Handwriting - Ms. J. Pamela Scott
Notes For Parents
Want your child to succeed academically in Manners and Etiquette in Trimester 2? Here are 5 steps you can take:
1. Check HAC for your child's grades---don't wait until the trimester is over to know how your child is doing. Check it weekly!
2. Contact the Specialist Teachers, too--your child's homeroom teacher is the first contact and the Specialist Teachers should be next!
3. Teach Respect and Reponsibility---begin at home teaching your child(ren) what it means and why this is important.
4. Send needed supplies for each Special---pencils, erasers, paper and a folder for you to check weekly!
5. Practice writing every day for 30 minutes---practice makes perfect! If your child is struggling with handwriting legibility, work with them to improve cursive (Grades 2-4) and printing (Grades K-1) to see continued success!
Please note: Ms. Scott will transition to the Middle School for Trimester 3 on Monday, February 27-June 9. Handwriting will not be offered as a special to elementary, instead Music will replace. In middle school, students will begin Creative Writing in grades 7 & 8. Eighth grade students will design the 2011-12 yearbook and will be assigned as their final project. Seventh grades will begin Mock Trial research on landmark cases that appealed all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Both grades will develop and master skills to help them journey into their high school careers.
Don't forget to call or e-mail a time to talk with the Handwriting Teacher about your child's academic performance. Don't wait until Trimester 2 is over to see how your child is doing----schedule a Parent Conference today! d Melissa Dobbs (12/5/11)
About the Teacher
Delaware Native Ms. J. Pamela Scott enters her fourth year at Family Foundations Academy Charter School Academy. She has taught in the following classroom environments for over 8 years: alternative, Christian/Private, inclusion teams, co-teaching, special education and handicapped/disabled.
However, as an educator, Ms. Scott's biggest achievement has been at Family Foundations Academy Charter School. As the Handwriting Teacher, her students won Zaner-Bloser's National Handwriting Contest and became Delaware's 2010 State Handwriting Champion School
Ms. Scott has a Bachelors in Journalism and is working to complete her Masters in Arts of Teaching in Education and School Leadership at Wilmington University. She earned the "Outstanding American Teacher" award in 2005-06 and received a 2011 "Excellence in Handwriting" award and acknowledgement from Senator Margaret Henry Rose and the City of Wilmington for Outstanding Charter Schools (FFA).
Photo Galleries
In Handwriting, our new little friends are learning the alphabet and how to print tall and short letters in their name neatly. As they walk through the hallways and enter our classrooms, here are a few chuckles to make your day:
Kindergarten on teacher hugs: "Ms. Scotch gives the bestest hugs and she smells good, too." 
Kindergarten on uniform demerits: "I know, I know. I gots to tuckered in my shirt or I'll get a dementia(detention)." 
Kindergarten on the P.A System Morning Announcements: "So, Mrs. Evans," he said with his two front loose teeth wiggling, "when will it be our turn to do the mornin' preachin'?" 
Kindergarten on practice tests: "Hey, Mrs. Scotch! Let's get the ball rollin'....what are you waitin' for?" Another chimed in, "Let's get this party started!" Another friend simply said, "Guys, I still can't write my name. Can I still be in the party?" 
Kindergarten on where babies come from: "It's easy. They come from out of your mouth. I know because my baby brudder come from that place last week." 
Kindergarten on being home sick: "Ms. Scotch, I was sick yesterday and throwed up. It was a pretty color in yellow. "
Classroom Rules and Expectations
Are you following "Handwriting Specialist Classroom Rules?" 
1. Come to class prepared: 3 sharpened pencils with erasers and a composition book or tablet labeled "Handwriting." (Parent note: Continuous unpreparedness will result in teacher detention.)
2. Keep hands, feet and objects to yourself at all times.
3. Listen when the teacher is talking---especially during instructional times
4. Participate in class activities--this includes groups, partners and answering questions when called on by the teacher
5. When using the laptops or the library computers do not eat, drink or play around with equipment. Students are expected to leave the lap top or computer in the proper working order it was found.
Consequences
1. Student warning
2. Student removed from group/change seats or send to another classroom
3. Teacher conferences with student about behavior
4. Teacher notifies parent of incident and sends home Progress Report Sheet for the week
Student Rewards
When students consistently show good behavior in the classroom, they will be invited to eat lunch with the Specialist Teacher. Other assignments can include:
- helping to design bulletin boards
- other duties/activities
- helping with PA announcements
- teacher assistant (passing out papers, etc.)
This is a great opportunity for the teacher to learn more about students and the student to learn more about his/her Specialist teacher!
Goals for the Year
As we roll into Trimester 2, the Etiquette program will continue to grow past cursive writing to challenge our students into new student achievement levels. Here's a look at what each grade will learn:
K-4: importance of building good character and what that means to be a good person. 6 Character Traits include: Caring, Citizenship, Fairness, Respect, Responsibility, and Trustworthy. Students will receive a learning assessment of skills mastered (quiz). Classroom activities include review games, Frayer Models, manners worksheets, Venn Diagrams, discussing world current events, and writing prompts for handwriting legibility, fluency and sentence structure. Students will also learn the 3 R's: Respect, Responsibility, Right Thing and how to be a Better Person.
Grades 7-8: instead of handwriting, students will be introduced to "Creative Writing" which will include electronic newsletters, school yearbook, literature presentations, career nights, oral presentation skills on the PA System Announcements, and professional presenters who will visit FFA to demonstrate how writing plays a large part in career success. Mock trials will also be introduced to help refine research and writing skills. Students will learn skills to help them prepare for career readiness and journey into high school. 8th grade will complete the school yearbook as their final project grade.
Contact the Teacher
Have you contacted the Etiquette Teacher yet? The classroom is now in Music Room C138 for Trimester 2......
As we enter into Trimester 2, students will move into learning about CHARACTER DEVELOPMENTat home, school and in the general public. Class activities will evolve around answering questions to Dear Ms. Manners and giving detailed responses for correct etiquette and behavior, creating a Frayer Model of the 6 character traits, and other class room activities. Here are a few more tidbits for them to know about buidling the 6 Traits of their Character:
Respect----treating others the way you want to be treated and having a high regard for teachers, adults and those in authority
Responsibility---doing things you must do such as completing your homework, taking care of pets, your own actions and taking care of yourself
Citizenship---taking care of the earth and our environment to keep it clean
Fairness----including everyone and not excluding anyone in activities and events; giving equal parts to everyone; and treating everyone the same in all situations
Caring----helping when there is a need and showing a desire to make the world a better place to live
Trustworthy---doing something without being told and being reliable without anyone having to ask
Don't forget: Handwriting tutoring services still available every Thursday and Friday at FFA Elementary from 4:30-5:30 p.m. Call 302-324-8901 ext. 231 for more information.
Links
Want to know how to keep your child fluent in cursive handwriting? The key to cusive fluency is PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE! Check out these FUN sites:
www.education.com (printable cursive worksheets)
www.kidzone.com (practice all 26 letters including round, loopy, lumpy, climb & slide, mix/match cursive letters)
www.myteachersstickers.com (fun handwriting practice online)
www.handwriting.com (printables with your child's name!)
www.handwritingforkids.com/handwrite/animation/lowercase.htm (see alphabet animation by moving your mouse over a letter!)