The document outlines the teaching philosophy and curriculum for fifth-grade students at Hurley Elementary School, emphasizing the importance of a positive learning environment and bilingual education. Homework expectations include daily assignments and oral reading, while the curriculum covers language arts, mathematics, science, health, social studies, visual arts, and physical education. Parents are encouraged to support their children's learning at home through effective questioning techniques in mathematics.

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Parent Handbook
Hurley Elementary School
Javier Armendariz Cortez
Hurley Elementary School
Rowland Unified School District 1999

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My Teaching Philosophy
My teaching philosophy is based on 4 principles
1. Before any child can learn, he or she must believe that they are able to learn.
2. A positive attitude leads toward success.
3. Each child learns differently.
4. Learning must take place at home and at school.

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Homework will be:
 Written down in the binder reminder every time that there is homework.
 Given Monday through Thursday (sometimes on Fridays) and expected to be completed neatly the following day.
 Those scholars who do not complete their homework will receive detention and a bad grade in my grade book. All scholars have a n opportunity to make up the missing assignments, but it will be up to them to present it to me, before or after school. Parents will also be receiving the “Red Paper” to de sign and returned the next day.
 Every scholar is expected to do a half an hour of oral reading every evening. A parent or guardian is required to sign a note stating that they were witnesses to the oral reading
 Parents will be expected to review their child’s homework every evening.

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Bilingual Classroom
Since I am a bilingual educator teaching in a bilingual classroom, both the Spanish and English languages are frequently used. This is done in order to meet the needs of all children, At no time will any child in the classroom will be limited academic achievement due to a language barrier. If you will ever like more information about the importance of bilingual education, feel free to talk to me.

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Grade Five Curriculum Summary
Language skills
The grade five comprehensive language arts program is align to the California Content Standars and centers around strong classic and contemporary literature. Students are provided opportunities to engage in meaningful activities which will increase and reinforce reading and writing skills while helping them develop a love of reading. Daily explicit and systematic instruction in spelling, comprehension, and thinking skills, writing grammar, mechanics, and handwriting is conducted with each student Students have access to interactive computer programs to enhanced their literacy learning. Students in grade 5 read and log at least 600,000words annually (15 minutes a day reading) in addition to their regular school reading.
Mathematics
The district’s elementary mathematics program is aligned to the California Content Standars for this area. By the end of the fifth grade, students increased their skills with the four basic arithmetic operations applied to positive and negative numbers, fractions and decimals. They know and use common measuring units to determine length and area. They know and use formulas to determine the volume of simple geometric figures. Students know the concept of angle measurement and use a protractor and compass in solving problems. They use grids, tables, graphs, and charts to record and analyzed data.
Science and Health
Students continue to build upon the concepts studied in the earlier grades in the area of life science, physical science, earth science and health. Some topics covered in fifth grade Science are photosynthesis, ecosystems, atoms, and molecules, erosion, solar energy, and designing experiments. In the area of Health, students study the skeletal, muscular, circulatory, respiratory, excretory, and reproductive systems. The importance of a balanced diet is also reviewed with greater attention to the differences between nutritious food and “junk” food. The Substance Abuse Awareness unit involves students in short-term and long-term goal setting and in the development of “refusal skills” as well as the continued study of the harmful effects of drugs and other toxic substance.

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Social Studies
In the fifth grade students study U.S. History and Geography, with special emphasis on the exciting story of the settling and founding of the new nation. They learn about Indian tribes, explorers, settlers, slavery, Puritans, Pilgrims, pioneers, the American Revolution, and the westward movement. They also learn about leaders like George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson.
Visual and Performing Arts
Classroom lessons in music support the learnings in social science areas and are integrated with the cultural heritage. Interested students in grades five and six are eligible to participate in band and or chorus activities under the direction of a Rowland Unifies School District music specialist. Students are encourage to view works of art as a record of history, and as a valid means of creative expression, Art is integrated with whole language. Students may express learnings creatively through art.
Physical Education
The goals of the physical education program are: students will participate in activities which build physical fitness, movement skill, individual excellence, positive self-image, and healthy attitudes and practices which lead to a healthy adulthood. Students will do warm-up, cool-down activities, skill lessons and games.

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Helping at home
Parents ask how they can help their children with mathematics at home. It can be hard not to “tell” your children how to do the math even if you want your children to figure it out for themselves. Some of the math may even look unfamiliar. But you can help by asking questions that guide your children without telling them what to do. Good questions-and good listening-will help your children make sense of the mathematics, build their confidence, and encourage mathematical thinking and communication. A good question opens up a problem and supports different ways of thinking about it. Here are some you may try; notice that none of them can be answer with a simple “yes” or “no” .
Getting started
What are you thinking?
What do you need to find out?
How might you begin?
What tool will help you?
While working
What have you tried?
How did you do that?
How could you make the problem simpler?
What else do you notice about?
Tell me about what you see in the problem?
What do you already kwon?
Make a drawing to explain your thinking
What do you need to do next?
Do you see any patterns? Do you see any relationships?
Why did you do that procedure?
Reflect about the solution
Is your solution reasonable?
How did you arrive at your answer?
Convince me that your solution makes sense
What things did you try that did not work?
Copies with permission from “They are counting on Us”, CMS Fall 1995

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