Dear Parents,
Thanks so much to all of you who attended Parent Orientation Night! I try to give you as much information about your child's day as possible on this night, so I apologize if I kept you too long!
We are currently in a kindergarten review until Monday, September 14th when the true first grade Language Arts curriculum begins. If your child is having any difficulty with the concepts we are working on, now is the time to get working. Please study the words I send home in the newsletter every night & read. This is the number one way to reinforce what we do in school. Practice letter sounds & naming the letters. Talk about beginning &ending sounds & what that means. Play a game where you say a word & your child has to say a word that rhymes with it. Do not let any troubles go unattended, because once September 14th comes around - the work gets challenging & fast. Ms. Bain & I will be working with students one-to-one & in small groups to help anyone who needs it. We will do our best during the day, but your support is needed at home also.
If your child is having an easy time with the review, that's great. I can always supplement his/her work with other things to keep him/her in learning mode. Reviewing is good for all of the students because it gets them into our routine & they will be ready for the fast pace that is coming. Once I assess all the students, (week of Aug. 31-Sept. 4) I will be better able to create more individualized plans, and I WILL be doing so for everyone.
We are currently into the first grade Math curriculum, & if you look at our curriculum maps, you'll see that we are right on target. If I see that our students are able to proficiently complete assignments that go along with our maps, I will move them on.
It is always my goal to be sure every student is challenged & no student is left struggling. In the coming weeks, I think you will see that our students will be working hard & to their fullest potential. I have put together differentiated homework packets that will be coming home next week. Please let me know what you think of them. By this I mean, tell me if the work is too easy, just right, or too difficult. Your child should be doing the work with an adult, and never by him/herself completely. Your input is important to me, & I do think about it when assembling assignments.
Have a great month! I'll be changing my blog again in October! Call me anytime if you have questions or concerns! Thank you!
Ms. Seely
Monday, August 31, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
GETTING EXCITED FOR FIRST GRADE????
Dear Parents,
I am really looking forward to working with you and your children this upcoming school year! I hope that your summer has been relaxing and fun! As I was thinking about getting back to work, I remembered that in the past, parents have called me with questions that I thought were really good to ask! You may already know all of this, but I thought I'd share some of that information that came out of those conversations with you now.
For many students, the transition from a half-day of school to a full-day can be a little intimidating. Some students do cry in the morning, and even right into school. I'd like you to know that I am completely understanding of this situation. It is my number one priority to make all of my students comfortable and relaxed, so I do my best to console those children who have a hard time, and the crying does not usually last too long. I want my students to look forward to coming to school everyday, so I have to give them something to look forward to!
One thing that you can do to help your child have a great start to the school year is be sure that your child is getting enough sleep each night. I just read an article from MedicineNet.com that stated:
We need sleep to think clearly, react quickly, and create memories. In fact, the pathways in the brain that help us learn and remember are very active when we sleep. Studies show that people who are taught mentally challenging tasks do better after a good night's sleep. Other research suggests that sleep is needed for creative problem solving. Skimping on sleep has a price. Cutting back by even 1 hour can make it tough to focus the next day and can slow your response time. Studies also find that when you lack sleep, you are more likely to make bad decisions and take more risks. This can result in lower performance on the job or in school and a greater risk for a car crash. (U.S. Dept. of Health & Services, National Institutes of Health)
I want our students to be ready for the day and any of its challenges. I want our students to be able to show exactly what they know and learn as much as they can. I want our students to have the energy to really participate in their own education. I know what I feel like when I don't get enough sleep, and I'm sure you do as well, so setting an appropriate bed-time, getting into a regular night-time routine, and promoting a good night's sleep for your child will pay off! Thanks for taking the time! Now when it comes to us, we aren't so lucky with all of that sleep, but for them, I think we can arrange it! I wish we could ALL get more sleep!!!
Something else that you can do is try to be sure your child has all of his/her school supplies on the first day, Tuesday, August 18th. We will be setting up our desks and talking about which folders stay at school and which ones go back and forth between home and school, etc. , and it just makes the whole process easier for everyone when your child is completely prepared. If you are unable to send all of the supplies on the list, sending 2 folders, some pencils, crayons, a pair of scissors, and a glue stick would be a great start!
Read with your child everyday. I know-if your child attended Dorn for Kindergarten, you already have heard this a million times! Well, what can we say? We know that reading is not only essential in everyday life, but it's fun, entertaining, and a great way to connect with your child. Read books, magazines, the newspaper, etc. to your child and discuss the material. Have your child read to you whenever appropriate and talk about your favorite parts! Stop by your local library and either read inside or check out books that you've always wanted to read. This is it. First grade is a big year. Your child will learn to read this year, and that is not an easy task. Without your support at home, success is not guaranteed. Learning to sound out unfamiliar words and then understand what is being read are the biggest challenges for first graders. This is what first grade Language Arts is all about. If you read with your child, you are absolutely setting your child up to succeed. There are no two ways about it. It just helps.
Well, I hope I haven't stressed anyone out! I just wanted to give you a head start in making this a fantastic year for your child. Please feel free to stop by Room 9 if you are in the building before school starts, as I may be in the classroom, setting up. I can also be contacted through e-mail at kseely@npd117.net or by phone at (708) 233-7877. Don't hesitate to get in touch with me if you have any questions or concerns! Enjoy the rest of your summer, and I look forward to meeting all of you very soon!
Ms. Seely
I am really looking forward to working with you and your children this upcoming school year! I hope that your summer has been relaxing and fun! As I was thinking about getting back to work, I remembered that in the past, parents have called me with questions that I thought were really good to ask! You may already know all of this, but I thought I'd share some of that information that came out of those conversations with you now.
For many students, the transition from a half-day of school to a full-day can be a little intimidating. Some students do cry in the morning, and even right into school. I'd like you to know that I am completely understanding of this situation. It is my number one priority to make all of my students comfortable and relaxed, so I do my best to console those children who have a hard time, and the crying does not usually last too long. I want my students to look forward to coming to school everyday, so I have to give them something to look forward to!
One thing that you can do to help your child have a great start to the school year is be sure that your child is getting enough sleep each night. I just read an article from MedicineNet.com that stated:
We need sleep to think clearly, react quickly, and create memories. In fact, the pathways in the brain that help us learn and remember are very active when we sleep. Studies show that people who are taught mentally challenging tasks do better after a good night's sleep. Other research suggests that sleep is needed for creative problem solving. Skimping on sleep has a price. Cutting back by even 1 hour can make it tough to focus the next day and can slow your response time. Studies also find that when you lack sleep, you are more likely to make bad decisions and take more risks. This can result in lower performance on the job or in school and a greater risk for a car crash. (U.S. Dept. of Health & Services, National Institutes of Health)
I want our students to be ready for the day and any of its challenges. I want our students to be able to show exactly what they know and learn as much as they can. I want our students to have the energy to really participate in their own education. I know what I feel like when I don't get enough sleep, and I'm sure you do as well, so setting an appropriate bed-time, getting into a regular night-time routine, and promoting a good night's sleep for your child will pay off! Thanks for taking the time! Now when it comes to us, we aren't so lucky with all of that sleep, but for them, I think we can arrange it! I wish we could ALL get more sleep!!!
Something else that you can do is try to be sure your child has all of his/her school supplies on the first day, Tuesday, August 18th. We will be setting up our desks and talking about which folders stay at school and which ones go back and forth between home and school, etc. , and it just makes the whole process easier for everyone when your child is completely prepared. If you are unable to send all of the supplies on the list, sending 2 folders, some pencils, crayons, a pair of scissors, and a glue stick would be a great start!
Read with your child everyday. I know-if your child attended Dorn for Kindergarten, you already have heard this a million times! Well, what can we say? We know that reading is not only essential in everyday life, but it's fun, entertaining, and a great way to connect with your child. Read books, magazines, the newspaper, etc. to your child and discuss the material. Have your child read to you whenever appropriate and talk about your favorite parts! Stop by your local library and either read inside or check out books that you've always wanted to read. This is it. First grade is a big year. Your child will learn to read this year, and that is not an easy task. Without your support at home, success is not guaranteed. Learning to sound out unfamiliar words and then understand what is being read are the biggest challenges for first graders. This is what first grade Language Arts is all about. If you read with your child, you are absolutely setting your child up to succeed. There are no two ways about it. It just helps.
Well, I hope I haven't stressed anyone out! I just wanted to give you a head start in making this a fantastic year for your child. Please feel free to stop by Room 9 if you are in the building before school starts, as I may be in the classroom, setting up. I can also be contacted through e-mail at kseely@npd117.net or by phone at (708) 233-7877. Don't hesitate to get in touch with me if you have any questions or concerns! Enjoy the rest of your summer, and I look forward to meeting all of you very soon!
Ms. Seely
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