Picture Day

Reminder that PICTURE DAY is this Wednesday.

Buddy Time

Today our big buddies came into the classroom to read stories to their little buddy.  We are splitting the children up between the two grade 7 rooms and ours, so I only have pics from those who were in our room.  We will alternate other days so more pics to follow.

Wet weather

The wet weather is upon us.  Please ensure that your child dresses appropriately for the weather and ALSO, it would be very helpful if everyone could send a change of clothes to school that can stay here.  

Thanks!

Communication Folders

Communication folders started coming home yesterday.  These will be our way of exchanging papers and information.  The folders not only keep papers safe and organized but they are an added responsibility for your child - each morning they should return the folder to the basket at the door.  I will check the folders each day and take out any papers inside that are for me.  Please remember to check the folder each day at home.  I will NOT send it home if there is nothing to put inside.

Volunteers

I only ask for volunteers for Field Trips or special events.  If you would like to volunteer your time, these are some things that parents have done in my classroom over the years and really enjoyed -  read a story, share something about your family's culture, lead an art activity, or showcase your career (I have had a dental hygienist, scuba diver, police officer, and others come in to talk about what they do).

Let me know if you have any ideas.

Sharing and Special Helper

Special Helper starts next week!  Here is what it looks like...

• Chosen at random each morning by drawing a stick with students' names on them
• Leads/teaches calendar
• Leads line-ups
• Is asked to model principled behavior throughout the day/set a good example for others (leadership)
• May be asked to run special errands like trips to the office, notes to other teachers, etc.
• May be asked to choose a book for read-alouds

Sharing also starts next week and it looks like this...

• Children are assigned sharing days which will stay the same until after Spring Break approximately (at that point, a new routine will be posted)
• On these days they can bring an item from home to share with the class
• This gives them the opportunity to talk about the things they love, the characteristics of objects, and have the experience of talking to a group of people.
• Please encourage your children to bring things that teach us something about them or teach us something in general.
• Examples would include, pictures of themselves or family, favourite book, a piece of art they created, an award or uniform from special activities, momento from a vacations, collections, and showcasing a talent (ballet moves, instrument they play, etc.).  Some of the most interesting sharing items I have seen over the years included found items like giant leaves, a rock in the shape of a heart, pinecones, shells, and non fiction books - the children LOVE to see this type of thing and it brings about all sorts of incidental learning.

The sharing schedule will be as follows:

Mondays - Lily, Katelyn, Adam, Isla

Tuesdays - Ciaran, Rylee, Quinn, Zoe

Wednesdays - Gabrielle, Gabriela, Nate, Lexi

Thursdays - Kai, Jack, Johnny, Cameron

Fridays - Kiera, Alisa, Eli, Sascha

If your child misses their sharing day due to illness, vacation, or forgetfulness, they can share the following day or wait for their next sharing day.

Curriculum Night

Tonight is curriculum night and I find myself home sick with a fever and chills.  Given my symptoms, I am going to have to cancel.  I will post information as soon as possible in place of the presentation.

I am sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.  I hope to be back Monday.

The Germs are already here

If your child is showing signs of sickness, please do keep them home.  We had a lot of coughing and runny noses in the room yesterday, and there were several cases of vomiting in other classes, including K.  It is amazing how quickly this can spread in the school and then home.

Thanks!

Typical morning before calendar - checking in with eachother and books

There is a lot of shared reading going on at this time.  This is a great chance for them to share what they know about reading (remember, reading means following a picture story at this age), learn new vocabulary from each other, share a laugh, and share in general.  Great time to connect, build friendships, and start the day off feeling safe and in good company.

PS

If you signed up for email notifications every time I post, and feel like you are getting spammed, do not panic.  I really don't post this much as the days wear on...just wanting to give you all some visuals of what we do at different times of day in these early days.

Reminder

I understand that a notice went out before Summer holidays (perhaps at the orientation?)  requesting $40 per student to cover the cost of school supplies this year.  Only a handful of you have returned this fee so far.  Bravo to those folks for remembering after 2 months!  If you have not, and could do so as quickly as possible, it would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

Amazing creation

This incredible creation drew a crowd and was duplicated by others as the day went on.  So much math - they balanced, counted, compared the height of the tower to other children, used great math vocabulary, like "taller than" and "shorter than," showed knowledge of geometric shapes, shared, respected eachother's additions and suggestions.  Wow!  Funny how these great things just happen all day in K.

Just some pics to keep you in the loop as you adjust to having your little ones in school

These are quiet as a mouse time pics.  Imagine 20 children in a room full of toys and friends, sitting in complete silence, except for the sound of classical music in the background.  Yes...this really happened today :-)

Some pics of the first days

Class Schedule and routine

Music is on Tuesdays (first one today) from 9:50-10:30
Library is on Wednesdays from 11:10-11:40
French is on Thursdays from 10:50-11:20
English Language Learning (ELL) for 2 of our classmates is on Tuesdays from 1:30-1:40 and Wednesday from 1:35-2:00
Gym - Monday, 2:10-2:30 and Friday, 1:30-1:50
Computers - 11:30-12:10
Buddies (Grade 7s) - Monday, 11:00- ~11:30

The daily routine is starting to take shape.  We are slowly implementing new routines into our days.  By Monday of next week all of the following will be part of the regular routine (some we have not started yet).

Upon arrival:

• children take their name from the sign in board and move it from "absent" to "present."
• say good morning to the teacher with eye contact
• take care of their belongings
• wash their hands
• choose a book and sit on the carpet to read with friends and check in with each other
• teacher checks in with students and does attendance

After booktime:

• calendar (lots of math) will be teacher led until October.  From that point on, calendar is led by a special helper each day (information specific to special helper still to come)
• lesson of the day (story, letter of the week, art activity, writing activity, etc.)
• Work centres
• Choosing time in the classroom at play centres
• Cleanup, hand washing, bathroom, snack until recess

After recess

• Numeracy activities - mainly using manipulatives, whole group, small group, pairs.
• Daily Physical Activity/body movement
• IB Unit of inquiry
• Choosing time in classroom at play centres
• Cleanup, hand washing, bathroom, lunch until lunch recess

After lunch

• Quiet as a Mouse time (lights out, classical music plays, no talking, option to look at books, draw in Quiet as a Mouse books, or just relax.  This is their time to be in their own space, enjoy some peace and quiet, self direct, and reflect.  We all LOVE it!  Children can also continue eating their lunch at this time if not finished
• Sharing for the special helper (not yet and information about sharing is to follow)
• Science/Health and Career/Social Studies (depending on the day)
• Adventure time outside, weather permitting
• Wash hands for final snack time of the day - *please note that on 2:00 dismissal days we may or may not have time for this snack as this normally occurs at 2:30.  Some days are busier than others.  These snacks are usually not perishable but if it is it could go to waste - perhaps consider only sending non perishables for that snack.
• Packing up for home time - it is their job to stack their chair and pack their bags, put boots on, jackets zipped, etc.  I tell them that a "hands free student is a well organized student" and they will be reciting this soon enough.

Fire Drill Today

Just in case your child says they did "nothing" today...we practiced our very first fire drill!  They were amazing...I dare say the quietest class in the school.  None of them appeared to have any anxiety about it, but if you notice anything troublesome at home, please let me know.

Welcome!

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