Monday, December 17, 2012
Friday, December, 18 2012
This was a
very short week in the Pre-K class. I
want to thank everyone that added to the Christmas spirit by bringing in soooo many
presents and treats at our party today.
This morning we went upstairs to see our buddies and give them a special picture
frame and letter we wrote. Make
sure to check the Christmas bag that went home today. Along with all of the presents and treats there are also the letters that Santa
Claus wrote back to us.
Merry Christmas and Happy
New Year
Vicky
and Braedon
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Friday, December, 14 2012
With only a
few days until our Christmas break things have been very busy in the Pre-K
class. We mailed our letters to Santa
and are eagerly waiting for the replies.
We also made many Christmas ornaments and decorated a wooden Christmas
tree with our grade 3 buddies.
Next Tuesday
is our last day of 2012 and to celebrate the end of the year and Christmas we
will be having a small party. On the day
could you please bring something small in to share with the others in the
class. We will also be finishing up our
Christmas unit and be singing many Christmas carols.
Today I sent
home the sleeping bag. They do not need to be brought back to
school. Instead of sleeping (which very
rarely ever happened) we will be having silent reading after lunch. Could you please send in a small pillow for
the students to read on. If they are
tired then they could also use the pillow to have a nap.
As some of
you are aware I am searching for a new job for the next school year. There is a job fair in Bangkok
Therefore, I will be away from
school those days. Ms. Vicky will be
here along with Samantha Lee (Ms. Lee’s daughter). She lives in Vancouver Vancouver
Students need
to be at school at 6:15pm tonight (Friday) for the Christmas performance. The show will start at 7:00 and be finished
around 8:30.
What we
did in our centres this week.
Literacy
Centres
1.
Computer story “The Night Before Christmas”
2.
Making Christmas books
3.
Phonics book the letter “L”
4.
Write the room word wall
Math
Centres
1.
Gingerbread Man board game
2.
Pocket chart numbers and number puzzles
3.
Making Christmas trees using the small wooden
blocks
4.
Gingerbread Man board game with dominos
Word of
the week: review
Student
of the week
The student of the week is Alyssa
Tung. She has improved her oral language
ability so much this month. She did an
excellent job with retelling Goldilocks and the Three Bears and the Gingerbread
Man. Also, she was a strong leader during
the Christmas show. Way to go
Alyssa!!!!!
Reminders
and Notices
1. December 14th Christmas concert
2. December 18th Half day and start
of Christmas vacation
3. January 7th back at school
As 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
Vicky and Braedon
And
So This Is Christmas;
And What Have We Done?
Another Year Over; A New One Just Begun;
And So Happy Christmas;
I Hope You Have Fun;
The Near And The Dear Ones;
The Old And The Young.
John Lennon
And What Have We Done?
Another Year Over; A New One Just Begun;
And So Happy Christmas;
I Hope You Have Fun;
The Near And The Dear Ones;
The Old And The Young.
John Lennon
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Friday, December, 7 2012
Christmas is
in the air and this week we started to get ready with writing letters to Santa
Claus and making gingerbread cookies. If
you haven’t heard our gingerbread cookies got adventurous and decided to take a
trip around the school. We finally
tracked them down and they are now in a safer place, in our tummies!
Literacy
week has finished and I want to thank all of the parents that came in or are
going to come in to read. If you haven’t
talked to me yet there is still time to come in. It takes around 10 minutes and the students
love to show off their parents.
Today I sent
home a story board of the gingerbread man.
Please ask your son or daughter to tell you the story while using the
story board (below is a youtube link to for the story). This was a great lesson on
showing the students how you do not always need words to tell a story. Remember that there are three ways to read a
story; read the picture, read the words and retell the story.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaEWoHeGft0
Please keep
bringing in the black/brown shirts and pants for the Christmas
performance. Next Wednesday is our dress
rehearsal and Friday night is the big performance.
One final
note, many students are becoming sick in the Pre-K class. If your son or daughter is sick please do not
send them to school, as it just makes others sick.
What we
did in our centres this week.
Literacy
Centres
1.
Computer story “The Gingerbread Man”
2.
Gingerbread Man acting with masks
3.
Phonics book the letter “K”
4.
Making sight words with stamps
Math
Centres
1.
Gingerbread Man board game
2.
Peg board making shapes with the paper templates
3.
Making a 3D Gingerbread Man house
4.
Gingerbread Man board game with dominos
Word of
the week: like, you
Student
of the week
The student of the week is Ingrid. She has been very kind and considerate to
Jasmine who is still adjusting to Pre-K.
She always helps and consoles her if she is feeling sad. Ms. Vicky and I are so happy and proud to see
this. We also believe that since Ingrid
took a little longer to adjust to Pre-K, she has a lot of sympathy for Jasmine.
Reminders
and Notices
1. Please send in the performance clothes
(black/brown pants and shirt)
2. Please return the word rings
3. December 14th Christmas concert
4. December 18th Half day and start
of Christmas vacation
As 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
Vicky and Braedon
Monday, December 3, 2012
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Friday, November, 30 2012
Everyone had
a blast yesterday at Story Paradise. It
was very well run, interactive and everyone had fun participating in the activities
and stories. I highly recommend going
when you have the opportunity. This was
a great way to launch out Literacy Week that starts Monday. We will be doing even more literacy
activities the entire week.
This year I am inviting parents
to come into the classroom and read a story to the Pre-K’s. This story can be in Chinese or English, and
could be a favourite of yours growing up or one that your son or daughter loves
to hear at home. If you are available
and would like to share the joy of reading could you please let me know. We can find a time that is convenient for
you. It does not need to be long but I
would like the students to see how everyone takes pleasure from reading.
The
Christmas show is just around the corner and we have been practicing every
day. For the costumes I am asking for all
the students to dress in either all brown or black (pants and long or short
sleeve shirt). Could you please start
sending in the clothes so we can begin our dress rehearsals as soon as
possible.
As we all know Jasmine joined
the Pre-K class this week. Ms. Vicky and
I are very proud and delighted at all the help every Pre-K student has offered
her. We have seen everyone go out of
their way to help, console and make her feel at home here.
Since
December is a shorter month there will be no homework package. If anyone else wants to have homework in the
New Year please let me know. Also there
will be no letter book going home this week because we reviewed all letters,
sight words and phonetic sounds.
Reading
Tips
Reading
Tip of the Week
Listen to your child read
As your child learns to read, listen to him or
her read aloud. Reading
As you listen to your child, remember that your
reactions are important. Above all, listen without interrupting. Be
enthusiastic and praise your child as often as you can. If possible, be
specific with your praise so that your child knows what he or she is
doing well.
·
Show your child that you
are enjoying the story by indicating interest and by asking questions.
·
Give your child time to
figure out tricky words, and show your child how he or she can learn
from mistakes.
·
Try to have your child
read aloud to you at times when there will be no interruptions.
·
Make sure that your
child selects books that aren't too difficult. Don't worry if the books your
child chooses are a little easier than the ones he or she reads at school.
·
Encourage your child to
"listen" to his or her own reading. Listening will help him or her
hear mistakes and try to fix them.
·
Take turns reading with
your child, especially if he or she is just beginning to read, or try
reading together.
·
Talk about a story after
your child has read it, to make sure that he or she understands it.
Don't forget to encourage your child to read on
his or her own!
What we
did in our centres this week.
Literacy
Centres
1.
Computer story “The Gingerbread Man”
2.
Pocket chart poems
3.
Phonics book Review
4.
Making sight words with stamps
Math
Centres
1.
Gingerbread Man board game
2.
Peg board making shapes
3.
Making a 3D Gingerbread Man house
4.
Making 3D shapes from Play Dough
Word of
the week: (review week)
Student
of the week
The student of the week is Caroline. She has begun to speak a lot of English
inside the Pre-K class and is always making everyone laugh with her jokes. Caroline is also a great singer and loves to
practice for the Christmas show. Keep up
the great work!!!!
Reminders
and Notices
1. Please return the word rings after a few
days
2. November 30th Monthly assembly
3. December 4-7 Literacy week
4. December 4 School book sale
5. December 6th Caves book sale
6. December 14th Christmas concert
7. December Monthly assembly
8. December 18th Half day and start
of Christmas vacation
As 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
Vicky and Braedon
You don't understand anything until you
learn it more than one way.
Marvin Minsky
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Friday, November, 16 2012
That was a
great feast we all had yesterday at the American Thanksgiving lunch. There was so much delicious food and I want
to thank everyone for all of their help.
I saw many familiar faces and it was great way to celebrate Thanksgiving.
I have completed my third reading
observations and I am so happy with all of the progress that the students have
made with regards to literacy. Keep
reading as much as you can to your child and like I said to some during the
parent teacher meetings, it doesn't matter if you are reading English or
Chinese, reading is reading. I prefer
English of course but reading in Chinese will transfer over to English. Also, when you are reading with your child
encourage them to help you locate and read the sight words. They love helping and showing how they can
read as well.
Next
Thursday is the field trip to Story Paradise, please pack an easy to eat snack
and if possible the school shirt uniform.
Today I sent home Goldilocks and the Three Bears puppet and story
board. We have practiced this a few
times at school; over the weekend could you ask your son or daughter to perform
it for you. They might need a few
prompts but I have heard them all perform it very well. If anyone does not know the story here are
some YouTube links to help. This does not need to be brought back to school
and can stay at home for future use.
The Pre-K
class is growing and starting next Monday, Jasmine will be joining us. We are all excited to have her; please
welcome her and her family to HIS.
Reading Tips
Tip 5 – Talk About Books
Talking about the books you read is just as
important as reading them. Discussing a story or a book with your child helps
your child understand it and connect it to his or her own experience of life.
It also helps enrich your child's vocabulary with new words and phrases.
Here are some ways to help your child acquire
skills in comprehension, reasoning, and critical thinking:
·
Ask your child about the
kinds of books he or she would like to read.
·
Talk to your child about
your favourite books from childhood, and offer to read them.
·
Encourage your child to
ask questions and to comment on the story and pictures in a book – before,
during, and after reading it.
·
Look at the cover and
the title of a book with your child, and ask your child what he or she thinks
might happen in the story.
·
Encourage your child to
think critically about the story. Does he or she agree or disagree with the
author? Why?
·
Think out loud about the
story as you read, and encourage your child to do the same. For example, ask,
"Does this make sense? Why or why not?"
·
Give your child time to
think about the story, and then ask him or her about it again a few
days later.
What we
did in our centres this week.
Literacy
Centres
1.
Computer story choice of fairy tales
2.
Pocket chart poems
3.
Phonics book Jj
4.
Acting out the story “Goldilocks and the Three
Bears” or “Little Red Riding Hood”
Math
Centres
1.
Make a match card game
2.
Computer:
Geometry Game
3.
Tower racing game
4.
Making 3D shapes from Play Dough
Word of
the week: has
Student
of the week
The student of the week is Alyssa Tung. Over the past few weeks Ms. Vicky and I have seen lots of improvements in all areas of the curriculum. She has also consistently caring and helping others. Way to go Alyssa!!!
Reminders
and Notices
1. Please return the word rings after a few
days
2. November 29th Field trip to Story
Paradise
3. November 30th Monthly assembly
4. December 4-7 Literacy week
5. December 4 School book sale
6. December 6th Caves book sale
7. December 14th Christmas concert
8. December Monthly assembly
9. December 18th Half day and start
of Christmas vacation
As 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
Vicky and Braedon
Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere
Chinese Proverb
Monday, November 19, 2012
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Friday, November, 16 2012
Time keeps
flying by and we have already begun to practice our Christmas performance. It will be December 14th at 6:30pm. If anyone cannot attend could you please let
me know A.S.A.P because I will have to adjust the performance accordingly.
This week we
have begun to speak only English during our literacy and math centres. This is the first step in our goal to only
speak only English when inside the classroom.
It has been very easy for the students to accomplish this goal and even
throughout the entire day I rarely hear any Chinese spoken.
I have
started word rings in the class. They
are all of the sight words that the students learn put onto a metal ring. Since we learn one or two new words every
week the word ring will grow and grow.
On occasion these word rings will go home and could you please quiz your
child on the words. High frequency words
are essential to know and use in both reading and writing. When children have a number of high
frequency words under control they can read them in text and then focus their
attention on solving new words. The same
occurs in writing. Please return the word rings after a few days at home so we can add
more words to them. Also, each word
has a corresponding hand signal I do for them.
If you child gets stuck on a particular word you can come and see me and
I can show you the corresponding hand signal.
Reading
Tips
Read Every Day
Children love routine, and reading is something
that you and your child can look forward to every day. By taking the time to
read with your child, you show him or her that reading is important and fun
to do.
Try to read with your child as often as
possible. It's the best thing you can do to help him or her learn at school! It
also allows you to spend time together in an enjoyable way and to build a
strong and healthy relationship.
·
Start reading with your
child when he or she is very young.
·
Set aside a special time
each day when you can give your full attention to reading with your child.
·
Choose a comfortable
spot to read, where you can be close to your child. Make it your "reading
place"! Set aside a special shelf in that area for your
child's books.
·
Choose a variety of
books.
·
Vary the length of
reading time according to your child's age and interests. For young children,
several short sessions (of 10 minutes each) may be better than one long session
(of 30 minutes).
·
Read slowly so that your
child can form a mental picture of what is happening in the story.
·
Praise your child for
his or her ideas and participation!
·
When you and your child
are away from home, take along books, magazines, and books-on-tape for your
child to read and listen to.
·
Keep reading to your
child even after he or she has learned to read. By reading stories that will
interest your child but that are above his or her reading level, you can
stretch your child's understanding and keep alive the magic of
shared reading.
What we
did in our centres this week.
Literacy
Centres
1.
Computer story “Little Red Riding Hood”
2.
Roll and say board game
3.
Phonics book Ii
4.
Acting out the story “Goldilocks and the Three
Bears”
Math
Centres
1.
Goldilocks and the Three Bears board game
2.
Computer:
Geometry Game
3.
Making block towers and then drawing them
4.
Shape monster booklet
Word of
the week: an
Student
of the week
The student of the week is Winston. Recently Winston has emerged as a strong
leader within the Pre-K class. He is
speaking a lot more English and was able to do Treasure Bag this week without
any help! Ms. Vicky and I are very
pleased to see this outstanding growth.
Reminders
and Notices
1. Please return the word rings after a few
days
2. November 22
American Thanksgiving lunch at school
3. November 29th Field trip to Story
Paradise
4. November 30th Monthly assembly
5. December 4-7 Literacy week
6. December 4 School book sale
7. December 6th Caves book sale
8. December 14th Christmas concert
9. December Monthly assembly
10. December 18th Half day and start
of Christmas vacation
As 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
Vicky and Braedon
Chinese Proverb
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