Room 3 Class Routines

This is a copy of the newsletter that was sent home in Week 2 before the 'Meet the Teacher' evening.


Dear Parents/Caregivers

Welcome to 2011. Your child has made a wonderful start and I am looking forward to working with you and them this year. This year I am encouraging the children to be more independent in their routines. I hope that the information on this handout will provide you with an insight so that you can encourage them whenever possible.
A reminder that school starts at 8.55am, but the children need to be at here 8.45am, at the latest so they can organise their belongings and be ready to start school when the bell goes. Thank you for having your child’s equipment and stationery organised to start the term with.

TERM ONE
This term we will be concentrating on establishing classroom routines, literacy and numeracy, and setting our personal goals. In addition to these, we have swimming and the Keeping Ourselves Safe programme.

Reading – Instructional lessons are Monday through to Thursday. Some children may read with another teacher in another class. Each day the children will bring reading home. The text that your child brings home may be the book they have read that day in an instructional reading session, or a book of their own choosing from their browsing basket. Generally it is desired that the book be reasonably easy in order to encourage “smooth reading” but your child may need assistance with new vocabulary. Smooth reading is when the reading is fluent, sounds like normal talking and has some expression. Your child will bring home a poem on Friday that you can read together. It is important that your child works on their reading skills as this develops self-confidence and ensures success in many curriculum areas. They will bring a yellow reading log home each night. Please sign this to provide me with an indication that reading is being done at home. This book may be used as a form of communication between home and school if you wish.

Religious Education – The children have an exercise book that will have sheets glued into it. It may come home from time to time. Please could these be returned to school each day, even if the activity has not been completed.

Maths – Please practise counting forwards and backwards in 1’s and 2’s up to 20. As your child becomes more confident and accurate, then extend this counting to include 5’s and 10’s up to 100; basic facts to include all the addition and subtraction sums for 5, 10 and 20.

Spelling – Children in Room 3 are given spelling words to learn from the SMART words programme. A new list is given to the children on Monday and tested on Friday. Because the words are in family groups the learning of these words may be easier once your child has learnt the rule. A guide to the teaching of spelling will be glued into the back of your child’s spelling notebook.

Library - Information regarding library times will be sent home when our new library is set up.

Drink bottles – The children are encouraged to have a plastic bottle of water in the classroom to drink from during the course of the day.

Clothing - All clothing must be named.

Shoelaces - It is great that some children in Room 3 are able to tie their own shoelaces. This is a valuable life skill that gives the children independence and self-confidence. It would benefit your child if someone at home could spend time assisting them to develop this skill.

Uniform – The children must leave at the end of the day in their uniforms, including shoes. During the day, girls may remove their tunics if they have shorts underneath but must put them back on at the end of the day. Please ensure that girls come to school with their hair tied back off their faces.

Sport – Please ensure that your child wears their sports uniform to and from school each Thursday and Friday as s/he will be involved in PE/Sports activities.

Absences/appointments – Please inform school (note, email or phone call) if your child is absent or has an appointment that requires them to leave school early. This will ensure that I have them ready for you to collect.

Classroom Blog – We have a class blog in Room 3. It will be used as a diary of things that we are doing at school and can be accessed through a web address.
It will include:
• Photographs of the children participating in classroom/school activities
• Examples of children’s writing and other work
• Things that we are learning
Only children’s first names will be used on the blog and no names will be attached to a photograph. You will be able to write/post comments to the children. Every comment that is posted onto our blog will be checked, before they are uploaded. Please let me know if you do not want your child’s photo or work to be put onto the blog.
Our blog address is: http://room3shsinv.blogspot.com/

Communication Tree – This year I would like to start an email tree to ensure that communication between school and home is strong. I will email you with any relevant messages relating to your child and class activities. Copies of notices/messages will also be sent home in your child’s home folder as required. I am free to discuss any matter before or after school but from 8.40am I would like to be in the classroom for the children so please ensure that you phone or email me for an appointment.


Thank you