Homework FAQ

Here are some common questions you might be having. Every teacher is a little different. If you ever have questions please give me a call or email. However, this might clear up any confusion you have related to homework.

Why doesn't my child have much homework this year?
I really believe strongly that children need down time as much as they need challenges. It is important to me that students work hard while at school. I understand that sometimes a worksheet or practice page is helpful to parents when they want to see exactly what their child is working on. However, I find that often this just creates busy work for students who already "get it" and confusion for those who are struggling. I will occasionally send a worksheet but more regularly I will send a game for practice with a skill. I hope this makes sense. For more information on homework, click on the tab labeled Homework Information at the top of this page.

How many minutes should my child be reading a night? Do I need to sign the bookmark?
Reading every day can really give your child an edge on accelerating not just their reading level but their confidence. I recommend that students read 80 or more minutes a week. That could be ten minutes one day, 30 minutes another day and so on depending on your schedule. As far as signing the bookmark, if you would like to get in the habit of signing it, this will likely be required in fourth grade. I will not be penalizing students that come to school without a signature. I will be having conversations with students if it looks like they are not reading at home regularly.

What is my child doing in math?
You can always check your child's planner to see what we have been learning in math workshop each day.

I see on the Homework Information tab it says 30-60 minutes of math practice a week. What types of things should my child practice?
I will occasionally send home a worksheet or activity. More often I will send a game or instructions for a game that can be practiced over and over. Other games that you have at home might be a good option as well. TenMarks is also an option for your child. Login information is in the planner.

If my child is struggling to do work at home, what should I do?
If your child is struggling to read his/her book or having difficulty completing a task, please let me know. I'm happy to help figure out if it is a problem with the skill or task.

Should I be signing the planner every night?
In fourth grade signing the planner every night will likely be expected. If you want to practice getting in the routine now you can sign it every night. I will not be checking for signatures. However, if you want to jot a note to me it is a good place to communicate, (as long as your child lets me know).

Will there be spelling tests?
Yes, we will begin spelling tests soon (in October). You can take a look at this newsletter for ideas when practicing the words for the week/month. If you ever need a new list just let me know!

Highlights from the Week!

I hope the first few weeks of school have been a success for all! Students have been working really hard to be independent, persevere, and take responsibility.

Picture Day is September 27th 

Don't forget to peek at the snack calendars. They are located at the top of this page if you click "Snack Information" and scroll down. Images of the snack calendar are near the bottom. If you click the image, it will enlarge for you to read. Thanks for being great snack helpers this week!

Next Week's Snack Helpers:
Monday--Emmalee

Tuesday--Maddison

Wednesday--Kristen

Thursday--Tristan

Friday--Sydney

Writing

This week students wrote a letter to a "future student" about a time they struggled and how they got through the difficulty. We also worked in our notebooks and tried out some exercises related to including details in our personal narrative stories. Last week, we took a little trip to the playground to work on writing with sensory details!  

Reading

Reading habits and attitudes can make or break a reading life. Students are learning to notice the good and the bad. We talked about setting goals and working through distraction when reading. I am in the process of assessing reading levels so students can make good choices as well as a variety of choices when choosing books. It's important for students to challenge themselves when reading but it is also important for students to read for enjoyment. Don't we all like reading about topics we enjoy? Please continue to encourage your child to read at home and have a "balanced diet" of reading options.

Math

We continue to work on multiple strategies for solving multiplication problems. Next week we will begin to look at division strategies. I hope you received the information about the upcoming Math Night where families can learn how to help their child with some fun and games mixed in!

Word Work

This week students received a list of 14 sight words that we will be working to master over the next two weeks. Each month students will get a list of words, some sight words and some with unique spelling patterns that match their current spelling level. We will begin having weekly spelling tests in early October. Students will be asked to spell a random selection of words from the list as well as write a sentence or two (which I will dictate) to demonstrate their understanding of word usage and punctuation. 

I would encourage students to practice using and spelling the words from their list at home. Here are some ideas:

• Search for words from the list in their current book of choice.
• Write the letters of the word on a strip of paper, cut it apart, mix, then put it back together.
• Write the words with a white crayon and watercolor paint over the words to reveal the letters.
• Build the words with magnetic letters or form the letters with small toys or objects like legos and pennies. 
• Cut the letters out of magazines to spell the words.
• Spell the words while doing jumping jacks or leaps.
• Do a practice test!

Student Council

Wow, we had a lot of students interested in running for our class student council representatives. Several students wrote speeches explaining their character traits and qualities. It was wonderful to listen to each of them bravely get up in front of the class. Students voted and the winners were...

Rayden and Sydney 

Shout Outs and Working Together

Has your child told you about our Shout Out board? Students write a compliment about another student and post it on the board. 

Working together has kind of become our thing. :)

Carnival Basket Time!

We will be starting to collect carnival basket donations next week! If anyone is available to wrap up our basket on or before Thursday, October 20th that would be wonderful.
The class and I brainstormed ideas and I chose, shockingly, the "Teacher Survival Kit" basket idea.
If you are able to send items in before October 15th that would be really helpful. Thank you so much.

Here is a list of what every teacher needs:

Coffee (K-cups or a fun package of ground coffee beans)
Coffee Mug (Travel or Regular)
Tea
Motrin (or other pain reliever)
Dayquil (or other daytime de-congestant)
Bandaids
Pens
Notebook
Neck warmer
CHOCOLATE
High-Quality Stapler
High Quality Staples
Gift Cards:
(Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Subway,
Willow Tree, Tim's Pizza, Bigby, Starbucks)
Hand Sanitizer
Paper Clips
Post-it Notes
Water Bottle
Sharpies
Tide to Go Stain Pen
Lint Roller
Wisp Mini-Travel Toothbrushes
Mints
Hand Lotion

Have a Great Weekend!

Our First Week as a TEAM!

WHOOSH! There Went the Week!

I hope your child had a fabulous week! Above anything else, as their teacher, it is my passion and mission to create thinkers. No matter what your child's strength, I want each child to feel valued and important in our classroom. We talked A LOT, about what a growth mindset is and what it means. I hope your child has been educating you on this idea.

The Blog

This website will be your window into our classroom. We also have a Twitter handle, check us out on Twitter @hubbheadlines. I will begin tweeting some of our weekly accomplishments next week. If you are not on Twitter, don't worry, you will find all the information you need here at Hubbard's Headlines.

Internet

If you do not have access to the internet and worry you might miss something, I am happy to send a paper copy of our bi-weekly post to you on Friday. Please indicate, on the paper flyer sent home today in the STAR Binder, that you would like a paper copy of the newsletter and I will be sure to send it your way.

Paparazzi 

This blog is public! Prior to the school year beginning, I indicated to you that I share information with other teachers on blogs and Twitter. If you chose to agree to the terms on the form, you will see photos and information (only positive) about your child online. If you have changed your mind or have concerns, please let me know! Your input is important to me but I don't know unless you touch base with me. Please remember you can contact me at hubbarb@olivetschools.org or by phone 749-4611.

Snack Info

All snack information and snack calendars are posted here on the blog. To find them, look near the top of the page and click SNACK INFORMATION. It will take you to the snack calendars and policies for our class. Due to significant allergies within our classroom, I WILL NOT allow students to bring food in the classroom that does not have proper ingredients listed. YES, that means, students who bring in baggies of snacks will not be allowed unless it is accompanied by an ingredient list. I realize this might be challenging, however, I know you would all agree that EVERY child's safety is of the utmost importance and no one would ever want to jeopardize that safety. Thank you so much for reviewing the policy and respecting the procedures I have put in place. As always, if you EVER have concerns or questions please ask.

The FUN Stuff

We had an awesome week! I have had a wonderful time getting to know each and every one of your children. Thank you for trusting me as their teacher. Here are some moments from the week.

Marshmallow Challenge Winning Team! 

This group built a structure from tape, string, 20 pieces of spaghetti and teamwork. Their structure was 17.5 inches high! 

What are math stems? As we learned to work together we had to discuss how to talk to each other. These are sentence starters, or stems, that helped students frame their statements and questions in a respectful and collaborative way. 

We have a MANTRA (statement or slogan repeated frequently). We will always try to "Find one Good Thing" even when it gets hard! Our growth mindset chart is also pictured.

How do we work together? We follow eight simple procedures. The chart below shows and reminds students what we need to do when working with a partner or group. Students of all ages (and even us adults) sometimes needs these reminders. Take a peek!

I hope this post was informative! Please remember, if you need a paper copy of the information listed, I need to know. I will assume if I do not hear from you, that you have access to this blog. If you have any questions, NEVER hesitate to ask me. I am more than willing to check-in and give you updates on your child's progress and general well-being. 

THANK YOU!

PICTURE DAY is SEPTEMBER 27TH