Parent-Student Success Binder

heidiroberts7777
May 8, 2024
6 min read

Updated: May 11, 2024

I was a parent of elementary-aged children before I began my teaching career. As a parent, I craved resources to help my own children reach their full potential. I appreciated the thoughtful resources my children's teachers sent home and utilized all of it. Some teachers offered more than others, looking back, I treasure those teachers the most. They set my children up for success because they provided me the resources to be involved in their learning at home.

When I became a teacher a few years later, I wanted to include parents in their child's learning too, beyond the typical volunteering in the classroom. I realize all parents are not like me, and all children aren't as eager to learn from home like mine were, which is why, as a teacher, the homework I offer is always optional. I believe that homework should not be given unless it is meaningful and goal-oriented. I also follow the guidelines endorsed by the National Parent Teacher Association: ten minutes per night per grade, so 1st grade gets no more than 10 minutes of homework per night.

From that, the Parent-Student Success Binder was born. Keep in mind, this binder is specific for first grade, but you can adapt the ideas to different grade levels. Also, my district uses the Benchmark Advance® Reading curriculum and the Ready Math® curriculum, so some of the links provided are specific to those curriculums.

This is what is included is included in my Parent-Student Success Binder:

A letter and number tracing sheet inside a clear sheet protector.

A list of high-frequency words for kindergarten and for first grade.

Reading passages from level a through level i.

A brightly colored folder containing directions for the card game, Tens Go Fish, and a set of flashcards for the first lesson in math.

And finally, the entire first unit of math homework.

Allow me to expand on each.

When they open their binder, the first thing they see is a tracing sheet and guide for the uppercase and lowercase letters and the numbers zero through nine. I put these sheets inside a heavy-duty clear sheet protector. This way the kids can use a thin dry erase marker to trace, erase, and trace again, using the arrows as a guide.

Next, is a list of our high-frequency words. Our school uses the Benchmark Advance®️ curriculum. At the beginning of the school year, I give my first-graders an alphabetical list of the high-frequency words they should already know, from kindergarten, as well as all the high-frequency words we will learn in first grade. This way, they can begin practicing all of them at home to either catch up or to get ahead.

Next, I include reading passages from level a through level i. During the first few weeks of school, and every couple months after, I test my students’ reading levels using, Progress Monitoring and Benchmark Assessment, created by Anne Gardner. This assessment allows me to assign a letter to the reading level of each student. I explain to the parents and children that the letter does not define the reader, but instead provides us with a guide, as well as resources, to help them enjoy reading, and improve.

I purchased Second-Story Window’s leveled reading passages for first grade, levels a through i, and their passages for second grade, levels e through m, from their TPT store. At the beginning of the year, I give each student four worksheets from level a, four from level b, and so on, up to and including four worksheets from level i. Each worksheet has one passage to reed and students complete only one passage per week. As optional homework, the child reads their leveled passage one time per evening for 60 seconds, noting how many words they read at the end of 60 seconds. On the fourth night, they read the passage all the way to the end, noting how far they got at the 60 second mark. Then they answer the comprehension questions on the back. They return their completed worksheet to me on Friday morning to receive 5 golden tickets (my reward system). They are always so proud of their growth through the week. It is really motivating!

Usually, I give parents the Parent-Student Success Binder before I have tested all of the students’ reading levels. For that reason, I tell them to wait to begin the reading passages with their child. I explain that once I have their child's reading level determined, I will send home an information sheet explaining how to support their child at their reading level. I pull this information sheet from the same resource I mentioned earlier, Progress Monitoring and Benchmark Assessment from Anne Gardner. After I send home the information sheet, the parent can flip to the the leveled reading passages in their Parent-Student Success Binder and begin their first optional worksheet at their child’s reading level. For example, if the child tests at a Level c, the parent can flip past the Level a and Level b passages, and begin with the first of four worksheets for Level c. I tell both parents and children that I want them to be reading at a level i by the end of first grade, so the hope is they are advancing by about one letter level per month. As some students advance beyond a level i, I hole punch and send home passages j through m. I have even purchased level n and level o passages for some of my advanced first grade readers, but I believe the content gets too mature beyond level o, so I don't encourage reading that material in first grade.

Next, I include a brightly-colored plastic 3-ring folder. On one side of the folder, they find laminated flashcards for the first lesson in math. As the year progresses, I send home more laminated flashcards for them to cut apart and practice. On the other side, they find directions for the card game, Tens Go Fish. When I give parents their Success Binder on Parent Night, I also give them a brand-new deck of cards from Oriental Trading Company or Amazon, so they have something game-like to take home and talk about with their child. Students can also use the folder in their binder to store the reading and math homework they are working on each week during the school year.

Finally, I include the first unit of The Mint Chip Teacher’s math worksheets. Our school uses the Ready Math®️ curriculum. At the beginning of every Unit, I make packets using The Mint Chip Teacher’s daily double-sided worksheets. Our Unit 1 consists of Lessons 1 through 10, so I staple the Lesson 1 parent note from the curriculum, to the Mint Chip Teacher’s daily double-sided worksheets for Lesson 1. It usually ends up being a five-page packet. I do the same thing for Lessons 2 through 10. Now, I have ten stapled packets each beginning with the curriculum’s parent note. I three-hole punch the left side of each packet and assemble them in the back of the Parent-Student Success Binder as optional homework to be completed over the next few months. Our first-grade team typically teaches one lesson per week, Monday is session 1, Tuesday is session 2, Wednesday is session 3, Thursday is session 4, and Friday is a review and a quiz. I advise my students to only complete one worksheet per day, Monday through Thursday. Each worksheet aligns exactly with what is taught each session. On Friday, of each week, students turn in their completed optional homework packet for the lesson we learned that week. At the beginning of the year, I tell parents that I only spot check it and make sure it is complete. I assign parents the job of checking their child’s homework for accuracy. After a quick look, I put a big smelly marker star on the front, and hand it back to the student along with 5 golden tickets (my reward system). When we begin a new unit, I send the next set of optional homework packets home and inform parents to put the new worksheets in their binder.

If kids turn in their math homework late, I always accept it and reward them. My only rule is they can only turn in one reading worksheet per week. I will create a post all about my reward system soon. If you have any questions, please message me through my contact page. I hope this inspires you to create your own Parent-Student Success Binders. I believe that first grade sets the trajectory for a child’s academic future. Support from home can be a huge influence. Giving parents the right tools can have a significant impact and parents will love you for it! Check the freebie page on my website for some of the resources I mentioned in this video. Visit my TPT store to purchase the first-grade math worksheets I use in my Parent-Student Success Binder.

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