Thank you as always to our valued volunteers!
I hope everyone is enjoying some holiday weekend time doing what makes you happy! The children were certainly excited about having extra days to fill with spring and/or Easter fun. The Easter Bunny himself managed to get into our class, put treats into the bunny bags and hide our bags all over the classroom without us seeing him...he left us a lovely letter and a chewed carrot...what a surprise! Remember to write him a thank you and leave him a carrot on Saturday night if you are expecting him to visit your house Sunday morning!
Our children write first with inventive spelling, made up strings of symbols and/or letters that represent their thoughts and are interchangable with other thoughts as they come along! They progress to approximate spelling, using letter sounds or phonics to approximate the sounds they hear and as their learning and exposure continues; this is mixed with some memorized or sight words. Finally, standard spelling appears, where most words look as they should based on continued exposure (this is reading), practise writing through relevant and meaningful exercizes (like writing to the Bunny!) and knowledge of spelling patterns and English language rules specifically taught. We celebrate ALL writing attempts and teach to the child's level; meaning the new writers learn phonics - letter sounds - as it is their first strategy for decoding or problem solving how to spell words and we teach letter formation. More mature writers learn the conventions of writing - spacing, punctuation, capitalization and about the complex spelling patterns and rules that make up our language. Keep in mind that reading levels are always farther advanced than writing since writing is starting with a blank slate. Writing requires more steps than reading and is easier to encourage when it serves a purpose. Being an "author" and writing books has taken off in our class and each day at least 5 children create their own books and sign up ( that's how I know there are at least 5, we have 5 sign up spots and every day they are full, sometimes with complaints for more spots and more time!). The children read them to us at the end of the day and we applaud wildly. It is wonderful to see, so
exciting when learning comes together for the children and they are bursting to share what they have done!
And now the lice...the checking we did this week, at school and home, is only the first preventative measure. You need to be vigilant and check several times next week in case any nits escaped the screening and have now hatched to full blown lice. Many of you use the mint spray regularly and check regularly whether we've been notified of a case or not and that is excellent, keep it up!
I did not send the poetry books this week, they will come next Friday as per usual. The April Scholastic order will come next Tuesday in your child's mailbag and be due back to me by Friday, April 10 with cheques attached for orders to be placed.
This week:
Monday - Easter Monday, No School
Tuesday - Reading Buddies, Subway Lunch in lieu of Monday
Wednesday - Day of PINK, Mystery Reader PM
Thursday - Music AM, LIB/IT PM
Friday - Mystery Reader AM
Keep the papers coming in and have a great week!
Ms.I.
