Hello Super Preschool families!
First, I apologize for not updating my blog until Tuesday but I was fighting some type of flu this weekend and did not feel up to doing anything other than sleeping! Today I feel much, much better...so here we go!
PARENT-TEACHER Conferences- Thursday, November 10:
Our first session of Parent-Teacher conferences start this Thursday. If you need a reminder of when and what time your session is, please feel free to email or call and I can look it up on my sign up sheets :)
Just a friendly reminder....
Sending candy/candy bars in your child's healthy snacks is strongly discouraged. If your child craves a sweety, please consider consider something like: graham crackers, lightly sweetened cereal, Teddy grahams, animal crackers, fruit roll-up type snacks. Thanks so much for your understanding on this matter ;)
Some wonderful Q&A ;)...Take a look!
1.) " I recieved a "new physical" request. Why does my child need a new one now?"
GREAT question! According to the Preschool Program Licening Rules, Chapter 3301-37, every student that attends a preschool in the state of Ohio, must have a yearly updated physical in order for our wonderful preschool to stay compliant with the state. As we have been going through our student files, we have noticed some are out of date and need to be updated. The form for this can be found on the blog site under "medical examination" form. Please make sure your physician signs this form and correctly dates it as well and includes an updated innoculation sheet.
2.) " My child talks about different station he/she works at during the school day. What are these stations?"
The literacy work stations are similar to the traditional "centers" concept. Materials in the stations are taught with and used first with the whole class. They they are then placed in the work stations for meaningful independent use. Most stations will also stay up for most of the year. I will rotate some stations out for others for the sole purpose of spacing in my classroom. I simply do not have enough room for all the stations I have or intend to have throughout the year.
Here are the literacy stations we have out at the current time"
1.) Listening Station/Reading Station- Children have the opportunity to either listen to story books on CD (I change out different ones every couple of weeks) or they can look independently at books as well. We have "friends" (beanie babies) at this station and I have modeled to the students how they can "read"to these friends. I strongly encourage the children to read by simply looking at the pictures in the book and read according to what they see. This is the first step to decoding in reading and is very purposeful.
2.) Science Station- This encourages exploration of different species in the world around us. Right now we have magnifying glasses, bugs (dead of course), pine cones, different type rocks with crystals or fossil imprints. I also rotate items at this station every couple of weeks.
3.) Math Station- The use of things like tangrams, number puzzles and other manipulatives at this station helps reinforce concepts that we teach about spacial learning, one to one correspondence, and counting.
4.) Imagination Station- currently on hiatus right now to make room for our sensory learning station (and also so I can clean it as well ;) Playing by imagining is actually learning. This will help with verbal expression and creative thinking. We recently had a "Farmer's Market" in this station with rakes, leaves, pumpkins, fruit, and a stand! It was great to see them work at this. Coming near Christmas....an elves workshop!
5.) Stamping station- This is a station that has been in the works and I have just recently made it an independent station. Last week, our letter of the week was 'H' so we had horse stamps and 'h' stamps out for the student to create pictures and the word 'horse'. Different classes will have different task with this station.
6.) Smartboard Station- This station is currently in the "independent transitioning"stage. I will work on it with the students and then the students will work on it that day. We practice writing or counting with this station. This is probably one of the favorites!
7.) Computer Station- We use the programs of "I spy", Blues Clues Learning, The Learning Company as well as the internet site called "Starfall" that re-inforces phonics, letter identification and early reading. Students are give the choice but I assign which computer they can go on since each computer have different programs that match different levels and needs.
8.) Block Station- Students can work using different building items to create all different things. This "playing" is actually a reinforcement of math skills, creative thinking, cooperative learning and verbal expression. Also a favorite station;)
9. Writing Station- A teacher-guided station, we work on the fine motor skills it takes to write and cut. We don't always write with pencils at this station. We just recently "wrote" with Cherrios with the Penguin class! They of course were able to eat them in between ;) This activity hit on a couple of objectives: fine motor use and practice correctly "writing" certain letters of their name. Many students want to write their names with all uppercase letters. We want the student to form their names with first letter only being uppercase and the rest lower case. We have also written in shaving cream!
Currently, the Pre-K Polar Bears have started writing their poems at this station.
10.) "Working with my Teacher" Station- This station changes daily to reinforce differentstandards that we work on in our curriculum. Sometimes it is an art project or sometimes we may be creating a book!
11.) Sensory station- Right now there are dry beans at this table however this will change as our themes change. Sometimes it maybe water, or packing peanut they can work with. Other times it could be sand!
12.) Comings soon..."Games Galore" Station- Currently the Penguin class has started this station with our new class helper, Miss Angel. All classes will eventually have this station as well.
WHEW! I hope this gives you an idea of what your child does in the course of a day. They do not all hit each station everyday but through the week, they get to them all with the exception of the Writing and Working with my Teacher station. We make sure we work with every child each day.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS:
I look forward to seeing and chatting with everyone in the upcoming conferences! God bless and have a wonderful week.
Yours in education,
Mrs. Burd and Mrs. Bloom
"All praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the source of every mercy and the God who comforts us."
2 Corinthians 1:3
