About Nine and Ten Year Olds

1. About Nine and Ten Year Olds The following information is shared from the book: Yardsticks: Children in the classroom Ages 4-14. Third Edition by Chip Wood

2. About Nine Year Olds….. • Physical: • Better coordinated • Like to push their physical limits; tire easily • Complain about aches, pains, injuries, and hurt feelings • May twist hair, bite nails, or purse lips to relieve tension • Social- Emotional: • More individualistic • Often worried or anxious • Impatient • Often complain about fairness issues • Critical of self and others (including adults) • Can be sullen, moody, aloof, and negative; often say “I hate it”, “It’s boring,” etc. • Language: • Love descriptive language, word play, and new vocabulary • Sometimes revert to baby talk • Enjoy exaggeration, “dirty” jokes, and graffiti

3. About Nine Year Olds….. • Vision and Fine Motor Ability • With better coordination and control, show more interest in details • Can fully master cursive handwriting, although they may need help relaxing their overly tight pencil grasp • Benefit from practice with a variety of fine motor tools and tasks (weaving, knitting, carving, drawing, etc.) • Able to copy from the board, recopy assignments, and produce beautiful final drafts • Gross Motor Ability • Like to push their physical limits, whether challenging themselves, racing each other, or trying to beat the clock • Still learning physical control; have trouble staying within the boundaries • Boys love to roughhouse, tumbling and wrestling like puppies • Complain of and sometimes exaggerate physical hurts • Restless; can’t sit still for long • Cognitive Growth • Need homework related specifically to the next day’s work; often ask the teacher, “Why do we have to do this?” • Looking hard (often anxiously) for explanations of facts, how things work, why things happen as they do; a good age for scientific exploration • Reading to learn, instead of learning to read: If reading ability has kept pace with grade level expectations, they can read for information in books and newspapers and on websites • Take pride in attention to detail and finished work, but may jump quickly between interests • Social-Emotional Behavior • Like to work with a partner of their choice- usually of the same gender; may begin to form cliques • Can work in groups but may spend more time arguing about facts, rules, and directions than doing the actual activity • Very competitive; need their teacher’s sense of lightness and fun to help them relax in class and on the playground • Like to negotiate-this is the age of “Let’s make a deal” • Generally worried and anxious; need adult patience and clarity when giving directions or setting expectations • Very self-critical; sarcastic humor from adults can be hurtful • Tend to give up on tasks; encouragement to try again builds up their fragile sense of competence • Exasperation on their teacher’s part leads to more complaints, whining or moodiness; laughing with nines is the best medicine.

4. About 10 year olds….. • Physical: • Large muscles are developing quickly • Desperately need outdoor time and physical challenge • Often write more sloppily than at nine • Snacks and rest periods benefit their rapidly growing bodies • Social- Emotional: • Generally content; enjoy family, peers, and teachers • Friendly, generally happy; quick to anger and quick to forgive • Work very well in groups; enjoy clubs, activities, and team sports • Usually truthful; developing more mature sense of right and wrong • Highly sensitive to and able to resolve questions of fairness and other social issues • Able to enjoy cooperative and competitive activities

5. About 10 year olds continued…. • Language: • Listen well • Read voraciously • Expressive and talkative; like to explain things • Cognitive: • Very good at memorizing facts • Increasingly able to think abstractly; enjoy rules and logic; good at solving problems • Enjoy collecting, classifying, and organizing • Can concentrate for long periods • Take pride in school work • Vision and Fine Motor Ability • Able to focus well on both the board and close-up written work • Can pay attention to spelling, dictation, and penmanship all at once, but work may be somewhat sloppy as they learn to integrate these skills • Particularly enjoy tracing and copying as fine motor skills strengthen; making maps drawing cartoons provide excellent fine motor practice • Ready to start using tools such as compasses, protractors, rulers, and templates; need plenty of practice time.

6. ‘S Of Mrs. Peterson’s Class Welcome to Our Class Parent Night September 4, 2012

7. Research shows that students who attend school regularly show greater achievement Attendance: School begins promptly at 7:45. Doors are locked at the time and you will need to come to office for check in Absences : To be excused must send in note. Preapproved absence for a trip is required. Please read the HCS handbook for absences procedures/rules. These items are all online.

8. Birthdays –Each month we will have a day to celebrate with a special snack. The children whose birthday falls during the month may get together and bring in cupcakes, cookies, etc. • If you would rather bring in a snack on your child’s birthday it needs to be a healthy snack of fruit or veggies. • Breakfast – Eating a good, protein filled breakfast helps student concentrate and stay alert to learn.

9. CLASS: Cooperation, Leadership, Appreciation, Self-Control and Service • Cell Phones – are not allowed in use at school. Students violating this policy will have their phones confiscated and parents may pick them up from Mr. Torbert. • Conferences – We will meet in the fall once assessments have been completed; please call or email anytime for a conference! • Class Wiki-Daily updates and assignments will be posted.

10. Discipline Students receive House Points for good behavior • Positive and Inappropriate behavior will be shared on weekly progress reports (or that day if deemed necessary).  • I celebrate showing CLASS! You will be notified of repeat offenses; if it continues administration will be included. Communication and Cooperation are key! Dress Code • Please refer to the HCS handbook on the website if you have questions.

11. Email The best way to get a hold of me during the school day is through email. My address is dpeterson@hoover.k12.al.us Effort Students are always expected to give their best effort in class! This means turning in neat and complete work on time. Students need to put forth their best effort so I can gage the student’s true understanding.

12. Field Trips –See our Wiki for our schedule Chaperone information will be shared closer to time of the trip.

13. Grading – Grades are given in the usual scale: 90-100 A 80-89 B 70-79 C 60-69  D Language grade now includes writing, grammar, and spelling: weighted: writing 40 percent, grammar 40 percent, spelling 20 percent Most Wed. folders will include graded papers. Please sign the cover sheet and send back to me so I may keep them until the end of the semester. If you have questions, please let me know!

14. Homework Students should read 25 minutes each night. All homework is posted on the board in our classroom and should be copied into the agenda each day. Most nights students have 45 min. of homework. Remember homework is practice. Think about the amount of time we practice other things!

15. Illness – • Please keep child home if ill • Students must be fever free for 24 hours before sending them back to school. • Remind them to wash hands often! • Be sure to send an excuse when they return to school!

16. and Just Keep in Touch! If you need to contact me: dpeterson@hoover.k12.al.us • Please, if you have questions, let me know! • I will schedule conferences through out the year, but any time you feel you need one let me know! • Be sure to read our newsletter!

17. Lunch – Lunch is from 11:40-12:05. • Be sure your lunch count is up-to-date! • You may check balances and make payments on PayPAMS! (2.00 per lunch) • No outside foods brought in container with labels (this includes beverage cups) • Please talk with your children regarding purchases of extras!

18. Morning work includes math review, problem solving, journal writing and language review. There is a morning work test each week. • Math – Your student should be fluent with addition and subtraction facts with sums or differences to 20 before entering 4th grade. • Multiplication/Division facts – Fourth grade students are required to be fluent with the multiplication facts from 0 to 9 before they enter 4th grade. We will work with the facts from 10 -12 during the year. • (Check the Wiki site for flash card practice for fluency)

19. Newsletters – • Available on our Wiki site. • Gives updates on dates, classroom events and curriculum Changes may occur and will be noted through email and/or agenda

20. Outside – We go outside for recess each day that the weather permits. (12:35-12:55) • Please make sure your student is dressed appropriately.

21. Parties –. We are allowed one “sweet/special treat day” each month. We will have a Christmas/Holiday party End of the year party will be done similar to last years. • PTA – Please join and participate! Our PTA is a valuable and important part of supporting both the teachers and the students. • Progress Reports – I will be sending home progress reports midway between each nine weeks. They must be signed and returned.

22. Questions • If you have any questions regarding your child’s education I would be more than happy to speak with you. • Please communicate through phone, email, and /or conference. • It’s tough to talk when we have “little ears” around, so those three ways are the best ways!

23. Reports Cards – Come home at the end of each nine weeks. You need to sign and return the envelope but you may keep the report card. • Rules – Are posted in the classroom. Greystone also has whole school rules students are expected to follow! (CLASS) • Reading – It is so important that each child read or be read to for 25 minutes each night. Statics show that there is a direct correlation between test scores and the time a child reads at home!

24. Snacks –Please help your child choose healthy snacks. Please do not send in anything that is messy. Water is the only beverage allowed! • School Supplies – It is very important for your child to have all of their supplies each day. I don’t allow children to call home for forgotten work. • Schedule – Our class schedule is posted on the website. • Shoes – Students must wear tennis shoes to recess and to P.E.

25. Transportation – If your child will be going home another way or with another person than you specified on the transportation form you must send a note or call the school to inform us of the change. (students may not ride other buses) • Tardies – Students who arrive at school after 7:45 are considered tardy and must sign in at the office.   • Toys – Toys from home are not allowed at school unless part of a project or presentation

26. and • Uniqueness: Everyone has something to offer and excels in different ways; I appreciate uniqueness and encourage the kids to celebrate and accept differences! • Visitors –Visitors are welcome to the school but you must have a picture I.D. and sign in at the office before going anywhere in the school. You will need to be buzzed in! • Volunteers– Love to have you anytime you are available! Sign up to help or shoot me an email!

27. Water Bottles – Your child is welcome to bring plain, unflavored water to school each day. The bottle should have a top, which can be closed, or a sport top to prevent spilling. Please do not send bottles of juice or soda. (Special days will be announced) • Wednesday folders – Folderscome home every Wed. Contain completed work an info from school/PTA. Be sure to sign and return papers. Let me know of any questions.

28. Xerox: I hope to save ink, paper, and trees. Please let me know if you want a hard copy of our letter! • Yarns- The students will likely tell many a yarns about the school day. Enjoy their stories! We are also collecting ideas, thoughts, etc. for our writer’s notebook! • Zzzzzzzzs- Make sure the kids catch enough zzzzzzzzz’s!