Transcript Education - New Providence School District

WELCOME TO
FIRST GRADE
Mrs. Testa
Room
S-5
Table of Contents
Personal Background
 Responsive Classroom Approach
 Daily Routines & Academics
 Programs in the classroom
 House Keeping

Personal Background

Education

Teaching Experience

Mrs. Testa, the person
Education

University of
Massachusetts, Amherst
• BA in Elementary Education
• BA in Sociology

The College of New Jersey,
Global Program
• MEd. in Elementary Education.
Teaching Experience

Allen W. Roberts School
13th year at AWR
My second year teaching first grade
I taught Kindergarten for 7 years and
this is my 6th year in first grade.

Springfield School District
Springfield, MA
5th and 3rd Grade

Whately Elementary School
Whately, Massachusetts
1st Grade - Student Teaching
The Responsive
Classroom Approach
The Responsive Classroom is an approach
to teaching and learning that fosters safe,
challenging, and joyful classrooms and
schools, kindergarten through eighth grade.
Developed by Northeast Foundation for
Children in 1981.
Principles of the
Responsive Classroom

The social curriculum is as important as the
academic curriculum.
 How children learn is as important as what
they learn: process and content go hand in
hand.
 The greatest cognitive growth occurs through
social interaction.
 There is a set of social skills children need in
order to be successful academically and
socially: cooperation, assertion, responsibility,
empathy, and self-control.
Principles continued…

Knowing the children we teach–individually,
culturally, and developmentally–is as
important as knowing the content we teach.
 Knowing the families of the children we teach
and working with them as partners is
essential to children's education.
 How the adults at school work together is as
important as individual competence: Lasting
change begins with the adult community.
Responsive Classroom’s
Teaching Practices

Morning Meeting: A daily routine that builds

Rules and Logical Consequences: A clear and
community, creates a positive climate for learning, and
reinforces academic and social skills.
consistent approach to discipline that fosters responsibility
and self-control.

Guided Discovery:

Academic Choice: An approach to giving children
A format for introducing
materials that encourages inquiry, heightens interest, and
teaches care of the school environment.
choices in their learning that helps them become invested,
self-motivated learners.

Working with Families: Ideas for involving families
as true partners in their children's education.
Hopes and Dreams

Last week in school
students created their
hopes and dreams that
they would like to
achieve in first grade.
These hopes and
dreams will allow the
class to create rules
based on giving
everyone the opportunity
to achieve their hopes
and dreams.
Classroom Rules

Be good to yourself.

Be good to others.

Be good to the environment.
Discipline



You break it, you fix it” can be used to mend
emotional messes as well as physical messes. A child can
rebuild a block tower after accidentally knocking it over.
A child can repair hurt feelings with an “apology of
action” by doing something to soothe the injury, such as
drawing a picture or playing a game.
Temporary loss of privilege is a simple way to help a
child remember to use that privilege (art materials,
recess, group time) responsibly. Losing a privilege for a
class period or a day can help a child pause to remember
or relearn a rule.
“Time-out” or “Take a Break” is a strategy to help
children learn self-control. A child who is disrupting the
work of the group is asked to leave for a few minutes.
Give the child a chance to regain composure and rejoin
the group on his own.
Daily Routines

Morning Meeting
– Greeting
– Sharing
– Activity
– Message

Calendar
Daily Routines
and
Academics
Language Arts

Reading
By the end of first grade students will be able to:
– Identify all letters and all of the letter / sound
relationships
– Decode short and long vowel words
– Use various word solving strategies to decode
words
– Fluently read books at a level H
– Find meaning and make connections between
text and real life
Guided Reading
Guided reading uses small-group instruction and
developmentally appropriate books called leveled
readers. This approach recognizes that a wide
range of reading ability exists within first grade, and
that reading at the appropriate levels ensures
success. A child is placed in a small group with
other children of similar ability and/or skill needs.
The teacher monitors and guides the reading of
each child as needed. Discussion of the book
follows, and the child keeps the book to read
repeatedly.
Pa followed Joanie with his dirty XXXX. Spoon rose
to follow Pa, but one of the XXXX suns in the window
caught the light of the real XXXX and sent off pure white
XXXX directly at Spoon. He sat down again, XXXX by the
XXXX orb, feeling as if he was on the brink of a meaningful
thought, on the verge of XXXX his XXXX.
His eyes darted from one XXXX to the next.
Something of Gram’s.
Thinking, thinking.
What it is like to “read” with
90% accuracy
Readers Workshop

Reader’s Workshop is an instructional model for
teaching reading. The workshop model
combines explicit instruction in reading strategies
with the opportunities for students to practice
reading strategies independently and with
classmates. In reader’s workshop, students
experience what real readers do: self-select
books, self-pace, reflect and share books with
others. It is the role of the teacher to
demonstrate how to explore and succeed with
literature through direct instruction and modeling,
small group instruction, and by providing
individual feedback for independent reading.
Readers Workshop Schedule
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Mini Lesson - 5 to 10 minutes
Independent Reading – 15 to 30
minutes
Conferring – working with teacher oneon-on or working in small groups
Partner Reading and Discussion
Sharing/Reflection
Word Study


The field of "word study" provides students an opportunity to
manipulate words in meaningful and enjoyable activities and
games. Word study activities call for active problem solving.
Students are encouraged to look for spelling patterns, form
hypotheses, predict outcomes, and test them. These activities
require students to continually ask themselves, "What do I know
about this new word, and how is it similar to words that I already
know?"
A cycle of instruction for word study might include the following:
1. Introduce the spelling pattern by choosing words based
on a child’s need as a speller.
2. Encourage students to discover the pattern in their
reading and writing
3. Students participate in engaging activities to help
reinforce the spelling pattern.
4. Spelling test
Word Study/Spelling Homework

Sample Word Study Homework
Language Arts

Writing
By the end of first grade students will be able to:
– Write for a purpose
– Write a sentence with proper subject-verb
agreement
– Include a clear beginning, middle and end in
their stories
– Transition from inventive spelling to real
spelling
– Form all letters correctly
Writer’s Workshop

The basic philosophy behind Writers
Workshop is to allow students to spend time
writing for real purposes about things that
interest them. The ultimate goal of writing
workshop is to develop life-long writers.
Writers Workshop Schedule
1. Mini Lesson - 5 to 10 minutes
2. Writing – 15 to 30 minutes
3. Conferring – working with teacher one-on-on
or working in small groups
4. Sharing/Reflection
Handwriting Without Tears
top
middle
bottom

Handwriting Without Tears aims to make legible
and fluent handwriting an easy and automatic skill
that students can master. The program’s multi
sensory curriculum design and common language
make handwriting easy. We will send about 15
minutes per day on handwriting at the beginning of
the year and less as the year goes on.
Mathematics
Program: Go Math
Aligned with Common Core Curriculum Standards
Memorize addition and subtraction facts
to 20
 Addition and subtraction strategies
 Place value
 Comparing numbers
 Two Digit Addition and Subtraction
 Measurement
 Graphing

Science
The following topics will be covered:
Pebbles, Sand, & Silt
 Monarch Butterflies
 Plants
 Balance and Motion

Social Studies and Health
Social Studies
 Families
 Where We Live
 Good Citizenship
 Jobs
 America Long Ago
Health
 Teeth
 Eating Healthy
 Personal Safety
HOMEWORK
READ
READ
READ
For 15 minutes
every night!
Homework
Homework is important because it builds responsibility
and reinforces learning. In first grade, each child will
have homework Monday through Thursday. Homework
in first grade will be approximately 15 - 25 minutes per
evening, plus an additional 15 minutes of reading.
These minutes are based on the time estimated for an
average child working at an average pace. Your child
may spend more or less time. If your child spends
substantially more or less time than this amount on a
regular basis, please contact me.
Homework Journal
Each night your child will bring home a
homework journal. The homework
journal will tell you what your child’s
homework will be for the night.
 You can also find your child’s homework
on my website.

Homework Requirements

All homework should be completed neatly.
 All writing should be done in PENCIL.
 Your child’s name should be written on all
homework assignments. When writing their
name students should begin with a capital
and the rest should be lowercase letters.
 Assignments are due back the next day
unless indicated by an email or on the paper.
Homework Policy

Each month your child will get 1 free
homework pass.
– 1 missed assignment per month: Use of
homework pass
– 2+ missed assignments per month: Loss of
recess.
Home Folders
Please check your child’s home folder
each night. Any homework dittos will be
found in their homework folder.
 Please have your child empty out the
leave at home side of their folder each
night.
 Papers and notes that need to be give
to me should be put into the bring back
to school side of the folder.

Grades
Earned when a student has put forth their
best effort to reach their potential.
Assignment is student’s neatest work and
100% correct.
Earned when most of the work is
completely correct and the student has
put forth a good effort.
Incomplete or rushed work.
Corrected Papers

Please review corrected papers that are
found in your child’s home folder.
 Review errors on the paper with your child.
 At times you will see the word “fix” on the
paper. Please fix the mistake and return.
 TA – If your child’s paper has a TA on the top
it stands for Teacher Assisted. It is important
to review this paper and review the concept
with your child.
Report Cards
The first marking period you will receive
a paper report card during conferences
in November.
 2nd, 3rd and 4th marking period report
cards will be online. To access you
need to log into Power School.

Sample Report Card
Monthly Report

At the end of each
month I will post a
summary of the
learning that took
place in first grade
on my website.
Mrs. Testa's Website
Specials
Monday – Music
Tuesday – PE and FLES
Wednesday – Sing Along and Library
Thursday – Art
Friday – PE
•Sneakers with closed backs must be worn! No Clogs!
Programs In The
Classroom
Mystery Reader
Each Friday a “mystery reader” will
come to read the class.
 Pointers

– Please do not tell your child that you are the mystery reader.
The surprise is so much fun!
– Some mystery readers like to dress up like characters in the
story.
Snack
Each day students should bring in a small snack of
fruits, vegetables, plain pretzels, or crackers in their
lunch box or in a reusable bag. Students only have
about 5 to 8 minutes to eat snack.
Each day students should bring in a water bottle. This
bottle will be sent home at the end of the day and
should return to school the next day.
Allergies

We do not have any life threatening
allergies in this class. However, please
refrain from bring a snack with peanut
butter or tree nuts. It is Ok for students
to bring peanut butter in their lunch.
House Keeping
Birthday Bags
• On your child’s birthday, they will receive a AWR birthday
poster. This poster will be signed by their classmates. During
snack we will also celebrate your child’s special day by singing
“Happy Birthday”.
•We do not celebrate birthday treats by bringing in food.
Other birthday related items
•I discourage students discussing birthday
parties in school!
•No birthday party invitations are permitted in
school, even if you are inviting the entire class!
•Summer birthdays will be celebrated in June.
•Goody bags will not be permitted to be
distributed in class.



Owning your own books is special, and
encourages children to be enthusiastic
about reading.
The price of the books are VERY
inexpensive compared to Borders or
Barnes and Noble.
The class earns free books for our
classroom!
Safe List

The safe list is a list of three to four people
who can pick up your child from my backdoor.
i.e. relatives, neighbors, or car pool group.
You indicated these people on your yellow
contact form. Please review my list and make
any corrections.
 If someone is picking up your child, who is not
on that list, I MUST HAVE A NOTE WITH
YOUR WRITEN PERMISION!
How To Contact Mrs. Testa

Sending a note in with your child is the
best way to communicate with me.
 You can also leave a message with
the secretaries with your name and
phone number. Ask them to put it in
my mail box.
 Warning: I do not always check my
voice mail. If you left a message and I
did not get back to you in a day,
please write me a note!
 It is my goal to give your child the best
education I know how! Please let me
know if you have concern any
concerns.
Allen W. Roberts
Phone Number
(908) 464-4707
My Email Address
[email protected]
Absence Policy
• If your child is sick or going on vacation
any missed work will be given to the
student after the child returns to school.
Please make sure you contact the office
about any absence.
Volunteers Needed

Mystery Readers
 Class Parties
Room Parent Introduction
Question and Answer Session
Thank you for coming!
I look forward to having a great
school year and working hard with
you and your child.