Title 1 News
March/April 2016
Parent-Teacher Conferences
March 31st 4-9 p.m.
What strengths have I noticed in his/her reading when reading or listening to them read?
What weaknesses do I still notice when reading?
What are some things you are doing at home to help your child with his/her reading?
Other questions you see fit...
I will send out an invite on Volunteer Spot for you to sign up at a time that is convenient for you...working around classroom conferences and conferences of siblings. See you on the 31st!
March 2nd was Dr. Seuss' Birthday!
The creator of the Cat in the Hat, the Grinch, and Sam I Am, who would be celebrating his birthday today, taught generations that it is fun to have fun—but you have to know how. Reading is FUN!
Enjoy a few of my favorite Dr. Seuss Quotes:
Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is no one alive who is you-er than you!
The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.
Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.
Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So. . . get on your way.
You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
A person's a person, no matter how small.
Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not.
Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.
I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living.
All the FUN happens in Whoville...
Get Ready to Read! Online Games
Technology, Technology, Technology! The online games on this website can be accessed to involve young children (with the help of an adult) in entertaining stories and engaging activities that explore a variety of essential early literacy skills. The activities will also help children develop skills in listening and following directions. This great interactive website is for parents of pre-school and kindergarten children. Please visit www.getreadytoread.org/. Explore around....Go to the Skill-Building link for activities.
Decoding Words...It's NOT only for beginning readers....
Visit this site for a huge list of 290+ multisyllabic words to help your child with decoding...
http://www.home-speech-home.com/multisyllabic-words.html
Decoding is like tearing apart a puzzle that is already put together! One piece at a time!
Football is over>>>Let SPRING Training Begin!!!
Hawkeye’s BookWorms is the RedHawks reading program that runs from January to April each year. It is a four-week program that is integrated into schools by the teachers.
Each week of successful reading is rewarded with a prize from a BookWorm sponsor. At the conclusion of the program when the child has “hit a homerun” they receive a ticket to any RedHawks baseball game during the 2016 regular season.
2016 will be the eleventh year of the program and each year more and more school age children go up to bat for that "grand" prize! Last year, over 13,000 RedHawks tickets were given away to readers!!
The Oakes Elementary is completing the Hawkeye program during the month of March! Your child will receive prizes as he/she gets up to bat!
Week 1...Redhawks poster
Week 2...DQ treat coupon
Week 3...Applebees meal certificate
Week 4...A FREE ticket to see the Redhawks play! A HOMERUN!
Please encourage your child to read at home to meet the reading requirements from his/her classroom teacher. Let's have fun during Spring Training!
MINDSET...STAR WARS STYLE
DO or DO NOT...THERE IS NO TRY!
Drop The "I Can't!" and turn it into a "I Can!" Then Celebrate the SUCCESS!
Asked and Answered
When it comes to persistence, few things compare to a child nagging and negotiating to try and get what he wants. And few people know that better than a parent who has given that child an answer they don’t want to hear.
From the famed “Are we there yet?” to this morning’s “Can I have ice cream for breakfast?” to this afternoon’s “Can I have ice cream for dinner?” kids are notorious for their one-track minds, and they will ask…and ask…and ask…just in case you’ve changed your mind in the last minute.
Child nagging is a learned behavior that children of any age can pick up. They might continue to use it because once, in a moment of weakness, you caved and let them stay up an extra half hour after they asked for the eighth time.
But like any learned behavior, child nagging can be unlearned. The solution comes from Lynn Lott, co-author of the Positive Discipline series of books, and it works on kids as young as two or three, all the way through their teens.
It only takes three simple words: “Asked and Answered.”Read the article below to learn more on how to implement these 3 words into your home...
North Dakota State Assessment
Learn more at Smarter Balanced for Parents...
Includes Information, Frequently Asked Questions, and Sample Test Items! What is expected at your child's grade level? Take a shot at a few sample questions at your child's grade level...
http://www.smarterbalanced.org/parents/
We know that our students can rise to the challenge if we as teachers, parents, and community rally to support student success.
HELP! My Child Has SPRING FEVER and has begun to check out!
Keeping your kids motivated this time of year can actually be easier than you might think.
Here are a few tips to help them stay motivated and focused:
- Create Visual Incentives. Find excitement in every day. Invest in a large desk or wall calendar and invite your kids to add key dates -- important project deadlines, tests and of course, the last day of school. Kids are usually more motivated to complete difficult tasks when they can visualize the end goal and celebrate accomplishments.
- Encourage Ownership. Encourage your kids to take ownership of their learning journey, whether it's setting the deadlines on the calendar, choosing which resources they will use for their projects, or deciding what time of day they would like to study; work together with your kids to help them make the best decisions for their learning.
- Provide Positive Reinforcement. Praise them for completing tasks or behaviors that contributes to good study habits. When positive feedback is provided at the "right time" and the "right place," students are more likely to continue with those habits that will result in positive reinforcements for them.
- Support Sustainable Learning. When faced with challenges, some students may want to give up or say they can't do it on their own, so they ask for someone to do the thinking for them. By providing the right materials for a project or referring back to examples for a child to examine, you show support but you put the thinking back on the students. With this approach, children are able to develop the skills to tackle problems or challenges on their own (because they're not always going to have someone around to help them).
- Get Extra Help. When a child is struggling at school, it affects the whole family -- causing frustration and even leading to arguments. And despite best intentions, parents aren't always equipped with the right skills or information to help overcome learning obstacles. Need extra help? Try enrolling your child in an after-school learning program. We have one at our school...email me if interested.
Mrs. Tara Steiner
Oakes Elementary School
Email: tara.steiner@k12.nd.us
Website: http://www.oakes.k12.nd.us