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Mrs. Eichberger’s 2005-2006 Classroom Policies |
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Mrs. Eichberger’s 2005-2006 Classroom Policies |
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name is Gretchen Eichberger-Kudlack. The students
address me as Ms. Eichberger. This is my seventh year as
a teacher and my fifth year at Onekama. I teach because I believe that schools are the sole foundation of a community and a nation. The impact of a good school and good teachers affect generations. FIRST GRADE CURRICULUM READING Reading is an essential skill which all children must master. In order for children to become fluent readers, they must learn reading strategies which will enable them to read, comprehend, and retell material. Children learn to do this in a variety of ways: guided reading, shared reading, choral reading, reader’s theater, and author studies. WRITING Written instruction is also a crucial aspect of first grade. Students are instructed in the writing process. The teacher’s role in writing is one of facilitator, helping students discover what they want to say and how to say it meaningfully, with clarity, coherence, interest, style, form, and individual voice. MATH Our first grade curriculum is Chicago Everyday Math. Some topics covered are:
PENMANSHIP The school system is now using the Zaner-Bloser handwriting program. The important points are:
SOCIAL STUDIES The Core Democratic Values are a primary resource for our curriculum. Core democratic values are the fundamental beliefs and constitutional principles of American society which unite all Americans.
Additional topics include Geography, Economics, and Cultures. SCIENCES Topics of study include Wildlife Biology, Genetics, Geology, and Environmental Studies. ARTS IN THE CLASSROOM I try to reinforce the above core subjects by integrating music, dance, drama, and visual arts into our daily and weekly routine. ENRICHMENT CLASSES Your child will participate in enrichment classes taught by teachers specializing in each area. Each class meets once a week for approximately 30 — 40 minutes. We will also be utilizing the computer lab once a week under my supervision.
Homework The length of the school day is long for a primary child. I believe play is crucial to children's social, emotional and academic development. With that in mind, we do provide time in class for practicing handwriting, spelling and math computation problems. In the second half of the year, spelling words will be sent home each week for study. It is important that first grade children continue to be read to on a daily basis. We model good reading strategies at school and you can reinforce them at home through shared reading activities. You can encourage your children to read some of the book with you or to talk about the story when you are done. As they become more confident in their own reading skills, children should be encouraged to read aloud for 10 to 15 minutes a day. If your child is unable to finish classroom work, they will bring it home. It is expected that it be returned the following day. Children should be encouraged to explore and extend areas of interest. Children are given opportunities in the course of the school day to share their interests. Student Work First Grade students are actively engaged in the learning process. Their papers and written work are part of this process, and as such, are teaching and learning tools. Some work products are produced cooperatively and will be retained in the classroom for all students. Some individual work may be kept for analysis and student files. Mistakes are part of the learning process, and should not become the focus. Learning is a process and on going, we should always focus on the positive. Please contact me with any questions or concerns you may have. Parents in the Classroom All are welcome to observe in our classroom. If you wish to observe a lesson or a portion of the day, you will be assigned a designated seat. Observation time will be limited to 45 minutes. The presence of parents moving freely through the room can be distracting and, at times, confusing for all the children and can interfere with the atmosphere of independence and concentration in the classroom. There are many ways, however, that parents can be a part of their child's classroom. Parents are encouraged to share their time and talents with students as a classroom volunteer. Due to safety concerns small children will not be permitted during volunteer time. All classroom volunteers are expected observe confidentiality when working with children. You can make an appointment to volunteer in the classroom to:
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Communication between Parent(s)
and Teacher Open lines of communication are essential when educating children. If you have a question or a concern, please address it directly to me. I will answer my phone before and after school. During the school day it is advised that you leave a message with our school office. I check my email on an average of 3-4 times a day. Gretchen Eichberger-Kudlack’s Contact Information School Phone 231.889-9674 ext. 438 Email geichberger@manistee.org Weekly Thursday Folders Each Thursday your child will bring home a folder/envelope containing a Classroom Newsletter, completed classroom work, and correspondence from our elementary office. The Newsletter will explain what went on in our classroom that particular week. Please review and discuss the contents of the Thursday Folder with your child. Although we strive to minimize take-home information, it is possible that your child could be bringing home school and classroom information on any night of the week, therefore it is important to check your childLs backpack nightly. Conferences & Report Cards Report cards are given four times a year. We have two scheduled conferences: one in November and the second in April. RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PARENT School Supplies It is suggested that the following supplies are sent with your child during the first week of school. These supplies will be kept in your child’s possession and used only by him or her. These supplies are not required to be purchased.
Snacks First Graders need energy throughout the day. Their rapidly growing bodies generally require more sustenance. Please provide your child with a nutritious snack for the morning and afternoon. Convenient, inexpensive and nutritious snack suggestions are:
Health Issues Children should come to school healthy. It is suggested that you do not send your child to school if they are experiencing the following;
Birthdays In an effort to stress the importance of nutrition and students health, I request that parents celebrate their child’s birthday by donating a book in honor of their child to our school library. Toys Children play more cooperatively if they do not bring their own toys to school. Please keep your child's personal toys at home. Clothing Please assist us in keeping our lost and found basket empty by writing your child's name in all clothing articles. Children, on occasion, have accidents. To save yourself a trip to school, we would request an emergency change of clothes in a labeled plastic bag. Shoes If your child comes to school wearing shoes that require tying, please teach your child this skill. If your child is not ready to tie their shoes, please consider an alternative such as Velcro or slip-ons.
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE STUDENT Classroom Expectations and Procedures Everyone in our room is expected to observe courteous and respectful behavior at all times. Good manners will be focused on throughout the school year. Behaviors such as waiting his/her turn, sharing, use of quiet voices, and the observation of personal space will be discussed and observed by all persons. If a child is behaving in a way, which impedes a healthy classroom environment, the following steps will be taken.
Bathroom and Personal Hygiene We have a bathroom in our classroom. All students will be allowed to use the bathroom at all times during the day. Before they use the bathroom, they must inform myself, or a teacher’s assistant. All students are expected to wash their hands following bathroom use. A hand-washing lesson will be taught on the first day of school. http://www.onekama.k12.mi.us/e2006/g1e
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