Frequently Asked Questions: This page contains answers to common questions of students and parents.
- Should I bring my child's homework to school if it it forgotten at home?
- Does my child need to read every night?
- What time is lunch?
- When will I be able to conference with you about my child?
Should I bring my child's homework to school if it it forgotten at home?
This is a tough one.
If we always "rescue" our children instead of allowing them to learn responsibility
and accountability, we are in fact enabling them to be dependent on us instead of
becoming independent members of society. Conversely, if we allow our children
to suffer the "little loving consequences" in third grade (missing half of recess or
name in behavior book) we are helping them to see that there are consequences
to behavior. Third grade consequences are so very minor, yet such
a wonderful learning tool. When our children get into junior high and
high school, and even in the working world the consequences can be
very severe. So, instead of bringing the library books and homework
folders to school when your children have forgotten them, please help your children
to learn organizational skills such as:
1. Find a spot to always place their backpacks, like by the door you exit in the morning.
2. Help your child to always place homework back in the "GO" folder at night when finished.
3. Place the "GO" folder neatly back in the backpack before placing the backpack in its
"Ready, Set, Go" spot.
4. If all of this is routinely done at night, there will never be the mad crazy scramble in the
morning (believe me, I've been there! :) looking for stuff and being late for the bus or
school.
We give our children the lifelong gift of "learning to be independent and responsible"
when we allow them to learn through natural consequences.
Does my child need to read every night?
Yes, if you want your child to create the "habit" of reading and enjoying it you should read
with them every night. Of course, there are ways to make this more fun for both of you.
1. Some nights, the parent will read to the child, using all the feeling
one can muster for voices and expression. This makes it so much
more fun for everyone and helps your child realize how oral reading should sound.
2. Some nights, the child will read to the parent.
3. Some nights you should alternate with both readers having a
chance to entertain the other.
4. ALWAYS there should be questioning from the parent, at least one
question per page.
Questions should be like:
A. How do you think [that character] feels now?
(Encourage your child to use words other than happy, sad, and mad.)
B. Why do you think that happened?
(Encourage your child to draw conclusions and infer from the text things
that are not written in the text.)
C. Where is this story taking place?
D. Predict what will happen next. Be sure to use what you already know
about the plot and characters.
What time is lunch?
11:36-12:06 each day.
When will I be able to conference with you about my child?
You may email me anytime and I will try to answer within 24 hours, but hopefully much
sooner than that. Some days are so full and consumed with teaching that I don't get to
check my mail until my conference period or after school.
If there is a meeting or doctor appointment immediately after school I will not be able to
check until the next morning, but I will get back to you as soon as possible.
My conference time is 1:40-2:10 daily. I will be happy to meet with you then or
after school on Mondays or Wednesdays. Tuesdays and Thursdays are usually days for
staff meetings. If no meeting is scheduled I'll be happy to meet with you on those days also.