Responsibility
Third grade is a very important transitional year for students. They are making the change from the primary grades (kindergarten, 1st and 2nd) to the intermediate grades (4th and 5th). In the 3rd grade students should start being more responsible for themselves and their own work. Just like reading, writing and math, responsibility needs to be taught. Please help teach your child responsibility this year by setting expectations and then making sure the expectations are met. Encourage your child to do her homework every night on her own, but then check over the work with her to make sure it is done and done correctly. Expect your child to bring you his behavior calendar every afternoon, but if he does not then ask him for it. In the 3rd grade we do not accept excuses like "My mom forgot to do my homework with me," or "My dad forgot to sign my behavior calendar." Third graders need be responsible and do their own homework and remind mom or dad to sign things. Praise your child for being responsible and teach him or her to accept the consequences of being irresponsible (like receiving a bad grade when you don't study or missing recess to complete homework).
Homework Expectations
In the third grade you can expect your child to have homework every night except Friday. Your child will generally have three homework assignments a night, usually reading, spelling and math. Special projects may be assigned throughout the year. According to Baltimore County guidelines, 3rd graders should have about 30 minutes of homework a night. If your child is taking longer than that to complete his or her homework, please contact your child's teacher.All third graders are required to write each night's homework in their planner. Please check this planner to make sure your child has not forgotten any assignments.
All third graders are required to get their behavior calendars signed every night by an adult. The behavior calendar is our way of keeping you informed about your child's behavior in school; please take the time to review it every night and discuss your behavior expectations with your child.
Please feel free to review your child's homework and help him or her make corrections and improvements. Homework is a chance to practice and improve skills. Your child will improve faster if he or she has someone to point out problems and make corrections.
Organization Expectations
Organization is a skill that has to be taught. Teaching organizational skills now will help your child throughout school.Here are some ways you can help your child stay organized:
- Make sure your child puts paper in his binder correctly. Papers should never be torn from the binder or slid back in. Show your child how to open the rings to put in papers.
- Help your child use dividers correctly. Papers for each school subject should be placed behind the divider for that subject. Make sure your child returns her homework to the correct section. (Many students get in trouble for not doing homework when they have done it but cannot find it.)
- Check your child's folder for any papers sent home.
- Make sure your child has a quiet place to do homework. Put basic supplies such as a pencils, erasers, pencil sharpener etc. in this place.
- Send in new pencils regularly. It is amazing how quickly one pencil will be used up. Send in new crayons, scissors or glue when needed. (Most students need these supplies replaced by the middle of the year.)
- Help your child find the correct place to write in composition books. Many students skip pages and then cannot find their work. One way to find the correct page quickly is to wrap a rubber band around the used pages. The book will then open immediately to a new page.
- Help your child clean out old papers and assignments regularly. Please, do not clean out your child's binder for him or her! Sit with your child and clean it out together. Expect your child to know what papers can and cannot be thrown away.
- Binders do not last forever. Please replace your child's binder when it begins to fall apart. Keep an eye on the rings of the binder, if the rings do not close properly your child's papers will fall out and be lost.
Field Trips
The 3rd grade has a policy that all permission slips must be turned in by the date written on the slip (usually 1 to 2 weeks before the trip). If a student does not return a permission slip on time he or she will not be allowed to go on the trip, late permission slips will not be accepted.We created this policy in order to meet deadlines set by the administration. The school must have an accurate count of the number of students going on the trip in order to pay for buses and admission on time and not incur penalties for late payment.
The 3rd grade teachers will make every effort to remind students to bring in permission slips.