In class we are working hard to become strong, fluent readers.  We read together each day to develop our comprehension skills so we can understand and interpret what we are reading.  Our reading workstations are a favorite time for the students.  We practice and reinforce reading skills that we have learned during this time.  I also meet with small groups and individually to work with each student at their reading level.  Practicing sight words so students are able to recognize familiar words quickly is also important.  We try to incorporate reading into everything that we do throughout the day.  These are some things that we do at school to help your child become a strong reader.  There are also some things that you can do at home to help develop and strengthen those reading skills.  Practicing sight words, reviewing letter sounds, thinking of words that rhyme, and just pointing out ways that words and letters are used all around you are some things you can do together.  Having a time for reading at home outside of homework is also important.  Reading together helps your child practice the skills he or she is learning at school.  Also, when they see you read, they are learning that reading is important and you are setting a good example.  We have sent home some reading incentives to help with that extra reading time at home.  The Book it! calendar helps develop a daily habit of reading and students get very excited about the opportunity to earn a free pizza!  You can also earn a free ticket to Six Flags Great America with the Read To Succeed Program.  Both of these are great tools to use to encourage your child to read at home.  Of course the greatest benefit of your reading time is the growth you will see in our child as he or she learns to become a reader.

December field trip form

Remember, we are a peanut free school.

We are beginning spelling words soon. Here is a letter explaining how we will use spelling words.