Mrs. Maher’s Class
Glenwood Elementary
School
September 11, 2014
Welcome!
Meet Mrs. Maher
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Graduated from the Bloomsburg University with a BS in Elementary Education
•
Currently working toward reading specialist certification from Cabrini College
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Taught first grade at Rose Tree Elementary School from 1990-1994
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Taught kindergarten at Media Elementary School from 1994-1996
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Taught kindergarten at Glenwood Elementary School from 1997-2012
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Currently teaching and loving first grade at Glenwood Elementary School!
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Married to my husband, Dan for twenty one years. Sent my first born, Danny, to college at The
University of Pennsylvania two years ago and have a 18 year old daughter, Mary Kate living at
home and attending Springfield High School.
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Madly in love with my seven year old cock-a-poo, Charlie
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Favorite places to visit are Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Atlantis and Disney World
•
Daily Routine
8:45-9:00 Children Arrive and Word Work
9:00-9:30 Opening Exercises and Morning Meeting
9:30-10:30 Reading Workshop
10:30-11:20 Snack, Daily Five, Core Extension
11:20-12:00 Encore Classes
12:00-12:30 Recess
12:30-1:00 Lunch
1:00-1:45 Math
1:45-2:15 Project Read/Phonics
2:15-3:00 Writing Workshop
3:00-3:25 Science/Social Studies/Handwriting
3:30 Dismissal
Children Arrive
Good Morning Boys and Girls!
Be Respectful
Be Ready
Backpack
Lunch
Jacket
Be Responsible
Do YOUR job
Get started quickly
Greet a friend with a smile
Say "Good Morning" to
Mrs. Maher!
Morning Meeting
• Daily ( promptly at 9:00)
• Responsive Classroom
• District wide initiative building community and self esteem
• Starts with greeting, sharing, and a game and morning
message
Language Arts
• Teachers College Reading Workshop
• Whole group mini- lesson
• Independent reading practice with “Just Right Books”
• Partner reading
• Individual conference with teacher
• Small group instruction
• Guided reading groups
• Strategy lessons in small groups
• Targeted Skills-Comprehension, Accuracy, Fluency, Expanded
Vocabulary (Popcorn and Phonics Words)
• Project Read- Phonemic Awareness and Phonics
• Handwriting-Handwriting Without Tears
Encore/ Specials
• Day 1 - Library
• Day 2- Music
• Day 3 - Gym
• Day 4 - Art
Art – Mr. Sharp
Gym- Mr. Lehan
• Day 5- Music
Library- Mr. Grisillo
• Day 6 - Gym
Music- Ms. Hong
• Day 7 -Art
• Day 8 - Library
• Day 9- Gym
• Day 10- Music
• Day 11- Art
• Day 12- Gym
Guidance- Mrs. Vellios-Miller
Enrichment- Mrs. Rigatti
Math
• Scott Foresman-Addison Wesley Math
Investigations
• Hands-On math exploration with
manipulatives
• Units are listed in your pamphlet
• Unit tests given at the end of each unit,
Please sign and return
Phonics
• Project Read
• Start the year in class homeroom
• Weekly Wordlists
• Friday Dictation ( please note this is not a spelling test, but
spelling concepts and spelling patterns)
• Switch with the other classes
• Miss Fizanno and Mrs. Imburgia
Writing Workshop
• Lucy Calkins Writing Workshop Method
• Mini Lesson taught daily
• Teacher teaches mini lesson, guided practice, student independent work,
teach conference
• Exploring the writing process develops ideas for writing texts that carry
meaning
• Encourage invented spelling at first then transition into conventional
spelling
• Appropriate spelling, conventions, and grammar are applied when
writing
• Writing Process-1st Draft, Editing, Final Draft
• Journals
Social Studies
• Glenwood Goals for Positive Behavior
• Be Ready
• Be Respectful
• Be Responsible
• Social Studies Alive
• My school
• My family
• The world around me
Science
• Balancing and Weighing
• Organisms
• Enrichment with Mrs. Rigatti
• -Days 6 and 12
Classroom Management
• Positive Reinforcement
• Individual goals- Card movement
• Small group goals
• Whole class goals
• Earn special privileges
• Lose 5-10 minutes of recess
• Reflective component
Homework
• Please read with your child for 15 minutes every day and
sign Book Log
• Reading Logs should be kept in Take Home Folders and
initialed daily
• Book packs with independent level books will come home
every day. Please return them daily- Students will not
receive new books, until ALL books are returned.
• Homework Folder will come home on Monday and should
be returned every Friday ( green)
Classroom Routines
• Pond Pal of the Week- handout will come home
with your child when they are chosen
• Folders ( take home and homework)
• Birthdays
• Mystery Readers
• Field Trips (Aquarium, Zoo, Play)
• Absentee Hotline (610 – 627- 6900 )
Parent Involvement
• Daily homework
• Open House ( November 20th, 2014)
• Conferences
• November 24th (evening)
• November 25th (all day)
• Scholastic Book Club (periodically)
• Field Trip Chaperones
• Class Parties and Theme Days
A few more things…
• Class News will come home weekly
• Please check to see if your email is correct on the list. I will use this to
communicate quick email updates or questions
• PLEASE DO NOT SEND BIRTHDAY PARTY INVITATIONS TO SCHOOL!!!
• I try to check email before school and during Specials at the end of the
day. Please call the office if you have a change of plan for end of the
day procedure.
• Best time to call me at school during the day: 11:30 – 12:30
• Snack- please send a healthy snack daily for snack time. ( ONE)
• Recess - Will go out as much as possible-dress for the weather (Dress in layers)
• A/C- Please bring a jacket for the classroom. (sometimes the classroom is chilly)
Thank you!
Questions?
Phone Number (610) 627-6912
Email: kmaher@rtmsd.org