Special Education has been something the Lord has given me. It was a task no one wanted. But being a school that cares , its somehow our obligation to do it- and to do it right. And so, we spend 80% of our time to research and studies- going back to schools, universities, talking to fellow educators in the country and abroad and getting to know developmental pediatricians in the country. Its really a task full of hardwork and dedication. If you didnt really love what you do, you wouldnt really do it.
But Special Education is a difficult task that needs cooperation between parents and the school. We need parents to understand the goal of Special Education / Inclusion at Oakridge. We need parents to realize that what we are doing is real education- not a day care center, not even a tutorial. We educate them to learn, cope and even thrive in the community. We educate them to even go to college. Thus, they are given equal rights, equal benefits and responsibilities as regular children. But we expect more from Parents. We expect parents to do 200% more than parenting a regular child. As the school does 300% more than teaching a regular child, we need parents to do the heavy lifting as well.

We begin the school year with blank notebooks, pages fresh and clean. Backpacks are free of crumbs and leaked box drinks. Children wake up early in anticipation. We try to get to school a bit before the morning bell and start the year off on the right track.

But slowly the familiar patterns start to appear. The kids are going to sleep way past bedtime, waking up with just a few moments to spare. A child leaves his notebook in school and must scramble to find a friend whose fax machine is working. Nights spent struggling over homework for hours, studying for tests left for the last minute, assignments forgotten, cliques and social politics – it feels as if we are going backwards instead of forward.

How can we make this year different from all the others? How can we take our hopes and wishes for positive change and turn them into a reality?

Transition between summer and school can be difficult for children – and for parents. Any change in life can bring nervousness, worry, and irritability. Children often have a hard time adjusting to new situations, unfamiliar teachers, and the more rigid schedule needed during the school year. When feeling overwhelmed, our kids may express their emotions through becoming argumentative, fighting more often with siblings, or withdrawing into themselves. And parents can find it difficult to keep calm and not lose themselves in anger when things don't go right.

Instead of just accepting that this is the way our home is meant to be, let us think about reachable goals that we can work on. When we create a plan, we can do away with unnecessary failures and strive to help our children feel and be more successful.

My 5 Parenting Goals

1. Keep My Eyes Open

Sometimes we notice that something does not feel right with a child but we get distracted. We are all very busy, it’s true. We have great pressures and responsibilities pulling us in too many directions. The child who seems a little ‘off’, not himself, snappy or more quiet than usual is trying to tell us something. But it is easy to tuck this information away in a back pocket and only realize that something is wrong when a crisis occurs. We then think back and recognize that the signs were there, we were just too preoccupied to pay attention.

Don’t allow problems with your child to fester and grow. Open your eyes and observe if a child seems sad, withdrawn, distant, more moody than usual, or angry. Recognize if there seems to be greater confrontation between this child and siblings, if friends stop calling or coming over, or if the child can’t seem to find his place in school. Because before you know it, half the year can go by and what could have been a small problem has now become a ‘situation’ that requires major time and investment and causes terrible aggravation.

2. Develop a Working Relationship with Teachers

Reach out to your child’s teachers before your child reaches ‘zero hour.’ Many parents feel as if teachers are their opponents and don't realize that we are are all here to try and help our children grow in the best way possible. If you think that there may be an issue, it is a good idea to set up a meeting with the teacher and ask how you can work in harmony. Too many parents call teachers to demand and accuse instead of saying that we would like to solve this problem together. Before going to the principal with a complaint, see if you can first diffuse the situation.

If there are any special concerns going on in your home, do not wait for the teacher to find out through your child’s acting up in class or failure to keep up with schoolwork and poor grades.

When a grandparent falls ill, if there is a health issue, financial stress, marital upheaval, problems with siblings, or any other factor that may affect your child’s academic or social success, it would be wise to enlist your child’s teacher as your confidential ally and gain her/his understanding. You can believe that most teachers would go the extra mile and extend to your child an open heart.

3. Work on Social Skills

Help your child be successful this year by preparing him not just academically, but also socially. School is not simply about getting straight A’s, it is also about learning how to get on with others and knowing how to develop friendships. A child who is happy in school is a child who can focus on studying and doing well. He wants to be there and be a part of things. One who believes that school is all about academics and no social life unfortunately makes a big mistake.

How can we better teach our children social skills?

• Set rules and follow through with consequences when needed.
• Set routines for meals and bedtimes that establish stability.
• Develop your child’s ability to put himself in the shoes of others and grow more sensitive.
• Help your child learn how to express frustration, disappointment and anger without hurting others or retreating into sullenness.
• Establish basic rules of conduct: no hitting, kicking, biting, spitting, (no hands allowed), and no hurting others through our words.

4. Help Children Become Independent

When children feel as if they are gaining skills and becoming self-sufficient, they grow more confident in their abilities. You will watch their self-esteem take off. Each year, every child should be able to point with pride to a newfound skill or added responsibility that comes with age.

We can help our children grow independent and flourish by:

• Teaching our children to pick out their clothing, dress themselves as they grow older, tie their own shoes, pack school snacks, make lunches the night before, set their own alarm clocks instead of waking them up, and having children put away their books and organizing themselves.
• Allow a young child to complete puzzles and feed himself on his own and as he grows, to do his homework and projects by himself. It is much healthier to tell a child that you will check his work when he is done instead of sitting beside him and correcting the answers as he goes along. Book reports and science projects should not be parent’s homework.
• Have your child help around the house and gain responsibilities instead of waiting to be served. Some skills children can help with are putting away laundry, setting and clearing the table, helping to serve guests, baking, cooking and keeping their room in order.

5. Communicate with Each Child

Our children should never be afraid to speak with us. No matter how tough the topic, even if they messed up badly, they should not fear that we will hate them or want to close the door on them. Our love must be unconditional. True, there may be consequences or emotions of disappointment, but they must know that we are here for them. After all, we are their parents and if they cannot believe in our love for them, whose love can they believe in?

Work on communicating with your child this year. I am not just speaking about when you must call him in with a problem like failing grades or after you received a call from his teacher. I am talking about daily interactions where you share a smile, a good word, a laugh, a story, or a meal together. The main thing is that you put the time and energy in so that he knows that he matters in your life.

• Talk to your child every day-even if it’s just for a few minutes.
• Put down your iPhone , turn off your laptop when your child (or you) return home, at mealtimes and story times, and when you pick your child up from school. Look at him and make eye contact while having a conversation.
• Speak to your child in the tone and with the words that you wish he would use with others.
• Express your love every day, no matter how tough the day.

I know that some days will bring unforeseen difficulties and that some children seem more challenging than others. But at least we will know in our hearts that we have tried our best to help our children navigate the road of life successfully.

We begin the school year with blank notebooks, pages fresh and clean. Backpacks are free of crumbs and leaked box drinks. Children wake up early in anticipation. We try to get to school a bit before the morning bell and start the year off on the right track.

But slowly the familiar patterns start to appear. The kids are going to sleep way past bedtime, waking up with just a few moments to spare. A child leaves his notebook in school and must scramble to find a friend whose fax machine is working. Nights spent struggling over homework for hours, studying for tests left for the last minute, assignments forgotten, cliques and social politics – it feels as if we are going backwards instead of forward.

How can we make this year different from all the others? How can we take our hopes and wishes for positive change and turn them into a reality?

Transition between summer and school can be difficult for children – and for parents. Any change in life can bring nervousness, worry, and irritability. Children often have a hard time adjusting to new situations, unfamiliar teachers, and the more rigid schedule needed during the school year. When feeling overwhelmed, our kids may express their emotions through becoming argumentative, fighting more often with siblings, or withdrawing into themselves. And parents can find it difficult to keep calm and not lose themselves in anger when things don't go right.

Instead of just accepting that this is the way our home is meant to be, let us think about reachable goals that we can work on. When we create a plan, we can do away with unnecessary failures and strive to help our children feel and be more successful.

My 5 Parenting Goals

1. Keep My Eyes Open

Sometimes we notice that something does not feel right with a child but we get distracted. We are all very busy, it’s true. We have great pressures and responsibilities pulling us in too many directions. The child who seems a little ‘off’, not himself, snappy or more quiet than usual is trying to tell us something. But it is easy to tuck this information away in a back pocket and only realize that something is wrong when a crisis occurs. We then think back and recognize that the signs were there, we were just too preoccupied to pay attention.

Don’t allow problems with your child to fester and grow. Open your eyes and observe if a child seems sad, withdrawn, distant, more moody than usual, or angry. Recognize if there seems to be greater confrontation between this child and siblings, if friends stop calling or coming over, or if the child can’t seem to find his place in school. Because before you know it, half the year can go by and what could have been a small problem has now become a ‘situation’ that requires major time and investment and causes terrible aggravation.

2. Develop a Working Relationship with Teachers

Reach out to your child’s teachers before your child reaches ‘zero hour.’ Many parents feel as if teachers are their opponents and don't realize that we are are all here to try and help our children grow in the best way possible. If you think that there may be an issue, it is a good idea to set up a meeting with the teacher and ask how you can work in harmony. Too many parents call teachers to demand and accuse instead of saying that we would like to solve this problem together. Before going to the principal with a complaint, see if you can first diffuse the situation.

If there are any special concerns going on in your home, do not wait for the teacher to find out through your child’s acting up in class or failure to keep up with schoolwork and poor grades.

When a grandparent falls ill, if there is a health issue, financial stress, marital upheaval, problems with siblings, or any other factor that may affect your child’s academic or social success, it would be wise to enlist your child’s teacher as your confidential ally and gain her/his understanding. You can believe that most teachers would go the extra mile and extend to your child an open heart.

3. Work on Social Skills

Help your child be successful this year by preparing him not just academically, but also socially. School is not simply about getting straight A’s, it is also about learning how to get on with others and knowing how to develop friendships. A child who is happy in school is a child who can focus on studying and doing well. He wants to be there and be a part of things. One who believes that school is all about academics and no social life unfortunately makes a big mistake.

How can we better teach our children social skills?

• Set rules and follow through with consequences when needed.
• Set routines for meals and bedtimes that establish stability.
• Develop your child’s ability to put himself in the shoes of others and grow more sensitive.
• Help your child learn how to express frustration, disappointment and anger without hurting others or retreating into sullenness.
• Establish basic rules of conduct: no hitting, kicking, biting, spitting, (no hands allowed), and no hurting others through our words.

4. Help Children Become Independent

When children feel as if they are gaining skills and becoming self-sufficient, they grow more confident in their abilities. You will watch their self-esteem take off. Each year, every child should be able to point with pride to a newfound skill or added responsibility that comes with age.

We can help our children grow independent and flourish by:

• Teaching our children to pick out their clothing, dress themselves as they grow older, tie their own shoes, pack school snacks, make lunches the night before, set their own alarm clocks instead of waking them up, and having children put away their books and organizing themselves.
• Allow a young child to complete puzzles and feed himself on his own and as he grows, to do his homework and projects by himself. It is much healthier to tell a child that you will check his work when he is done instead of sitting beside him and correcting the answers as he goes along. Book reports and science projects should not be parent’s homework.
• Have your child help around the house and gain responsibilities instead of waiting to be served. Some skills children can help with are putting away laundry, setting and clearing the table, helping to serve guests, baking, cooking and keeping their room in order.

5. Communicate with Each Child

Our children should never be afraid to speak with us. No matter how tough the topic, even if they messed up badly, they should not fear that we will hate them or want to close the door on them. Our love must be unconditional. True, there may be consequences or emotions of disappointment, but they must know that we are here for them. After all, we are their parents and if they cannot believe in our love for them, whose love can they believe in?

Work on communicating with your child this year. I am not just speaking about when you must call him in with a problem like failing grades or after you received a call from his teacher. I am talking about daily interactions where you share a smile, a good word, a laugh, a story, or a meal together. The main thing is that you put the time and energy in so that he knows that he matters in your life.

• Talk to your child every day-even if it’s just for a few minutes.
• Put down your iPhone , turn off your laptop when your child (or you) return home, at mealtimes and story times, and when you pick your child up from school. Look at him and make eye contact while having a conversation.
• Speak to your child in the tone and with the words that you wish he would use with others.
• Express your love every day, no matter how tough the day.

I know that some days will bring unforeseen difficulties and that some children seem more challenging than others. But at least we will know in our hearts that we have tried our best to help our children navigate the road of life successfully.

We begin the school year with blank notebooks, pages fresh and clean. Backpacks are free of crumbs and leaked box drinks. Children wake up early in anticipation. We try to get to school a bit before the morning bell and start the year off on the right track.

But slowly the familiar patterns start to appear. The kids are going to sleep way past bedtime, waking up with just a few moments to spare. A child leaves his notebook in school and must scramble to find a friend whose fax machine is working. Nights spent struggling over homework for hours, studying for tests left for the last minute, assignments forgotten, cliques and social politics – it feels as if we are going backwards instead of forward.

How can we make this year different from all the others? How can we take our hopes and wishes for positive change and turn them into a reality?

Transition between summer and school can be difficult for children – and for parents. Any change in life can bring nervousness, worry, and irritability. Children often have a hard time adjusting to new situations, unfamiliar teachers, and the more rigid schedule needed during the school year. When feeling overwhelmed, our kids may express their emotions through becoming argumentative, fighting more often with siblings, or withdrawing into themselves. And parents can find it difficult to keep calm and not lose themselves in anger when things don't go right.

Instead of just accepting that this is the way our home is meant to be, let us think about reachable goals that we can work on. When we create a plan, we can do away with unnecessary failures and strive to help our children feel and be more successful.

My 5 Parenting Goals

1. Keep My Eyes Open

Sometimes we notice that something does not feel right with a child but we get distracted. We are all very busy, it’s true. We have great pressures and responsibilities pulling us in too many directions. The child who seems a little ‘off’, not himself, snappy or more quiet than usual is trying to tell us something. But it is easy to tuck this information away in a back pocket and only realize that something is wrong when a crisis occurs. We then think back and recognize that the signs were there, we were just too preoccupied to pay attention.

Don’t allow problems with your child to fester and grow. Open your eyes and observe if a child seems sad, withdrawn, distant, more moody than usual, or angry. Recognize if there seems to be greater confrontation between this child and siblings, if friends stop calling or coming over, or if the child can’t seem to find his place in school. Because before you know it, half the year can go by and what could have been a small problem has now become a ‘situation’ that requires major time and investment and causes terrible aggravation.

2. Develop a Working Relationship with Teachers

Reach out to your child’s teachers before your child reaches ‘zero hour.’ Many parents feel as if teachers are their opponents and don't realize that we are are all here to try and help our children grow in the best way possible. If you think that there may be an issue, it is a good idea to set up a meeting with the teacher and ask how you can work in harmony. Too many parents call teachers to demand and accuse instead of saying that we would like to solve this problem together. Before going to the principal with a complaint, see if you can first diffuse the situation.

If there are any special concerns going on in your home, do not wait for the teacher to find out through your child’s acting up in class or failure to keep up with schoolwork and poor grades.

When a grandparent falls ill, if there is a health issue, financial stress, marital upheaval, problems with siblings, or any other factor that may affect your child’s academic or social success, it would be wise to enlist your child’s teacher as your confidential ally and gain her/his understanding. You can believe that most teachers would go the extra mile and extend to your child an open heart.

3. Work on Social Skills

Help your child be successful this year by preparing him not just academically, but also socially. School is not simply about getting straight A’s, it is also about learning how to get on with others and knowing how to develop friendships. A child who is happy in school is a child who can focus on studying and doing well. He wants to be there and be a part of things. One who believes that school is all about academics and no social life unfortunately makes a big mistake.

How can we better teach our children social skills?

• Set rules and follow through with consequences when needed.
• Set routines for meals and bedtimes that establish stability.
• Develop your child’s ability to put himself in the shoes of others and grow more sensitive.
• Help your child learn how to express frustration, disappointment and anger without hurting others or retreating into sullenness.
• Establish basic rules of conduct: no hitting, kicking, biting, spitting, (no hands allowed), and no hurting others through our words.

4. Help Children Become Independent

When children feel as if they are gaining skills and becoming self-sufficient, they grow more confident in their abilities. You will watch their self-esteem take off. Each year, every child should be able to point with pride to a newfound skill or added responsibility that comes with age.

We can help our children grow independent and flourish by:

• Teaching our children to pick out their clothing, dress themselves as they grow older, tie their own shoes, pack school snacks, make lunches the night before, set their own alarm clocks instead of waking them up, and having children put away their books and organizing themselves.
• Allow a young child to complete puzzles and feed himself on his own and as he grows, to do his homework and projects by himself. It is much healthier to tell a child that you will check his work when he is done instead of sitting beside him and correcting the answers as he goes along. Book reports and science projects should not be parent’s homework.
• Have your child help around the house and gain responsibilities instead of waiting to be served. Some skills children can help with are putting away laundry, setting and clearing the table, helping to serve guests, baking, cooking and keeping their room in order.

5. Communicate with Each Child

Our children should never be afraid to speak with us. No matter how tough the topic, even if they messed up badly, they should not fear that we will hate them or want to close the door on them. Our love must be unconditional. True, there may be consequences or emotions of disappointment, but they must know that we are here for them. After all, we are their parents and if they cannot believe in our love for them, whose love can they believe in?

Work on communicating with your child this year. I am not just speaking about when you must call him in with a problem like failing grades or after you received a call from his teacher. I am talking about daily interactions where you share a smile, a good word, a laugh, a story, or a meal together. The main thing is that you put the time and energy in so that he knows that he matters in your life.

• Talk to your child every day-even if it’s just for a few minutes.
• Put down your iPhone , turn off your laptop when your child (or you) return home, at mealtimes and story times, and when you pick your child up from school. Look at him and make eye contact while having a conversation.
• Speak to your child in the tone and with the words that you wish he would use with others.
• Express your love every day, no matter how tough the day.

I know that some days will bring unforeseen difficulties and that some children seem more challenging than others. But at least we will know in our hearts that we have tried our best to help our children navigate the road of life successfully.

Parenting is one of the most important and influential jobs there are in the world. A parent is a child’s first teacher. Parents want their child to be smart and succeed, however at what rate and at what risk? There are many programs out there such as: My Baby Can Read with flashcards and Baby Einstein. These programs claim to promote early learning. Though is it truly early learning or is it pushing your child to a limit where they are just memorizing? What kind of messages are programs like these sending to our parents?

Flashcards and drilling your child daily is not the answer . Children learn the best through play. There are many interactions throughout the day that are a learning opportunities for your infants and toddlers. Play promotes learning in language, math, science, social/emotional, and cognitive skills. It’s important to play and talk to your child whether they are an infant, toddler, preschooler, or any age.

Early learning is essential for brain development in young children. It is imperative for a child’s language development for parents to talk, read, or sing to your infant to build on their early language skills. Some parents believe that talking to their infant doesn’t make a difference and they couldn’t be more wrong.

On the website zero to three they discuss how early experiences affect brain development. Researchers found that the more the parents spoke to their infants they learned almost 300 words by the age of 2 than others who didn’t have that type of interactions with their parents.

Child development happens at different rates for every child. It is very important to know what is developmentally appropriate for your child and where they should be. It’s important not to panic if your child hasn’t mastered a development skill. The most important thing is to know what age appropriate for your child is. I added links on brain development and developmental stages by the American Academy of Pediatrics to help with learning these stages.  

For more info: http://www.zerotothree.org

http://www.aap.org

what your child should learn (lower school)

  When A Child Enters 1st Grade, He/She Should Know:

• How to Speak in Complete Sentences to Explain Ideas Clearly
• Listening Skills (Following Directions, Listening to Stories Read Aloud, Engaging in Conversation)
• Letter Recognition and Sounds
• Use of Phonics to Decode Words
• Basic Sight Words (e.g. and, the, I, me, you)
• How to Use the Calendar (Days and Months of the Year)
• Recognition of Color Words/Number Words (One to Thirty)
• Print Awareness and Parts of A Book (Author, Illustrator, Cover, Title Page, Print is Read Left-To-Right)
• How to Re-tell a Story and Identify Characters (Beginning, Middle, End)
• That Writing Conveys Meaning (Speech Into Print)
• Have Motivation to Read

 Literacy Skills Taught in 1st Grade:

• Letter-Sound Correspondences Including Consonants and Short and Long Vowels
• Decode Grade Level Words Using Knowledge of Root Words, Prefixes, Suffixes, Verb Endings, Plurals, Contractions and Compounds
• Identify Parts of a Book and Their Purposes Including Author, Illustrator, Title Page, Table of Contents, and Chapter Headings
• Sight-Read 300-500 Words Including Sight and Decodable Words
• Study Antonyms, Synonyms, and Homonyms to Learn New Grade Level Vocabulary
• Use of a Dictionary To Learn the Meanings of Words
• Use Comprehension Strategies (Predict/Confirm, Reread, Self-Correct, Ask Questions) to Comprehend Text
• Summarize Main Ideas from Informational Texts
• Show Interest in Reading a Range of Grade Level Texts Including Stories, Folktales, Fairy Tales, Poems and Informational Text
• How to Write Compositions and Begins to Use the Writing Process
• Attend to a Listening Activity for a Specified Period of Time
• Speak for Different Purposes (Share Ideas or Information, Retell a Story, Dramatize an Experience or Event) Literacy

 When A Child Enters 2nd Grade, He/She Should Know:

• Letter-Sound Correspondences Including Long and Short Vowels
• How to Decode Grade Level Words Using Knowledge of Root Words, Prefixes, Suffixes, Verb Endings, Plurals, Contractions and Compounds
• Parts of a Book and Their Purposes Including Author, Illustrator, Title Page, Table of Contents and Chapter Headings
• Sight-Read 300-500 Words Including Decodable Words
• How to Use Antonyms, Synonyms, and Homonyms to Learn New Grade Level Vocabulary (Word Study)
• How to Use a Dictionary to Learn the Meanings of Words
• Use of Comprehension Strategies (Predict/Confirm, Reread, Self-Correct, Ask Questions) to Comprehend Text
• How to Summarize Main Ideas from Informational Text
• How to Write Compositions, and Begins to Use the Writing Process
• Attend to a Listening Activity for a Specified Period of Time
• Speak for Different Purposes (Share Ideas for Information, Retell a Story, Dramatize an Experience or Event)

 Literacy Skills Taught in 2nd Grade:

• Decode Grade Level Words Using Knowledge of Word Structure (Roots, Prefixes, Suffixes, Verb Endings, Plurals, Contractions and Compounds)
• Identify Book Parts and their Purposes Including Author, Illustrator, Title Page, Table of Contents, Index and Chapter Headings
• Sight-Read Grade Level and High-Frequency Words
• Study Antonyms, Synonyms and Homonyms to Learn New Grade Level Vocabulary
• Use of a Dictionary To Learn the Meanings of Words
• Compare and Contrast Similarities and Differences Among Characters and Events Across Stories
• Compare and Contrast Similarities and Differences in Information from More Than One Informational Text
• Summarize Main Ideas and Supporting Details, Both Orally and in Writing
  Read Independently and Silently
• Write Compositions Using the Writing Process (Write Sentences in Logical Order and Use Paragraphs to Organize Topics)
• Attend to a Listening Activity for a Specified Period of Time
• Use Grade Level Vocabulary to Communicate Ideas, Emotions, or Experiences for Different Purposes (Share Ideas about Personal Experience, Books or Writing)

  When A Child Enters 3rd Grade, He/She Should Know

• How to Decode Grade-Level Words Using Knowledge of Word Structure
• How to Identify Book Parts and Their Purposes Including Author, Illustrator, Title Page, Table of Contents, Index and Chapter Headings
• Sight-Read Grade Leve and High-Frequency Words
• How to Use Antonyms, Synonyms and Homonyms to Learn New Grade Level Vocabulary
• How to Use a Dictionary to Learn the Meanings of Words
• How to Compare and Contrast Similarities and Differences Among Characters and Events Across Stories
• How to Compare and Contrast Similarities and Differences in Information From More Than One Informational Text
• How to Summarize Main Ideas and Supporting Details, Both Orally and In Writing
• How to Read Independently and Silently
• How to Write Compositions Using the Writing Process (How to Write Sentences In Logical Order and Use Paragraphs to Organize Topics)
• How to Attend to a Listening Activity for a Specified Period of Time
• How to Use Grade Level Vocabulary to Share Ideas About Personal Experience, Books or Writing

 Literacy Skills Taught in 3rd Grade:

• Decode Grade-Level Words Using Knowledge of Word Structure (Roots, Prefixes, Suffixes, Verb Endings, Plurals, Contractions and Compounds)
• Sight-Read Grade Level, High-Frequency Words and Content Words
• Vary Language According to Purpose (e.g. Conversation with Peers, Presentation to Adults)
• Use of Complete Sentences, Correct Verb Tense, Age-Appropriate Vocabulary
• How to Identify Book Parts and Their Purposes Including Author, Illustrator, Title Page, Table of Contents, Index and Chapter Headings
• Use a Dictionary to Learn the Meanings of Words and a Thesaurus to Identify Synonyms and Antonyms
• Use Knowledge of Story Structure (Character, Plot, and Events) To Comprehend Text
• Summarize Main Ideas and Details of Informational Text Orally and In Writing Process
• Explain the Difference Between Fact and Fiction (Reality/Fantasy)
• Read Independently and Silently, Including Longer Fiction and Non-Fiction Books
• Write Stories and Reports Using the Writing
• Take Notes to Record Data, Facts, and Ideas
• Write Literary Response Essays that Describe Plot, Setting and Characters, Personal Opinion, and Contrast/Comparison of Information from Various Literature
• Present a Short Oral Report Using at Least Two Sources of Information
• Use Logical Order In Presentation
• Attend to a Listening Activity for a Specified Period of Time

found this at http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/article/parent-teacher-partnerships/teachers-tips-keeping-touch

Teachers' Tips for Keeping in Touch

Connect to your child’s classroom.

 

PRINT|MORE SHARING SERVICESSHARE

LEARNING BENEFITS

Hover over each Learning Benefit below for a detailed explanation.

Attention and Focus

Problem Solving

Cooperation

Want to give your child the best experience possible? Team up with her teacher! Don't be discouraged from coming into class because "you're not educated enough" or because you don't feel you have anything to contribute — your child's teacher would love to strengthen the bond between school and home. How do you strengthen that bond? Read on for teachers' tips.

• Talk to your child every day about school — it's a great way to find out what he's learning and to identify potential problems that you might need to discuss with his teacher. Start a conversation with "What was your favorite activity today?" instead of "How was school today?" to avoid vague answers.
   
• Read everything that comes home. Most teachers send daily or weekly newsletters with info about class projects and field trips and requests for parent volunteers. But it's easy for your child to forget to pass them on to you, so check her backpack regularly, and find out if there's a particular day of the week when your teacher sends flyers home. Teachers can also post info on the Web using Scholastic's Class Homepage Tool — if your child's teacher does, check the site regularly.
   
• Communicate. Send a note or schedule a conference at the beginning of the year, and let your child's teacher know about anything unusual that's going on in your child's life that might affect him at school — from crises like illness and divorce to less drastic changes, like a grandmother moving in or a mother getting a new job. Mention any medication your child uses, even if he doesn't take it at school. But don't take problems to the principal unless you've already talked to your child's teacher.
   
• Be a cheerleader! Don't just focus on problem areas — let your child's teacher know about his strengths too. You'll help her to think of new ways to engage him.
   
• Respect the schedule. When there's an emergency, don't hesitate to call the school at any time. For more routine matters, it's smart to find out early in the year when the best times are to contact teachers. Ask at back-to-school night, or send a note or email in the first week.
   
• Spend time in the classroom. Not only are parent volunteers "worth their weight in gold" to teachers, paying regular visits to the classroom is also a great way for you to learn about your child's experience firsthand. Offer to tutor individual students or help with special projects. You can also chaperone on field trips, give a talk on your career or your cultural background, or teach the class how to make a special dish or art project.
   
• Bring learning home. Find ways to relate everyday activities at home to concepts your child is learning in school. For instance, explain percentages at breakfast using the nutritional info on the back of cereal boxes, or talk about the fat content of skim versus two-percent milk.
   
• Don't be afraid. Your child's teacher wants to hear from you. Of all people, teachers understand that there's no such thing as a stupid question, so ask away!