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Mrs. Fischer |
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FAQFrequently Asked Questions: This page contains answers to common questions of students and parents.
How is my child doing in school? Please call or e-mail me at fischer@upperschools.org with any specific questions, and I will get back to you as soon as I can. How can I help my child with homework? Start by helping your child to establish a consistent homework routine (ex., snack, unload backpack, homework, then tv). Please have a quiet area set aside with few distractions. Make sure that your child understands the directions. Most homework is practice of previously taught skills, and should not require you to help with every question. Please check your child's work and provide immediate positive feedback as well as correction of any errors. Also, please review the papers that your child brings home, and help them correct any major errors that have been circled. Lastly, please help your child to stay organized by putting homework right back in his/her home folder, and along with the planner, right in the backpack! How can I help my child with writing? At this age, the students are still emerging as writers, and may require some additional support. It may be helpful to have your child talk about his/her ideas with you first, and you can write out an outline or idea web on separate paper. Then your child can use this "prewriting" activity to refer to during the actual assignment. Students at this age should be starting sentences with capitals and using proper ending punctuation. Some amount of "kidspelling" or inventive spelling is appropriate, unless the word is a previously taught spelling word. Many children become overly frustrated with spelling because they want it to be perfect. Know your child's threshold and provide assistance as necessary. How can I help my child with reading? We read to gain meaning. As your child reads, pause now and then and ask what is happening, how would you feel in that situation, etc. If your child reads a word incorrectly, wait to she if he/she self-corrects. If not, ask, "Did that make sense?" and have your child reread that part. If your child gets stuck on a word, have him/her skip it momentarily, then go back and think about what makes sense. Prompts may include: think about the story, look at the picture, say the beginning sounds, look for parts of the word that you know. It is important that you show that you value reading, whether for following a recipe, reading directions, or just for pleasure. I encourage you to read to and with your child every day! What should my child be reading? Help your child find books on topics of interest. Over the years, I have found that certain books/authors remain perennial favorites, such as... DK Publishers- wide variety of non-fiction/science books Henry and Mudge series Magic Treehouse series Geronimo Stilton series A to Z Mysteries Jack Prelutsky (poetry) Shel Silverstein (poetry) Dr. Seuss books I Can Read or Step Into Reading series Secrets of Droon series American Girl series Magazines such as Ranger Rick, Nat. Geo. For Kids, or Hilights As a general rule, if your child has trouble with more than 5 words on a single page, the book is probably too challenging. Perhaps you could read a chapter aloud to your child every night. Longer stories help your child's comprehension and vocabulary skills! What if my child misses school? If your child is ill, please keep him/her home to rest. Your child can take a few days (or longer, if needed), to make up the work when feeling better. If you would like to pick up work for your child, please call the school. If you are going on vacation, please send a note to school a week ahead of time if you would like some work in advance. Otherwise, it may be completed after your child returns. It is not always possible for me to send home every bit of work your child misses. I do have the students fill in travel journals with the hilights of your trip. The students love this and look forward to reading them, so please have your child put effort into it. I would rather have make-up work done well, and handed in later, than rushed, but not meaningful! Tests will be made up after your child returns to school. I do not typically give makeups for spelling quizzes. How can I donate to the classroom? We always appreciate your donations. At any time of the year, you could send in... *Ziploc bags of all sizes *Hand sanitizing wipes *Cleaning wipes (like Chlorox or Lysol) *Purell hand sanitizer *Animal cookies, pretzels, or crackers for those who forget their snack *Craft supplies (Tacky glue, sequins, foam shapes etc.) Thanks for your generosity! How will you celebrate my child's birthday? We look forward to celebrating each child's special day. We make each child a class book, and each child gets to choose a birthday book from me. If you would like to send in a snack, please have it in to school before 12:40pm. We pass the birthday snack out at lunch. New federal guidelines require that treats passed out at school cannot have sugar as the first ingredient. Also, snacks must have no more than 6 grams of fat per serving. Please consider treats without icing- kids love fruit and cheese when they are cut into fun shapes. Or, you could always send in a non-food item. Stickers, new pencils, and small favors are always a hit. Or, perhaps donate one big gift for the class to share- hula hoops, ring toss, nerf balls, etc. Please call me or refer to Mrs. Hallsworth's website for more info. Summer birthdays will be celebrated with a special class picnic at the end of the year! Another Reminder- We are peanut-free and mustard free this year, so if you send in one of those popular soft pretzel trays, please leave out all mustard dips! Thanks for your cooperation |
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