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Hot Happenings in Room 39!
Welcome
to Second Grade!!!! Are you ready for a
fun-filled year of exciting learning? As
you can tell, I am very enthusiastic about our year. Second grade is a glorious time of your child’s life. Second graders come to school semi-independent – capable of writing a
little, reading a little and talking a lot. They are interested in a wide variety of subject matter and are eager to
learn. They are searching for
social acceptance and friends to begin to play an important part of their school
life. School attendance is high due
possibly to the fact that they are healthier and don’t want to miss out on
anything!! Their personal social
relations deepen at home, on the playground, and in the classroom, frequently
becoming very fond of their teacher. They
are conscious of the school as a group to which they belong. Second graders are capable and like to do things for themselves, parents,
and teachers, if the tasks do not hold them for too long. They do like to please and are courageous creatures who verbalize their
fears. They need some encouragement but are willing to tackle and
usually accomplish the feat in question if it is within their powers. They come to school in various sizes, shapes, and ability levels, but are
universally genuine, open and caring individuals.
Meet
Mrs. Fisher
I began my teaching career at Epiphany teaching 3rd
grade. Then I taught 2nd grade at Brigham Elementary for 5 years. I
have been at Prairieland teaching 2nd grade since it opened in 1999-2000.
I am very proud and happy to say that I am a part of this wonderful school. I graduated from Bloomington High
School where I had the unique experience of having my father as a teacher and a
coach. My mother is also a retired teacher from Bloomington High School,
but I wasn’t lucky enough to have her for a teacher. She enjoys watching
2 of my 3 children, while I have fun at school.
My oldest daughter attends Grove Elementary. I have a brother, who is a
principal at Delevan. My husband, Mr.
Fisher, is also a teacher. He
teaches adaptive P.E. at Prairieland and Grove. I think it is pretty obvious that teaching is literally in my
“blood”. I graduated from
Illinois State University and received my master’s degree in Administration.
Important
Things To Know About Mrs. Fisher's Class!
Birthdays
We celebrate Happy Birthdays, Hawaiian
style. The birthday star wears a grass skirt and lei and we sing in
a very fun way. If
you are bringing treats for your child’s birthday, you can send them with your
child, bring them in before school or call me and set up a time to come in with
them. All of the children will receive a special birthday certificate, sticker,
bookmark, and pencil. You are
always welcomed to join us for the celebration. If your child has a summer birthday, we can celebrate it on their ˝
birthday. All the children will be leading the school in the Pledge of the
Allegiance on their birthday.
Book
Bags
Your child should bring a
book bag with them to school every day. Usually,
all completed papers that are not kept at school, will come home on Friday or
the last day of the week, if there is not school on Friday. Occasionally, it may be necessary to send home notes or papers during the
middle of the week. Homework will
be collected each day (Tuesday-Friday). Your
child should try to keep a pocket folder for homework in their bags.
Classroom
Management System
Prairieland has
implemented a school-wide discipline system (located in the Prairieland
Parent/Student Handbook that you should have received at registration) that will
be enforced everywhere during their school day. I will be incorporating that discipline system into our classroom,
focusing on using it to create a positive learning environment that encourages
positive attitudes and behaviors. The
children will learn how to handle conflicts and appreciate and learn how to
respect one another. They will also
be responsible for their actions. I
will try to send something filled out by your child when he/she receives a check
from a teacher so you are aware of it immediately. Please read this over with your child, sign it, and return it the next
day.
Classroom Store
Your child has the opportunity to earn and lose tally
marks which turn into tickets that can be used at the Classroom Store.
Mrs. Halsey and our class open the Classroom Store periodically to motivate the
children to be responsible, be respectful and to be ready! The children
love to shop and earn tickets to purchase many different items. If you
have any old toys, leftover party favors, etc. that you would like to donate,
please send them to school. We also have the opportunity for the children
to earn lunch in the classroom, extra recess, trips to the sensory room, etc.
This is very motivating to the children! Thanks to those parent volunteers
that come in to help run our store.
Communication
Communication is very
important and I will try to keep you informed of all the major happenings
throughout the year. Please feel
free to contact me anytime at school (888-6838) or at home (451-8955). I will also be sending home a Communication Log in your child’s
homework folder where you can write to me if you have any comments, concerns, or
questions. Every month, there will be a classroom newsletter that will be
sent home updating you on the important events that have taken place in our
learning environment. I
try to write the newsletter in a way that will allow you to initiate a
conversation with your child. This
is a great way for your child to review and discuss their learning experiences
at school. This newsletter will
help you by offering key questions to ask your child and to give you some
insight on the topics and activities that we are learning about and doing at
school. Anytime you have something
to share about any of our topics, please let me know. We
love to have guests at school!!!
Friday
Folder/Homework Folder
Every day your child
should be bringing a pocket folder to school with their name on the outside as a
Homework Folder. This should be
only one folder. In their folder
there will be a Parent/Student Communication Log where you or your child can
feel free to comment on their work or write me a note about any questions or
concerns that you or your child may have. On
Monday, there should also be a Homework Schedule in their folder, so you can
plan ahead for the week. Along with
that, your child’s spelling list should come home on Monday. Please look for these items. Every other week, there will be a newsletter coming home. Please encourage your child to take responsibility for bringing the
Friday Folder/Homework Folder to and from school safely every day. I would encourage you to set up a routine for them to follow. My
philosophy of learning for children does not require a great amount of “busy
work” or otherwise known as “worksheets”. Please do not expect a lot of papers coming home. If you want to see their work, please stop in at school. If your child’s Homework Folder gets destroyed, I can very easily make
them a new label for a new folder.
Grading
System
The following grading
system is used in Second Grade:
3 (Masters
Expectations)
2 (Progressing at
Expectations)
1 (Improvement
Needed) is the grading scale.
When I look at grading, I focus on your child’s individual growth and
how that growth correlates to our goals and objectives for Second Grade. I try to focus on their effort to try to build their self-confidence to
feel secure enough to take risks.
Homework
Your
child will need a pocket folder for their Homework/Friday Folder. Every Monday, I will give your child a typed Homework Schedule for the
entire week. They are responsible
for bringing their assignment back to school on a daily basis. This is where it would be a great idea to have a certain routine. Because we work extremely hard in school, our homework activity should
only take about 20-25 minutes. Please stop your child after they have spent this amount of time. If they want to continue, please let them go, but if they are
frustrated, please have them stop. Your
child will have a list of Journal Ideas to choose from along with having the
option to write for Flying Horse. Flying Horse is a writing competition
through the local newspaper, The Pantagraph. Having these
options, allows them to become more motivated to do the homework. Usually, these homework tasks are very open-ended and I would
encourage you to challenge your child at their level to be creative. There will be nights where your child should be reading at home by
himself or herself, to someone, or even something (pets and stuffed animals make
great listeners). They will be bringing their reading book home with the
story that needs to be read noted on the homework schedule. Please sign
their homework sheet indicating that they have done the reading.
Library
Books
Please
have your child return all of their library books by the day they are due so that they can
check out new ones. This should be
your child’s responsibility. I
encourage you to have a routine setup for caring for their library books so that
they are not misplaced.
Lunch
Our lunch is from 12:00-12:50. We go to lunch
with the 4th graders. They have recess following their lunch.
Prairieland’s hot lunch is cooked right at our school. If you would like
to eat with your child at school or take them out to eat, please send a note.
You may do this at anytime!!! If your child likes to eat cold lunch, a
great suggestion is to slip a little note from you into their lunch for them to
read while they are eating. It really puts a big smile on their face.
Lunches are $1.60 for students and $2.10 for adults.
Lunch
Recess
Our lunch recess is
immediately after the children are done eating. They will be going outside unless the weather does not permit it. They will rotate between going to the gym and playing games in their
classroom when going outside is not an option. If
your child needs to stay inside because of an illness, injury, allergies, etc.
please send a written note. I will
only keep them in for 3 days without a doctor’s written note.
Meeting
Individual Needs
I am dedicated to working
with your child to meet his/her individual needs throughout the year. I really focus on maintaining and/or improving their self-esteem. I am dedicated to consistently keeping them challenged. I will help them through their frustrations and motivate them to attack
new challenges. I have extension
activities and centers set up at all times throughout the year. These activities are offered to all the children. If you ever have any concerns or questions about this, please do not
hesitate to call me for a conference.
Parent
Volunteers
As I have stated earlier,
I like to engage children in their learning. Being actively involved in their learning allows for more motivation,
connection, growth, and fun!!! To
have this active environment, parent or grandparent volunteers would be very
helpful. I will be asking more
specifically at our Open House. Please
keep in mind that you are always welcome to join us at anytime. We
love to have extra hands!!!!!!
Portfolios
Your child will have a
portfolio that will consist of their BEST work,
special activities, important work, creative poems, etc. The children will be keeping the majority of their work here at school. As I have stated previously, I like to engage the children in their
learning through “hands-on” activities. Please do not expect a lot of “paper” to come home. However, this does not mean that we are not working hard and learning new
things. Please utilize the
newsletters to communicate with your child about their learning. They will be taking these portfolios home
at the end of the first semester and at the end of the
year as well. Each child will also
have an Assessment book this year. I
will be sharing their growth in this with you throughout the year.
Report
Cards / Progress Reports
Report cards are sent home
3 times a year (every 12 weeks). Progress reports are sent home in the middle of
every twelve weeks to communicate your child’s progress.
Snacks
Healthy snacks are always welcomed in Second grade!!!!
Please provide an individual snack for your child each day. If it
is easier to bring a box of something, we can store it here until they are
finished with it. Anytime you would like to provide a snack for the class, feel
free to do so. Please send a peanut-free snack in for your child to enjoy.
I have a container in the room to store a box or bag of something if you would
like to do that instead of sending each day. I do have extras if needed.
Special
Events Outside of School
I truly enjoy being a part
of your child’s life. If they are
in any special events (piano recitals, soccer games, gymnastics, swimming,
baseball games, basketball games, performances, etc.) outside of school, please
let me know. I will make every
effort to be there!!!!
Water
Bottles
Your
child may keep a water bottle on their desk throughout the year. I have explained to the children that they are not to play with them. If this is a problem, the water bottle will be sent home with a note and
will not be allowed to come back to school.
Exciting
Events in Second Grade!!!
Author’s
Chair
We have a special chair in
our room that is used only for reading stories. These stories can be made by the children, a library book, a book from
home, or a poetry book. Periodically,
throughout the year, there will be a calendar sent home attached to their
Homework Sheet that will tell you when it is your child’s responsibility to
read a story in our special chair to the rest of the class. This book should be practiced at home and your child should feel
comfortable reading it. It should
not take them more than 10 minutes to read the book.
Our
Family Album
This is an album that will
be put together throughout the year representing our class-family. One week (around Valentine’s Day) we will set aside our regular
homework schedule and create our class-family album. Once it is created, the children will be allowed to take it home on a
rotating basis. If it comes home,
take the time to share it as your family celebrates
the differences that make our class-family unique. This is a great way to integrate our class and appreciate and respect our
differences within the individual family units. When it comes to your house,
your child may skip their homework for one night. Please try to have it back the next day.
Field
Trips
We will be taking a least
one field trip if not two this year. Parent
volunteers will be a wonderful addition to our field trip. I will ask for volunteers closer to the actual date of the field trip.
Guided
Reading
Prairieland has received a
grant allowing us to purchase books, manipulatives, and other items to
participate in an exciting way to become better readers. The children will
all be evaluated at the beginning of the year and then put into flexible groups.
The groups may change throughout the year. The children will be reading
books 2 times a week with the entire 2nd grade and once a week for our class for
about 30 minutes each
time that are at their reading level. The
children will know 90% of the words. Basically, this approach relies on teaching the children many
strategies or “tools” to use to become successful and fluent readers. As their confidence builds, so will their reading ability. The children will be trying to successfully read the 10% of the unknown
words to them by using these strategies or “tools”. During this time, the children will be also learning skills, working on
their comprehension, and doing extensions. You will see your child dive into reading, enjoy it (if they don’t
already), and see their confidence increase through this program. During
2nd grade Guided Reading the children are intermixed and are working on 4
different stations throughout the rotation and working in a small Guided Reading
group once each day. Come visit if you'd like to see this in action!
Math
We are using the Everyday Math Series. Prairieland has adopted it school-wide. I have
enjoyed using it and I am very excited to see your child gain number sense and
become mathematicians. Your child will be
getting a very in-depth experience in math this year. Instead of touching
on a lot of topics briefly, this series creates problem-solvers by engaging them
in very real-life, practical situations. We also will be engaging in math games.
Math
Sundaes
Towards the end of the
year, we have a motivational program to help us remember our basic addition and
subtraction facts. I do not believe
in the traditional timed test because I feel that it can be a very stressful and
detrimental to your child’s self-esteem. I have added a different twist to this concept. I focus on the progress of them learning the facts. They can take as much time as they want and then they have to
try to beat their time without missing more than 1. This focuses on accuracy and quality instead of speed. To get ready for this, please try to practice their addition and
subtraction facts throughout the year. We
will be learning and reviewing strategies to help us learn them in the beginning
of the year. Please try to reinforce this throughout the year.
Spelling
Spelling is done on an
individualized level. We are going
to be doing spelling in a workshop/hands-on approach. I do not want your child stressing out about memorizing their words and
then forget them a week later. I
also do not want them to be bored with their words. My
goal is to have them master words and use them in their independent writing. We will be pairing your child up with an intermediate buddy, who will be
reviewing their words with them and giving them their test each week. This helps to take away the anxiety of a class spelling test. The spelling test will be on Friday usually, and they are
expected to study their words at home throughout the week and especially on
Thursday nights. Your child needs to choose one activity from the list of
suggested Spelling activities that have been sent home.
Star
Student
I will be sending home a note letting you know when it
is your child’s week. When it is their week, they will need to bring in a
bag that is special to them somehow, and 4-6 items that are also special to them. Please try not to send all toys. I
would like to see family pictures, trophies, or other sentimental items. Pets are welcomed, but please call me ahead of time to arrange a good
time. During that week, your child
will not have to do their regular homework. Instead, they need to work on their Star Student Poster. They need to bring the items in their special bag to school and Star
Student Poster on Friday of their week. All
the children will listen to your child discuss and explain their items and then
we will be making a class-book based on the information they learned about your
child. Your child will get to take
this book home to share with the family, and then it can be added to your home
library. Your child may bring in a star student treat to share with the class. This is completely up to your family.
Weekend
News
At
the beginning of each week the children will be writing in their Weekend News
notebook about their weekend. This is a great way to see their writing
development throughout the year. It also gives the children a chance to go back
and reflect on their year.
In
Conclusion…
There are sooooo…. many exciting events that will be
happening in our class this year. Every other week the newsletter will
help update you!!! Please try to have your child communicate to you what
they have learned. Reflection is a key ingredient in the learning process.
Please feel free to come to school anytime. We can always use the extra
hands. We will be having big Thematic Units that are integrated, hands-on,
and enjoyable activities such as Chocolate Fun, a
Pancake Breakfast, a Mexican Fiesta, and many, many more. I will try to give you plenty of notice in case you would
like to join us in our fun. We will be learning about other countries and continents. If you have any
information (pictures, videos, artifacts, postcards, etc.) from other countries,
please let me know. I am very
excited about the fun learning that will take place in the year ahead of us. If you ever have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to
call me, either at school (888-6838) or home (451-8955). My e-mail address is
fishers@unit5.org. I try to check it throughout the day, but please give me 24 hours to
respond just to make sure. I appreciate your support and hope to keep you
informed throughout the year. Together we can make this a fun-filled year of learning!!!!
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