Procedures

Weekly Spelling words (which are Spelling Bee words) are posted on the Botha School Website

Click here for a list of "No Excuse" words

Spelling

Spelling list words are generated partly from commonly misspelled and frequently used words, and from words that have similar patterns.. Students also have personal word lists of words they need on a regular basis. (For example, students that write about hockey should be able to spell: hockey, puck, goal, goalie, game, played, period, overtime, etc)
The words of the week go home in the agenda.
As the Alberta Program of Studies states that students are to be able to spell words correctly in their own writing that is how they will be assessed rather than a traditional spelling test which does not assess the ability to transfer spelling skills into their daily writing. Other conventions such as capitalization and punctuation will be assessed in the is manner also.

Rules

1. Be Safe
2. Be Respectful
3. Be Optimistic (Be Positive)
4. Take turns (raise your hand, no interrupting)
5. Do Your Best

Imbedded in these rules are the concepts of treating everyone the way you would like to be treated, no interrupting except for emergencies, and to always be doing what you are supposed to be doing,

Also, another class rule for multiple reasons: Please keep your toys at home.
Students can bring items from home for public speaking visual aids, but not toys. Thanks!.

Home Reading

Grade 3/4 students should be doing about 15 min of homework a day. Any day your child doesn't study his/her spelling words or have homework from unfinished assignments, they should be doing at least 15 min of home reading.
Please record minutes read on the calendar page when you initial your child's agenda.
A prize is awarded for every 5 times that your child reads.
Prizes are awarded once a month usually on the last school day of the month or the first day of the next month.

Learn More

Agendas

Agendas should go back and forth between school and home everyday
Parents please initial when your child shows you his/her agenda. I will do the same.
Students should be learning to write reminders and homework pages in their agendas themselves.
The above seems to be a struggle for young students. If I write their homemork in their agenda, it's probably already overdue.

HOMEWORK

I don't usually assign homework unless it's just a quick question the students could ask you about, or something for them to think about. (example: If the Pacific Ocean is on the west side of Canada, and The Atlantic is on the east side, what ocean is at the north end of Canada?) Or, once or twice a year I will require that they study for 10-15 min. for a test. I do encourage doing 15 min of 'homework' a night for grade 3 and 20 min a night for gr 4; usually that being Home Reading or study spelling words or practice math facts. If a student does not finish a given assignment in class, then I ask that they complete it for homework. PLEASE help your child to learn it is their responsibility to bring it back their homework the next day (even if they didn't get it done, we need those books/booklets or pages back at school!).

Most work that comes home Mondays through Thursdays is homework., work that should have been finished in class. I will try to send completed work to take home to keep at the end of the month (or the beginning of the next month). We call these "Take Homes."

No Excuse List

We have a no excuse list for classroom procedures. Instead of me reminding students over and over about the simple procedures that are easily doable by everyone, students can check the list and think for themselves what they need to do. Examples of the no excuse work list: put your name on every assinment that you hand in, sentences begin with a capital and finish with end punctuation, etc. Work will not be accepted if there's an issue with something that is on the no excuse list.

Advice

We don't really have a lost and found! Put your child's name on the tags of your child's clothing (hoodies, snow pants, jackets, mitts, lunch kits, water bottles etc.) This way found items can be returned to your child. This way items are often returned before your child has even realized that they've misplaced them!

Advice to students: Work hard, do your best, pay attention, be curious, never quit, and be kind.