Parents, in third grade I'm striving to have the children develop a strong sense of responsibility. My goal is to have the students writing all assignments in their planners, taking home the correct books, and getting their assignments and books back to school the next day. This is no easy task when you're eight years old! I have been monitoring the children as they write assignments in their planners each day, but it would also help if you could check your child's planner to make sure the assignments are completed.
During a normal week the Spelling homework consists of three or five times each on Monday, Alphabetical Order on Tuesday, and study for the test on Thursday. (Wednesdays vary.) As the year progresses the children will have up to 25 spelling words each week. I realize this makes alphabetical order considerably more difficult; so here is a strategy that might help the children when completing their spelling homework: Each Monday I will post the spelling words for the week on a sub page under the Homework Page, titled, Spelling List. Print the words for your child then have him cut them out and arrange them in alphabetical order before writing them. This might make the process much easier as your child will be able to move the words around until he has the correct order rather than writing, erasing, writing, erasing, etc.
As we begin more advanced multiplication and division, it's extremely important your child practice facts. It would be best for the chldren to master the multiplication facts first, as this will help them to understand the division facts more easily. It would also be a good plan to go back and practice subtraction and addition facts occasionally as well.
Your child should still have the "homework tablet" they were given at the beginning of the school year, but if the paper is running out, another may be purchased from me for $1.50. (It's easier to just sell them in my classroom than sending children to the office during the school day.) I suggest that children who attend Extended Care have an extra tablet in their bookbag for homework. Although I've been lenient these first few weeks of school, the children are not permitted back into the classroom once they're checked into Extended Care.
Periodically I will post dates of upcoming chapter tests, research assignments, special projects, and book reports in the monthly calendar.
Note: If your child is absent from school due to illness, please check this site. If there are several children absent I will post the homework (and schoolwork) for the day. Also, if you know that your child is going to need to leave school earlier than normal (for doctors's appointments, etc.), please send me a note the day before to let me know. It's very difficult for both the child and myself to get him/her packed up, with assignments written down, at the last minute. Thank you.
Mrs. Sherwin
