Welcome to Year5

Information Evening!

The evening is aimed for you

to understand the classroom
practices. We will go through
the class routines and
curricular information.

Please feel free to raise any

doubts or questions at the
end of the session.
All About Me
I am from the very large and diverse country of The
United States (I was born in a city called anyon!
which is about "# minutes from San $rancisco in
alifornia%
&y family came from several parts of 'urope and
settled on the 'ast and West coasts. &ost of my
family continue to live in the San $rancisco (ay )rea
and &aine.
I grew up swimming! camping! playing baseball!
soccer! water polo and bas*etball! and hi*ing in the
woods.
Education & Certification

&aster+s ,egree in 'ducation! International

Teaching

)merican (oard of ertification

'lementary 'ducation (-./%

U- 0ational 1ualification! Trinity ollege!

2ondon . 2icentiate ,iploma in T'S32
More about me..

I have been involved with wor*ing with

children in different capacities since I was
45 years old.

I have taught in the U.S.! Spain! (ra6il

and Singapore.

I have a lovely wife named -arine who is

from (ra6il and a beautiful daughter
named )lice (she was born in (ra6il%.
My Goals for your
cildren!
To facilitate increased independence and autonomy
of learning through positive wor* habits.
encouraging responsibility for behavior and learning
through goal setting.
To provide a supportive and fun classroom
environment where children will be engaged and can
grow in confidence.
To help children develop strategies for life long
inquiry and learning.
Class !outines

In order to foster independence children

will
Change their own readers/library books
Record homework in their homework diary
Be responsible for returning completed
homework on time
Be responsible for their own belongings
(Please label everything to avoid things being
misplaced)
!eep detailed goal setting
0ewsletters will provide information of the activities
conducted in the classroom as well as reminders for
pro7ects or field trips! etc. lass newsletters will be sent
every even wee* 8!9! /! 5.. In case you don+t receive it
please let me *now.
We will be using a Weebly (similar to a blog% for updates!
information and sharing. This will start in wee* 8 and I
will provide further information as soon as possible.
If your child is absent or ill from school! please inform
me via email. School policy requires a written record for
all absences.
Assessment
Spelling : Schonell assessments are done in )ugust and
;une.
&aths : )ssessments are done for planning and
assessments in )ugust and in &ay for final assessments.
There will also be a variety of ongoing assessments done
on each topic area covered.
<eading : <unning records will be done in )ugust!
;anuary and &ay on children reading below level "#=.
Writing : There will be a moderated writing assessment
in )ugust and ;une
Assessment Continued

Summative assessments at the end of every

unit.

Student progress reported through portfolios

twice a year! Parent.teacher meeting in Term
8! <eports in ,ecember and in ;une and
Student.led onference in Semester 8.

Wee*ly spelling assessment ($riday%

"ome#or$
Children should be doing appro"imately #$ minutes of
homework a night In addition %&' ($ minutes of reading
Wee*ly >omewor* will be given for Spellings! 2iteracy and
&athematics.
The reading logs need to be completed wee*ly.
Unit of Inquiry independent study pro7ects will be given for each of
the / units.
3ther pieces of homewor* will vary but they will be noted in the
homewor* diary and on the class Weebly. The homewor* boo* is
chec*ed by me.
>omewor* will be mar*ed and feedbac* provided only if submitted
on time.
)cademic honesty is something that we really aim to raise
awareness of this year! students must complete their own homewor*
tas*s or give credit for help given. In the same way they must refer
to sources if they are quoting or copying wor* at any stage.

Consolidation and
Extension

The wor* provided in homewor* or

pro7ects targets ?ear @.

>owever! students may need

consolidation of s*ills or eAtension. To
help provide this! I would li*e to create
a partnership with you where we will
communicate with each other in case
eAtra wor* is needed by the child for
consolidation or eAtension.
!eading
hildren will be responsible for
changing their own reading boo*s.
3ur in class reading programme
will include! reading activities! pair!
group and whole class sharing.
TeAt to teAt! teAt to self! and teAt to
life comparisons. We will also be
doing word and sentence level
activities
hildren will learn the elements of
writing and will learn how to use
them.
Writing
<efer to the curriculum outlines
to see the topics that we will be
covering in writing this year.
In addition to their regular class
wor*boo*s! your child will have
hisBher own published writings
which contain wor*s done
during our wee*ly writers
wor*shop.
3ccasionally we will have
writing assignments for children
to do or complete at home.
Matematics
The children will be divided into
math groups! there will be
differentiation within these groups.
They will be constantly reviewed
and their will be fluidity between
groups. 'ach group will be tailored
to suit the individual learning
needs of the children involved.
Please encourage your child to
see math in lifeC onstant
reference to ways in which we use
math in everyday situations will
increase your child+s problem
solving ability as well as helping
them to relate what they are
learning in class to reality.
%&I
3ur units of Inquiry areD
>uman <ights and
<esponsibilities
'arth Space and the
Universe
>eroes
Water
3n the &ove
3ff the ,rawing (oard
Co'curricular activities

In an effort to foster team wor* and

cooperative learning! ?ear @ will have
ta*e part in a tribal challenge (team
based challenges% with the entire year
level occurring once a month. The
activities will be based on all aspects of
the taught curriculum.

(ig buddies program.

<eading buddies program every other

Thursday with ?ear 4 students.
()ecialists

If you have any

questions for
specialist teachers
at any point during
the year please
write a note in the
homewor* boo* and
I will pass it on.
Classroom Community
3ur classroom is a vibrant community. In our
community! we created essential agreements
that will help us to have a productive and
en7oyable year.
It always helps to have a strong parent
community as well. If at any time you feel
your *nowledge! eAperience and s*ills may
help us in our units of inquiry. Please let me
*now. We would love to have you share in the
class learning.
Classroom Community

Party invites should be distributed

using the social list. >owever if you
would li*e your child to pass on party
invites! please send it for every student
to ensure fairness.

If you have any problems or any

concerns! please communicate them
immediately with me.
*ood Allergy
We have a lot of students with different types
of food allergies and it gets difficult to monitor
party bags.

If your child has an allergy please ensure that

he or she is also aware of do+s and don+ts as
well as the symptoms. Inform me as well.
) written slip is required for the nurse to
administer special medicines li*e inhalers or
eye drops etc. The children however
responsible! should not be doing it on their
own.
+unctuality

School starts at 5."# ).&.

If your child is arriving at school after

5D9@ a.m. please chec* in at the school
office before coming to class
*ield ,ri)s

We have lots of fun field trips planned

for this yearC
I will send the schedules for these trips as
soon as possible when dates and
locations are confirmed.
Eolunteers will be needed occasionally.
-et.s "ave a Great Year!