Second Grade - Ms. Gunther

 

 About Your Teacher

My name is Ms. Gunther and I’m excited to be a part of the amazing staff at St. John School.  This is my first year here, but not my first year teaching.  I’ve taught on the elementary, middle school, high school and adult levels for 14+ years as well as private tutoring.  I have a double degree in Elementary and Special Education from Boston College where I received the John J. Cardinal Wright Award upon graduation.

I love to see the sparkle in my students’ eyes when they grasp a new concept or skill. I believe that children need to experience and explore the world around them.  I am so grateful for the places I’ve gone and the experiences I’ve had.  I’ve been to 30 states, 14 foreign countries and 2 U.S. territories.  I’ve also worked in the business world negotiating contracts, establishing office procedures, planning international events, and writing and editing manuals.  

I am one of 8 children (6 sisters and a brother).  The oldest was born with Downs’ Syndrome and she was my guiding light.  My parents were encouraged to institutionalize her as they were told she wouldn’t likely live to 10 years old and would not be capable of taking care of herself or walking, speaking, etc.  My parents decided to keep her for as long as they could provide for her and she proved all the specialists wrong over and over.

I’ve been an active member of many parishes.  I have been a Lector and an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion for over 40 years.  I have served on several Parish Councils and specific committees.  I’ve also been in choirs since 4th grade.  Being an active member of my church has always been a given.

As time allows outside of work I love to spend time with family and friends, I’ve been involved in community theater in many capacities, I love to travel, read and knit.  I am a JEOPARDY! fan and a Trivia buff.Your Teacher

grade2@saintjohnschoolos.org

 Religion:

All good things come from God, and with the many gifts He has given us, we work towards using these gifts for the good of all. Our day starts with Religion, and this is some of what we learn:

God gives us life and love
Jesus calls us to give ourselves in love
Jesus gives us the gift of His Peace The Holy Spirit helps us
We meet Jesus in the Sacrament of Reconciliation
Jesus gives us the gift of Himself in the Eucharist                    
We learn about Holy Mass

There are many other parts of our religion we learn such as: The Stations of the Cross, how Jesus is present at the Mass, how to respond at Mass, Prayers, the Sacraments and in particular Baptism, First Penance and First Holy Communion.  This is the year when we prepare for and receive TWO Sacraments.  An exciting year for us!  The students also have the opportunity of visiting Jesus on Thursdays for adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction.  This is another way for each child to pray to God and build a greater relationship with our Lord.

Science

We learn about energy and motion, living things, solids, liquids and gases.  We do science experiments in the school lab and begin to keep a science notebook with the different topics that we cover.

Math

We learn about:

  •         Addition and Subtraction
  •         Place Value to 100
  •          Place value to 1,000
  •         2 and 3 digit addition and subtraction
  •     Geometry
  •     Money
  •     Measurement
  •     Time, Graphs and Data

Social Studies

  •  In Social  Studies we learn about the continents, oceans, natural resources of our country and the states.  This also includes landform maps and mapkeys, how to read a map, and using a compass rose. The students have the opportunity of utiizing these map skills through technology based projects such as "Skype in the Classroom", which enables them to work with other second graders in other parts of the country. Students are introduced to other cultures through pen pals from other English speaking countries.

Reading

Reading is a very important part of our day.  We learn new vocabulary, Grammar, Spelling and writing. We also learn comprehension, and begin to learn how to use a dictionary or encyclopedia. We work with compound words, graphs, putting things in order, prefixes and suffixes, context clues and many other important skills.  Students are also encouraged to read….. read……. read! Students work diligently on their handwriting skills. Each child makes a book, through "Student Treasures" book publishing. The children also compete in the annual Zaner-Blozer Handwriting Contest. They begin writing in cursive before the school year is over. 

Homework

Students have homework Monday through Thursday. Generally, homework is not given on the weekends to the Second Graders.