect children to learn differently so I am prepared to teach them in a variety of ways in order to reach every child and bring out their best potential.
•I expect parents to embrace their children’s strengths and weaknesses.
•I expect that the children will be respectful human beings to each other and to their teachers/adults.
•I expect that parents will support this respectful attitude.
When You Learn By Solving
REAL Problems, It Means You
Can Fail While Trying.
Success Depends On How You
“Fall Down” And How You “Get
Back Up.”I PROMISE… I’ll help your child “get back up” !
I run a disciplined classroom, so that I don’t use instructional time
disciplining.
Classroom ManagementBehavior Chart + Work Ticket System
• Tickets used for mostly Privileges and some
Treats
• Fines & Bonuses
• Notes sent home when child is in the “RED”-
indicating bad choices were repeatedly made.
• Ticket Colors Hold Coin Value To Reinforce Money
Skills
• Emphasis On Rewarding Positive Behaviors And
Work Habits - “Caught Being Good”
• All Child Centered with Clear Expectations
• Structured Classroom Environment With
Predictable Routines to helps kids
Communication Notes On Paper - Script Is For Parents
& Print IS For the Student & Parent
Notes In H.W Pad
• Quizzes & Tests … Sign + Return if stamped
I’m frequently here after school… send an
email if no one answers the office phone and I will
call back if I see it.
Class Emails, Newsletters & Bulletins
If your emails are not answered within
24 hours, send your email again or call.)Do not send dismissal or absence info TO ME via email/phone.
Communication con’t•Parent/teacher relationship is essential for the student’s success. I encourage open communication.
•If you have any issues or concerns about the classroom or school issues I kindly encourage you to contact the school via phone or email. We never want any student or parent to be nervous about approaching us directly. Through direct communication we can always find a solution!
•Are you curious as to why I have a rule established or I do something a certain way?
Ask!
Our Daily MORNING Routine
1. Cubby & Unpack2. Wash Hands3. Order Lunch4. Turn in Notes5. Set-Up HW6. Start Do Now Jobs
Parent’s Role It is difficult to teach a child who is hungry and tired.
Above all else, I am committed to your child’s success! So, please help with this!
End Of Day Routine-
Predictable
Same 6 Things To Do, In Same Order
Each Day, To Develop A Good Habit.1. Clean out Desk
2. Clean out Seatsack (This is where HW is waiting.)
3. Get Mail
4. Pack-Up (Homework)
5. Chair Up
6. Clean Floor – Do PM Jobs
If HW is forgotten, it is because Step #2 and #4 were skipped.
End Of Day Routine with
modifications1. Clean out Desk
2a.Clean out Seatsack
2b. Show Ms. Quinn your HW and HW Pad
3. Get Mail Show Ms. Quinn your mail.
4. Pack-Up
5. Chair Up
6. Clean Floor – Do PM Jobs
Homework• Book-It (daily reading) is required HW.
• HW Not Graded, Practice Only
• HW Pad + Signature Required Daily
• Must Be On Time To Earn H.W Ticket
• Routine: A late note goes home each time something is forgotten.
• Late HW notes must be returned – ticket collateral held
• HW is meant to be done independently• Extra Credit H.W is meant to provide practice review or
enrichment. Can Be Saved Up And Turned In Anytime Before June.
Look at your child’s HW PAD daily to see what needs to be returned to school.Typically…*Word Study words will be sent home at the end of each week. Please keep these as students will be expected to continually study these words in order to integrate them into their reading and writing. Spelling checks are given periodically.*Math practice pages will be sent home. These are to be used as a resource for extra practice and may be kept at home unless written in the HW pad.* Reading should be done everyday for at least 10 to 20 minutes. (Book-It Program has a calendar.)*Throughout the year, students will also be given resources including math vocabulary words and study guides …study and keep home.
Homework SNAPSHOT
Daily Homework should not take over 20
minutes
Students should be …
1.READING daily
2.Reviewing Spelling Words that will be
sent home at the end of each week. Keep
them in a box/bag
3.Practicing math facts and reviewing
math classwork
Reading and Math
GYBAG Bags are extra creditGrab Your Bag And Go
Journals must be wiped clean.
Only use Expo markers - in the bag.
The MAGIC ERASER works really well!
There is one kept in school that
can be used in AM.
Grading• Fix Fixed Finish Finished Do Done
• I keep many classroom observation notes
about Student Performance so…
Paperwork sent home will not give a
complete picture of student performance.
Report Cards 3 times a year (samples on back
table)
NEW REPORT CARD THIS YEAR!
Trimesters – 3 x a year not 4
Students will be graded on 1-3 scale.
3 Meeting the Standard
2 Approaching the Standard
1 Does not meet the Standard
NA Not assessed at this time (not taught yet)
Evaluation of your child’s work based on
Monroe Township School District’s learning expectations
in alignment with the Common Core State Standards and
New Jersey Core Curriculum Standards.
TESTS/QUIZES
• In the classroom I utilize rubrics (1-4)
as well as numerical grades to score
the children’s work.
• (4) Above Average Work
• (3) Good, On grade level work
• (2) Satisfactory, Approaching standard
• (1) Below grade level work; reflective of
child’s ability, performance or both.
• STUDENTS AIM TO ACHIEVE 3’s.
Curriculum Overview
Driven by Core Curriculum Standards
Reading/ Language ArtsMathSocial StudiesHealthScienceTechnologyArt/Music/ Physical Education/
Media Center
Reading/Language Arts is taught asBALANCED LITERACY
Weekly lessons emphasize phonics,comprehension, vocabulary, spelling, writing, grammar, handwriting and fluency skills using:
LOTS of Authentic literature Phonics Support Materials Scholastic News Nonfiction Reading Leveled Readers…and a lot of other great reading materials!
READING/LANGUAGE•Guided Reading Groups •Reader’s Workshop•Independent Reading Assignments•Reader’s Theater/Read Alouds•Shared Reading/whole class•Reading is also a major focus in every subject
September Evaluations• DRA Running Records (fluency & comprehension)
• Fry Sight Words • Words Their Way spelling/sound patterns Spelling is WORD WORK- Differentiated with the 2nd grade teaching team. Sorting is important. (6 teachers; students are grouped according to their developmental spelling stage.)
Ms. Quinn, Mrs. Lopez, Ms. Strincoski, Ms. Kies, Ms. Teichmann and
Ms. Fletcher
2nd Grade
Teaching Team
NEW …
MAP new online
assessment system
using computersMAP measures academic
progress and provides a picture
of your child’s growth &
achievement of the common
core skills. More info to come.
WRITER’S WORKSHOP •Balanced Literacy Approach
•Write independently for an extended period of
time – more than 1 good paragraph on topic is the
end of year goal
•Writer’s Workshop: We will study good authors
and “Do What Good Authors Do”
•One major writing unit per marking period;
beginning with PERSONAL NARRATIVES.
Personal journals and memory books kept.
Math in a Snapshot…NEW THIS YEAR: UPDATED MATH
•Problem of the Day – Problem Solving – Use of math journals-focus is on understanding and learning to EXPLAIN YOUR THINKING•Visual Interactive Learning Movie– animated demonstration of skills•Interactive Learning: Hands On
•Small Group Work•Independent Practice•Differentiated Games for practice• Differentiated Instruction
•Timed Fact Tests: Speed and Accuracy of basic facts is part of common core.
COMPUTER Log-ins coming for…
• MATH Series & Science: PEARSONand
• Reading Eggs
Information will be distributed to you soon so you can access your child’s accounts.
Technology• Laptops
• Embedded into curriculum
• Quarterly In Class Lessons
• Practice At Home With Microsoft Office
Word and TYPING PROGRAMS Is
Helpful… ESPECIALLY TO PREPARE
FOR TESTING IN 3rd Grade
• Many Educational Websites Posted On
School Webpage For Home Practice
Science, Social Studies & Health
• Taught In Units Of Study
• Team Teaching: Mrs. Lopez teaches Social
Studies & Ms. Quinn teaches Science
• Science emphasis on inquiry and STEM:
Open book tests and folder quizes
• Health often taught in our “Class Meeting”
and participation is MOST Important
• COMPOSTING: Pet Worms
MORNING SNACK
•Snack around 11:00am
•Keep it simple and healthy
•Purpose is to hold us over – not fill us up
• Drink - Plain water
• Limit sugar, limit artificial ingredients general,
simple rules for kids to follow- no cookies, no
muffins, no chocolate, etc.
•Must be easy to eat while working
•Bring in extras to be kept in cubby as long as it is
sealed; emergency pretzels are great!
•No food with nuts in the classroom
•Do not skip breakfast!
LUNCH IS AT 12:11
Parent’s Role
• Reinforce appropriate school behavior.• Review HW, review errors & notices BUT HW is your child’s job
• Sign the homework pad.• Praise your child for doing their best.• Be a good role model; let your child see you read and use kind words!
• Be consistent with bedtime and good nutrition
• Star Student/ Parent Visit
From the diary of a
Teacher
My students were learning to read.
Yesterday one of them pointed at a
picture in a zoo book and said,
“Look at this! It's a frickin'
elephant!” I took a deep breath,
then asked..."What did you call it?”
“It's a frickin' elephant! It says so
on the picture!”
And so it does...
Reading Research
• Aoccdrning to rsceearch at Cmabrigde
Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in what
oredr the ltteers in a word are, the olny
iprmoetnt tihng is that the frist and lsat
ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can
be a total mses and you can still raed it
wouthit a porbelm. This is bcuseae the
huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter
by istlef, but the word as a wlohe.
Amzaning huh?
Parent To Do List
• Take The “How Well Do I Know My
Child” Quiz & LEAVE IT HERE for your child
to score.
• Leave a “Love Note” For Your Child
• Explore our learning environment!(Cubbies and Mailboxes are labeled by student #’s…look on
your child’s name tag for their #. )
• Read through “your mail” on your child’s
desk. I’ve given you a copy of the 2nd grade
COMMON CORE STANDARDS for Math,
Reading & Writing that drive my instruction.