ROOM 407 - FIRST GRADE - MRS. COX I am excited to be your child’s 1st grade teacher this year!It is going to be a fun year full of learning!
CLASSROOM COMMUNITY AND TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
I am a firm believer in positive reinforcement and use these strategies to encourage students to do their personal best: music, bucket filling activities, positive notes and check-ins, rewarding games and group celebrations. My students are rewarded for using problem solving strategies, working together, turning in work/permission slips on time, and behaving appropriately in and out of the classroom. I believe in real life learning experiences and advocate logical consequences for inappropriate behavior. My students are expected to use good manners and work to develop self-monitoring systems when things aren’t going well. Please email me if you would like to discuss something in your child’s life that may be affecting his or her work and/or behavior.
Classroom Community I will work hard to create an inclusive classroom community where all students feel respected and safe taking risks. My students are expected to come to class on time, rested, and ready to learn. We have adopted the school wide rules and strive to be responsible, respectful and ready to learn in our classroom. I advocate the Growth Mindset, believe in hard work, and plan lessons using the philosophy of Bloom's Taxonomy. I strive to build resiliency and the ability to bounce back when things get tough. I work to show them that it's ok to make mistakes, take accountability, and how to laugh and have a positive attitude. Please visit the Growth Mindset Links + webpage if you are curious to learn more about my teaching philosophy.
Communication A successful partnership in education includes teachers, parents and students! The best way to communicate with me is via email: [email protected]. I check email daily, but do not check my email during teaching hours, so please allow up to 24 hours for a response.
Our BACK TO SCHOOL classroom information can be found on this webpage:Back to School! Links will become live the first week of school.
DISTANCE LEARNING COMMUNICATION Most of the classroom information needed for when we are in DISTANCE LEARNING MODE, can be found on this website: MRS. COX'S REMOTE LEARNING WEBSITE. Please make sure that this website is bookmarked and visited frequently when we are working remotely.
The 3 Rs, and Mr. Connor's Back to School Message 2019-2020
The entire Walnut Grove staff collaboratively teach our students to follow the 3 Rs: BE RESPONSIBLE BE RESPECTFUL BE READY TO LEARN
*****PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR MORE A MORE CURRENT MESSAGE FROM MR. CONNOR!!!!
Classroom Volunteers I am optimistic that will be back in the classroom this year! Please see the following information about the classroom volunteering opportunities.
Thank you in advance for your willingness to help make this the BEST YEAR EVER!
Morning and Afternoon Parent Helpers (up to 8): These helpers will work with students during our staggered times (8:15-9:00 and 2:05-2:50) Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. This position can be shared and we can work out a schedule once we have established the early birdies and the later gators.
Room Parent and Assistant: Help the teacher with planning classroom events, field trips and parties
Fun Run Liaison: Attend informational meeting, gather volunteers, send out email reminders, and organize and help on the day of the Fun Run
Yearbook Photographer and Shutterfly manager: Take pictures of classmates at parties and fundraisers for the yearbook, and organize Shutterfly Website so parents can share pictures
Artwise Parents (2-3 needed): Teach and/or assist with monthly lessons using the lessons provided (Parents can work together or alternate teaching)
Recycling (2-3 needed): Email reminders, collect recycling with other WG parents once a month, and occasionally take recycling to the Recycling Center (parents alternate and take turns). First grade collectively uses the money earned to pay for Scholastic News. Please see the RECYCLING PDF FLYER for more information.
WG Garden: Help maintain the WG garden. We need volunteers to help in the Walnut Grove Student Garden on Tuesdays from 11:30am - 1:15pm. The volunteers will work with the garden manager to direct and help the kids with the garden activities. Students are given small tasks to help grow, maintain, and enjoy the garden through all the seasons. The garden is only open with parent volunteer help.
No gardening experience is required. Come out and have fun seeing the kids discover and enjoy the garden! Sign up only for which weeks work for you.
Introducing the Classroom Mascots PETE THE CAT I begin the year with teaching my students how to be a cool cat, just like Pete. Not only is he flexible and resilient, but he knows how to follow the 3Rs! He especially teaches us how to have self control and make wise choices. Check out HOW TO BE A COOL CAT:
MORE COOL CATS! I am happy to announce the arrival of a few more cool cats! Rasheed asked if he could join our class to learn more about phonics, reading and writing alongside my first graders! Of course I said yes! His little brother, Rocky, and a handful of cat cousins are tagging along because they love adventure and would like to be a part of our classroom community.