Parent Orientation
Second Grade
Tuesday, September 16, 2008, 6:30-8:00p.m.

Hilary Gibbs, teacher

Routines:
The establishment of expectations and routines are the major focus of the first six weeks of each school year.
As teachers, our first job is to build, with the children, the foundation for a productive and cooperative year of learning and an atmosphere of support and collaboration. We will focus on community-building activities, which introduce and familiarize the children with me, with each other, and with the structure of second grade. Learning at all levels involves participation, making mistakes, and trying again. The children require an atmosphere in which they are comfortable with this process. This year we have one second grade class in which all the children know each other from first grade.
Students need to be able to function independently without constant adult control or direct supervision. Routines and clear teacher-expectations provide the scaffolding for this independence. “A sense of order and predictability . . . enables children to relax, to focus their energy on learning, and to feel competent.” (Responsive Classroom newsletter) Each child will reach this goal in his or her own time, with teaching and support from teachers, peers, and parents. And each year the bar is set a little higher, so to speak, so we all continue to strive towards new goals, large and small.

Classroom doors are open by 8:05 a.m. Children may look at books and visit with each other for a few minutes before we have a time to greet each other and share news in the whole group. These first ten minutes are important for the children: this is when they move from home/child mode to school/student mode. They touch base with their classmates; they are relaxed and ready to be students by 8:15. Please appreciate this and make every effort to get your child to school on time! 8:30 (or immediately after Chapel on Thursdays) is the beginning of our formal teaching time with classroom or enrichment teachers.

Daily work is not always immediately visible. We generate charts and fill in information in various on-going formats (calendars, experiments, book journals, science journals, writing folders, etc.). Oral language development stimulates and strengthens thinking skills in all areas. Process, which includes making and learning from mistakes, is still vital, but product takes on more significance in second grade. We encourage you to visit the classrooms from time to time, with your child as guide. Your child will satisfy some of his/her need to ‘show and tell’ while s/he hones communication skills and brings you up to date on our activities.

Integrated Curriculum:
Teachers make every effort to co-ordinate on curriculum and what is required of the children. Science and Social Studies curricula provide many opportunities for integration with the Language Arts and Fine Arts. We do have a ‘show and tell’ time, and children are encouraged to share materials and/or information relevant to classroom topics.

Schedules:
Schedules are posted outside the classrooms. Enrichment classes are Physical Education, Spanish, Art, and Music.
This year, Mrs. Gibbs is teaching Reading and Language Arts, Science and Soial Studies, and Mrs. Lee is teaching Math to second graders.

Homework:
Second grade homework will include reading, handwriting, spelling and other word-study assignments, and math, science, and social studies assignments and activities. Sometimes homework will be collecting information through observations outside of school. Reading aloud by parents is, I hope, a daily event which both parents and children will continue for many years to come. Encourage your child to form opinions about what you read together, to predict outcomes, and to ask as well as answer questions. If your child particularly needs handwriting practice, please let them have a few minutes practice at home most days. It’s important to get into good writing habits as early as possible.

Conferences:
Conferences will be scheduled for early November. A sign-up sheet will be available in late September. If you would like to have a conference at any other time during the year, please ask. Classroom teachers are available to conference while their class is in Spanish, Art, or P.E., and often after 3:30. Please call or send a note if you would like to schedule a meeting.

Morning Snack: Please send a healthy snack with your child each day. No drinks, please. Water is available in the classroom and at the water fountain.

Field Trips are not all scheduled at this time. The One-Room Schoolhouse in League City will be a car-pool trip in the winter. We also have speakers during the year.

Miscellaneous Information:
St.Thomas School Bags come to school Every Day with Binders and Math Folders. Your child's binder is organized to help them keep up with dates, activities, and assignments, with your support at home.
Please keep a sweater at school or in the school bag, for air-conditioned classrooms or outside as the seasons dictate.