VOLUNTEER SCHEDULE

Please note that I have posted the schedule on the "Calendars" link on the classroom website as well. Click on the image below to enlarge:-)

Please note that I have posted this on the "Calendars" page on the classroom website under the link "Calendars."

Thank you!

Thank you for joining me last night at Back-To-School-Night. I hope you found the evening informative and enjoyable! Tomorrow (Friday, September 24th,) I will be sending home the district-wide curriculum handbook, which is also accessible online on the district website. In addition to that, I will be sending home a hard copy of the kindergarten article I referenced in a recent post. This is a nice overview of early childhood education and the important aspects of kindergarten. Finally, I am in the process of drafting a "curriculum overview" which will hopefully shed some light on the expectations, routines and lessons involved in each of the curriculum standards, the programs with which they align, and the various components of the day and week which support not only end-of the year kindergarten benchmarks, but also the expectations and wonders of the "Habits of Mind" necessary to meet the demands of the well-structured, constructivist curriculum in the classroom.

Article: The Truth About Kindergarten

Follow this link to an excellent article on kindergarten!

http://www.state.nj.us/education/ece/k/truth.pdf

It is worth taking the time to read:)

You may comment on the posts, if you choose.

Thoughts on the Transition

Parents And Teachers Working As Partners

In many ways the adjustment to kindergarten is similar to your child's first transition to preschool or child care. Children need to feel secure in their new school and understand the daily routines.

For many children the entrance into kindergarten means different transportation, new classmates and teachers, larger classes,experiences with older children in higher grades, navigating the layout of a large school building, encounters with the school nurse,principal, secretaries, custodians and others.

Kindergarten offers challenge to all children in literacy, mathematics and social skills and research shows that success during this first year may predict later school success. Adults view kindergartens as being more focused than preschools with greater academic expectations and increased independence from children.

Questions To Ask Kindergarten Teachers

• How can I prepare my child for kindergarten?
• How will my child spend his day?
• Are there opportunities for children to choose their own activities?
• Will my child learn to read?
• What are the academic goals of kindergarten?

Excerpted from: http://www.childcareaware.org/en/subscriptions/dailyparent/volume.php?id=6

Bully-proofing program 9/22/10

This presentation happening on Wednesday, September 22 will be given by Jim Vagias, who comes highly recommended as an expert in his work with schools. It is sponsored by PTG. The information states:

"Magician and former educator Jim Vagias will present a 45 minute performance entitled 'Bully-Proof Your School: The Magic of Character.' Using magic, humor, storytelling and student-audience participation, he addresses the following themes (quotations taken from his website.)

RESPECT

We talk about how we need to respect each other, and how we have to learn to respect ourselves as well. We emphasize that comes from not judging a person by what they look or act like on the outside, but by taking the time to learn what's on the inside.

RESPONSIBILITY

The theme of responsibility is dealt with by teaching the students that the first step to being a responsible person is to lean to make the right choices and follow the rules.

CARING

Finally, we talk about how to be a caring person by both doing and saying things to help others. And of course, the program also deals with the important issues of how to manage those bullies who won't go away.

Welcome to our new classroom blog!

I look forward to using this blog as a tool for prompt, effective, and informative communication between home and school. Kindly see the post regarding the anti-bullying program scheduled for Wednesday morning.

THIS WEEK:

**Remember to come to Back-To-School night Wednesday evening! I look forward to seeing everyone there, and I hope that I can elucidate the significant aspects of the curriculum, offer insight into the daily life of a kindergartner at Thoreau School, and put your minds at ease. It has been a uniquely inspiring start the school year. Feel free to come with questions. I may or may not have sufficient time to answer them; however, I will have a place where you can write down comments, questions or concerns and place them in a confidential envelop on Wednesday evening. This will enable me to get back to you by the end of the week. Finally, bring your calendars and come prepared to sign up for our first parent/teacher conference in November, and consider the various volunteer opportunities I will be setting up with room parents this week.

Thank you!