September 7th, 2007

All About Third Grade English Language Arts
http://3rdgradeenglishlanguagearts.blogspot.com/
http://www.edina.k12.mn.us/normandale/classrooms/3rd/english/index.htm
This first year of formalized English Language Arts instruction is an exciting time here at Normandale. Our approach will integrate the Responsive Classroom techniques being employed by the classroom teachers in the building. For more information about this approach, visit www.responsiveclassroom.org.
We are so excited to welcome your child to this amazing year of learning in his/her first language. We will focus heavily on reading in the first trimester, although also spend time on writing and spelling. It is not uncommon to see students make a huge leap in these first few weeks. It is the first opportunity for students to explore the worlds of reading, writing and words in an academic setting. It is a year of tremendous growth for students as they transfer their language skills from French into written English. The students love to discover stories and enjoy the opportunity to express their ideas in their first language. We have seen the early emergent reader grow quickly into fluent expressive readers who savor the deeper meaning of text and their real world connections.

Who, What, Where, When
Lynnea West and Amby Takekawa job share the English teaching position. If your child has Mme Curran-Dorsano or Mme Livant, he or she will have Mme West for English. Their English class will always meet in the morning. If your child has Mme Meyer or Mme Johnson, he or she will have Mme Takekawa for English in the afternoon. The English room (# 237) is located in the 4th and 5th grade hallway next to Mme Meyer’s homeroom. The English classes are a mix of the homeroom students. We change these groups throughout the year to give students a chance to work with a wide variety of people.

Communications
We will send a newsletter every other week. This year, our newsletter will take the form of a blog: http://3rdgradeenglishlanguagearts.blogspot.com/

Because we serve 50-plus students each, the district allows enough time for us to conference once with each family. We will have conference times in November to coincide with the first report card and in March for the second. That said, there are certainly situations that warrant a more flexible approach. We spend quite a bit of time reading with students one-on-one in the beginning of the year to help inform our instruction. Please know that we will be in touch right away if we see anything of concern. It is very typical for immersion students to enter this year below grade level. We try hard to get everyone on grade level by the end of the year. Because we see students for only 70 minutes, it is crucial to us that we optimize their learning time. We try to spend as much time with each student working at his/her instructional level as possible. We are passionate about instilling a love of reading and writing in each and every child.

First Weeks
We will spend these first two weeks building our community, getting to know students as readers and establishing routines. Students will be introduced to our reading series, our Writer’s Workshop routines, some independent reading routines and some early word study information. Our first theme is: Off to Adventure! Adventures come in all shapes and sizes.

Hopes and Dreams
We asked students this week to think about what their hopes and dreams might be for the English Language Arts classroom. In other words, what are their strategic goals for learning reading writing and all about words? As the student answered this question, we found that we need to believe certain things in order to achieve our hopes and dreams. You can ask your child what his or her hope and dream is for the year and what he or she needs to do to reach that goal.

Homework
One of the first questions of the year is always, “How much homework will I have?” We have tried hard to balance the French and English expectations so that students are not overwhelmed by work outside of the school day. That said, we ask that students read 20 minutes each day in English from a book that is “just right” for them. We will spend a lot of time practicing how to identify these books over the next two weeks. It is really crucial that children spend this reading time with a book at the right level to help them become better readers. Look for this expectation to begin in the next week or so.

The other part of English homework is spelling. Spelling is a skill that is difficult for most students. It is extremely difficult for immersion students in their first year of English. Written language is the last literacy skill to be fully developed and it can lag quite a bit behind reading levels. We have struggled to find the best way to meet the wide range of needs we have in the very short period of time we have for spelling each week. We have tried a range of programs and levels. We believe we have finally found the program that will meet all needs! It is called Words Their Way. It is a word study program rather than a traditional spelling list memorized by all each week. After pre-testing to assess needs, each student will work at his/her own pace and level. It is our hope and dream that students will truly understand the patterns and rules of our complicated language in a more meaningful way than by memorizing a list that may not be at their level. We will launch this program on WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19th . Look for more information that day. In addition, we will go through the program on Classroom Information Night on TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18th. We will also be looking for volunteers to help children sort, practice and test words. Look for a schedule and more information about this to come. In the first weeks we will guide the classes in the system, then introduce parent volunteers and finally, make it a homework activity.

Wish List
Kid Size Bean Bag Chairs
Small Lamps
House Plants
Electric Pencil Sharpener

*Your generosity is always appreciated!*

Media Center Volunteers Orientation on Sept. 14 at 9am
Are you looking for a rewarding and flexible opportunity to help the kids at school? If so, the Media Center is looking for volunteers to assist for either morning or afternoon time settings. Please contact Chris Sweeney at christine_sweeney01@hotmail.com to sign up or to learn more about this volunteer opportunity. You may also contact Tracy Pearson, media specialist at trapearson@edina.k12.mn.us The Orientation for volunteers will be held on Friday, September 14 at 9am in the Media Center and will last about 45 minutes. Thanks to those who have already volunteered to help this year!