School has been underway for a month and hopefully your family is settling into some familiar routines. My guess is that one of those routines includes homework.
One important tool that fourth grade students use to help develop organization skills and time management strategies is the assignment book. While each classroom teacher may have slight differences as to how the assignment book is used in their classroom, the basic approach is the same. Each day all homework is posted and reviewed. Students are given time to record their assignments in the assignment books and put all of their assignments together to go home.
The Lincoln Street School Homework Policy states that fourth grade students should expect 30 to 50 minutes of homework four times per week. (Link to policy here: http://lss.sau16.org/content/homeworkpolicy.pdf ) If your child is spending more time than this or homework is becoming a struggle, please either let me or the classroom teacher know. You can reach me at 775-8881. There is voicemail if I am unable to take your call.
A few suggestions about homework:
1. Ask your child to show you their assignment book & homework each afternoon. There is a space on every page for a parent signature. Some teachers request a parent signature, while others don't. If you are actively checking the book consider signing. It lets your child know that you are communicating with their teacher and can help with accountability.
2. As your child finishes an assignment, help them to develop the routine of checking it off in the book and placing the completed assignment back into their folder. If they get in the habit of putting the assignment book and folder back into the backpack when they are finished, it will help make your mornings run more smoothly!
3. Set up a routine place and time that works well with your family schedule for homework. Make sure that it is relatively quiet and that your child has the materials they will need to complete most assignments close at hand - mostly pencils, crayons or colored pencils, scissors and a ruler.
4. Homework should be an opportunity to practice a skill students have learned at school. If your child is very confused about an assignment, or you feel that you are doing a lot of "teaching" vs. checking, please write a note to let the teacher know.
5. Communication is key. Please let your child's teacher or case manager know if homework is becoming a struggle. We can help you troubleshoot problems or modify your child's homework to make it a more successful experience for both you and your child.
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Thursday, September 24, 2015
What about spelling?
Students in the 4th Grade Reading Rotation will have spelling words each week. Word lists are pulled from the Corrective Reading lessons they are working on. We are starting the year with 10 words and one bonus word (also from the unit.) As the year goes on, my goal is to expand the list to 15 words.
Students receive a packet on Monday that has all of their homework for the week. We also write assignments for the week in the assignment book on Mondays. Homework activities are designed to provide practice writing spelling words. They should only take about 5-10 minutes. If they are taking longer than that, please let me know!
Assignments follow a pattern. For now, nightly spelling assignments are as follows:
Monday: Write your spelling words in alphabetical order
Tuesday: Write your spelling words in UPPER and lower case letters.
Wednesday: Rainbow writing - write your words in different color or different utensils
Thursday: Write your words 3x each
Friday: Spelling Test
Students receive a packet on Monday that has all of their homework for the week. We also write assignments for the week in the assignment book on Mondays. Homework activities are designed to provide practice writing spelling words. They should only take about 5-10 minutes. If they are taking longer than that, please let me know!
Assignments follow a pattern. For now, nightly spelling assignments are as follows:
Monday: Write your spelling words in alphabetical order
Tuesday: Write your spelling words in UPPER and lower case letters.
Wednesday: Rainbow writing - write your words in different color or different utensils
Thursday: Write your words 3x each
Friday: Spelling Test
What is the Reading Rotation?
I am the leader of the Fourth Grade Reading Rotation. This is a reading intervention that takes place outside of the classroom in the 4th Grade Reading Lab. Students participating in the Reading Rotation receive 90 minutes of reading instruction.
Decoding and Reading Fluency:
Students spend 45 minutes working in a group focused on building skills with decoding and reading fluency using the Corrective Reading program. This is a research based program developed by SRA/McGraw Hill. This program is also used in the grades 3 and 5 Reading Rotations at our school. Here is a quote from the Teacher's Guide that describes the program: "Lessons in the Decoding programs are designed to give students practice that leads them to become stronger in what is easier for them to do and that gives them progressive practice in the more difficult reading endeavors. The lessons do this while remaining within the skill limits of the student, which means that an appropriately placed student will not be overwhelmed with difficult tasks or bored by tasks that are too easy."
Reading Comprehension:
Students also spend 45 minutes working in a group focused on building reading comprehension skills. They participate in guided reading of fiction and non-fiction texts, practicing reading comprehension skills that make them stronger independent readers. Students read paired fiction and non-fiction texts to find connections and work to develop their vocabulary. Writing in response to comprehension questions is also an important part of the Comprehension group and students keep a reading comprehension journal that documents their growth. Students learn to "unpack" questions to determine the information they need to provide to answer a question completely.
Decoding and Reading Fluency:
Students spend 45 minutes working in a group focused on building skills with decoding and reading fluency using the Corrective Reading program. This is a research based program developed by SRA/McGraw Hill. This program is also used in the grades 3 and 5 Reading Rotations at our school. Here is a quote from the Teacher's Guide that describes the program: "Lessons in the Decoding programs are designed to give students practice that leads them to become stronger in what is easier for them to do and that gives them progressive practice in the more difficult reading endeavors. The lessons do this while remaining within the skill limits of the student, which means that an appropriately placed student will not be overwhelmed with difficult tasks or bored by tasks that are too easy."
Reading Comprehension:
Students also spend 45 minutes working in a group focused on building reading comprehension skills. They participate in guided reading of fiction and non-fiction texts, practicing reading comprehension skills that make them stronger independent readers. Students read paired fiction and non-fiction texts to find connections and work to develop their vocabulary. Writing in response to comprehension questions is also an important part of the Comprehension group and students keep a reading comprehension journal that documents their growth. Students learn to "unpack" questions to determine the information they need to provide to answer a question completely.
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