Disclosure Statement Mrs. Meredith 4th Grade Class
Welcome to 4th Grade! I am so excited to have your child in my class! We are going to have a great year together. My number one priority as a teacher is to create a positive learning environment. Our class will spend a lot of time between the same four walls together this year and I will strive to make it a place where each child feels comfortable, valued, and safe. The best learning happens when children are happy and secure so that is my goal. I also want parents to feel comfortable contacting me for any reason and I will do my best to respond within 24 hours (usually much sooner).
Specials: Monday 7 Habits Tuesday Library Wednesday P.E. Thursday Music
PLANNERS: Planners will go home each night and come back each day. Please check and sign the planner each day. This is part of each student’s Leadership and Responsibility grade. It is also a great conversation starter for what was learned at school that day.
HOMEWORK: All homework, excluding reading should not take more than 20-30 minutes each night. MATH: Students will have the opportunity to work on their math homework in class and turn it in. If they don't finish it they will need to take it home and finish it. We will check it together each morning so it is important that it be completed and returned each day. j: ALEKS (10-20 min): It is important that Aleks is part of the homework routine. Rather than a goal of finishing the entire pie, we are working toward mastery of topics. The topic that students are working on in Aleks each day will correlate with what we are learning in class. Students will write the topics in their planner each day so parent can be aware of what section of the pie slice they should work on at home. READING (20 min.): Although I plan to give a lot of time for independent reading, it is important for the students to read each day at home in order to make expected progress in the course of the year. Please do everything possible to make this a priority. I do not ask that you record this or turn in a reading log, just that you encourage and support your child’s independent reading. SPELLING (5 min.): All spelling assignments will be on Spelling City. If you'd prefer to have your child write the words and practice on paper, you can easily print the lists from Spelling City. WEEKLY POEM (5 min.): Each Monday a poem will go home in the homework folder. Please have your child read the poem each day until it can be read fluently and with expression and then work on memorizing the poem. Poetry reading and recitation does wonders for increasing fluency and expression. GREAT UTAHN: In the homework folder there will also be a Utah Counties map and other items related to the Great Utahn Award for practice in studying for this test which will be in May.
DISCIPLINE/REWARDS/CONSEQUENCES: We will work together as a class during the first week of school to develop classroom rules. We will use a behavior chart to monitor behavior. This will also be included as part of the Leadership and Responsibility grade. Rewards for positive behavior will be earned individually, in groups, and as a class. The behavior chart looks like this:
summit
ascending
trailhead
parking lot
warning
needs improvement
think time
Students will begin the day on Parking Lot. Students will move their pegs up or down the chart according to positive or negative behavior. Each student will have a daily report in his/her planner so you will know where they land on the chart each day.
There will be a small reward each day for students who reach the summit.
We will also use Class Dojo as a positive reward system. The student with the most points at the end of the year will get to keep our class mascot. Class Dojo is also a great way to communicate back and forth.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT/CLASS MASCOT: Our class mascot this year will be a stuffed Lion that for whom we will choose a name. At a time near each student’s birthday, he/she will bring home the mascot. If you do something fun, take him along and take a picture, then write about the activity and attach a picture and return it to class to share. Students will also bring home a spotlight paper to fill out and share with the class. I have multiple binders from previous classes and my students love to look at these books.
TOYS AT SCHOOL: Toys in the classroom have proven to be a terrible distraction. If at any time toys are out during class time, they will be held by me and kept until a parent can come pick them up.