Category: Teamwork

Our new Ks are ready to play!

I hope you have all had a wonderful summer!  It’s the second week of school, and our new kindergarten students have completed their fifth day of gradual entry.  Despite a few tears, these new kindies are definitely ready to play!

The first few weeks of school can be a bit daunting for new Ks.  Many are starting school for the first time, and some are missing their preschool teachers and of course, their moms or dads!  There are also a lot of big kids around!  To help the students ease into the daily routine, we usually start the day the same.  We greet each other at the door.  And then, we connect on the carpet with our “morning circle”.  Each day, we learn something new about one another.

And each day, there is time for structured and non-structured play!  These past few days, through play, I witnessed our new Ks working together, solving problems, and creating some amazing things!  Please ask your child to share their school day with you.

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What’s Hatching?

Division 7 and 8 are studying a new theme this month. We are little scientists and we are learning about oviparous animals. Last week, three eggs arrived at our school. We will get to see how these eggs hatch!  The eggs are slightly larger than the ones we usually eat at home. They will take approximately three weeks to hatch.  The eggs are safely stored in an incubator in Ms. Gourlay’s classroom.  We will visit them every 2-3 days to make an observation about the eggs and write down some notes in our observation booklets, as scientists do.

eggs in the incubator

Ms. Gourlay and I are keeping it a secret.  What animal do you think is inside?  “Hopefully not a dinosaur,” said a kindergarten student.

Jump Rope for Heart

We had a fun week learning how to jump rope!  Students had fun learning a variety of skipping activities.  Some grade 6 and 7 students came into our gym classes and helped to teach some of the skipping stations.  We played some skipping games, jumped over ropes (e.g. Snakey Snakey), skipped while hopping on one foot, and some of the students worked on criss-crossing their ropes!  Many students found skipping difficult and it took some perseverance and determination before they were able to skip.  We now have a few very talented skippers in our class!

Thank you to all those who donated and helped to get donations for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.

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Yoga for Health and Well-Being

For most kids, this was their first exposure to yoga.  Our instructor, Michelle, focused on breathing exercises and a variety of stretches/poses (E.g. cat, cow, warrior).  Yoga helps kids with focus/concentration, and boosts self-esteem.  Learning about proper breathing techniques can help with tackling anxiety.  I also liked that gratitude seems to be another key focus in the practice of yoga.  And of course, the children get to experience play without the worry of making mistakes.

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