Welcome!
In
the world of college basketball, March is when athletes and coaches hope
to get a “payoff” for their commitment, passion and persistence. Likewise
the Haddam Elementary third and fourth grade students and their teachers,
who have worked diligently throughout the year, are looking forward to
our own “March Madness”, otherwise known as the Connecticut
Mastery Tests. Our students are well prepared for these tests because
of daily effective instructional practices, not because of test-prep frenzy.
Throughout the year, teacher professional development has focused on
effective instructional practices as delineated by Marzano, Pickering & Pollock
in Classroom Instruction that Works (a meta-analysis of the research
on strategies that make a difference in student achievement). Teachers
have also collaborated on reader’s workshops that allow students
time to read at their independent level and have small group discussions
on their book (comparing authors, main characters, etc.).
Reading is fundamental to student success and our partnerships with parents
and community members, especially during the month of March, underscore
our commitment to having our students read more. Every March our
students and staff engage in the Haddam Elementary School Loves to Read
Month. A very dedicated committee works with classroom teachers
to select a theme for the month and plan a host of activities around reading. The
committee also works with our PTO to bring in a guest author and speaker
to make reading and writing come alive. The students engage in a
1000 minutes of reading Principal’s challenge that is designed to
get books in the hands of those who do not have ready access to reading
material, while encouraging our students to read more. Students
get 1 point for every 10 minutes they read—parents or teachers initial
a challenge sheet. Students completing the challenge by the end
of the month are able to choose a brand new book to be donated in their
name to a school in need.
As a parent, you may be looking for tips to work with your young reader. PBS
has great information on their website:
www.pbs.org/launchingreaders/parenttips.html.
The more that you read,
the more things you will know.
The more that you learn,
the more places you'll go.
~ Dr. Seuss ~
Enjoy the rest of the school year with plenty of good books!