We have officially made it through our first week! I can honestly say it was a wonderful week. We've worked through our classroom procedures thoroughly and, though it has been tough at times, each of your students have learned a lot already.
Next week we will begin our first week with our full routine completely in place. This means we will begin homework on Monday night. Your students will have math homework on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. They will be asked to read on Wednesday night and may have a small math assignment as well. I understand that daily homework assignments may be new at this stage but it is extremely important that your students take it seriously. These assignments serve too reinforce the topics we have covered in class. Without reinforcement, it is much easier to forget new skills. Mastery requires practice and mastery is my goal for each of your students.
Housekeeping items:
Studies show that students learn best when classroom temperatures are set between 65 and 68 degrees. I will keep my classroom fairly chilly to provide students with the best environment for success. In light of this, it would be a good idea to send your students with a small coat or sweater in case they feel they need it.
Some of your students will be coming home with behavior reflection pages for you to read and sign. If they bring one home it means they have failed to meet a classroom expectation after being warned. I only give one warning in my class. If a student receives a warning and fails to change their behavior they are given a conduct mark, receive a behavior reflection, and lose 10 minutes of their recess. If they receive more than one conduct mark, they lose their entire recess. I am pretty tough when it comes to meeting expectations but I never want your child to feel bad about themselves. The consequences are a result of poor behavior decisions, not a bad child. Everyone makes mistakes and mistakes can be good if they are used as a learning opportunities. Please encourage your students to meet expectations but don't be too hard on them when they make mistakes. It is simply on opportunity to learn and mature.
Lastly, I would like to tell you about the one promise I asked your students to make me this week. I asked that they never stop trying. When we give up we doom ourselves to failure and I don't want your students to feel like failures, ever! Each of them is bright and capable of amazing things but no one ever accomplished anything big without first failing a few times. Each child in this class will stumble this year but with encouragement and the will to keep trying each of them has the ability to succeed and master everything they endeavor to do. After all, it did take Thomas Edison over 10,000 attempts to create the lightbulb! What more can we expect from our third graders!
I also made them a promise. I promised I would never stop helping them. I will never give up on your students and I hope you don't either. They are amazing little people with amazing potential! Lets work together to show them just how much they are capable of this year!
I look forward to working with each family this year!
Parent night will be this Tuesday, August 13. Keep an eye on your students green take home folder for more info.
Thank you for trusting me with your little wonders this year!!
Mrs. Pemberton
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