Habit 2: Begin With the End in Mind

Last week we focused on Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind.  When we begin with the end in mind, we plan ahead and set goals.  We do things that have meaning and make a difference.  Ways kindergarteners begin with the end in mind is setting a goal for the day like saying kind words.  Or sometimes we set goals to read a certain number of books or learn a certain number of letters.  When we begin with the end in mind, we think about where we want to be and how we are going to get there.

Next week we are learning about Habit 3: Put First Things First.

Wait? FIVE WEEKS!!

It is almost October.  You heard that right. OCTOBER!  Cooler weather, changing leaves, pumpkin everything - and a rockstar kindergarten class.  The amount of growing and changing that has happened in this classroom the past five weeks has been amazing.  This past week we began literacy stations.  Ask your child which one is his or her favorite!  They will be constantly changing as our skills change.  We've been working in our interactive math and letter notebooks as well as learning about the changing seasons.  Here are some pictures of our wonderful wildcats.

Our Class Mission

We recently created our class mission through a discussion about why we come to school, how we want to feel when we are at school, and how we want to make others feel.  Our classroom mission is:

We are leaders who:

are kind.

make safe choices.

are in charge of our learning.

We made a promise to ourselves and each other that we would follow our class mission.  The hand prints around the mission represent that promise.

Settling In

Week three was all about getting into the groove and settling in.  Everyone is used to our schedule and is adjusting nicely.  We have been able to jump right into learning and having a fun time doing it!  Be sure to check Monday's newsletter in your child's Connector to read about what we will be focusing on this upcoming week.

Here are some pictures from the third week of kindergarten!

During math workshop, this group was working with the counting jar and counting equivalent sets.

We have been using computers during phonics groups.  Soon we will begin using Headsprout!

Math apps on the iPad are fun!

We dance to songs on Go Noodle to give our brains a much needed break.

So patriotic!

We had a school wide ceremony at the flagpole for September 11th.

Habit 1: Be Proactive

Last week we introduced Habit 1 which is Be Proactive - I am in charge of myself. 

From the Leader in Me website:
"Be Proactive" means to take responsibility for your choices and behaviors.  Be Proactive says, "I am in charge of my own life.  I am responsible for whether I am happy or sad.  I can choose how I react to other people or situations.  I am in the driver's seat."  Young children can easily learn to understand that different choices yield different results.  The goal is to teach them to think about those results before they decide what to do.  Discussions can focus on taking care of themselves, taking care of their things, reacting or not reacting to others' behavior, planning ahead, and thinking about what the right thing to do is.  With your child, think of ways to Be Proactive at home.

Our students have really embraced this first habit and have started to notice times they are proactive and that they can take control of their own behavior.

Next week we will be introducing Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind.

ABC Book and Flashcards

This week two new learning tools are coming home with your child.  The first is an ABC ring of flashcards.  Each week new letters will be added to the ring.  You can take them off your child's backpack to practice, but make sure they return to school so that the new cards can be put on them.

A letter book with a cd is going home as well.  Your child can listen to the cd and follow along in the book.  You can also do the book without the cd.  The cd ensures that your child is saying the sound correctly.

Happy letter learning!

Who is Ms. Salzbach?

We are so excited to have a student teacher, Ms. Salzbach, joining us this fall.  She is in her last semester at UNC-Asheville.  This week she begun the transition of taking over as the classroom teacher.  She is teaching Wildcat Team Time and our shared literacy/non-fiction block at the end of the day.  Starting in October, she will be teaching full time for five weeks.  During this time, she and I work closely together to plan and implement lessons.   I am with her every step of this journey.  Having three teachers in the classroom has allowed for powerful small group time for all areas of literacy and math. 

Ms. Salzbach teaching a Wildcat Team Time lesson about our circle of influence and what we can control and what we cannot.

Songs for Learning

We sing a lot of songs in our class.  Here are some links to some of our favorites that we are singing to help us with letters and counting!

 

 

 

Two Weeks and Counting

It's hard to believe we started our kindergarten journey two weeks ago.  We have already learned so much!  Be sure to check your child's connector folder each Monday for our weekly newsletter.  You will find more in depth information about what we are learning and how you can help at home.  Enjoy these pictures that are from the first two weeks!

First day drawing!

Playing outside on the playground.

Bagels!

A happy kindergartener!

Together is better.

We are learning the moves to the school song.

Exploring pattern blocks during math workshop.

Our rays of sunshine on yellow day!

We love to practice writing our names.

Lego engineers building away!

Small group letter practice is so much fun!