Mrs

My name is Paula Littell. I am originally from Champaign, Il, and I graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in English. (Yes, I am a huge Fighting Illini fan!) After living in both Iowa and Arizona I moved to Lake Zurich. I enjoyed eleven years at home raising my children before becoming a substitute teacher for District 95. After subbing for 5 years and teaching music part-time at both May Whitney and Charles Quentin, I earned my Masters of Arts in Teaching from National-Louis University and began teaching in the district, first at Isaac Fox and then at Charles Quentin. I am very excited to be entering my tenth year of teaching 5th grade. I love the curriculum and feel very fortunate to have remained in the same grade level throughout my career.

I participated as a parent volunteer for many years and in many capacities. I empathize with students who have many commitments outside of the classroom as well as with parents who are juggling jobs, families, and volunteer work. I rely on my own life experiences to guide my students to the best of my ability. I emphasize time management and organizational skills throughout 5th grade so my students graduate with the confidence and ability to perform well at middle school. I welcome any of your questions and concerns, so please feel free to contact me at any time.

My Philosophy: I stress reading with my students, embracing the Balanced Literacy approach that includes shared reading of novels and non-fiction textbooks, guided reading, independent reading, non-fiction quick skills, Read Alouds, Readers' Theater, and Reading Buddies. I believe in the adage "the more you read, the better you read" and feel reading is the necessary stepping stone to success in all other subjects. I love to read and model my love of books to my students with the hope that they will become life-long readers.

Fifth grade is the first time the students actually study history. I love history, especially American history, so I am in my element with this curriculum, but I understand that it is very difficult for many of the students. It is very sequential and each event builds upon the last, so it is imperative that the students grasp each lesson. I take my time with this subject and integrate it with reading, writing, math, art, and music to help the students develop an understanding of, an interest in, and a curiosity about the events and people who shaped this country.

Along with history I incorporate geography. Although it is not technically a part of the 5th grade curriculum I feel it is imperative for two reasons. The first year I taught I found that the students had great difficulty learning about the exploration and settlement of the New World because they didn't know about and couldn't visualize the "Old World"! I decided to stress geography to help remedy that situation. I also teach geography as a means of teaching research and reference skills. My students become adept at using atlases, almanacs, maps, globes, glossaries, and the internet. Surprisingly, 5th graders usually love geography!

I tell my students each year that the only reason I teach spelling, grammar, and punctuation is so they can use the knowledge they gain in their everyday writing. Once I have taught a particular lesson I hold the students accountable for using that skill correctly and consistently, and it will always be a part of their assessment across curriculum. My goal is for them to move on to middle school with mastery of all basic writing skills. Of course, I hope they will be far beyond that point, and they usually are, but "the buck stops here"!

Our math curriculum encompasses many different skills. I have found that most students have some units that come easily to them while other units just don't click. My goal is to boost their confidence levels while teaching them the skills they need to be successful in middle school. I incorporate games, literature, and art to maintain their interest levels and offer as much small group and/or individual instruction as is needed. Our "Rocket Math" program boosts basic facts competency as well.

Science is the perfect venue to foster teamwork. During my science lessons I facilitate partner and small group cooperative learning on a weekly basis. The students work together to complete their study guides and to participate in hands-on learning situations. They are assessed through their individual assignments for each lesson as well as through vocabulary quizzes and occasional projects.