Welcome to Our Classroom (Updated 9/2012)
Elementary Classroom
The classroom belongs to the children. Elementary children are given the respect and opportunity to function autonomously in their classrooms. They invite others to visit and they regularly form small committees to achieve specific goals. We guide children toward appropriate work to help develop independence, concentration, and self-control.
Courtesy, Respect, and Common Sense are the basis for the rules regarding student behavior at J. Allen Axson Montessori. In order to ensure a safe and peaceful learning environment for all, students in our classroom are expected to follow these three basic rules at all times:
- Walk and work quietly.
- Follow directions and complete an assignment in a timely manner.
- Respect others regardless of race, creed, or color.
Arrival/Attendance
At 8:25 children enter the room. I greet them at the door. Every student gets a book from his/her book bag and starts independent reading. Our class should be ready to settle by 8:45 for morning announcements. A student arriving after 8:30 a.m. is considered tardy. Tardy child must get a tardy slip from the office and quietly hand me the slip when he/she enters the classroom. In the event of an absence, please call the school office and send a note the next day, so the absence may be marked as “excused.”
Morning Reading
Our students start their morning with 20 minutes of independent reading. Please help your child to choose a book on his/her reading level for independent reading. A book should not be too easy (as Cat in the Cat for third graders). Also, a book has to be educational and support your child’s learning. Please keep Disney books, Pokemon, and Captain Underpants books at home. They are distracting for the children.
Dismissal
Bus riders are dismissed at 2:50 p.m. daily and at 1:20 p.m. on early release days. Car riders are dismissed at 3:00 p.m. daily and at 1:30 p.m. on early release days.
Remind your child to say good-bye to a teacher before he/she gets in the car.
Birthday Celebrations
We celebrate birthdays by the “Walk Around the Sun” Montessori tradition. Please feel free to send your child’s pictures from birth to the current time. You may also choose to make a timeline with your child and bring it for the celebration. We welcome healthy birthday snacks.
Parent /Teacher Communication
The blue vinyl folder your child has is for parents and teachers to communicate. We will be sending permission slips, some homework for the students and other information in this folder. Please check backpacks daily for unexpected correspondence. All field trip forms and money must be returned in your child's take home folder. This will prevent any forms/money from being lost/misplaced.
Homework
Every Thursday your child will get his/her homework by e-mail. It includes math, spelling work and a reading log. Please print the assignments and encourage your child to complete them neatly. I expect to see at least five entries in the reading log. Your child needs to read daily at least for 20-25 minutes. You play a very important role as a positive role model. As a reminder, at the end of every school year we have Vanhoy’s Vivacious Readers. The students who meet and exceed the 25 books reading standard will be getting awards and pins in recognition of their reading efforts.
Please check your child’s spelling work. You also need to involve 2nd and 3rd graders in finding misspellings in their writing. Your child’s writing should be free of misspellings.
Please encourage your child to bring his/her backpack to school daily to carry homework and library books in it.
Parents Involvement
Child, family and school are interrelated and play important roles in each child’s education. Though the child is ultimately in control of his/her learning process, parents and teachers provide experiences and opportunities in which the child can learn.
Family and school support the child’s self-development and his/her social and emotional growth.
We appreciate your support and look forward to a great school year.
Ms. Lyudmila Land email- LANDL1@duvalschools.org
Mr. Ron
