GENERAL INFORMATION
Welcome
to the 1B webpage! I thought it might be
helpful to provide you with information concerning how I plan to use this
webpage to help keep you aware of the “happenings” in the 1B class. The most important piece of information I
can provide is the weekly Homework Sheet. It is my hope that parents whose children are
absent from school will find this especially helpful, as classwork
in 1B is always based upon what has already been taught . If you are in doubt as to what is being
covered in class, the homework sheet will be an excellent indicator of
same. The children are instructed to
circle pages they have been assigned.
Usually they are told to write abbreviations above the circled page
numbers. Pages with the letters “HW”
written above the page number are “homework” pages. The letters “CW” indicate
that these pages were assigned as “classwork”. Pages with “ICW” are those which were
assigned as “independent classwork” (meaning that the
skill involved has been covered in such a way that children should be able to
complete the work independently and with accuracy. “CW” pages are done with
much guided instruction, either in whole or in part. Often such pages are done with the class using
the overhead projector, blackboard, etc.).
Though the children are reminded to circle their pages and to write the
appropriate abbreviations, they sometimes neglect to do this, so reading the
weekly Homework Sheet carefully is very important. Both in math and in reading/language arts,
the children are discouraged from erasing their errors. They are taught to “proofread” their answers
by circling errors and writing the corrections next to, or just above, the
circled error. This helps them to
recognize their own mistakes and use them to grow and improve in their skills
and accuracy. Please be careful not to
allow your child to do pages which have not yet been assigned (either as
homework or classwork). If you are having difficulty with the various
“names” of the sounds used in our reading program, please let me know, and I’ll
be happy to sit down with you
and/or provide you with helpful handouts. I know that it can be confusing if your child
asks you, “Is this Hoot Owl Sound or
A BIT ABOUT
THE BUTTONS . . .
On
the main webpage you will find several different “buttons” below the planets.
These will allow you to access information which may be helpful to you now or
in the future. They are as follows:
General Info – This is the page you are
reading now! I may make changes in this
from time to time as needed. It includes
special tips and reminders about information which was handed out to parents at
our “Back-to-School Night” meeting in September (though it only includes a
small portion of what was covered).
Please refer to the “First Grade Notes” handout distributed at this
meeting for more complete information on First Grade procedures, etc.
Homework – This button will display
the weekly “Homework Sheet”. On
occasion, this may not be available due to an unforeseen change in my own
schedule. Always rely upon the
homework sheet sent home with your child at the beginning of each new
week. Let me know immediately (via a
note) if you do not receive one.
Glee Club – This button displays information
pertinent to the Glee Club. As you may
already know, I am the Glee Club director at
Updates – This button was included
in the event that new information and/or important reminders need to be made
available to you. Please access this
file at least once a week, even if it appears not to have changed in
awhile. I may end up using it more often
than was originally anticipated.
Prayers – This includes prayers
used by first graders on a regular basis in school. The children should commit these to memory as
the school year progresses.
Bible
Passages – The children are taught various Bible passages throughout the course
of the school year. Many are used on a
daily basis during classroom “prayerbox” time. These passages are discussed continuously and
in depth as part of the children’s spiritual training. They should eventually be able to memorize
them, and many children have already done so with some of the passages. Hopefully, they will also be able to apply
the lessons taught by the passages to their daily living experiences and
relationships. I sincerely hope that
they will hold these teachings “close to their hearts” always!
Beatitudes – This displays all eight
of the Beatitudes. These are discussed a
great deal during Lent and afterwards. I
like to call them the “How- to- be- like- Jesus Attitudes”, as they teach us a
great deal about what it means to truly follow Jesus. There is so much to be
learned from the Beatitudes, and this learning has no end!
Extra
buttons may be added in the future as the need arises. (Please continue below
for “Reminders”.)
·
Please remember to check your child’s folder on a daily basis for
important school or classroom notices.
·
All written homework assignments require a parent signature. Children who are in Aftercare must be
especially mindful of this, as they often do their homework while still in
Aftercare.
·
There are certain types of homework assignments which, by their very
nature, must be done at home, rather than in Aftercare. Oral reading, religion
prayer assignments, counting coin money assignments, etc., are examples
of these types of assignments. As we use
“Saxon Math” in First Grade, please remember to carefully go over your child’s
daily math homework with him/her, even if your child is in Aftercare. The item number of any problem that was
especially difficult for your child should be circled, and the letter “D”
should be written beside it. Please
remind your child to return his/her completed homework to class each day.
·
Please check with your child regularly to see if she/he needs new
crayons, pencils, gluesticks, folders, etc. If crayons are purchased, please limit
children to a box of 16 to 24 maximum. Some children occasionally bring in huge
boxes of 64 crayons. These are fine for
home use, but in a classroom setting this number of crayons becomes too much
for young children to responsibly manage, and most of the crayons are quickly
lost.
·
Please cover your child’s “softcover”
workbooks in clear contact paper as soon as possible to prevent
premature damage. Hardcover readers
should be covered in brown “grocery bag” paper.
Your child’s name and homeroom number should appear on the front cover
of all workbooks.
·
Many children arrive at school on a consistently tardy basis. Please be mindful of the importance of timely
arrival at school.
·
If your child attends Aftercare, please help him/her to remember that
returning to the classroom for forgotten items is not permitted. Children are given ample opportunity to
collect their things at day’s end, and are reminded several times as to what
they need to take home. If we can help
them to become responsible for their things now, then they will be experts at
it when they reach the upper grades, and you will not have to do “hardship
duty” as your child’s “walking memory”.
·
Homework sheets are sent home at the beginning of each week. If you do not receive one, please let me know
right away. New spelling lists are sent
home each Friday, unless otherwise indicated on the homework sheet.
·
Periodically, click on the “Updates” button on the “1B ORBIT” main
webpage. If there is additional
information which I think might be helpful to you, I will make every effort to
include it here.
·
YOUR CHILDREN ARE PRECIOUS! They are
kind, loving, forgiving, caring, prayerful, and always willing to share with
others. Thank you for all of the help and
support you give to them and to me!!