August 27th, 2017

Our week in PreK

We had a great first full week in the PreK classroom.  The children have been learning about the routines of school including how to use different centers safely.  One particular favorite was learning about how to interact with Bubbles, our class pet (a red-eared slider turtle!).

Acting out "The Three Little Pigs" in the dress up area.

We also began talking about math concepts of matching, exactly the same, and 'the same but a little different' in small group time.  The children are fantastic sorters and have been wonderful at working together and using their words to talk about these concepts.

Demonstrating matching awareness during choice time.

Sorting during choice time.

Most importantly, the PreK students have been developing new relationships, continuing to feel safe and confident in the classroom, and having fun!

Constructing trains tracks in the block area.

Reading together.

Working with our volunteer helper, Ms. Julia, in the block area.

Writing "save signs" to keep our work safe until next time.

Mixing colors during choice time.

Happy birthday!

Next week we are looking forward to our first group work with specialists (our art teachers, Ms. Lamis Badr and Ms. Margaret Fisher will visit the classroom to work with small groups).  We will begin exploring the questions, "what is special about me?" and "what can I do?"  

Reminders

With our three-day week, we will not have a scheduled library visit this week.  We do have a make-up day on Wednesday, September 6th.  Please send your child's library bag and books to school on Wednesday, September 6th. If you wish to check out library books with your child before then, please be sure to visit the library.

On Thursday, your child took home a CAC Banner to decorate with a self-portrait, as Ms. Jackson-Jin described at our Back to School Night.  Please be sure to return to school by Tuesday, September 5th.  Click here for more information!  CAC Banners

Upcoming Events

Thank you to parents for taking time to come and discuss your child's background on Parent Day, Sunday August 27th!  It's a pleasure seeing you, as always!

We will have no school on Thursday, August 31st through Monday, September 4th in celebration of the Eid Holiday.  We look forward to seeing you again on Tuesday, September 5th!

This week, we have a house event on Tuesday.  The PreK students will not participate in our first house event, but will begin attending assembly on September 12th and attend all ES assemblies and House Events afterwards.

What is a house event?  Each child in the elementary school is a part of a color team!  Your child may be on the red, yellow, blue, or green team.  Throughout the year, the teams will have different competitions which may be based on spirit, creativity, perseverance, or courage.  For example, we may have a cheering competition, or a tug-of-war.  At the end of the year, the team with the most points wins the house cup!

Our PreK students will be matched with a "buddy" in an older class so that they have a student who will accompany them in these events.  We will be sure that our buddy class has a chance to spend time with us in the classroom reading together before the first house event so the children know each other.

Please click on this link to find out which house team your child will be on this year.  You will be receiving a house team shirt in this color soon, and you may also wish to send your child to school dressed in his or her house colors on house event days before then!  House Team Link

After-Care

Last week in after-care, the children explored the color yellow!

Making yellow play dough.

Yellow fruits taste-testing: bananas and lemons!

This week the children will investigate the color red using art activities, a fruit project (please let us know if you object to your child eating apples or watermelon during after-care), and making play dough.  

Parents' Corner

In our classroom, we take a positive approach to behavior management.  When a child makes a negative choice such as breaking a block tower or even hitting, we have to take action- but it is also an opportunity to learn.  We have found that tactics such as time-outs are not beneficial as young children need the chance to problem-solve and reflect with guidance, or scaffolding, from an adult.  Click here to read more about nine alternatives to time-outs and groundings.