Daily Schedule7:45 am Breakfast begins
8 am Morning Walk 8:15 am Start 8:15 Reading Block 10:30 Math Block 12:10 am Lunch 12:45 pm Specialist or Science/Social Studies 3 pm Dismissal (2:00 Wednesday) SpecialistTuesday: Library 1:25 pm Music 2:30 pm including Band/Orchestra Wednesday: 12:55 pm 2:00 Dismissal Thursday: Art 1:55 pm Friday: Health/PE 12:55 pm Music 2:30 pm including Band/Orchestra Homework Expectations
|
Why Busch Gardenz?
Yes, I love gardens and dabble in gardening. Yes, my last name is Busch like the theme parks. Yes, I know “gardens” is spelled with an “s” but that was already copyrighted. So Busch Gardenz. But it is so much more than a theme for my classroom; it is a philosophy.
A garden an area set apart with the purpose of growing a variety of plants that bloom and fruit. A garden requires rich soil, adequate water, and lots of sunshine to reach its full potential. The children in Busch Gardenz are similar to plants; they need a safe, nurturing environment, healthy food, good sleep, and lots of love. Each child is an individual, with different needs, and will bloom in his/her own way. The “gardenerz” of Busch Gardenz are parents, teachers, families and friends, who work as a team to provide safety, nutrients, time, support, and learning opportunities. As the lead gardener, I cultivate the learning environment, evaluate what the learner needs, spread knowledge, and work with the other “gardenerz” so each child will grow and bloom. My Homework Philosophy
I believe the purpose of education is to assist students, as they become well-rounded, successful adults. To achieve this, a child needs to play outside, develop hobbies, explore sports, spend time exploring the world, as well as, become proficient at reading, writing, and math. All of these things take time and opportunity. I know families are busy and homework can be a challenge.
The research shows that the most effective homework is the practice of already taught skills with the goal of mastery. I base my homework policy on this research. A student needs to be reading a minimum of 30 minutes outside the classroom, daily. He/she also needs to become fluent in the basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts. Fluency in these facts requires memorization, which comes from practice. I expect a student to spend 5 to 10 minutes a day working on memorizing their basic math facts. This practice can be flashcards, computer games, apps, anything that motivates a child to learn these facts and be able to recalled them quickly. If you child demonstrates fluency in all four basic operations he/she is no longer required to do this homework. Spelling and Grammar
We all know how important correct spelling and grammar are for daily communication as well as college and job readiness. I believe it is essential students spell basic words (Priority Words) correctly and use correct capitalization and punctuation in their everyday writing. I also believe students should learn skills and strategies to help with spelling and grammar.
On all daily work, I except students to: · spell Priority Words correctly, · use questions or text as resources for correct spelling, · use classroom posters as resources for spelling and punctuation, · use other resources, such as spell check when appropriate. Mini-ProjectsAs we prepare students for the 21 Century and beyond, there are many skills needed for academic as well as work place success. People need to be able to plan out a multi-task project, complete it in a timely manner, and present to peers. I am developing mini-projects that reinforce concepts being taught in the classroom as well as meet Reading Common Core Standards in Listening and Speaking and Writing.
|