Hi K Families! The powerpoint does a great job of explaining Odds and Ends. You can access that by clicking the picture below! Here's the recap that I wanted to make sure all parents knew for Parent Info Night:
Flowerpots: Each K kid has a flowerpot. Their goal by the end of K is to fill their flowerpot! They can earn bugs and flowers for meeting the readiness skills in the report card (knowing their letters and sounds, writing their first and last name, tell their phone number, birthday, and address, knowing their kindergarten words, tying their shoes, and counting to 100). I pick a different kid to assess on tying shoes, counting, writing their name, and telling their phone number, birthday, and address, and each kindergartener is tested every week for letters, sounds, and words. When a flowerpot is full, the K kid will receive a special treat from Miss W, have their picture on our website and Facebook page, and get a certificate!
Behavior: In the beginning of the year I tend to be really firm (and it kills me - I hate being Mean Miss Warriner!!) in order to get students to align to our expectations. I will give a warning (i.e. you shouted out - remember we raise our hands to speak!), and then when it happens again I will move a color. Consequently, you may see a lot of color changes throughout September and October. This is perfectly normal! I'm trying to teach the K kids that we have rules and expectations, and that when you move a color you can learn from it. The K kids have really done well remembering what they've moved colors for and I've seen colors moved with less frequency already! When your K kid moves a color talk to them to see what they've done (we talk about it every day before we go home!) and talk about what they can do to have a green day. I always tell them that yellow is an "oops" and I don't get mad for yellows (unless it becomes too many yellows in a row), so I hope you don't either!
Contacting Me: If you ever, ever, ever have any behavioral, academic, or any other classroom concerns PLEASE contact me! I see such a huge difference in our little ones when there is strong parent involvement. I looooove to work with my parents to help make our little ones the best they can be. There are 22 little ones and I try to reach everyone in a timely manner whenever there is a concern, but if you notice something or have a concern, don't hesitate to contact me!
Homework (Reading and Word Practice): K kids have homework every night: reading their book that comes home (if they don't have a book it's a free choice night!), being read to by you, and practicing whatever they are working on (letters, sounds, or word cards). Please don't feel like your child has to master all 30 sight words right now - that's not always developmentally appropriate! My goal is that they maintain progress with what we have taught (i.e. right now we have done letters Mm, Rr, S,, and Tt and the words a, I, and my, so that is all I expect them to know!). If they have these down and you want to start introducing more, then by all means go ahead!! =) Once your little ones master their words, I'll send home a new set of words (Fry's First 100), so they can be even more first grade ready!
Report Cards: There are rubrics on our website under Curricular Expectations for the report card. Feel free to check it out so you can see what is expected of your K kid for the January and June report card!
** Click the family picture below for our Parent Information Night powerpoint! It may look a little different than I intended because of the fonts I have downloaded on my computer (I just love to make things fun!), but at least it'll give you an idea of what's happening in Room 123 this year! **
Flowerpots: Each K kid has a flowerpot. Their goal by the end of K is to fill their flowerpot! They can earn bugs and flowers for meeting the readiness skills in the report card (knowing their letters and sounds, writing their first and last name, tell their phone number, birthday, and address, knowing their kindergarten words, tying their shoes, and counting to 100). I pick a different kid to assess on tying shoes, counting, writing their name, and telling their phone number, birthday, and address, and each kindergartener is tested every week for letters, sounds, and words. When a flowerpot is full, the K kid will receive a special treat from Miss W, have their picture on our website and Facebook page, and get a certificate!
Behavior: In the beginning of the year I tend to be really firm (and it kills me - I hate being Mean Miss Warriner!!) in order to get students to align to our expectations. I will give a warning (i.e. you shouted out - remember we raise our hands to speak!), and then when it happens again I will move a color. Consequently, you may see a lot of color changes throughout September and October. This is perfectly normal! I'm trying to teach the K kids that we have rules and expectations, and that when you move a color you can learn from it. The K kids have really done well remembering what they've moved colors for and I've seen colors moved with less frequency already! When your K kid moves a color talk to them to see what they've done (we talk about it every day before we go home!) and talk about what they can do to have a green day. I always tell them that yellow is an "oops" and I don't get mad for yellows (unless it becomes too many yellows in a row), so I hope you don't either!
Contacting Me: If you ever, ever, ever have any behavioral, academic, or any other classroom concerns PLEASE contact me! I see such a huge difference in our little ones when there is strong parent involvement. I looooove to work with my parents to help make our little ones the best they can be. There are 22 little ones and I try to reach everyone in a timely manner whenever there is a concern, but if you notice something or have a concern, don't hesitate to contact me!
Homework (Reading and Word Practice): K kids have homework every night: reading their book that comes home (if they don't have a book it's a free choice night!), being read to by you, and practicing whatever they are working on (letters, sounds, or word cards). Please don't feel like your child has to master all 30 sight words right now - that's not always developmentally appropriate! My goal is that they maintain progress with what we have taught (i.e. right now we have done letters Mm, Rr, S,, and Tt and the words a, I, and my, so that is all I expect them to know!). If they have these down and you want to start introducing more, then by all means go ahead!! =) Once your little ones master their words, I'll send home a new set of words (Fry's First 100), so they can be even more first grade ready!
Report Cards: There are rubrics on our website under Curricular Expectations for the report card. Feel free to check it out so you can see what is expected of your K kid for the January and June report card!
** Click the family picture below for our Parent Information Night powerpoint! It may look a little different than I intended because of the fonts I have downloaded on my computer (I just love to make things fun!), but at least it'll give you an idea of what's happening in Room 123 this year! **