I am always reflecting to refine my practice and improve as a teacher. These are the same skills I hope to instill in my students as they work to become life-long learners. One area I have wanted to determine a better approach is effective and frequent feedback to you, as parents, regarding your student's progress. We do have parent portal, but this does not include your student's work. Tuesday your child will bring home a packet of his or her work with the intention of parent-child reflection. While the packet includes ALL subject areas, my goal for the future is to send one reflection per week home to keep you updated. The student work is clearly aligned to the third grade objectives on the reflection so you have an understanding of just what we are working towards and looking for with each assignment. Please feel free to give me your feedback with this new process so I can continue to refine my communication with you.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Follin
PS: Below is a copy of the explanation and reflection that will come home Tuesday attached to your student's work. This is just to give you a heads-up for what is to come.
Student Work- Parent-Child Reflection
Dear Parents,
As we continue to work towards meeting and exceeding third
grade, grade-level expectations, I’d like you to take a minute to reflect with
your child. While we work diligently each day, not everything we do is
something that can come home for you to see. We do many activities together and
also on whiteboards or orally. There is information below as well as attached
so that you can review and discuss it with your child. Please sign and return this form by Thursday,
Jan. 23rd.
Math Multiplication
Facts
While the goal is to memorize all facts through the 12’s, we
only formally assessed some at this time. I have broken the ones being assessed
into two groups.
Verbal Assessment with Mrs. Follin on:
1’s, 2’s, 5’s, 10’s, 11’s
3’s,
4’s
__________________ ___________________
2 digit x 1 digit multiplication problems are attached as
well as time/elapsed time quick checks. I have noticed that many careless
errors arise when the questions relate to content that students have mastered,
such as time. We are working on reading directions carefully and making sure to
answer what is asked. This assessment will give you a quick glimpse into how
your child is doing in these areas.
Teacher Comments:
Student/Parent Comment:
Writing Prompt
Students completed a prompt on the topic “My Road Not
Taken”. Students could choose however they wanted to address this topic. The
topic does bring varying levels of depth as one looks into the message. The
depth of understanding the topic was not assessed. However, it was used as a
reflection of 2013. Before break, students and I worked to create “norms” that
we all expect in our writing at this point in third grade. These are listed in
with the reflection for you to discuss with your child. Our strong focus has been adding detail or
elaborating in our writing. Students did much work with sensory words as well
(while looking into parts of speech such as adjectives). Please use the writing
reflection questions attached to discuss the piece of attached writing with
your child.
Social Studies and
Language Arts
As we study Greece and Rome, we have focused on non-fiction
text and skills associated with non-fiction writing. We started with our
research journey writing “notefacts” on Greece and sorted them onto class
posters by questions the students created. For Rome we moved into a more
independent method as each student had a research booklet. We started by doing
it altogether and as students gained independence with the process they worked
with a partner and finally independently (this is part of the gradual release
method). Each page is marked to show you how it was completed (with the class-
this means teacher led, with a partner, or alone). Please reflect on your
student’s progress with research and the skills involved. Students brainstormed
questions they had before beginning. They then used the last two pages of their
research booklet to write their own questions (with the prior pages being
questions focusing on the 3rd grade objectives). One personal question
was required, while there was room for one more. Another piece to this puzzle
was using electronic resources with a search engine such as Google. We spent a
lot of time modeling and discussing what goes in the search box and how to find
a good source. We linked good keyword searches to their knowledge of
non-fiction text features. However you would search in a book is how you would
put it into a Google search. While appropriate Google searches are not a third
grade objective, they are the natural progression of where our students are
headed. I also strive to see where they are and provide them with the tools
necessary for success. Plus, in today’s world the reality is the internet
drives much of their and our research.
Third Grade Language Arts Objectives we focused on:
·
Determine important information from a
non-fiction text
·
Ask and answer questions about what is read
·
Summarize major points in non-fiction text
·
Identify main-idea in a non-fiction text
·
Identify new information gained from reading
·
Identify appropriate resources
·
Use information from encyclopedias and other
reference materials*
·
Know the difference between plagiarism and using
own words*
*Not formally assessed for report cards until 3rd
quarter
Please sign that you have reviewed your child’s research
packet.
X__________________________
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I would like to schedule a conference
at this time to discuss my student’s work:
Circle one: Yes
No
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This will be attached to your students piece of writing-----
Writing prompt reflection questions to answer with your
child:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For the student to write answers that you discuss together:
1) How do you feel you do with the norms?
Norms include (all are 3rd Grade objectives):
·
Paragraph on the same topic
·
Complete sentences
·
Correct spelling of frequent sight words
·
Proper capitalization
·
Proper punctuation
·
A, an and the used correctly
·
Indent a new paragraph
Circle one: 5
(highest) 4 3 2 1 (lowest)
If you circled 4, 3, 2, and 1, name ONE norm you need to
focus on:
2) How would you rate your topic sentence? Was it clear and “catching”
for your audience?
Circle one: 5
(highest) 4 3 2 1 (lowest)
If you need to modify it, how could you re-write it? (Your
parents may help J .)
3) How do you feel you did using details to elaborate on
your ideas?
Circle one: 5
(highest) 4 3 2 1 (lowest)
If you circled 4, 3, 2, or 1, choose one sentence from your
paper and re-write it below making sure to add more detail. (Your parents may
help J .)
For the parent to write answers:
Looking at your child’s paper, what do you see as his or her
strengths?
Looking at your child’s paper, where would you like to see
your child focus in third quarter to bring about growth?
If you had to rate your child on his or her love for
writing, what would give him/her?
Circle one: 5
(highest) 4 3 2 1 (lowest)
My reason for this score:
A note to the parents about pre-writing:
While we check to see that students USE a pre-writing
strategy, it has become evident that some students find this as a hindrance to
their writing process. I am working with students on a case-by-case basis. If
their writing is organized, sequential and flows without the pre-writing and
they do not want to use it, I do not require them to use this (even though they
need to know what it is). However, if these are areas where we need to focus
because they are still developing their proficiency or just beginning, a
pre-writing strategy is a natural step to help them make a plan before beginning.
It will only aid in their development.
Teacher comment about your child’s pre-writing:
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