All right!  We've jumped in and are now navigating the exciting and challenging waters of the half-day kindergarten second term!  Here is a brief overview of what we are doing/will be doing this term:

We are full-swing into penmanship.  Your child worked on the letters Bb and Dd last week, we are doing Ff and Hh this week, and we will continue at a rate of two letters per week.  We are working on those penmanship sheets in centers during class, but if your child doesn't finish in class or does not do the penmanship center for a given letter, the sheet will be sent home as homework.  Those need to be done in 2 or 3 days and sent back to avoid letting them build up and becoming stressful.  Please remember to do them in pencil only, so that mistakes can be worked on!

Spelling "lists" went home for the first time today.  Please refer to the explanation letter that went home last week for guidelines in assisting your child to study.  The Words Their Way program is unlike any spelling system i did as a student, but i have now spent several years doing it with my students, and the results are undeniably measurable and fantastic!  Each of you will also get a personalized email with specific instructions depending on which spelling target your child is working on.  First test next Friday!

Our phonemic awareness focus this term is syllables.  Please work with your child to "clap out" syllables and assist to get this vital piece of the reading puzzle mastered!

PLEASE READ WITH YOUR CHILD DAILY!  This is absolutely essential to your child's success in reading.  At least 20 minutes a night, your child needs to be read to OR be listening to and reading along with Raz-Kids, OR reading on his/her own (IF your child is reading fluently).  If nothing else, please read with your child every day.  Thank you!

Farm report assignments will be sent home tomorrow.  Thanks to all of you for your support on the homework concerning finding farm products in the home.  The children's papers are posted in the classroom, feel free to come and check them out!

In writing, we are working still on personal narratives, with an emphasis right now on choosing "small moments" to write about.  Some of the writing coming out of the Kindergarten is awesome!

In math, we are continuing with our curriculum textbook.  Your child should have 3 to 4 pages a week of homework.  Please keep up on this and send it back as soon as it is done.  Because I get to look at and record all of the sheets, please realize that they will not all be returned home the same day they are turned in, but I promise to do my best to keep them flowing back to you ASAP!  We are also starting our number sense work next week.  More to come on that...

In Spanish, we are keeping sharp with our counting from 1-20 as well as our color words and names of family members.  Ask your child for a few words in Spanish!

Well, I think that's all for now.  Thanks for your support for your child and for Channing Hall!

Mr. Matt