Kindergarten

Kindergarten Kindergarten is a time when children discover a love of learning!My job is to support the learning environment and provide opportunities for growth in knowledgeI promise to do my very best to make their first year in school a memorable onebe a teacher who makes a differencetry and find the best way your child learns create a safe, respectful and positive learning environment based on trustcelebrate and value your childs uniqueness and help them grow with it

While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about!1In Kindergarten we invite children to :Discover and value their inherent giftsGain confidence through a sense of belongingUnderstand they they can make a valued contributionBe creative, competent communicatorsBe curious lifelong learnersBe active learnersBuild good relationships where they feel valued, are willing to engage, act responsibly and care about othersShare their ideas and insightsPlay, explore and discover

School CalendarThis year the second day of Kindergarten will be a time of initial assessment. Each child will have a scheduled time to attend within this day and I will be completing some assessment to help determine my programming direction. Each student can be dropped off for about an hour and then picked up again.The Speech & Language Patholigist, Linda Poletz, will also be here to do her initial screening.Danielle Jamieson will also be helping with the assessment The first full day of Kindergarten for everyone will be September 7.The schedule is on the following pageThe final day will be Thursday,June 21st Please check the Blog, daybooks and notes regularly as sometimes we need to change what day kindergarten is because of special school events

Sept. 6th Schedule9:00 Cole Brown9:20 Zack Kirk9:40 Ben MacDonald10:00 Ella Rublee10:20 Zayda Summach10:40 Callie Swan11:00 Sawyer Gilroy11:20- Karlee Schwengler11:40 - Penner12:45 Dante Hudson1:05 Ty Campbell1:25 Kayla Sach1:45 Kayden Mears2:05 Hailey Olson

School Supplies I will purchase and collect fromeveryone in the fall. They will needto send and/or purchase a: backpacklunch kitinside shoes (Velcro unless they are very good at tying)box of Kleenexchange of clotheshead phones (over the ear type)

Kindergarten Daily RoutineEach day we work on readiness skills like:Letters and soundsSequencingRelationships to expand vocabulary i.e. oppositesRhyming & sight wordsColors identifying, matching, and then color to its wordPatterning

Routine ContinuedMatching ie. Object to shadows, concrete to abstractClassification size, objects, large to small, concrete to abstractNumerals Exploring what is 5 etc., rote counting, matching sets to sets, and then sets to numerals left to right progression Regular Body Breaks that enhance our ability to learn and perform at our bestGross motor skillsFine motor skills coloring and cuttingInquiry Learning - exploration of Big Idea Questions

Homework PackagesMonthly homework packages are sent home in a binderStudents may complete Homework packages. A variety of concepts will be reviewed; Colors, letters, numbers, patterning, etc.At the end of the month they are asked to return them school (even if they are not all completed)They receive rewards and are entered into draws if their packages are returnedThere are sheets with games and ideas for things you can try at home besides the hands on work

9We will be flexible some months we may extend the time period in which the students have to complete their contract, therefore I will notify you when the contracts will be coming home. This will give you a chance to see the type of concepts we are working on. Please keep in mind we work on the skills all year long and the more exposure the children have with i.e.. Color words the more successful they will be. Mastery of a certain skill may not occur till the middle or end of the year. These contracts help us see student growth. It truly does not matter if they did not understand patterning at first but if they are consistent before reporting period, then this is what the report card will show. This evaluation is formative not summative. Show examplesStages of ReadingEmergentReads using pictures and memoryIs aware of the conventions of printKnows some letter sounds2.BeginningDemonstrates one-to-one correspondence;Is starting to use phonics for decodingIs developing a sight vocabularyIndependentUses a variety of word identification strategiesRead fluently with expression;Has a large sight-word vocabulary.

10Emergent second check Conventions ie. Text goes from left to right We work on reading names Color words and number wordsUndoubtedly the best way to help is to read every day to, with Sight Words - These are sent out with the homework packages & are on flashcards- High frequency words- Words pictures cant explain- Number words- Colour words

Stages of Writing Scribbling

Directional Scribbling

Strings of Letters

Letter Groups and Copying

Letter/Word RepresentationI went to town . as I w t tn

Medial Letter Sounds and Sentence Writing This kande is min

7.Conventional Spelling

121. Scribbling The child writes with scribbles. His starting point may be anywhere on the page.2. Directional Scribbling imitates adults left to write may add letterlike formations3. Series of letters no regared to spacing upper and lower case mixed4. Groups letters to resemble words copies environmental print **reversals are common5. First letter and later last letters to represent wordsWords with beginning, middle and ending letter sounds 6. Begins constructing sentences7. Most words spelled accuratelyGive students lots of opportunities to practice writing, regardless the stage they are at. Praise their attempts, think out loud, talk about spacing between words I try to promote literacy (reading and writing) in my activity centers Real-life situations - Students have a purpose ie. Sign In Printing-grip-posture-spacing-start letters at the top-prints left to right-These things are very important and I ask that you work hard to reinforce this at home

EvaluationWe assess what the child is learning by observing behavior, participation, how a job is tackled, and how they interact or respond to the teacher and other studentsAssessment is ongoing with checklists, conferences, photos, workjobs and activity sheets. Final assessment will be completed before report cards. We do a few screenings; Speech, Motor, and Phonological Awareness Linda Poletz, our Speech Pathologist, will do an informal screening in the fall.

Report Cards and InterviewsReport Cards go out two times; March and JuneParent-Teacher-Student interviews are in November and March There will be a portfolio to show your childs learning throughout the year as wellIf you have any questions please call me at home (932-2236) or on my cell(932-7770) or school (932-2222)RecessEveryone goes out for recess. Please bring appropriate dress that students are able to do themselves. In rainy weather wear splash pants and it is a good idea to send an extra pair of pants in case.

16TOYS - Discouraged - Please make monitor toys brought to school one is plentyClassroom Behavior Management System:How it works: Each day all of the children start on green. If a child is misbehaving, I move his card to yellow or red. I save red for major offenses or repeated offenses. If a child is behaving very well, I change his card to purple. Often if I see a child misbehaving, I look for a child who IS behaving and change that child to purple rather than changing the misbehaving child to yellow. Most children "straighten up" when you change a classmate to purple in hopes that they too can have purple. I change many more children to purple than yellow or red. This makes the system more of a positive reinforcement system than a negative or punitive system. Consequences:I try to make the consequences directly relate to the misbehavior and I make sure that children understand this relationship. For that reason, I don't have specific consequences that match misbehaviors or that corresponds to the colors on my chart. I often offer choices regarding consequences to give the child some control (rather than engaging in a power struggle). For example: if a child does not complete his work during a lesson--due to "fooling around" or refusing to do it--I may offer him the choice of completing it at recess or activity time. I am not punishing him; sitting out to complete the work is a natural consequence of not doing it in class. Another example: if a child is disrupting the class, I may offer her the choice of putting her head down at her table or sitting in our quiet chair (time out chair). At the end of the day, children who are on purple get a sticker for their chart and a sticker in their daybook, children on green get a sticker in their daybook, yellow gets nothing, and red gets a note or phone call home. Students are supervised from 8:40 am until 3:10 p.m. They will be eating lunch in our classroom. Students may purchase milk every month from our milk program. There is a Thursday Note that goes home every Thursday. Jodi has an emailed version for all those who have email.Please watch for it as it is an important tool for communication between the school and home. We have a schedule for Show & Share every morning. I will send a note out to let you know which day your child will have show and share.

Other InformationYou Need To Know

18Wait for Safety PatrollersHow Can I Help My Child?Read regularly Regular bedtime routineNote monthly calendar Return library booksPrepare for sharingEncourage participation in school spirit daysSupport Expected & Unexpected BehavioursAttend school functionsVolunteer (Please fill in correct forms to do so)Day Books read Blog, sign & return each Kindergarten day

19I encourage you to read Library books three times maybe try acting out the book, or predict as you are reading or one time have students pretend to read I get them to use their magic fingers and work left to right.- for books with less text

The calendar notes skills we are working on that should bne reinforced at home. Just PlayingAuthor UnknownWhen I'm building in the block area, Please don't say I'm "Just Playing." For, you see, I'm learning as I play: about balance and shapes. Who knows, I may be an architect someday. When I'm getting all dressed up, setting the table, caring for the babies, Don't get the idea I'm, "Just Playing." For, you see, I'm learning as I play: I may be a mother or a father someday.

20 Read first and last verseImportant to give them time to complete their play.

Last is... When you ask me what I've done at school today, and I say, "I Just Played," Please don't misunderstand me. For, you see, I'm learning as I play. I'm learning to enjoy and be successful in my work, I'm preparing for tomorrow. Today, I am a child and my work IS play

When you see me up to my elbows in paint, or standing at an easel, or molding and shaping the clay, Please don't let me hear you say, "He's Just Playing." For, you see, I'm learning as I play. I'm expressing myself and being creative. I may be an artist or an inventor someday.

When you see me sitting in a chair "reading" to an imaginary audience, Please don't laugh and think I'm "Just Playing." For you see, I'm learning as I play. I may be a teacher someday.

When you see me combing the bushes for bugs, or packing my pockets with choice things I find, Don't pass it off as "Just Playing." For, you see, I 'm learning as I play. I may be a scientist someday.

When you see me engrossed in a puzzle or some plaything at my school, Please don't feel the time is wasted in "Play." For, you see, I'm learning as I play. I'm learning to solve problems and concentrate. I may be in business someday. When you see me cooking and tasting foods, Please don't think that because I enjoy it, it is"Just Playing. For, you see, I'm learning as I play. I'm learning to follow directions and see differences. I may be a cook someday. When you see me learning to skip, hop, run, and move my body, Please don't say I'm "Just Playing. For, you see, I'm learning as I play. I'm learning how my body works. I may be a doctor, nurse, or an athlete someday.

Students Work is Play When you ask me what I've done at school today, and I say, "I Just Played," Please don't misunderstand me. For, you see, I'm learning as I play. I'm learning to enjoy and be successful in my work, I'm preparing for tomorrow. Today, I am a child and my work IS play

23Activity Time is a favorite time for many students as much as Gym and recess! I try to set up centers that promote literacy of course there is a writing center but there is a rating scale in the Library corner, and tickets and materials for a program in the Dramatic Play center which for this month is a puppet theater etc. I'm trying new center ideas this year. We are having a shorter craft time and so you will see less crafts coming home. However, if a student so chooses he/she could still do a craft each day. There will be some projects I want all to do but some will be a choice. I try to have a balance of structured and less structured activites. I started having limited number of students allowed at each center and have since changed it to no set number. I want the students to make room for each other and cooperate. Things I Need to Start School An extra set of clothes that I can leave at school A box of Kleenex Inside shoes (Velcro Please!!) A lunch kit A back pack Headphones(Over the ear type) Water bottle (one that doesnt tip or leak easily) I will buy the rest of the school supplies and collect from you at the beginning of the year

We are tuned into Kindergarten!Heres to a great year!

A Successful Year

With everyone working together, students, teachers, and parents, we can provide the best education for the students. All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergartenby Robert Fulghum

Most of what I really need to know about how to liveand what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate schoolmountain,but there in the sand pile at school. These are the things I learned:

Share everything.Play fair.Don't hit people.Put things back where you found them.Clean up your own mess.Don't take things that aren't yours.Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.Wash your hands before you eat.Flush.Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.Live a balanced lifelearn some and think some anddraw and paint and sing and dance and play and work everyday some.Take a nap every afternoon.When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together.Be aware of wonder.

27Read aloud to parents