Welcome to First Grade!

Dear Room 6 Families,


Thank you for coming to Class Assignment Day and welcome to First Grade, Room 6. I was happy to meet most of you, and I look forward to meeting the rest of you on Monday.
I am sure you are anxious to learn about all of the going ons in Room 6. This is a year of learning, responsibility, independence and growth; it is also a year of hands on, cooperative learning and hard play and fun. There are too many years ahead for our kids to learn about pressure, this is not one of them. So with this being said, I invite you to relax and really enjoy first grade along with your children because soon enough you will be meeting their 2nd grade teacher.
Now for the business.
On Monday, the door will be open early. Come visit and take pictures. And although this is the time for you to say goodbye, I invite you to walk over with us to our morning assembly in the church. Stay and pray with us for a wonderful day and meet us again at the end of our day in front of the gym for pick up. On all other days, our students will meet and line up in front of their room number in front Kindergarten grass area. If there are any questions you have, don't hesitate to ask.
I am always accessible by email. I very rarely check it during the day but will always try to respond to you by that night. I am at school from 7:30 - 4:30 on most days. I try from 4:30 - 9:30 to be with my family so most nights I don't respond to emails or get a class update out until later in the evening.
Homework... Here is my view on homework. Homework supports daily learning, reinforcing already learned material. It shouldn't be busy work. The homework will go home as a weekly packet but is returned each day. I expect students will need help reading directions sometimes, but other than that; it is my hope that they do it on their own. We will correct it together on Wednesdays and Fridays. They will correct their mistakes then and there. I will collect it. I will check it again. It will go home. We correct it the following day so it is fresh. I correct it with them so I see who's got it or who need extra support. If too many kids don't get it, then something went wrong with my lesson. BUT, I won't know unless I correct it with them AND the students do their own work. Resist temptation to "help" them make it right. It's okay, that part is my job. Where you can help is, give them time and a good space to do it. And, that they get it back each day. Read with your! child each day and play the math games that come home together. Much of our work will be corrected together. It will take some getting used to but it will be beneficial for all. We will go over this more at back to school night.
I work very closely with the other first grade teacher, Ms. Navarro. Although we share ideas and information and work parallel through our curriculum, we do have some different teaching methods and styles. We approach teaching and learning in ways that best reflect our personalities, teaching styles and comfort levels. We do however; promise a fun-learning environment for all of our kids.
About me... I was born and raised in San Jose. I studied at St. Mary's College in Moraga. Prior to teaching at St. Simon, I taught in Santa Clara for 8 years and I was a school counselor for 3 years. My husband Joe and I had our son Joey seven years ago. I have been fortunate to have had 5 wonderful years raising, enjoying and loving him, at home. He is a Second Grader at St. Lucy's, and it is going by way too fast! I look forward to my third year at St. Simon. I look forward to getting to know you, your children and your families. We are going to have a great year together!