We grow and adapt as our kids need different things, so check out the schedule below and I will update as it changes!
7:40 PNN
7:45 Morning Circle
8:15 Groups
9:00 SPECIALS
9:50 Reading Buddies
10:20 Math Circle
10:45 Lunch
11:30 Groups
12:00 Recess
12:30 Letter of the Week/Writing Groups
1:15 Language Circle
1:40 Snack/Pack Up/Go Home/Afternoon Chores
As you can see we stay packed throughout the day!!!
GROUPS
Groups are typically 2-3 students and focus on your child's individual needs. You wonder how we can do this and meet the needs of all the kids at the same time?!?! Amazingly, we have a great system that flows really well. We send home your child's task sheet daily with a score of 0-5 on how much prompting they needed on the task. We move along really quickly with the kids, but we are hitting exactly each need of your child and its not generic teaching its specific to your child's goals and objective! :-) The sheets are sent home daily so that you know how well your child is progressing on their academic goals in the classroom! They are also sent home so that you can work with your child at home on the SAME things we are working on at school! This provides consistency between the two enviroments and ensures that we are seeing the same development of skills. Sometimes skills stay for a few weeks, and sometimes they are quickly mastered! I review all goals at the end of the week and make adjustments as necessary. I keep all data sheets and will provide them to you at the end of the year with your child's working portfolio with work samples and anecdotal records throughout the year. We love parent involvement and want to help you with your child as much as possible! Please don't hesitate to call us with any questions at any times. We understand that our program is unique, so we want to empower YOU as much as possible as you are your child's best advocate throughout their lives!
Workbaskets
Individual workbasket time. They each have two baskets, one has tasks and the other is an empty finished basket. Students will work on one task at a time and with as little as adult assistance as possible. They work left to right and place completed tasks in the white tub when done. They must stay in seats, complete one task at a time before beginning another one, leave a task together once it is done, and move on to the next thing. Students have the opportunity to work through four of eight independent tasks without adult supervision. The purpose of these tasks are to give students practice in fine motor/prewriting, language concepts, math, starting/completing tasks independently, observational skills, sitting behaviors, and lateral thinking skills. We want the students to become independent and not require adult assistance on all tasks. We want them to be able to complete work without always needing prompts. This is a very difficult tasks for kids to learn!
Reading Buddies/Play Buddies
I want to explain this important time of the day to you so you can understand what is going on. We split the children up and half go to reading buddies and half go to play buddies. We are partnered with a 2nd grade classroom- Mrs.Galloway's class- who come into our room daily for 30 minutes. She sends 8 buddies so each child has a 1:1. I have developed notecards that the 2nd graders use to know what to "teach" their buddy during their play buddy time. We work on taking turns, making eye contact, requesting for items, imitation skills, creative plays, and other important social/play skills! They know what to be teaching and how to teach it! We spent the first 2 weeks teaching all the kids how to play/work with the Kinder Kids! This provides a model for appropriate language, play, and pre-academic skills! The kids are learning from someone similiar to their own age! Kids are so much more creative and Kinder Kids LOVE it when their buddies come to work with them! Reading Buddies work on reading a book to the child and have to ask them "wh" questions that are written on notecards. They ask questions like "Where is the dog", "What do you see", "When are they going to the house," etc. All question relate to the book to encourage listening skills and other academic skills. This works on their language acquistion as well as their listening and receptive language skills. Again, this is all the same stuff we teach all day but its just more fun because its' their peers doing this! After their buddies read and ask them questions, then its Kinder Kids turn to read to their buddies. I have picture books with NO WORDS that the Kinder Kids have to make up a story about the pictures. For some of the kids its simply labeling vocabulary in the pictures and for some it is descriving each picture. Depending on the student's level depends on their book. Their buddies also know how to help them through this to develop Kinder Kids expressive language! This is A LOT more difficult for the students, but its amazing how they catch on as the year progresses! after reading is done then I have file folder activities prepared for the students. 3-4 activities are laid out on the tables. The students then help their Kinder Kid work through the tasks. Tasks include writing their name, sorting pictures, making a pattern, doing puzzles, finding vocabulary pictures, etc. Now they have become the teacher as well. Each activity takes about 5 minutes and they all rotate at the same time! It works like clockwork! Sounds like a lot in such a short time, and it is! :-) The Buddy Program with 2nd grade has been a great asset to the students skill development!
Homework Folders
Please make sure that you are checking their folders everyday. I include their group checklists, a KinderKingdom newsletter, and other resources to help you gain a better understanding of your child's day. The newsletter contains details about the classroom from day to day, and behavior chart for your child. You will see Ask me About sheets in your childs folder form time to time. These sheets are used to encouage language at home as well so your child can tell you about their day. It includes one side that says ask me about... and the other side says I should say. Hopefully, you don't have to prompt your child, but if you do at least you know what you should be prompting for. I will write things in there like I went to OT and played with play-doh. I played outside and played tag with Connor, I went to art and painted a picture of my favorite animal. This way you can talk about your childs day and encourage language at home. If your child is using pictures or sign language. I will include the sign language dictionary in your child's resource dictionary and will make sure the send home the PECS in their "PECS notebook". Just make sure you return the next day!!! Homework is sent home daily. You are to rate your child on a scale of 1 to 5 on how independent they are! You are more than welcome to take out their group checklist and work on additional things as well, but the homework sheet is the only required thing.
Email me if you have questions: lpursley@rock-hill.k12.sc.us
Thanks,
Lesslie
