Getting Ready to Learn!

As I have mentioned on Friday during the orientation, the highlights of the orientation will be sent home with your child shortly. In the meantime here are some important information to help start off the week.

* During these first weeks of school, we will be getting to know one another and establishing our daily routines. We will be discussing the importance of rules and the importance of being a great friend. We will be practicing writing our names from left to write and top to bottom capitalizing only the beginning letter of our name. Please work with your child on holding his/her pencil at home.

Make sure your child doesn’t have a tense grip holding the pencil. Use a break to relax by shaking the hands, make drawings into the air or rolling a piece of clay inside the hands.Is the pencil grip too tight? The three fingers should gently grip the pencil. Use a break to relax by shaking the hands, make drawings into the air or rolling a piece of clay inside the hands. 

Regular Practice. Practice daily if possible, keeping the lessons short. Add coloring or drawing instructions to your pre-writing practice.
 
You can also purchase pencil grips to help!

***We will go to gym every Mondays. Sneakers are a must to participate.


***Every day your child will take home his/her red folder which will be found in the FROGS binder. Please check the red communication folder each day. It may contain important announcements, or completed work. It is very important that your child brings this back to school each day. This will help to create a routine and continue the communication between home and school. Also, use this as a way to communicate with me. For instance, if your child is doing something different from their normal schedule (going home with a friend, being picked up from by another family member, etc) please send me a note to let me know the change of plans. The children will be responsible to check this folder each morning to hand in any notices.
I will be double checking for the first week to help establish the routine.

***We love to celebrate birthdays. Please let me know in advance if you plan on bringing in a treat for your child to share with the class. The ideal time for the party would be around snack time (2:15-2:35).

***Homework will require some parental involvement at this level. Your cooperation is essential in developing a positive homework habit. First and foremost, you can encourage your child by showing interest and demonstrating helpful attitudes toward homework.
Some additional suggestions for homework:
• Provide a noise-free, well-lit place to work
• Establish a regular "homework time" in the home and have a special place free from excessive noise.
• Help your child organize adequate time to complete activities neatly and carefully.
• Encourage your child to ask for help when he/she doesn't understand something or is frustrated. Teachers, like parents, can help only if they know there is a need.
• Decide if it becomes too frustrating of a task to stop and take a break. Any work done under duress or frustration is not a positive or healthy learning experience.

***Attendance is important in kindergarten. We begin at 8:40 promptly. What we do in class involves active participation, it is very important that your child attends each day. However, I do realize that sickness, family emergencies, and doctor’s appointments do occur. Please send in a doctor’s note whenever available.