Teddy Bear Times

News from Mrs. Gauen’s Kindergarten

August 30,2019

The children enjoyed sharing today with their teddy bears. It was the culmination of our first unit talking about the book Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See? written by Eric Carle. Each day the children have used a different medium to decorate the page in their book including crayons, markers, watercolors, tempera paint, cotton and glue and sponge painting. They read their books to their teddy bears today. The book is in your child’s backpack and I would encourage you to ask your child to read it to you!!!

It was good to see many of you at our curriculum night on Thursday. I hope I was able to answer any questions you might have about the curriculum.  If you were not able to attend, I put the packet in the red folder. On Thursday night I posted sign-up sheets for our conferences in October, as well as volunteer opportunities for our three parties. I have requested a field trip to Lynd’s Farm for Oct.16th. We will need lots of volunteers that day but you may need to drive and follow the bus since there will probably not be enough room on the bus. If you were unable to attend Thursday night, please stop by and sign up for a conference time or to volunteer for the parties. The sign-up sheets are posted inside the classroom door. 

Thank you to all of you who have said you would like to volunteer in the room. We still have a few students who are adjusting to the school routine so I am not yet ready to have parent volunteers in the room.  A few friends still really miss Mom and Dad so we need to wait another week before we have volunteers. Sometimes it can be very upsetting to a child missing a parent to see another parent in the room. Hopefully, in another week we will be ready to welcome volunteers into the room. When you do volunteer, there are volunteer forms that I will send home that must be completed and returned to the office. Each week please check in at the office and get a volunteer badge. Volunteer duties might include helping with a small group at center time, listening to students read stories, or copying materials. I welcome any and all help!!! A friend of mine, Mrs. Krotz,will be joining us to volunteer this year. She is a retired kindergarten teacher.

Tuesday was our first time to visit the library and check out a book. We have a 6 day rotation at school called A-F days and our day for library is  E day. Each kindergarten student is allowed to check out one book. Please help your child remember to keep the book in his/her backpack except when you are reading with them. This will help keep the book separated from any books at home.

The children have begun adjusting to our routine using the workboard in the morning. Each day their table group is assigned two centers to do that day. The next day they are given two different centers to do. By the end of the five day rotation they will rotate through all 10 centers. They have done well this week taking turns and waiting for their table’s turn to do an activity. We are working on doing our center activities quietly so everyone can learn. Eventually I will be working with children in reading groups during center time so it is important that the children develop the ability to work independently.  In the afternoon we will have different stations to practice math skills. We have been practicing this rotation as well.

Please read a story to your child each day. When you read to your children they see a purpose for reading and it helps them develop a strong vocabulary. It also is a special time for bonding with your child☺. This time when they will cuddle up with you and read a book will be gone before you know it!!

Thank you to everyone who has helped their child decorate a shoebox for the shoebox reading program. This is the program that we discussed at Parent Orientation and on Thursday at curriculum night.  Each day this week we gave a firecracker cheer to the students who brought in their decorated box and admired their creation. Throughout the year the children will be bringing home “shoebox books” that they can use to practice their emerging reading skills. If your child has not yet decorated a box, please do so soon and send it to school. I have extra boxes if you need one. Today your child brought home their first shoebox book In Kindergarten .When your child brings a book home, please ask him/her to read the book to you before putting it in the box. Please help your child find a safe place for their box. We will add books to the box each week and your child will have quite a collection by the end of the year.

Have a great three day weekend!

Kathy Gauen