Classroom
Handbook
“A School of God’s Divine Call”
Mr. Montgomery
Kindergarten
Room K02
2016-2017
Purpose
Dear Parents,
My name is Mr. Benjamin Montgomery. This is my first year of teaching and I couldn’t be more excited about it. I graduated from North Platte High School in North Platte, Nebraska. I earned my Bachelor’s degree from Concordia University Nebraska in Elementary Education with an Early Childhood emphasis. My wife, Michaela, and I have been happily married as of last December.
My school phone number is (402)-345-7890 ext. 1234. My e-mail at the school is
Please speak directly to the school secretary when you call the school if you have concerns about picking up your child, medication, etc. Although you may leave a message on my voice-mail or e-mail, I may not check it until after the students leave for the day.
The purpose for making this handbook is to inform parents about how my classroom functions and to give you a little more information about myself before the school year begins. Along in the handbook I include classroom policies and my philosophies about education.
I firmly believe that communication between home and school is a necessity in the classroom setting in order for a child’s success in the classroom. You as the parents and I as the teacher are teammates in your child’s education. I hope that this handbook will help you better understand what your child will be experiencing this year and enable you to communicate with you child and me about these experiences.
If you have any questions about anything, in this handbook or about classroom matters throughout the year, feel free to contact me at any time. I look forward to working with you and your child this year. With our combined efforts, we can make this a successful year for both you and your child!
Sincerely,
Mr. Ben Montgomery
Philosophy of Education
1.I believe that I, as a teacher, should live as a walking role model because when students have a positive role model in their lives they can better themselves as students, citizens, and as people.
2.I believe that my curriculum should be shown and taught in a different variety of ways because all students have unique qualities that are waiting to be unlocked.
3. I believe that Christ should be a central focus in my teaching because sharing the love and knowledge about Jesus with my students is planting the seed of their ministry while improving my own. It also shows that God works through every subject and in everyday happenings.
4. I believe that the student’s should ask questions and be curious in their studies because the more they ask about the world and about their studies, the more they explore and succeed.
5. I believe that any and all student can succeed at anything they try and it is my job to guide and show them their true potential.
6. I believe that I should be enthusiastic because if I am enthusiastic and excited about the lesson it will help spark an interest within my students.
7. I believe that, as a teacher, I should be open to all my students to come talk to me about any hardships in school, at home, or related to family needs, because communication is a key connection between students, parents, and teachers.
8. I believe that, in moderation, challenges and failure are sometimes the best way for a student to learn. How the situation turns out is based on my efforts as a teacher as well as the students effort to learn and fix the mistake they made to perform a task better for the future.
9. I believe that it is completely acceptable for the students to show personality in their work, because being unique shows teachers and students that we are all created by God and that we all have special talents and preferences.
10. I believe that corporation between student peers is needed in the classroom, because every person can contribute to a group activity or discussion which can show many different qualities. These qualities may include leadership, creativity, a supportive role, or an opposing view.
11. I believe that, I as the teacher, need to care, love, and support my students as a father would, because forming a reasonably personal bond help strengthen the trust between student and teacher.
12. I believe that combining different curriculum is beneficial to the student’s learning, because when a teacher shows a student that all subjects are related to each other it can improve the interest of the students in their overall perception of school.
13. I believe that differentiation is needed and should be used in the classroom. This is to provide all students the opportunity to learn on an equal level. This includes tiering assignments, assessments, material based on readiness, as well as student choice assignments.
14. I believe that I, as a teacher, need to meet the student at a 60/40 relationship rather than the common 50/50 relationship. It is my job to put the extra workload on myself to motivate, guide, and inspire my students to have that want and need to learn in my class.
Discipline Policy
I strongly believe that rules and consequences should reflect the child’s choices but they have to be related and logical and not outlandish. If as student chooses not to follow a classroom rule or direction, they will first be given a warning. Some examples of logical consequences may include: incomplete assignments = complete during recess time; talking during instructions = sit alone; name-calling =an oral apology to that person. If behavior continues, the student ,may be require to take time out of their recess, contact parents via not home or phone call, or a visit to the principal.
Outside of stickers from a sticker chart, I do not use an extrinsic reward system in my classroom. The sticker chart is used for encouraging students to remember to bring items to school, such as library books, in return to put a sicker on their sticker chart. Students are expected to follow the rules and procedures of the classroom. As a result of following the rules, students will become a part of a pleasant learning environment and a positive classroom community. All students will be praised for their strengths and encouraged to build on their weaknesses.
If the class as a whole has done well listening and following instructions for the week, the student may participate in our Friday Activities. Friday Activities include an extra craft, game time (outside if weather permitting), or extra recess.
Expectations
Students:
*Students are expected to be on their best behaviorand listen to instructions thefirst time they are given to them.
*Students are expected to follow classroom and school rules.
*Students are responsible and accountable for their own actions and grades.
*Students are expected to treat other students with respect as well as other teachers and school staff including myself.
Parents:
*Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns about anything.
*Please inform me if there is important information such as new medication, adeath in the family, which may affect your child’s emotions, or physicalwellbeing.
*Please reinforce and review skills as needed with your child. This can be done simply by going over your child’s weekly papers or helping them read theirlibrary books.
*Please fill out your child’s Book It sheet.
*Please review papers sent home in your child’s Take-Home folder each week, initial the homework sheet, and then return the folder each Monday.
Teacher and School:
*Provide and safe and secure place for social, emotional, developmental, and cognitive learning to occur.
*Help out the parents and/or child with any extra need they may have (within reason). This includes finding a pick-up and drop-off for children who may not have a ride to school, free and reduced lunches, and most importantly time to talk about issues and concerns.
*Communicate with the parents about any matter.
*Provide ample learning opportunities inside and outside of the classroom. This would include field trips, activities to take home, and lots of hands on activities to make a lasting impact on the students’ learning experience.
*The teacher and staff at the school will provide an example of what goodcitizens should act. All faculty and staff should act as role models for the students in the school.
Getting Involved
Parents:
(Home)
*Read to and with their children.
*Parents can feel free to donate unneeded boxes, paper, school supplies, and other materials of the sort to the classroom. We will find a way to use all of those resources!
(School)
*Come with their children at parent teacher conferences so that the child can show mom/and or dad what they are accomplishing at school.
*Help volunteer on field trips, specials events like a musical, run the clock to a sports game, or help with concessions stands.
* Parents can also help by being an extra pair of eyes in the classroom.
***DISCLAIMER*** parents that have a strong urge to help out in the classroom have to undergo protocol from the office which includes a background check. Also please see me personally if you are interested.
Curriculum
We will be learning many exciting things this year in all of the curriculum areas. I would like to highlight just a few concepts which we will be covering in each subject.
Math: In math we will be studying geometry shapes, patterns, counting money, predictions, simple addition and subtraction, counting one-to-one ratios, word problems, and telling time on an electronic and hand clocks and watches.
Science: In Science we will be studying weather, seasonal changes, how animals grow and change, identify changes in the sky, solids, liquids, and gases.
Social Studies: In Socials Studies we will study why rules are needed, maps and how to read them, special places in our community, and gathering historical information and using that information to make an educated guess on what life was like.
Language Arts: In reading and literature we will be discovering the parts of a book (title page, author illustrator, etc.), match one-to-one word ratio, use context clues such as pictures, breaking down words into simple consonants and vowel sounds, and work on blended sounds such as (ed, sh, and th). In reading we will be using multiple forms of reading. We will work on reading aloud which will be a daily practice. This includes the students reading to the teacher a story at their reading level as well as reading the same book with students at a similar reading level (trading pages) which is known as shared reading. We will also have daily sight words as part of our entrance ticket into the classroom and exit ticket as well. These sight words are words that can’t normally be sounded out. In our writing time we have daily journals in which students can express themselves by practicing their writing skills by using “kid language” and working their way up to real spelling words. “Kid language” the way young students write words based on the sounds they hear in the word (for example “laf” for the laugh). Students will also be able to draw their story in an area above the writing.
Religion: In Religion class we will be learning about the love that Christ has for all of us, biblical stories from both the Old and New Testaments, building up our faith, prayer, and singing songs about Jesus’ love and our love for him.
Take-Home Folders
Your child will bring home a Take-Home Folder each Friday with completed and graded papers along with a parent note with the next weeks’ happenings. On the inside of the folder there will be a place for you to initial. The folder should be returned every Monday.
Conferences
Conferences will be held in the Fall and Spring for all students. I encourage parents to bring your children so you may see all they we are learning about each semester. Sign-Up sheets will be outside my room one month before conferences. I will also send out a mass email to remind everyone about conferences.
Daily Schedule
Mr. Montgomery –Room K 02
8:00-8:25Attendance, lunch choice, pledge, circle time
8:30-9:10Math
9:15-9:55Science
10:00-10:30Recess
10:35-11:15Social studies
11:20-11:50Lunch
12:00-12:40Read Aloud/Story Time
12:45-1:25Literacy Arts
1:30-2:10Religion (M,W,F), Centers (T,TH)
2:15-2:55English
3:00-3:40Music (M,W), Technology (T,TH), Art (F)
***DISCLAIMER*** this is a loose schedule and a basic outline of how our day goes. As you may know days don’t always go as planned. There may be brain breaks thrown in to get the blood flow into the brain before every other subject. Also on Friday students, based on the weekly behavior, will have the opportunity to have an extra recess on Friday during art time. This recess can be moved to any part of the day on Friday considering all our classes are the same length.