Sandy Bennett

Education

•  B.S. in Elementary Education from Austin Peay State University

Experience

• Joined Saint Ann School in 1984
• Master Teacher: Tennessee Association of Independent Schools
• Professional Catechist for the Diocese of Nashville
• Past president of Diocese of Nashville Middle School Forensics League
• Member of National Catholic Education Association, National Council of Teachers of English, and the National Middle School Association

The Basics of My Classroom

Religion:  Christ is the center of our classroom and all we do at St. Ann.  We begin and end our day with prayer.  Students will attend Mass on Wednesday and Friday mornings.  Throughout the year, students will celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  Topics covered in the curriculum include the 10 Commandments, the Beatitudes, the liturgical year, the liturgy, and the Sacraments.

ELA consists of Spelling, Reading, English, and handwriting.  We will cover one Spelling unit per week.  For English and writing, I use a technique known as Mentor Sentences.  Starting on Mondays I share a storybook and then focus in on one sentence from the book that focuses on a target English skill.  Throughout the week students work with the target skill as well as use the mentor sentence as a guide for their own writing.  There will be an assessment every Friday. 

Reading is done through novel units and Scholastic News.

Math:  Main topics include Numbers (place value to the millions, expanded notation, ordering and comparing numbers, and rounding), Addition and Subtraction 3-6 digit numbers, with and without regrouping), Multiplication up to 2 digit by 3 digit numbers, Division of up to 5 digit dividends by a one digit divisor, Fractions( using fractions to name part of a whole, comparing like fractions, writing mixed numbers, adding and subtracting like fractions, writing a fraction in its lowest terms), Measurement, both metric and standard, geometry, and an introduction to decimals.

Science:  Main topics of study include geology, weather, living things and ecosystems, the human body, light and sound, electricity, and chemistry.

Social Studies: Early American history, important documents including the Mayflower Compact, Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution, map skills, states and capitals, and Tennessee studies.

Technology:  Students will be using Google docs and slides to learn about typing and editing text and preparing and editing slide presentations.

My Background
I was born in Maryland, moved to Chicago when I was four, then became a Southerner when my family moved to Nashville in 1968.  I’m a graduate of Antioch High and received my Bachelor’s degree from Austin Peay State University in nearby Clarksville.  My husband and I have one son, Nick, who is a graduate of St. Ann, his wife Kristin, and two year old grandson Will.  Before coming to St. Ann, I taught in both Montgomery and Davidson county school systems.  This year begins my 36 ^th here at St. Ann. Having taught middle school, grades 6 and 8, for 32 years, I was so excited to have the opportunity to move to fourth grade three years ago.  I love being able to work with students on a more individual basis.

Special  interests:

• Love to travel and enjoy cruising the most.
• I enjoy spending time with my family, especially my grandson Will.
• Some of my  favorite pastime activities are reading, cross-stitching, and crafting.
• I love my pets, Tubby, our dog, and Hendrix the cat!