September 30th

Friday, October, 1 2010

            Wow!  October is already here.  I am very pleased with how far the Pre-K’s have come in a very short time.  The students are already surprising me with how much they can do now. Our centres are working very well and every student is trying so hard!

 Every Friday we do “Writers Workshop” which is weekly writing activity about what we did that week.  It is posted on the wall in the classroom and you are more than welcome to come in and see what your child is writing about.  The students love showing their family what they can do in class.

Every October I offer a homework pack for the month.  It involves various short activities (10 minute maximum) that shadow what is covered inside the classroom.  It goes out on Monday and can be returned so I can take a look at it on Friday.  If you would like your son or daughter to participate then could you please come and talk to me or write me an email so I will know how many I need to make.  There is also a letter explaining how it works.  If you are confused or need some clarification come by and we can discuss it.  Like I mentioned it is voluntary and I will never grade it.  I will look at it and then write some tips or suggestions to help the student.

Since library books and the letter books are going home on a consistent basis I have decided to give some tips on how you can help your son or daughter with learning to read.

 How will my child learn to read?

Learning to read does not happen all at once. It involves a series of stages that lead, over time, to independent reading and to fluency.  The best time for children to start learning to read is when they are very young, usually at the preschool level. This is when they are best able to start developing basic reading skills.

1.  The pre-reader and the beginning reader:

·                       likes to look at books and likes to be read to

·                       likes to behave like a reader – for example, holds books and pretends to read them 

·                       learns about words by looking at picture books and playing with blocks that have letters on them, magnetic letters, and so on

·                       learns about words from songs, rhymes, traffic signs, and logos on packages of food

·                       learns how text works – for example, where a story starts and finishes and which way the print proceeds

·                       begins to understand that his or her own thoughts can be put into print

·                       uses pictures and memory to tell and retell a story

What we did in our centres this week.

Literacy Centres

1.      Phonics book Dd.

2.      Guided reading with a teacher.

3.      Computer story “Franklin Goes to School” and phonics games.

4.      All about me books.

5.      Finishing art activities.

Math and Science Centres

1.      Birthday cakes cut and paste activity.

2.      Dice rolling blocks game.

3.      Memory with cards.

4.      Apple counting game and books.

Reminders and Notices

1.      Mini books (My Aa, Bb) that get sent home need to be brought back to school.

2.      Remember to bring back library books by Tuesday (you can keep the books longer then a few days).

3.      October 10^th there will be no school.

You teach best what you most need to learn. 

Richard Bach

Like always, if you have any questions or concern you can always write me an email at bsharp.his@gmail.com or come by and speak to me in person.

Cheers

Braedon

September 26th

Week of September 19

September 23

September 23

Friday, September, 23 2011

It seems like there is a sickness going around the Pre-K’s this week and consequently we have a few students away. Could you please encourage your child to get adequate sleep and eat well, so I can have full healthy class at school.

Last Friday I sent home some play dough that we made in class and I hope everyone had a chance to play with it. It was a lot of fun to make and today we used the play dough again to learn about primary colours. If you have an opportunity this week could you please ask your child to spell their name with it. We have done this many times at school and any time spent at home reinforcing what I do in the classroom will significantly benefit your child. If you want to extend it even farther ask your child to spell the names of other students in the class.

Over the past week I have begun my first assessments of the students. My first assessment is a basic understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of each student. This then allows to me see what we need to focus on in the coming months.

Next week I will be starting “Treasure Bag,” this is my version of show and tell. Every night a child will get an opportunity to take home the bag and put something in it. You and your child can choose anything they want to put in it. More instructions will be in the bag and this is the chance for the students to bring in a toy from home. Could you please refrain from sending toys to school at other times because I would hate to see them get broken or lost.

 What we did in our centres this week.

Literacy Centres
1. Phonics book Cc.
2. Guided reading with a teacher.
3. Computer story “Who Likes the Rain” and phonics games.
4. Tracing names.
5. Family Trees.

Math Centres
1. Birthday cakes cut and paste activity.
2. Dice rolling and sand writing.
3. Memory with cards.
4. Math one to one correspondence books.

Reminders and Notices

1. Mini books (My Aa, Bb) that get sent home need to be brought back to school.

2. Remember to bring back library books by Tuesday.

Like always, if you have any questions or concern you can always write me an email at bsharp.his@gmail.com or come by and speak to me in person.

Cheers
Braedon

In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy.

William Blake

Play Dough Fun!!!

Moon Festival Week

September 16th

Friday, September, 16 2011

            Another exciting week has passed in the Pre-K class.  Thank you to the parents that came out last night to the Introduction meeting.  It was great to go over the years curriculum and plans with you.  If you couldn’t make it and have any questions for me you can always drop by and see me or write me an email.

           

What we did in our centres this week.

Literacy Centres

1.      Writing names (without any help) in play dough.

2.      Guided reading with a teacher.

3.      Computer story “Little Pea” and phonics games.

4.      Tracing names.

5.      Self portraits.

Math Centres

1.      Making dice.

2.      Computer Starfall colour game.

3.      Tower game.

4.      Math one to one correspondence books.

Reminders and Notices

1.      Mini books that get sent home need to be brought back to school.

2.      After school clubs start Tuesday September 13^th.

3.      Remember to bring back library books by Tuesday.

4.      Remember to send in two pictures of your son or daughter.

Like always, if you have any questions or concern you can always write me an email at bsharp.his@gmail.com or come by and speak to me in person.

Cheers

Braedon

There are two educations. One should teach us how to make a living and the other how to live. 
John Adams 

Parent Introduction Meeting

Hello,

Just a reminder that this Thursday starting at 6:30pm there will be a meeting at school to introduce all of the teachers and to meet with me about the years curriculum.  After there will also be some refreshments.  I hope everyone can make it.

cheers
Braedon

Week number 2!

Friday, August, 10 2010

        We have completed our first full week in the Pre-K class and I couldn’t be happier in how well we have settled into the daily classroom routine.  We started our Math and Literacy centres and all of the students did an excellent job!  In language we were busy with many activities with our names. We also had the opportunity to start using the computer.  In Math we did many centres based around one to one correspondence.   

Next week will be having similar centres based around our names and starting to explore parts of our bodies.  On Tuesday I will send home the “Aa Book,”  please let your child read it to you a few times over the week and once you are done with it could you send it back to school.  Every week we will be completing one of these books and they will go home the following week.

What we did in our centres this week.

Literacy Centres

1. Name puzzles.
2. Crayon name trace.
3. Computer story “Little Pea”
4. Colouring “Aa” book and guided reading.
5. Making names with play dough.

Math Centres

1. Dice and blocks game.
2. Computer Starfall colour game.
3. Counting letters in names.
4. Math one to one correspondence books.

Reminders and Notices

1. Mini books that get sent home need to be brought back to school.
2. After school clubs start Tuesday September 13^th.
3. Remember to bring back library books by Tuesday.
4. There will be no school Monday September 12^th due to Moon Festival

Like always, if you have any questions or concern you can always write me an email at bsharp.his@gmail.com or come by and speak to me in person.

Cheers

Braedon

I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures. 
Lao Tzu 

Week 2

First Days of School Pictures

September 2 2011

Friday, September, 2, 2010

                So one week is completed in the Pre-K class!!!  We had a great week getting to know each other and the routines of the school and classroom.  My first goal of any school year is for the students to get accustomed to me and the school.  Once they are comfortable then we can start to learn.  We did a lot of introductory games and practiced basic procedures of the classroom.  Our first unit is called “All About Me” and we do a lot of things with our name and ourselves. 

                Our library time this year will be every Tuesday and each child will be able to take out one or two books.  Could you please ensure that the books are brought back by Tuesday each week so your son or daughter will be able to take out another book. 

                Next week we will begin our literacy and math centres.  Our literacy centres will involve many things with the students’ names and in math we are starting with basic one to one correspondence and counting 1 to 5.  If you have any questions or concerns you can always write me an email at bsharp.his@gmail.com or come by and speak to me in person.

Cheers

Braedon

Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn. 
Benjamin Franklin