Information About Ms. Heggem’s Classroom Practices
Parents as Teachers
First and foremost, I want you to know that as parents or guardians of your
child, you were your child's first teacher. He or she is a true reflection of
you, and you are his or hers first, and most important role model. You know
more about your child than I will ever know and this knowledge is very
valuable. I hope that you will share with me what strengths you see in your
child or areas in which you know that he or she struggles.
Now that your child has entered second grade, your role as a teacher does not
end. Your child will always look to you for support and validation. A
supportive environment is very important for student success. Please help your
child have a successful year by showing enthusiasm and interest in what is
happening at school. If you show that you value education, your child will
value education! I ask for your help in creating a successful school
experience by encouraging your child to do their homework, making time to read
together daily, and by getting your child to school everyday, on time. We are
partners in our common goal to help your child!
Attendance
I expect each student to come to school each day. If an absence is
unavoidable, the school requires that you contact them on the day of the
absence. In my classroom, important skills are introduced and revisited daily.
It is vital that the students be present for maximum success! Activities
usually must be completed in class with classroom materials so sending make-up
work home is difficult. Please talk to me if you are aware of an upcoming
absence, and we'll make arrangements at that time.
Having your child at school on time is extremely important as well. Learning
begins at the sound of the bell! If a student is chronically late, he or she
misses important information and the child's learning is compromised. Please
make your best effort to have your child to school on time each day. Please
avoid withdrawing your child early as well, as we are learning until the last
bell. All appointments should be made after school hours if possible.
Centers
Centers are one way I judge a student’s ability to work independently. In
the course of the day, the students will engage in centers that deal with
literacy, science, math, and writing. I believe in the hands-on approach for
teaching children. Students learn most by doing. Centers will review material
already introduced in the classroom. They allow for repetition of skills,
learning to work independently and working with a peer group. The students
will complete one center each day. At the end of the week, the student will
have completed four different activities cross curriculum. I will collect
their work and assess their ability to work independently. I will look for
accuracy as well as quality in their work.
Homework
Each Monday, I will send home a homework packet for the students to complete.
Each student has a full week to complete the pages. How and when he or she
completes it, is up to you and your child. The homework packet is due each
Friday. A new packet will be sent home the following Monday. If the student
completes their homework early, they are welcome to turn it in before Friday.
I do not recommend a child complete their homework in just a couple days. I
encourage you and your child to come up with a pacing system. Aside from
reading, your child should not have more than 20 minutes of homework a night.
They will not receive the next packet until Monday. Please allow your child to
complete their homework on their own. Helping and working with your child is
strongly encouraged but the child must complete the homework on their own if
they are going to learn. Doing homework is practicing skills that are being
taught in the classroom. Practice is necessary for improvement and eventually
mastery. Practice! Practice! Practice! If your child is absent on Monday, they
will receive the packet on Tuesday. However, they are expected to make up any
work they miss. If your child is going to be absent on Friday, they will be
expected to turn in their completed packet on Thursday. I believe in student
accountability and teaching responsibility!
Homework Policy
Each child will receive weekly homework consisting of:
Nightly Reading: 20-30 minutes each night. Reading Log checked daily.
Fundations Worksheet/Punctuation Worksheet
Math Worksheet
Writing: Record books on Reading Log each night
Nightly Reading and Reading Log
Your child will have a spiral for their Nightly Reading Log. On the inside
cover I will staple the format of the entries I would like your child to
follow. Your child should read alone or with someone for 20 minutes a night.
After they finish reading, please have them fill out their entry in their
journal, following the format I have provided. They may need guidance at the
beginning of the year. Each day I will check the reading logs so please make
sure your child brings their notebook to school each day. Some children choose
to tuck the spiral into their communication notebook.
Agendas
Your child will bring an Agenda home from school each day along with their
Reading Log. The inside plastic pocket needs to be checked daily. I will be
sending home notes and information in this pocket. Any papers that need to be
signed or returned will be found there. On the actual date inside the pages of
the Agenda, students will practice their handwriting by writing you a message
of what happened that day at school and perhaps a message concerning the next
day. Please check both the front plastic pocket and the actual date inside
daily for information concerning your child. Any notes you need to send to me,
please put them in your child’s Agenda pocket. This Agenda is our
communication notebook.
Behavior
Some parents are used to daily behavior reports. I will be handling behavior
issues within the classroom. The students will receive a series of warnings
with consequences. One of the final consequences will be parent notification
of the behavior. Hopefully, students will not reach that level. I will not be
sending home daily or weekly reports unless it becomes apparent that it’s
needed. No news is good news in my room! I will communicate all issues on a
needed basis. Basically, my expectation is that second grade students follow
the rules of the classroom because it is their responsibility to respect our
classroom community and our learning environment.