Frequently Asked Questions: This page contains answers to common questions of students and parents.
- How can parents contact Mr. Foley?
- About how much homework should a fifth grade student have?
- What are some ways to help my child become a better reader?
- What are some of the books read in the fifth grade?
- Why are some of the books sad?
- Why are some of the books about dogs?
- What about spelling tests? Do students have these in the fifth grade?
How can parents contact Mr. Foley?
Parents can contact me by either calling me at 389.3242 ext.2306 or e-
mailing me at tfoley@saintischool.org. Know that I will do my best to respond
as quickly as I can. If e-mailing, please put something in the subject line
that allows me to know who you are if your e-mail address does not contain
your name.Otherwise, I will not open the email for obvious safety concerns.
About how much homework should a fifth grade student have?
This is stated in the handbook that the amount of time spent on homework may
vary depending on different variables, such as the assignment, grade
level, etc. The general guideline is for the average student to spend about
ten to fifteen minutes times their grade level, give or take fifty percent.
For example, a fifth grader could expect to spend between twenty-five to
seventy-five minutes. That said, if your child is spending an excessive
amount of time of homework, please contact us. It is our intention that
homework serve as a reinforcement, and we do not endorse assigning homework
merely for the sake of assigning homework. Know that we are here to help in
any facility that we can.
What are some ways to help my child become a better reader?
This is a broad question, as there are many facets to all types of readers.
There are, however, several things that parents can do. One is simply
showing that you are interested in the child's reading. Ask questions about
the book that your child is reading. Have them tell you about the plot
characters,etc.Have them make predictions, tell you their favorite part,and
make real-life connections to the literature.
Have a shared reading with your child. You read a page ,your child read a
page. Not only is this a great bonding experience of having finished a novel
together, but you have the opportunity of hearing you child read orally, and
you will be able to witness the strengths and weaknesses. They, too, will
benefit from hearing you read aloud. Children are never too old be read to.
If your child is having a difficult time with comprehension, an idea to
supplement, not supplant the reading is the idea of books on CDs. These are
found free at your wonderful Hamilton County Public Library, and I have a
link on this site that will allow you to connect to the library, reserve a
copy of a book on CD at the library nearest you, and will notify you when it
comes in. This is a great opportunity for any reader who might be struggling.
What are some of the books read in the fifth grade?
We explore many genres of books, including the following
titles: TUCK EVERLASTING, BUD,NOT BUDDY, BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA, WHERE THE RED FERN
GROWS, THE LIGHTNING THIEF, THE RED PYRAMID, OLD YELLER, and several
others.
Why are some of the books sad?
Friendship, family, overcoming grief and adversity, and being unique are
some themes that the fifth graders will read about this year. There are sad
parts, some even melancholy, but, ultimately, there is hope and something
beautiful that is resolved from the sad event. Most of the characters in the
novels are the same age as our students, and I find that the students
appreciate that. Put simply, these themes are relevant to the them and allow
the students to experience and empathize with the characters' interior lives.
I have found that students want something real, something they can relate
to. Children are smart; they crave something rich, real, and relevant to
their lives. These books I stand by, and I am confident that this year in
reading will be a unique experience.
Why are some of the books about dogs?
We love dogs in the fifth grade.
What about spelling tests? Do students have these in the fifth grade?
We do have spelling tests in the fifth grade, but since spelling is a small part of the language arts
curriculum and there are so many other aspects of language arts to cover, we fit it in when we
can.
Many of these words are termed as Foley's Unforgivables , and essentially meaning that these
are high frequency words that the students should know. The title that I have given them just
gives them a semblance of coolness and a bit of verve. It piques interest, and hopefully
challenges students to vanquish the Unforgivables.
With spelling, we review patterns and play several games to learn these words.
I am a believer ,too, that reading helps one become a better speller. Often ,the more one is
exposed to words and their patterns, the better speller one can become.