READING LAB NEWS
February 2008

Dear Parents:

Well, after half the year, we still have lots of reading brainpower!  Your children are hard at becoming better readers.  I hope you can see the tremendous progress from August.  I am really proud of how hard “my” students are working!  Parents, you are doing a great job checking work and planners.  Please continue to sign off on the planner nightly.  Either Mrs. Feldkamp or I sign the planner daily here at school.  I do write some notes in the planner so please check it nightly.

Many students need their supplies replenished at this point in the year.  Materials students should have every day are:

v      Home folder

v      Pencils

v      Student planner (assignment notebook)

v      Reading book

v      Reading practice book (PB)

v      Vocabulary flashcards for each story (keep in folder)

v      Homework

Homework Policy

Please continue to look over homework.  I take a grade for homework and check it for completion and correctness.   Your child loses privileges and recess time for not coming prepared for class.  I also keep students in to redo homework if it is poor quality work.  The purpose of homework is to reinforce what is taught in the classroom so I really need students to work hard on whatever is assigned.  Studying and reading are homework. Please read with your child and study flashcards.  Building vocabulary is essential to learning to read and to understanding what is read.  Homework questions should be answered using complete sentences.  Forgetting materials is not an acceptable reason to come without homework.  Call a buddy and make a reasonable effort to do the work.

Grades

Grades are based on many factors and varying assessments:

v      Standardized story and skill/theme  tests published by our reading series

v      Vocabulary knowledge on story flashcards

v      Informal reading assessment – running record of a student’s oral  reading

v      Meeting reading counts independent reading goal

v      Comprehension scores on the reading counts tests taken

v      Informal Listening comprehension – quality of discussion answers, responses to short passage, identifying story elements, etc.

v      Overall homework, effort in class, and participation

Reading Skills

I do teach specific comprehension reading strategies to help students become better readers.  I also reteach some word attack skills to help them be able to tackle new vocabulary.  I have shared many ideas with you but I am attaching a skill sheet for you to review.  It would be helpful to choose one skill to use with your child’s reading counts book.  Reading is just like learning the skills for a sport or a musical instrument.  Practice really does improve the outcome.

Weekly Progress Report

Please continue to sign and reinforce good student behaviors.  Please review and return all graded papers.

Reading Counts (RC)—3^rd Grade

READING COUNTS is required for 3^rd graders and is part of your child’s reading grade.  Every student must have a RC book with him or her.  At the end of February your child should have at least 36 points.  We are shooting for 50 points at the end of May which is the goal for ALL St. Martha 3^rd Graders.  We already have two (2) students there and one close!   A good way to read is for you to read one page and have your child read one page.  Stop periodically and check for understanding. 

Reading Counts (RC)—2^nd Grade

All second grade students should be reading a reading counts book and taking a test at least every couple of weeks.  A good way to read is for you to read one page and have your child read one page.  Stop periodically and check for understanding. 

Contacting Me

We won’t meet again until spring conferences, but if you would like to conference, please send in a note.  I continue to be available by phone usually from 12:30-2:30 each day. I also am usually at school in the morning after 7:00am. I do have some morning and afternoon duties so it is best to make an appointment.

 Parents, if I can help in any way, please let me know.   Thank you so very much for all your hard work and support. Please, please, do not hesitate to contact me.

Thanks so much,

Mrs. Sadolsky