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November News

From Mr. Mauntler’s room

Reading

We have begun our Guided Reading program. Two to four days a week your child will meet in a small group with me to read books at his/her instructional level. In these groups we will be practicing our fluency, word attack skills, phonics, and comprehension. We will continue to read stories as a whole group, as well as poems that incorporate phonics.

Writing/Spelling

We have begun our writing workshop where your child and I develop writing skills through one-to-one interaction during writing time. I will also develop a spelling list from the conferences that we hold together and the assignments they have turned in to me. Your child should be bringing home a spelling list within two weeks. Please look on the homework assignment sheet for spelling test times and study nights. Have your child practice spelling the words to you and using them in a sentence.

Homework

It is very important that your child complete his/her homework each night. If for some reason the homework does not get finished, please do not sign the sheet. Also, please help to remind your child that the homework sheet must be signed and returned each day.

Math homework assignments that simply say practice counting coins or practice telling time: For the coin practice, I ask that you give your child various groupings of coins and have him/her count them. Also, when your child is ready, you could have them "play store" and count back change after a purchase. For "telling time", I ask that you have your son/daughter read various times off of an analog (not digital) clock. I realize that many homes no longer have analog clocks, we made a practice one at school and sent it home. Please keep this for homework practice throughout the year.

If you ever have any questions or concerns about an assignment I send home please write me a note on the homework sheet or call me here at school.

Book Orders

I will try to send home a book order every other month. Before sending one home, I spend some time with the students identifying appropriate books. Please do not feel pressured to buy any of these books. I am pointing out books that I feel are written at an appropriate level.

It is easiest for me if you can pay for the books by writing out a check to the book order company. If this is not possible, it will still be okay to send cash.

Halloween Party

Thank you so much to all the parents for such lovely costumes. Thank you especially to the parents who sent snacks and helped in the classroom.

Parent Volunteers

If there are any parents who would like to come in and help during the week I would still like the help. The time that I could use the most help is between 9:00 and 11:30 in the morning. I would have papers to organize and look at and/or questions to answer from the students. I would be doing guided reading at this time so it would also be a time to just try to keep the class focused on the centers and activities.

Please send me a note with the homework assignment sheet if you think you would like to give some time to the class and myself. Thank you.