Happy Friday!

I wish I took more pictures to share with you.  If I had an extra set of hands and eyes, I would have snapped a photo the moment:
*the children doubled over in gales of laughter as David, in the story No, David , had his finger stuck so far up his nose.  (Pure childhood bliss!)
*they had all passed me by walking in line with their hands behind their backs to perfection.
*the vice-principal walks into the classroom only to find 18 students with their book tubs at their seats reading to themselves...silently.
*they sat holding their breaths waiting for the next words out of my mouth as I read aloud a precious story they are able to connect to personally.
*when their eyes light up with joy as I say something clever to gather their attention because they just can not sit through one more math lesson on a Friday afternoon when all they want to do is play outside.
*with folders up and pencils gripped waiting for the next question on the reading test.
*18 students begin singing "What a Wonderful World" as we begin our day.
*when said students are asked to come to the carpet to meet the new guidance counselor first thing in the morning...without the song "What a Wonderful World". (habits are formed in less than 14 days...I can vouch for that!)  Everything was wrong with the world at that moment!  :o) 
*a child rushes over to help another student whose books went tumbling off the desk.
*the longest railroad track was completed and star wars lego spaceship was flying through the air.
*a child comes to me, wraps their arms around me, and tells me they love me.
YES!  That is why I do what I do!


We continue to build our reading community and are taking on reading responsibilities next week.  We are writing about things that are important to us.  I am focusing on comprehension, accuracy, fluency, and expanding vocabulary.  I am feeling very good about the new math curriculum and really enjoy how this series teaches the children step by step.  The children are getting the hang of it and will start the homework that goes along with each lesson next week.  They should have a very easy time getting through the math homework.  I have explained it in depth and they have had plenty of time to use manipulative and become very familiar with each lesson.  If they are struggling, please review the lesson with them.  We will start on lesson 1.6 on Monday.  Feel free to complete any of the homework pages prior to WB PP P15-P16.  Please do not rush ahead in the book.

A note about homework:  If it is Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday your child has homework.  This is to be completed daily.  Please be sure your child completes their work AND returns it.  Thank you for your help in this matter.

As you may have noticed, I am not a big fan of worksheets.  It is my goal to find ways each day to complete the skills often found on worksheets by other means.  When I do have the children complete them, it is because I am working on the skill for a test.  It could also simply be for the fact I want to work on their handwriting.  We do work on the floor often in order to strengthen the muscles in their shoulders.  This will in turn build strength in their hands for fine motor skills.  It also strengthens their neck muscles to begin to work from the white board(which once used to be called the chalk board :o).  I have also begun using the "exercise tub" during centers of our small group time.  Everything in it is used to strengthen their fine motor muscles.  Ask your child about the tennis ball with a face that likes to eat marbles.  They should tell you the ball has a hard time saying no to the marbles and gets sick often. :o) 

Be watching for small readers to begin coming home.  The children should practice the book and only when it is mastered, return it to me.  They will then read the book to me and get a punch card punched.  I am keeping track of the books they read aloud to me and the AR tests they take.  It will be a fun way for them to keep track to!  Do not panic if they memorize the story.  Make sure your child tracks their reading with a finger under the word.   This way, even though it is memorized, they will see the word and say the word.  Also, the pictures are an excellent resource when children are just beginning to read.  These books  build confidence in the children.  They will actually see that they are readers very quickly.  For those children who are excellent readers already, this is an added bonus and easy way to fly higher on our reading chart.  The books will either go along with our weekly story or be based on phonics.  The children have access to such a wide range of books to read on a daily basis that the advanced readers will have plenty to read and time to do it on their particular level.  Please write or have your child write their name on the book and sign it so I know they have read it to you.  If you save these readers, the children will have a nice collection by the end of the year.

Thank you for making the start to the first grade year such a successful one!