Hi Parents!
What a wonderful first week of kindergarten! Your kiddos were so excited to be at school, and we really enjoyed getting to know one another!
We read a lot of stories about starting kindergarten, and we discussed all the feelings we can experience as we start school. We discussed being excited, nervous, happy, and even a little sad. We compared our feelings to the characters in the stories, and discovered that many of us felt the same way!
We created our Social Contract as a class. They helped come up with the rules we should have in place to have a safe, happy classroom where we can all feel loved while learning. I then introduced our behavior management system.
Students start out with three stars on their desk. If they receive consistent redirection about a behavior that disrupts learning, they take a star off their desk. This gives a visual reminder that they are working on a specific behavior goal. We've discussed that these stars are just 'reminders', and that even adults need reminders from time to time. If all three stars are removed in a day, I will reach out to you to share what we are targeting for good choices in class, and hopefully you can continue the conversation at home.
We also have a large star chart where students add stars as I catch them being leaders and making great choices. We discussed that even if you are missing a star on your desk, we can always turn our choices around and earn stars on the star chart. :) Once ten stars are earned, they can go to the treasure box. It has trinkets/small prizes, but also cards to turn in for lunch with the teacher, 'stinky feet' (work with shoes off at their table) using the wiggle chair at their table, etc. They kids are SO excited about this!
A few reminders:
* Please label all of your child's belongings, including backpacks and lunchboxes.
* Please send ready to eat snacks each day. The kiddos are pretty hungry by snack time, as our lunch is at 10:32 each day.
* Please send a spill proof water bottle (with your kiddo's name). They are really thirsty at recess, and it's pretty hot outside.
* If you have not signed up for Seesaw, I encourage you to do so. I share a lot of what we are doing that you wouldn't get to see otherwise, and I know the kiddos love to look at it with you and tell you all about what they learned. Last year was my first experience using it, and I really can say it strengthens the home/school connection.
* Please send your child to school in tennis shoes/athletic shoes on PE days. (Monday, Wednesday,Friday)
Next Week:
Language Arts:
Handwriting: Introduce Handwriting Without Tears
Reader's Workshop: How to be a book lover, how to respect a book, what reading looks like
Writer's Workshop: Writers tell a story, introduction to draft book
Sight words: can, my, see, like
Word Study: syllables
Math: Problem Solving, Introduction to Math Journals
Social Studies: Getting to know the school environment, how to be a good listener
Technology: Seesaw, Chatterkid, Camera app
I couldn't have asked for a better first week of kindergarten! Your kiddos are such a joy to have in class, and I am so excited about what this year has in store of us!
Please let me know if you have any thoughts/questions! Thanks so much for your support and partnership! Enjoy this rainy day at home, and hope you are getting extra snuggles from your little ones!
What a wonderful first week of kindergarten! Your kiddos were so excited to be at school, and we really enjoyed getting to know one another!
We read a lot of stories about starting kindergarten, and we discussed all the feelings we can experience as we start school. We discussed being excited, nervous, happy, and even a little sad. We compared our feelings to the characters in the stories, and discovered that many of us felt the same way!
We created our Social Contract as a class. They helped come up with the rules we should have in place to have a safe, happy classroom where we can all feel loved while learning. I then introduced our behavior management system.
Students start out with three stars on their desk. If they receive consistent redirection about a behavior that disrupts learning, they take a star off their desk. This gives a visual reminder that they are working on a specific behavior goal. We've discussed that these stars are just 'reminders', and that even adults need reminders from time to time. If all three stars are removed in a day, I will reach out to you to share what we are targeting for good choices in class, and hopefully you can continue the conversation at home.
We also have a large star chart where students add stars as I catch them being leaders and making great choices. We discussed that even if you are missing a star on your desk, we can always turn our choices around and earn stars on the star chart. :) Once ten stars are earned, they can go to the treasure box. It has trinkets/small prizes, but also cards to turn in for lunch with the teacher, 'stinky feet' (work with shoes off at their table) using the wiggle chair at their table, etc. They kids are SO excited about this!
A few reminders:
* Please label all of your child's belongings, including backpacks and lunchboxes.
* Please send ready to eat snacks each day. The kiddos are pretty hungry by snack time, as our lunch is at 10:32 each day.
* Please send a spill proof water bottle (with your kiddo's name). They are really thirsty at recess, and it's pretty hot outside.
* If you have not signed up for Seesaw, I encourage you to do so. I share a lot of what we are doing that you wouldn't get to see otherwise, and I know the kiddos love to look at it with you and tell you all about what they learned. Last year was my first experience using it, and I really can say it strengthens the home/school connection.
* Please send your child to school in tennis shoes/athletic shoes on PE days. (Monday, Wednesday,Friday)
Next Week:
Language Arts:
Handwriting: Introduce Handwriting Without Tears
Reader's Workshop: How to be a book lover, how to respect a book, what reading looks like
Writer's Workshop: Writers tell a story, introduction to draft book
Sight words: can, my, see, like
Word Study: syllables
Math: Problem Solving, Introduction to Math Journals
Social Studies: Getting to know the school environment, how to be a good listener
Technology: Seesaw, Chatterkid, Camera app
I couldn't have asked for a better first week of kindergarten! Your kiddos are such a joy to have in class, and I am so excited about what this year has in store of us!
Please let me know if you have any thoughts/questions! Thanks so much for your support and partnership! Enjoy this rainy day at home, and hope you are getting extra snuggles from your little ones!