It’s really hard to believe it’s already September 10th and two weeks of school have been put to bed! Your children are settling in very well! It can be challenging at times with two classes, but we’re all learning how to adapt!
We’ve begun assessing children to see what they learned and remembered over the summer. The assessments are primarily literacy based and give us a sense of where to begin reading and spelling instruction. Next week we’ll begin formal spelling and phonics instruction using the Fundations program. This week we practiced reading centers so the children get a feel for how reading group time will flow. This week the centers transitioned from art and play centers on Tuesday to more literacy-based centers on Friday. Early in the year, centers for children include listening to books, looking at “just-right” books, practicing spelling words and high frequency words using stamps and letter tiles and unifix letter cubes. As they learn to operate with more independence, I’ll be able to begin formal reading groups!
Math began on the very first day and is in full swing! Each day our math lesson begins with Number Corner. The Number Corner has a calendar component where students practice days of the week, months, and compose and de-compose equations based on the day’s number. Each day of the week has an extra special focus and name. We have Money Monday; Time, Tally, Temperature Tuesday; Wednesday Workout; Thursday Thinking; and Friday Figuring. When Number Corner is done, there’s a daily math lesson. The Bridges math program is so well designed for young children. For example, one of the Workplaces (which are number centers and there are six available daily) children count and sort bugs. At the end of that particular workplace, children are asked to inventory the bugs on ten counting mats, which each have ten spots. Then they count the bugs (by tens) to insure that all 100 bugs are present and accounted for at pick up time. Bridges has incorporated “counting by tens” in such a natural way that the children enjoy learning what can otherwise be a mundane task. I think it’s fair to say that we all enjoy math time!
This week your children continued writing during Writing Workshop. Each day during Writing Workshop we meet for ten minutes at the beginning and either myself, or Mrs. McGuire, teach them something new that they may include in their writing. So far, our lessons have focused on helping them be independent writers. Each and every child is able to write a story using pictures and then use words to tell the story. We’ll be working on getting the story on paper first and then as Fundations starts up, we’ll work on capitalization and punctuation, as well as spacing. Right now it’s most important for children to see themselves as writers…independent writers!
You should have received the school picture flyer this week in the home-school bag. If you need additional flyers, please let me know!
Have a great weekend!
No comments:
Post a Comment