with Ms. Lai & Ms. Loungsay
We have been doing guided drawing lessons. This is where I draw things one step at a time, and the students copy. Last week, we drew our own faces! We used a mirror to look at our own faces. We talked about face shapes and different ways to draw eyes, noses, and mouths. We looked at cartoon drawings as well as realistic drawings. I am amazed at how well everyone’s faces turned out!
Can you guess whose faces these are?
This was the first time ice-skating for many kids! It was cold, but we managed to get 4 & a half classes, as well as some parents, on the ice. A few tears, but still lots of fun! Thanks to parents for the rides and for helping to tie skates.
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Happy New Year! I hope you all had a restful winter break. There is something about January. The kids seem to bounce right back into the school routine with renewed energy for the new year.
Every so often, we have older buddies come into our class to read with our kids. Today during our kindergarten literacy time, we had grade 2 and 3 buddies come to read with us.
Reading is a necessity in any classroom, and getting some extra time to share a story with someone is a gift. We have all heard about reading being the secret to success. Students gain access to rich vocabulary and even simple stories contain complex aspects of relationships and events. While being read to, students are able to just relax and concentrate on what the story is about. They gain by listening to critical language and enunciation skills. There is no pressure to sound out words or memorize any information. For the older kids, the more they read to their little buddies, the more confidence they gain in their own reading skills. The benefits are just too many to list. Plus, it’s fun and the kids love having buddies!
Most of these buddies were in my class for kindergarten and/or grade 1. It’s always so nice when they come back to visit their old classroom!
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Our Christmas event was a hit! There was singing in the gym, hot chocolate and apple cider, and gingerbread men decorating contests in our classrooms. Families got to take photos with two elves. Many of my students brought their younger siblings, so there were quite a few toddlers joining in the fun too.
A big thanks to our music teacher, Ms. V. for doing so much organizing, and to our wonderful parent volunteers! Volunteers baked over 250 gingerbread men! What a fun night!
We have all heard about the benefits of play! We know that the more kids are given frequent opportunities for free (as well as structured) play, the more attention they will pay to academic tasks. Play encourages teamwork, problem solving, which benefits both academic and social skills.
Last week, the kids decided to build a large structure using the straw connectors. Mr. M., our wonderful school counsellor, frequently visits our classroom. He has such a great connection with the kids. It’s nice to see them laughing, as they work together.
