Diane L. Baker-Dennis

Ashland Elementary Center (875-2371)

North Schuylkill School District

2nd grade classroom teacher

ddennis@NorthSchuylkill.net

 

 

 

·       Born and raised in the Bronx, New York.

·       Graduated from Watchung Hills Regional High School, Warren, New Jersey.

·       Graduated from Bloomsburg State College, with a Bachelor of Arts & Sciences Degree.

·       Employed in the private sector for approximately 15 years, including American Cancer Society, Chester County Unit (public education rep.) and Geisinger Medical Center, Danville (training coordinator).

·       Earned a Master of Arts Degree in Communication Studies, May, 1988.

·       Earned a Master of Sciences Degree in Early Childhood Education, May, 1990.

·       Hired by North Schuylkill  School District as a 3rd grade teacher August, 1990; taught 3rd grade for 6 years; then moved to 2nd grade 11 years ago.

·       Live with my husband, Andy, and 11 year old daughter, Dominique, in Bloomsburg.

·       Active board member of Columbia County Child Development Program/Head Start for 5 years; member of First Presbyterian Church of Bloomsburg; volunteer with Bloomsburg Area Swim Team during the summer; avid reader.

 

 

 

 

Classroom Rules Page

Ms. Dennis’ 2nd grade

2006-2007

 

1.    Be kind.

2.    Raise your hand to speak.

3.    Listen and follow directions.

4.    Stay in your seat (unless given permission to move about).

5.    Respect yourself and others.

 

Rewards:

 

·       Each child will have a week as star student.  They will have a classroom bulletin board decorated in their honor.  They will receive a certificate, special pencil and pencil holder, and eraser.  Have a congratulatory message read over the public address system at school, and, then have the written message sent home to share with family.

·       “Good news” postcards sent to parents at least once a marking period, describing what their child is doing well.

·       Snacks and tangible treats given out as rewards for good behavior or good work performance.

·       Opportunities to serve as “classroom manager” or to help out in our classroom (i.e. washing blackboard, putting up or taking down bulletin boards).

 

Consequences:

 

·       Students receive a warning to tell them which classroom rule is being broken, and what I expect them to do to follow the classroom rules.

·       If the warning is not heeded, their name is written on the board.  Depending on how serious behavior problem is I take away recess time (i.e. 5, 10, 15 minutes).

·       Serious behavior problems will result in a phone call to parents ASAP.

·       Some problem behaviors result in writing assignments (i.e. child does not write name on assignment paper).  Again they do receive a warning first.

·       If losing recess time isn’t effective with a student, I will have an alternate punishment, such as losing the chance to be classroom  manager, or, not participating in a classroom activity (i.e. “Around the World”).

 

Curriculum

 

 

Reading  (Collections, A Harcourt Reading Series

        www.harcourtschool.com)

          Something New

1.    Being Me!

2.    Helping Hands

3.    Our World

 

Just In Time

1.    Imagine That!

2.    Neighborhood News

3.    Travel Time

 

Phonics/Spelling   (Saxon; www.saxonpublishers.com)

 

          Phonics

1.    Review of letter sounds and vowel patterns from Kindergarten and 1st

Grade.

          Spelling

1.    Spelling coincides with Saxon Phonics

 

Language Arts (Harcourt Grammar Workbook which coordinates

with our Reading Series)

1.    Sentences                                     2. Nouns

3.   Names of Days                          4. Months

5.   Holidays                                     6. Pronouns

7.   Describing Words                     8. Verbs

 

Handwriting (Zaner-Bloser Handwriting www.zaner-bloser.com)

         

1.    Review manuscript letters and numerals

2.    Introduce the cursive letters

 

Math (Harcourt Math, Pennsylvania Edition

 www.harcourtschool.com)

 

1.    Numbers and Operations

2.    2-Digit addition and subtraction

3.    Money, Time and Data

4.    Geometry and Patters

5.    Measurement and Fractions

6.    Exploring Greater Numbers and Operations

The computer software program “Study Island” supplements our Math series.  Students have a 45-minute lab period on a weekly basis to use this program.  This program can be accessed from your home PC by going to www.studyisland.com

 

Science (McGraw-Hill Science www.mhscience02.com)

 

1.    Plants and Animals

2.    Homes for Plants and Animals

3.    Changes on Earth

4.    The Sun and its Family

5.    Matter and Energy

6.    Watch it Move

 

We supplement the Science series with several Health units.  The Health units may include the following:

1.    Feeling/Emotions

2.    Germs

3.    Dental Health

4.    Drug and Alcohol Education

5.    Growing (inside and outside)

6.    Heart Health

7.    Ecology/Environment

8.    Nutrition

9.    Indoor/Outdoor Safety

 

Social Studies  (McGraw-Hill, People Together, Adventures in

       Time and Place www.mhschool.com)

 

1.    Family Ties

2.    Earth, Our Home

3.    A Working World

4.    We the People

5.    Discovering Our Past

6.    People, Places, and Holidays