Class Handbook
Welcome!
I would like to welcome you and your child to my class. Soon your child will complete one of the most important milestones in his/her life – the first day of school! I am looking forward to a wonderful year full of learning together. I feel truly blessed to be given the opportunity to share this important time with your child.
I hope that this handbook will help you know what to expect in kindergarten this year and answer any questions you may have. I am excited to work with your child this year and helping him/her to achieve their full potential.
Parent-Teacher Relationship
I believe that a good parent-teacher relationship is necessary for maximum school success. Throughout the year I will communicate with you through notes, telephone calls, weekly newsletters, and parent teacher conferences.
I encourage you to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. The best way to reach me will be through email. My email address is: [email protected] . You may also call me at school (621-0061) or send me a note. Your child’s OTIS folder will be our main source of daily communication. Please check this folder each night. You can also use my class website at www.kingskinders.weebly.com .
Parent Participation
Throughout the school year there will be a variety of special classroom activities and celebrations. I encourage you to attend these functions when possible and to support them by sending needed supplies or treats. Your support of school activities makes your child feel important and sends the message that you value school.
Discipline
Establishing good classroom discipline is essential to each child’s success, confidence and well-being. Every child should feel that the classroom is safe and secure. In addition, it is important that each child learn to develop self-discipline and good work habits, to resolve conflicts peacefully, and to think independently.
Our Class rules:
1. Follow directions.
2. Respect everyone and property.
3. Keep hands, feet and objects to yourself.
4. Use walking feet & quiet voices while inside.
5. Have fun!
Homework
Kindergarten students are eager and ready to learn! Kindergarten homework lays the foundation for good work habits in later years. Furthermore, positive homework helps establish the home-school connection and involves parents as partners in their child’s daily learning experience. Homework is usually an extension of what we are doing in class and gives your child the opportunity to practice and reinforce the concepts and skills we are learning. Please set aside time each night to work with your child on homework. You are encouraged to help your child with his or her homework, but do not do it for them.
Items from Home
During the year, I may ask your child to bring items from home for a specific lesson or activity. It helps if your child’s name is on anything brought from home (if possible). However, your child is not allowed to bring toys to school.
Scholastic Book Orders
Throughout the school year I will be sending home Scholastic Book Orders (approximately once a month). If you wish to order you can order in one of two ways. You can fill out the order form and send a check made out to Scholastic in your child’s OTIS folder or you can order online and use a debit/credit card. Online ordering instructions will be sent with the first order. These orders are provided as a convenient way for parents to buy quality books for their child at a low price. As an added bonus, for every dollar spent on books, I earn bonus points which are used to purchase books for classroom use.
Fine Motor Development
When students start kindergarten they may have already established poor fine motor habits. It is recommended that students use the three-finger pencil grip. A young child will not automatically know how to properly hold a pencil and correctly form letters. It is important to continue their practice and foster good writing habits at home. It is also recommended to allow children to practice scissor skills at home. They can also strengthened fine motor skills by playing with small manipulatives such as Legos, beads, blocks, etc.
You can also find resources at:
www.zanerblosser.com
Journal Writing
Kindergarteners will be writing in various journals throughout the school year. Children at this age are at various stages of writing. They will have many resources in the classroom to help them in their writing process (word lists, word wall, etc.).
At this age, children will typically spell phonetically and this is perfectly acceptable. It is important to not over-correct children while in the emergent stage of writing. Please encourage them to write at home by providing them with various writing materials, etc.
Reading
Learning to read is a developmental process that takes time and each student will learn at his/her own pace. The students will progress through three reading stages: early reader, developing reader, and fluent reader (you can read more about each below).
The students will also be working with high frequency sight words throughout the year. Sight words are words that we see and use often that readers should learn to recognize instantly in order to become a fluent reader.
Early Reader
*uses pictures for clues
*retells a simple story which is read to them
*recalls some details
*knows names of letters
*identifies consonant sounds at beginning and end of words
*reads one word at a time
*rereads favorite books over & over
*silent sustained reading 5-10 minutes
Developing Reader:
*sequences events in story
*tells main idea
*makes predictions
*identifies main character & setting
*differentiates between fact & fiction
*uses context clues
*understands the meaning of .?!
*selects variety of books
*reads phrases
Fluent Reader:
*recognizes plot of story
*recognizes problem & solution of story
*uses strategies for decoding unfamiliar words
*uses punctuation correctly
*reads smoothly
*selects wide variety of books
*may select chapter books
*confident
*selects reading during free time
10 Ways to Become a Better Reader:
1. Read
2. Read
3. Read
4. Read
5. Read
6. Read
7. Read
8. Read
9. Read
10. Read
Thank you in advance for any help!
Please let me know if you ever have any questions! I am looking forward to a wonderful year partnering with you in your child’s education.
I would like to welcome you and your child to my class. Soon your child will complete one of the most important milestones in his/her life – the first day of school! I am looking forward to a wonderful year full of learning together. I feel truly blessed to be given the opportunity to share this important time with your child.
I hope that this handbook will help you know what to expect in kindergarten this year and answer any questions you may have. I am excited to work with your child this year and helping him/her to achieve their full potential.
Parent-Teacher Relationship
I believe that a good parent-teacher relationship is necessary for maximum school success. Throughout the year I will communicate with you through notes, telephone calls, weekly newsletters, and parent teacher conferences.
I encourage you to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. The best way to reach me will be through email. My email address is: [email protected] . You may also call me at school (621-0061) or send me a note. Your child’s OTIS folder will be our main source of daily communication. Please check this folder each night. You can also use my class website at www.kingskinders.weebly.com .
Parent Participation
Throughout the school year there will be a variety of special classroom activities and celebrations. I encourage you to attend these functions when possible and to support them by sending needed supplies or treats. Your support of school activities makes your child feel important and sends the message that you value school.
Discipline
Establishing good classroom discipline is essential to each child’s success, confidence and well-being. Every child should feel that the classroom is safe and secure. In addition, it is important that each child learn to develop self-discipline and good work habits, to resolve conflicts peacefully, and to think independently.
Our Class rules:
1. Follow directions.
2. Respect everyone and property.
3. Keep hands, feet and objects to yourself.
4. Use walking feet & quiet voices while inside.
5. Have fun!
Homework
Kindergarten students are eager and ready to learn! Kindergarten homework lays the foundation for good work habits in later years. Furthermore, positive homework helps establish the home-school connection and involves parents as partners in their child’s daily learning experience. Homework is usually an extension of what we are doing in class and gives your child the opportunity to practice and reinforce the concepts and skills we are learning. Please set aside time each night to work with your child on homework. You are encouraged to help your child with his or her homework, but do not do it for them.
Items from Home
During the year, I may ask your child to bring items from home for a specific lesson or activity. It helps if your child’s name is on anything brought from home (if possible). However, your child is not allowed to bring toys to school.
Scholastic Book Orders
Throughout the school year I will be sending home Scholastic Book Orders (approximately once a month). If you wish to order you can order in one of two ways. You can fill out the order form and send a check made out to Scholastic in your child’s OTIS folder or you can order online and use a debit/credit card. Online ordering instructions will be sent with the first order. These orders are provided as a convenient way for parents to buy quality books for their child at a low price. As an added bonus, for every dollar spent on books, I earn bonus points which are used to purchase books for classroom use.
Fine Motor Development
When students start kindergarten they may have already established poor fine motor habits. It is recommended that students use the three-finger pencil grip. A young child will not automatically know how to properly hold a pencil and correctly form letters. It is important to continue their practice and foster good writing habits at home. It is also recommended to allow children to practice scissor skills at home. They can also strengthened fine motor skills by playing with small manipulatives such as Legos, beads, blocks, etc.
You can also find resources at:
www.zanerblosser.com
Journal Writing
Kindergarteners will be writing in various journals throughout the school year. Children at this age are at various stages of writing. They will have many resources in the classroom to help them in their writing process (word lists, word wall, etc.).
At this age, children will typically spell phonetically and this is perfectly acceptable. It is important to not over-correct children while in the emergent stage of writing. Please encourage them to write at home by providing them with various writing materials, etc.
Reading
Learning to read is a developmental process that takes time and each student will learn at his/her own pace. The students will progress through three reading stages: early reader, developing reader, and fluent reader (you can read more about each below).
The students will also be working with high frequency sight words throughout the year. Sight words are words that we see and use often that readers should learn to recognize instantly in order to become a fluent reader.
Early Reader
*uses pictures for clues
*retells a simple story which is read to them
*recalls some details
*knows names of letters
*identifies consonant sounds at beginning and end of words
*reads one word at a time
*rereads favorite books over & over
*silent sustained reading 5-10 minutes
Developing Reader:
*sequences events in story
*tells main idea
*makes predictions
*identifies main character & setting
*differentiates between fact & fiction
*uses context clues
*understands the meaning of .?!
*selects variety of books
*reads phrases
Fluent Reader:
*recognizes plot of story
*recognizes problem & solution of story
*uses strategies for decoding unfamiliar words
*uses punctuation correctly
*reads smoothly
*selects wide variety of books
*may select chapter books
*confident
*selects reading during free time
10 Ways to Become a Better Reader:
1. Read
2. Read
3. Read
4. Read
5. Read
6. Read
7. Read
8. Read
9. Read
10. Read
Thank you in advance for any help!
Please let me know if you ever have any questions! I am looking forward to a wonderful year partnering with you in your child’s education.