Many simple acts of kindness

To make a difference
Look to do the simple things. 

When I try to think of things to include in this blog, I sometimes miss the little, spontaneous ways I connect with my students.

 I believe it is still so important to hold hands with our children.  When the students line-up, I try to rotate who is first.  I don't specifically chose a line leader.  So whoever is first in line, I hold their hand and teach them a little hand game.  I gently squeeze their hand and ask them to pay attention to how my hand is 'talking' to their hand.  One little squeeze or two little squeezes, wiggling all my fingers or just tapping with one finger, I say that their hand should 'answer' my hand back. 
Without talking with voices, we are connecting in a special way.  
Some days when my mind is elsewhere, the students give my hand a gentle squeeze AND a smile!

Or how the children teach me about how important those little things are, such as it seems when I am having a particularly stressful day, one little dear will give me a quick hug or even say "I like your.....uh, button."   Without really knowing it, THEY are teaching me about enjoying those little things.

 

I  like to share information with my families with little notes handwritten.  I tell the children that I love to write moms and dads and love to get a note back from them too.  The more I get excited, the children get excited so they don't worry when they see I have written a message on their papers or give them a note to go home in their school bag.  I also try to make sure that I send notes about GOOD things so they don't think a note is bad news.

I also send messages through texting with a Remind app.  (formerly Remind 101) I like how the parents can use the texting back option which was added a few years back.  Though a 10:00 PM or even 2:30 AM text message, startles me with worrying what could be wrong!!  Remind also has the option to set an "I am or I am NOT available time span."

I was contacted to share an informative poster.  I'm new at this but it has a message that connects with me.

 http://www.audidevon.com/

 It's because.....

Hand-in-hand we grow!

More communication with calendars

Monthly calendars
I still send home monthly calendars with information about daily specials, Late Start days, No school days, field trips, assessment weeks, what our theme may be and whatever may be necessary.  I used to add student birthdays but that was too much in each square.

I  literally cut and tape because I have not found a calendar that can fill and list all that I put on.  I have a master page of "October" calendar items and update and copy year after year.  Habits are tough to break.  It's just what I do.

Calendar Skills
I want the families/children to hang the calendar in a place at home that they will look at every day.  
The first skills:

• "Cross out the old day and circle the new day."  We literally say this during calendar time at school the first month.
• Making an X is developmentally a challenge for some at the beginning of the year.  PRACTICE corner to opposite corner.
•  Look at the numbers.  Point to the numbers.
• Count the numbers beginning at 1.
•  Tell what number to circle.
• Moving left to right and row by row.

Each month, the calendar will have a new skill to add to doing as we increase our calendar work at school.
"Cross out yesterday and circle today."
What number comes after, next?
Point to the words of the days of the week at the top.
Count how many Mondays this month.
Count how many weeks in the month.
How many full weeks.
What is the first day of the week this month.
How many days in the month.
What is the second Friday date.
What days do we go to gym? music? art?
 
This is a good way for the children to speak clearly with information to their families when they practice at home.  

On the bottom of the calendar I put a list of upcoming dates and if there are any extra supplies that we may need.  We are always collecting soup labels (labels for education) and box tops (box tops for education).  We have a once a year all school system collection contest of poptabs so I remind the families to start saving now.

I have notes about learning how to tie at home.  Reminders to practice zipping and buttoning and putting on snow clothes so they can do it themselves at school.

And I always end with:

The more you practice (right)

The better they get!

Hand in hand

we grow!

 

 

Newsletters and Home Connections

I still think it is important to have paper newsletters.  
However, I don't send as many as I used to.  (pre-technology)
News letters are a link to parent education and information.  This is my first newsletter I send home.
 

Hand-in-hand we grow!

 Kindergarten News

Our first days of kindergarten have been filled with learning procedures and responsibilities.  Here is a list of a few things:

o   Waiting in line

o   LISTENING and paying attention

o   Following directions

o   Getting ready when entering room,

1.    Put behavior folder in basket

2.    Pick up name card by closet and put it on the pocketchart, row by row, left to right

3.    Mark your lunch with your clip on your mailbox

o   Using a SOFT inside voice

o   Working (hard) the whole time in your spot, during the allotted time

o   How to get in a line and stay together

o   Taking turns, sharing

o   Expectations of when to be quiet, when to use a soft voice LISTENING and paying attention

o   Expectations to use a soft voice

o   Following with our eyes and attention to ‘track the presenter’/speaker

o   Learn some of our classmates names where we sit and work

o   Read our names (and names of our classmates)

o   Where to hang our school bags

o   Be responsible for our papers and class supplies

o   Lunchroom procedures and manners

o   Recess safety

o   Where we sit in our rows

o   Names of other school helpers, music teacher, p.e. teacher, art teacher, media helper in the library, computer helper in lab

o   Dismissal procedure…what line and where we sit, how to get our papers out of our mailboxes

o   Two fingerplays  “One Little House”  and “I wiggle my fingers”

Kindergarten has a very full day of activities and expectations.  Many children probably will come home extremely tired and even want/need a 20-minute nap or an earlier bedtime.  OR they may come home and need to move about to expend their extra energy.

Be patient and consistent in how you deal with the inevitable yellow bears (dots) as we learn how to “do school.”  If there is a major concern, we will contact you to discuss this further.  More than likely, it is just the adjustment period.  We usually give 3-4 weeks to get settled.

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

Mrs. Cantrell

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REMIND.COM
This is a great app for quick reminders and communication to families through text.
I have updated my use of REMIND.COM to include the parents' ability to text back.  Thank you REMIND, this is a convenient feature.