TWS 10 Lauren Kidd

Parent Communication

Each week I communicate with the parents of my students through their planners. Each day the students write their homework in their planners. At the end of the day I will stamp each childs planner if they have made it through the day without getting two circles on the behavior. If they have received two circles I will draw a straight face in the students planner explaining why they received the two circles or more throughout the day. From time to time I will also write good notes or a brief note saying good job in a childs planner. The planner is also used for letting parents know that a child is excelling through a content that is being taught that week, or for telling the parent we need to meet because their child is struggling in their studies and we need to find a way to help their child to progress and not fall behind. A students planner is used as a major tool of communication with their parents and me. Each month the entire third grade completes a newsletter to send home with the entire third grade. This newsletter informs the parents of what units we will be studying and teaching as well if there are any projects that are due throughout the month. It also lets the parents know what special activities will be taking place during and after school hours during that month. For example, during the month of October a fall carnival was taking place. This was typed in the newsletter to remind parents when, what time, and what activities will be held during the fall carnival. Last, if the class needs any materials this will also be typed in the newsletter. They will let the parents know what materials are needed and that they would love for parents to donate these materials to the classrooms. The parent letter was sent out at the beginning of the year. It was a letter introducing myself to the parents giving them an idea of who I am and a little background knowledge about

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myself. It also gave the parents ways they could contact me if they had any questions or concerns they would like to let me know about. The parent letter was a way of breaking the ice and helping the parents and I become a little more comfortable and familiar with one another.

Communication with Colleagues Every Tuesday the five third grade teachers meet with the principle and two other special ladies to discuss the things we are using and teaching in our classroom. This meeting is called our team instructional meeting. When we are in our meeting we also talk about ways that the Primary teachers can better ready the second grade students for third grade. New ways to introduce and teach content are also discussed within the meeting. We meet for a total of fifty minutes trying to think up and find new and exciting ways to help our students that are struggling, discuss new materials to use to teach, tell whether things we are already doing are working or not, and discuss ways to better our third grade students with their learning as well as to find and create ways to teach them the content they need the best way possible. This is the goal we strive to reach every week in our instructional meeting. Every third Monday of the month the faculty of Ninety Six Elementary meets in a room to discuss upcoming events in the school. We discuss procedures of how things should work during special activities. We also go over the school calendar for the following month and talk about the events that will be taking place within the school. The principal tells everyone their role during the special events. PBIS parties and activities are stated. Anything that the teachers are involved in at the school is conversed over during this meeting. This way no one is out of the

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loop when something takes place at the school. We are all very informed of what is happening within our school even when it comes to illnesses amongst our teachers and their families.

Community Resources When the third grade moves into learning about the Revolutionary War the third grade team recruits a speaker from the local Star Fort to come and speak to the students. One of the park rangers comes to the school and tells the students all about the Revolutionary War and how it took place at Star Fort. However, the students also get the chance to take a field trip to Star Fort to experience the feel of standing on the ground that the Revolutionary War took place on. The students will be able to watch a video before touring the Star Fort Park on what took place at Star Fort, the importance of Star Fort, as well as the important people from the Revolutionary War. The third grade classes are then allowed to tour Star Fort and see all of the special parts of Star Fort. They are able to see and read about the materials that were used during the war as well as people and places that were held at Star Fort during the Revolutionary War. The students of the third grade will have the opportunity to experience real history that took place in their local town of Ninety Six. To recruit the park ranger and set up the field trip we will call Donna Knight at 864-543-4068. She is located in the visitor center at Star Fort.

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Extra-curricular Involvement On October 11, 2013 I attended the Ninety Six Elementary Fall Carnival from 4:30 to 7:00. Mrs. Goff and I worked one of the booths from 4:30 to 5:00 and then we were allowed to roam around and enjoy the festival. The festival included lots of games, inflatables, a bake sale, a fire truck, John Deere tractors and trucks, a silent auction and antique cars. We also paid five dollars to receive a chick-fil-a sandwich, chips, a cookie, and a drink for our supper. As I walked around and visited my students and their parents I was able to learn more about the students and their families as well as have the opportunity to talk and get the know the students on a one on one bases. Through the fall carnival the students were also able to see a less uptight side of me and more of the fun and laid back side. I was able to play with my students and grow closer to them on a teacher student bases. Not only was I able to grow closer and learn more about my students I was also able to talk with their parents and learn more about their parents and what they expect of me as their childs teacher. Parents of my students were a lot more laid back in this atmosphere and were able to discuss with me about their child in a more laid back way and not just about school work and their childs progress in school. The Fall Carnival was a great way for the students, parents and staff of our school to interact in a fun and positive way. Mrs. Goff and I have been on the PBIS council this year. We were in charge of teaching new teachers how to use our PBIS system and also to explain to them how our PBIS system works. Each teacher is given the PBIS expectations at the beginning of the year. All of the teachers tell their students what the PBIS expectations are. The students are expected to follow these expectations. If they do not, circles are given to that child. Depending on the number of circles a child receives depends on the consequences for the child. Each teacher is expected to enforce the PBIS expectations however, Mrs. Goff and I, as well as a few other teachers are in

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charge of making sure PBIS is ran properly and takes place throughout the entire school. Mrs. Louden, the principal, decides on the reward for those children that have followed the expectations to a certain extent. For example, this month any student that did not go to the reflection desk more than twice, and did not have to go to the principals office was able to take a trip to our middle school and attend their pep rally. The PBIS expectations really helps keep our school running smoothly and helps our students to learn a lot easier without many distractions from misbehaving students. The PBIS system also helps me with classroom management. As a teacher if I enforce the PBIS system the students know what is expected of them throughout the entire school. If they are unable to follow the rules I can give them a circle and continue on with class. If the student continues to misbehave I continue to follow the PBIS system and this leaves for less of a distraction and more time to focus on the rest of the class and what I am teaching. Most of the students want to be rewarded and can be if they follow the PBIS expectations. If I enforce the PBIS system daily I am able to cut down on bad behavior and distraction within the classroom; this way the other students are still able to learn in a safe and positive learning environment. I am also able to focus on teaching and less behavioral issues. Using this system has truly helped me with my classroom management. I plan to use this in my own classroom one day.