Friday Letter

Parents,
I cannot begin to tell you how excited I am to be teaching 4th grade again. I have already met and fell in love with your children, and I am certain that a great year lies ahead. Every Friday you can expect a letter home from me. In today’s letter you should find expectations, discipline, and some things about the webpage.
I want to state right off that 4th grade is HARD (but not too hard). I believe that it should be this way, but when students accomplish that which they find difficult, it becomes so much more rewarding. We have math and spelling homework just about every night. Other subjects will have homework on an assignment by assignment basis. It is not my goal to overwhelm students or parents with homework. This should be just a review of the lessons activities. Students should also spend at least 30 minutes reading every day. This can be any kind of reading. You can read to them. They can read to you or to a younger or older sibling. They can read silently (on the way to practice). I will also have expectations for your students in writing. These are called rubrics. Rubrics will be sent home or used in class with most assignments. It let the students know what to expect, and how to set their own goals. I am looking forward to helping each student set their own goals, and then helping them achieve them.
My discipline plan is pretty straight forward. I have seven rules that I think enhance the educational experience for each child. They are:
1. THE TEACHER IS IN CHARGE.
2. BE PREPARED
HAVE PENCIL, PAPER, BOOK AND ANYTHING ELSE YOU MIGHT NEED FOR THE DAY. ALSO COME WITH A MIND READY TO WORK. BE ON FOCUSED AND ON TASK.
3. BE RESPECTFUL OF INSTRUCTIONAL TIME
DO NOT TALK DURING INSTRUCTION. KEEP HANDS, FEET, AND OTHER OBJECTS TO YOURSELF AT ALL TIMES AS THIS MAY CAUSE DISTRACTIONS FOR YOU AND OTHER STUDENTS. GET TO CLASS ON TIME.
4. COMPLETE ALL ASSIGNMENTS ON TIME
BECAUSE EDUCATION IS A BUILDING PROCESS IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU DO ASSIGNMENTS IN THE ORDER THEY ARE GIVEN. YOU HAVE TO LEARN TO CRAWL BEFORE YOU CAN WALK. (IF YOU MISS AN ASSIGNMENT DUE TO BEING ABSENT, YOU MUST GET ASSIGNMENTS AND NOTES FROM ANOTHER STUDENT. IF THERE WERE HAND-OUTS YOU MUST ASK FOR THE SPECIFIC HAND-OUT AFTER CLASS. (ABSENTEE FOLDER)) AFTER AN ABSENCE YOU HAVE ONE DAY TO MAKE UP ASSIGNMENTS.
5. STAY IN YOUR SEAT
BRING ENOUGH PENCILS AND/OR PENS AND PAPER TO COMPLETE YOU ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE DAY. HOLD ALL TRASH AT YOUR DESK UNTIL THE END OF THE PERIOD.
6. BE RESPECTFUL OF YOUR ENVIRONMENT
YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO USE THIS CLASSROOM OR TEXT BOOK. LEAVE THE CLASSROOM BETTER THAN WHEN YOU CAME IN. IF YOU SEE TRASH ON THE FLOOR OR IN A DESK THROW IT AWAY ON YOUR WAY OUT. DO NOT WRITE ON YOU DESK, IN YOUR BOOKS, OR ON THE WALLS.
7. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RULES, SEE RULE NUMBER 1.
Students will have a card on their desk and if they break a rule I will put the number of the rule on the card (I will give warnings and visual clues before I write on the card.). If this happens more than three times on one day I will send a note home for you to sign and discuss with your child. I also take time away from recess, and use an appropriate behavior sheet that reminds and helps student to stay on track. Along with that I like to use many rewards. When I catch students following the rules exceptionally well, or going above and beyond expectations (behavior or academically) I will give students stickers that they put on their agenda. When they have a certain number I will reward students with candy treats, extra recess, game days, eating in the room for lunch, and anything else I can think of to motivate them. While I want you to know the rules and what is expected, I want to assure you that we spend very little time on discipline here. Most students are very well behaved and are usually trying to do the right thing when they have to be corrected. (For example: calling out the correct answers rather than raising their hand to give opportunities to other students). I do not expect any problems from what I have seen thus far.
My webpage is up and running. I want to use it as a communication and educational tool this year. You will find the standards that I teach there, and you will find fun websites there, and you will find messages from me there. The rules are also posted at the bottom of the page. I am hoping that I can use this to communicate with you and your children better. I am going to post this letter on the page, and I am asking that you please leave a comment so that I can get an idea of who’s looking. Thanks. You can get there two ways 1. Go to the school site and find my class, or 2. mrtoneyhomeroom.blogspot.com, either will work.
Thank you so much for all your support,
Mr. Toney
toney-r@harris.k12.ga.us