I am so glad that you found my classroom website and decided to spend some time looking at it!  I am so honored to have your child as an important part of my class this year.  We have so many learning opportunities ahead, and our partnership will make an amazing impact on the growth of your child academically and emotionally this year.  So you're probably wondering what role you can play to help your child be as successful as possible as a third grader.  Here are my suggestions:

1)Stay aware of what's going on in the classroom

Our assignment sheet is literally the lifeline to the class.  It tells pretty much everything you will need to know regarding homework and any other projects or tests upcoming, as well as any other important classroom happenings.  I encourage you to look at the assignment sheet every day.  Read it completely on Monday and reread it whenever necessary throughout the week.  Please sign the sheet only when you have seen the homework has been completed by your child on that day.  It's very easy to fall into the habit of signing without checking the work.  Please don't do this.  You would be amazed how many of my former students had their parents mindlessly sign the sheet and the homework was not done or was poorly done.  Quality work in third grade is extremely important and expected from every student.

2)Call or drop me a note whenever you have a question or concern

There is nothing more frustrating for parents than when an issue has occured at school or there is a question about homework and your concern cannot be addressed.  This is why I give my home phone number to you.  Please feel free to call anytime you have the need. (It's always at the bottom of every assignment sheet and in the upper left hand corner of the home page of this website).  If it is an issue that is not urgent, feel free to drop me a note if that is more convenient. 

This next one is the most important of all...

3) Build a strong relationship with your child

I can literally tell on the first day of class which students have a strong relationship with their parents.  They are more emotionally and academically stable and come to school more prepared to learn.  Those students who have a weak bond with their parents struggle with many expectations within the classroom setting.  And, in the big picture, they have much less joy and fulfullment in life.  Try to spend ample quantities of time with your child reading, playing board games, doing crafts, tossing around the football, playing Barbies, and simply enjoying the wonderful people they are.  If you aren't doing this, or are doing it on a very limited basis, your child will suffer for it.  And the research shows they will suffer for a lifetime. Even more, you will be missing out on one of the greatest joys of life.  T.V. watching and video playing with your child is fine in limited quantities, but those activities do not help to build a relationship with your child.  Try your best to limit your child's T.V. watching/video playing to 15 hours a week or less, whether it is with you or not.  That could be a sack of potatoes next to you watching the tube or playing a video game as easily as your child.  Building relationships involves engaging with him/her.  This could be the greatest thing you could ever do for your child.