Pastel Self-Portraits

A favourite activity of ours to do each September is encourage the children to draw self-portraits. We have been discussing how each child is our class is special and unique and a wonderful part of our community of learners. We have also been reading books about how we are similar and different as individuals. Emphasizing our names and learning about one another's interests and abilities has been a great way to grow our relationships and gel our class. 

Mirrors, a variety of pastels, and drawing papers were available for the children to explore and use. Hand held mirrors could be used for close up observation and the large mirrors on stands reflected light and provided a hands-free way for the children to observe as they drew.

The results were beautiful and are on display in our quiet corner. We are hoping to encourage the children to revisit this activity in a few weeks in order to see their growth and development in observation and drawing interests and abilities and compare self-portraits (from old to new)!

Each one unique, each one beautiful!

Happy Weekend!

As I discussed in the video, here is a link to an excellent article about how to support separation anxiety in your child. Please don't hesitate to contact me with questions or concerns. Looking forward to seeing your children bright and early Monday!

Separation Anxiety: Why it happens and how to support your child

Dot Day

We had many activities related to dots in our classroom today as it was International 'Dot Day'.  We read the book Ten Black Dots by Donald Crews. The last few days the children have spent a lot of time identifying and singing about their names, so we offered name cards along with black rocks/dots for the children to explore.

It was really interesting to see the children experiment with the rocks - a child decided to place one rock on each letter in his name and then counted to see how many letters he had! What a great way to link math and literacy in a very meaningful way and help us introduce the idea of counting!

 

Other friends joined in which meant that the children could compare names, thus comparing quantities and seeing who had the longest or shortest name.

Some friends had the same, or 'equal' numbers of letters in their names. Introducing important vocabulary (like the term equal) in a meaningful and playful context helps children relate to and remember the concept.

We are looking forward to further exploring our names and seeing what else we can learn about our names and each other! (Did you know that a child's name is usually the first word they learn to read and the most important word in their life? There are many ways you can engage and extend learning just by using children's first names!)

Exploring Cicadas

Today two of our children brought a very exciting surprise to school - perfectly preserved cicadas! It was fascinating to see them perfectly intact, even with their beautiful wings visible!

 

 

At circle we passed them around and described what we saw.

 

It was so interesting to see the cicadas. Some friends were even brave enough to touch one.

At play time we displayed the cicadas on a table along with magnifying glasses to help us explore them and some writing tools so we could carefully record our observations.

 

The children were quite captivated and it was interesting to listen to their conversations. Many overcame their reluctance and touched the cicadas. Others noticed just how interesting their legs and wings were when made large. 

A few friends tried to draw what they saw. We reminded the children that scientists make careful observations and then record their ideas using pictures and words. It was thrilling to see this authentic moment of literacy happening as a result of something interesting found outdoors! Tomorrow we will add some nonfiction books to our centre so the children can see what other insects look like up close.

Families, we always welcome interesting 'treasures' that you find outdoors and love to encourage the children to bring things for us to explore at school. Thank you for your support of our children and program!

Seesaw

Families, I am so pleased to be sending home information today in your child's note tote about how to begin accessing their digital portfolio. I am using an app this year called Seesaw that can be easily added to your smart device, or accessed online through an internet browser. Your child will be bringing home specific instructions on how to access his or her portfolio. In the portfolio you will see that I have begun adding photos, videos, drawing samples, audio files, and even links to blog entries where your child has been featured. It's my hope that this collection of documentation can help keep you informed as to your child's growth and progress in our classroom. In the past I've shared printed photos with you - Seesaw helps to make documentation sharing much easier, instantaneous, and eco-friendly. As a result I will be using Seesaw for the majority of my assessment collection. Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns as you learn to navigate this app.

Some Seesaw Tips: 

1. Check Seesaw regularly. You'll get notifications about new entries in your child's journal and can respond to their work. Customize your notification preferences in Account Settings.
2. Celebrate your child's classroom success. Help to encourage the skills your child is working on in class outside of school.
3. Specific comments are best. Asking questions, or complementing specific details can add to the learning conversation.
4. In a group or 'everyone' post your comment is visible to everyone tagged - the students and their parents. This is a great opportunity to lift up the whole class!

Recycled Frame Corners

The children have been very interested in visiting our loose parts shelf. In this area there are many bins of interested found and recycled materials. One basket of particular interest was the frame corners. These vary in size, colour and texture and have become a very versatile building material during play. 

 

Today the children began joining the frames together to create along zigzag roadway. They worked cooperatively, stretching the road along the carpet.

 

Many children noticed the roadway and became quite interested in seeing what was happening.

They were curious to see how the pieces fit together and why the Velcro on the back made the corners stick to well to the carpet.

Once the roadway was complete a 'parking lot' was constructed...

...perfect for cars AND dinosaurs!

 

Our First Day

What a lovely first day we had together! The children were so enthusiastic and did a wonderful job becoming familiar with classroom space and materials. We had a large play block indoors where they become comfortable with one another and our classroom routines, remembering where to find and return classroom materials, how to locate their cubby and be responsible for their personal materials, and how to take care of their needs by visiting the snack centre. A big thank you to all for remembering to return children's forms and send in all other materials. Note totes will be coming home at the end of the day so please check that for any additional materials/information from school.

 

 

 

 

Subitizing Presentation for Greater Essex Educators

 

On September 9, I will have the pleasure of presenting 'Subitizing: How to engage children in playful opportunities that build confidence and interest in number sense' to the wonderful educators of the Greater Essex County District School Board. You can access the presentation slides in PDF form at this link: Subitizing Presentation

Some of the resources mentioned in the presentation can be accessed at the following links. Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.

Articles

Making Math Meaningful for Young Children (Teaching Young Children) by Pecaski McLennan

Number Talks by Sherry Parrish

Blackline Masters

Domino Parking Lots

Blank Five Frame

Blank Ten Frame

Small Blank Ten Frames

Ten Frame with Dots

Blank 100 Chart

Dominoes

Dot Cards

Large Numbers

Tally Dominoes

Number Words

Numbers 0 - 100

Blank Number Cube

Number Cube with Dots

Let's continue to connect and share our math learning with one another!

deannapecaskimclennan@yahoo.ca
@McLennan1977
 'Math in Inquiry-Based Learning' Facebook group

Making the 1st Day Great!

Before the first day...

In the days leading up to school, practice walking to school or to the bus stop often so it begins to feel like a familiar routine. If you child will be riding the bus, attend the bus orientation and go over the bus safety rules a few times.

A few days before school starts, begin getting your child and yourself used to the bedtime and wake-up schedule that will be required during school.

Get everything ready a day or two in advance.

The day before, let your child pick out what they will wear on the first day of school. Let your child choose a favourite outfit from clothes that are already 'broken-in' and comfortable.

Try to get your child and yourself off to bed a bit early so you're both well rested in the morning.

The first day...

Get yourself and your child up early enough to eat a calm, unhurried breakfast. Keep things as normal as possible; if your child normally has cereal for breakfast, make cereal this morning.

When you say goodbye to your child the first day, make it quick, light, and reassuring.

Your child will be reassured by a warm hug and a reminder that you, or their usual caregiver, will be picking them up or waiting at home after school is finished.

Some parents feel a temporary sense of loss when their child goes off to school. If you're feeling that way, plan a special activity for yourself that you can look forward to during the first days of school. 

After school...

Plan a special dinner with your child's favourite foods to celebrate the first day of school.

Use the first day of school to start some routines for the rest of the school year. One of these routines is to talk with your child every day about what happened at school. Here are some questions that can help to start the discussion:

• Did your teacher read you a story today?  Tell me about it.
• What did you do in school today that you really liked?  Tell me why this activity was so special for you.
• What are you looking forward to doing tomorrow at school?

Another great routine to get started on the first day of school is displaying your child's school work. After you and your child have discussed what he or she has brought home from school, display it on the fridge or hang it on an inexpensive bulletin board hung in the hallway or bedroom at your child's eye level.

Use those precious few minutes before bedtime to snuggle with your child and read him or her a bedtime story. 

We have an open door - please don't hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns!

First Day Anxiety

Freshly pressed school clothing, a new backpack full of supplies, and a child clinging to your legs refusing to let go...welcome to the first day of school! Although children are eager to begin kindergarten, it's understandable for most to experience first day (first week, or even first month) anxiety. Imagine what it must be like to suddenly leave the comfort of home and be dropped into a new environment where everything and everyone is different. This anxiety is normal and we will help you and your child to get through it! Please speak directly to us if you are concerned about your child's anxiety at starting school and we will do our best to provide support and strategies for helping with the transition to school.  (As a mom I know how it feels to send your baby to a new place; even if you are excited about the possibilities school is going to offer your child, it's hard to make the transition and realize they are now a 'big kid'. I've been there and can empathize. Feel free to talk to me about your questions and concerns as I want your child and family to feel secure and confident heading into the school year.)
 
Here are some tips you might also find useful:

Downplay the milestone. For some children highlighting the first day of kindergarten as a really big deal makes them more nervous than they already are. Instead of making a huge fuss about starting school, try comparing kindergarten to something your child is already familiar with, such as going to daycare, the Ontario Early Years Center, or a music or sports class.  Explain that kindergarten will be a place where he or she will make friends and have fun, just like he or she may have done with groups of kids before.
 
Connect school to home. Bring your child with you to all events that happen before school including parent interviews. This will provide your child with an opportunity to meet us and see our classroom ahead of time. Please send in a 4 by 6 inch photo of your family (all members included, pets too) that we will display around the classroom. This will help your child to feel more connected to their home life while at school. When your child goes home at the end of the day, engage him or her in a conversation about what they did during the day. Talking to your child about his or her day at school can help connect school to home life.
 
Read books together about starting school. Reading about other children who might have fears and anxiety about starting school may be comforting to kids who are experiencing the same feelings. Here is an excellent list of books about starting school.  
 
Try to minimize your own anxiety. Just as it's perfectly normal for your child to feel some anxiety on the first days of kindergarten, it's absolutely normal for you to feel anxious when you see your child upset or when a life change like your child starting school occurs. It's also understandable that you may experience some frustration when you see other children playing happily in the classroom while yours is still clinging for dear life to your legs. Don't hesitate to speak with us about your concerns and how we can help plan for a smooth transition for your child into our classroom!
 
Don't stay too long. Reassure your child that you (or another caregiver) will be back at the end of the day (or waiting at home) and say a quick goodbye at drop-off time. Lingering will only make it more difficult for your child to see you go, and he or she may cry harder the next time because he or she may see that it's an effective way to get you to stay. As heart-wrenching as it may be for you to walk away while your child is upset, chances are that he or she will be playing happily soon after you are out of sight. We recommend that you don't sneak out without saying goodbye as this may undermine your child's trust and could worsen his or her separation anxiety.
 
Identify his or her anxiety. Find out exactly what your child is afraid of. Talk to him or her and find out what he or she is worried about. Concerned that you won't return? Afraid someone will be mean to him or her? Worried he or she won't know where the bathroom is or that he or she won't know what to do in the classroom? Once you establish what the specific fears are you will be better able to address your child's concerns and work with him or her and our teaching staff to find ways to handle them.
 
Send along a favourite comfort object or reminder of you. If your child has a favourite lovey (e.g., blanket, stuffed animal) send it along the first few days. We will ask children to keep their object in their backpack unless needed to help through a transition period. Sometimes having a favourite comfort object nearby helps provide children with a sense of security. Another wonderful item is a mini photo album filled with pictures of your family and home.
 
Don't put a time limit on how long it should take for anxiety to pass. For some children, first day anxiety may not last beyond a few days if it happens at all. For others, tears and school fears may go on for weeks. Just as each child has his or her own individual set of experiences and personality, the time it takes to adjust to school will vary from one child to another.

Visit our class blog together with your child. This helps your child see what fun and exciting activities have happened in our classroom in the past and will build excitement for the possibilities that await his or her time with us this school year!  
Don't hesitate to talk to us! We are here to help make your family's transition to full day kindergarten as smooth as possible.
 
Read professional resources to help you cope. An excellent book that we have recommended in the past for families is Nancy Balaban's "Everyday Goodbyes: Starting School and Early Care. A Guide to the Separation Process".