September 2009 Archives

We're off to a good start! The children are getting very familiar with the classroom routine and are beginning to make connections with one another. Thank you for sending in the fresh vegetables. As you can see, we have a wide variety for our soup!

Arthur and Jacob showing each other the vegetables they brought from home.

David looking on as Sam adds his eggplant.

Jacob, Jonah, and Alex talking about the structures they built.

Nora and Alex pretending to ride the train that Alex made.

Augie learns about the different weights of the vegetables as he balances the scales.

David notices the similarities and differences between the red pepper and apple.

Clare and Michael using markers and paper to create representational artwork.

Bennett and David working together to serve a snack of berries they harvested on the playground.

We had a wonderful first two days of school. The children explored their new environment and started noticing their classmates. Please take a look at the pictures I was able to take...

The children were easing into the routine of having snacks and then getting ready to go outside.

The children exploring the classroom environment.

Katie, realizing the oven was "hot," grabbed two oven mits to carefully take out the cupcakes.

Elizabeth and Otto collaborated to make a bridge/road with a ramp. As Otto placed two of his trucks on the road, Madeline brought her blue truck to form a line.

The children were digging sand and taking turns using the sand tools.

Cormac, along with his classmates on Thursday, drove to the gas station and "paid" Bob to pump gas.

The first few days of the school have come with much excitement and exploration of the environment. New relationships are forming and old friendships are quickly reconnecting. Here are some photos of what's been going on in the room during our first week!

Cedrick exploring the many possibilities that come with the seriated pegboard

Hadley and Juliet working together at the art table

Nigel's "giant road," stretching all the way around the classroom

A group discuss the menu of the day's picnic

Oliver and Peyton working together on Oliver's "Children's Museum"

Helena's many animal houses

Children taking a closer look at one of the classroom pets - a Madagascar Hissing Cockroach

Evan and Nigel building motorcycles in the block area

A group exploring the properties of color and color mixing at the light table

Classroom Newsletter from Ross
September 25, 2009

Dear parents,

The school year is officially underway and the energy levels are high! With week one in the books, I can say it looks like it should be a fun and imaginative year! I want to say thanks again for allowing me to visit your homes and meet with your child before we began. These initial visits are a tremendous help in building your child's comfort with me as well as with coming to school. Though most of the children appear very excited to come each day, I understand that it may take longer for some children to become comfortable with coming to school every day. Please let me know right away if your child feels at all anxious about coming in the morning. That way we can offer your child the extra support he/she needs during the beginning weeks of school.

As I mentioned during the homevisits, I will be posting nearly everything on the new school website (sending email reminders/updates letting you know when new information has been posted). If it would be easier to receive a paper copy, let me know and I will set that up for you. The lesson plans will be sent out during the weekend prior, allowing you to talk about what new things will be happening in the room before your child arrives Monday morning. Reading through the lesson plan will give you a better idea of what we are planning for the week. I also hope to post pictures in the "Updates" section of our class page (every couple days or so) to help show what's been going on in our classroom. Unfortunately the children's perceptions of what they do at school are often very different from the teacher's plans. If you read that we are "exploring colors" in our science area, your child may be able to tell you that they painted with red paint or looked through "rainbow glasses." It takes time, repetition, and much discussion for some of the concepts we are focusing on to begin to make sense to children in the same way they do to adults. Nevertheless, keep asking children about their activities at school, using the website (if possible) as your guide. Look at the pictures from the previous day and read the lesson plan together. The more specific your questions are, the more likely your child will be able to remember and talk about their morning. It is important to remember that the learning doesn't stop once the children leave the classroom. The more you know about what is happening in our room, the better you can support their interests and learning at home.

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND REMINDERS

Family Picture Card

If you haven't done so already, please bring in your "family picture card" that I dropped off during the homevisit. The children have been interested in looking at the cards on the wall, and it is also a great opportunity to start conversations between children: showing off their family with fellow classmates and teachers. Let your discussions be the answers to the questions listed. If you can't think of an answer, skip it or put, "We couldn't decide." Also, it doesn't have to be a recent photo or developed on super-glossy photo paper. Make it easy on yourself. If you need help printing it, simply email it to me and I will print it at school. The purpose of this project, as well as other "homework" assignments, is to strengthen the connection between home and school while supporting the every-growing sense of community we are establishing in the classroom and throughout the Lab School!

Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) Meeting

Mark your calendars! The first PAC meeting is on Tuesday, October 6 from 7-8.30p. This is a group of parents that helps make decisions about school events and acts as a communicative link between the parents and staff. Further information about the group and what it does can be found on the Parent Advisory Committee tab on the Lab School's homepage. Please take a few minutes to click on it and learn more about what the PAC is all about. The meeting is open to EVERYONE and your ideas and support are needed!!!

Parking Reminder

Please remember to read your handbook as well as the parking letter that was sent earlier this summer. There's no getting around it...parking is tight around the Lab School. If you pull into a slanted spot in front of the building, it is a 20 minute limit. Those spots belong to the Institute and the research labs, and they have graciously shared those spaces with us during our drop-off and pick-up times. If you plan to stay in the morning, hop to a meter or find a spot in Dinkytown. If you pull along the curb during pick-up, PLEASE stay with your car. We will bring your child to you. When parents leave their cars to "quickly run in and get something," it throws a wrench into the works of keeping the cars moving. Also, the U of M police remind us often that they will ticket cars that are left unattended along the curb. Thanks in advance for making our difficult parking situation run that much smoother!

Fall conferences

Fall parent conferences will be happening during the weeks of October 19 - 23 and October 26 - October 30. This is a time where we will establish initial developmental goals for your child based on my observations as well as from information that you provide. I will be sending home a brief questionnaire for you to fill out which will help us set those individual goals for your child. Please answer the questions and bring the questionnaire to the meeting. The conferences will be scheduled for the afternoons and early evenings during the two weeks listed above and typically take place at school. If need be, we can schedule a phone conference rather than a classroom conference. Also, please arrange childcare, as it is easier to talk about your child while they are at home. The conference schedule is posted on the classroom door and an updated version will be available on the "Updates" section of our class' page. If you choose to email me your suggestions, send at least three options that will work, speeding up the process of getting everyone scheduled.

Birthdays and Holidays

When it is your child's birthday (half-birthday or any other special day), we welcome you to bring a special snack, albeit not mandatory. The State of Minnesota requires that all snacks be either store bought or prepared at school. With our focus on healthy eating and nutrition, we are asking parents to bring healthy snack options rather than the favored cupcakes/cookies. If you need ideas for healthy options, do not hesitate to ask me or Eva. One popular option, Eddy's All-Natural Fruit Juice Bars (popsicles)...they are always a hit any time of the year! I invite you to come to school on your child's birthday/special day and join us for snack!

As a general rule, we do not have special holiday "parties" at school. If agreed upon by the lead-teacher and the families, we may acknowledge the holidays celebrated by the families in our class celebrate in a low-key, child-centered manner. We do have appropriate stories, art materials, and special snacks, which help children understand some of the cultural traditions that go along with celebrations. We welcome parents to come in and share their families' special traditions with the class. On Halloween, which is considered a children's holiday in American culture, we may have a special story or two as well as materials at the art center that could be used to create "holiday pictures," however we will not have a special celebration or give out candy. I will take my cue from the children as to how interested they are in these types of holiday activities and plan accordingly. We will not have the children dress in costumes, as that usually causes too much excitement and confusion amongst the children; making the morning feel quite chaotic.

Extra clothes reminder

Now that the year is underway, the paint will be flying and we will be spending lots of time outside...even in the rain! It is helpful if each child has an extra set of clothes (i.e. pants, shirt, socks, and underwear) in his/her cubby. We have some extras at school, however not enough to go around all five classrooms. Storing the clothes in a labeled Ziplock bag and leaving it in the top of the cubby works the best. That way, we always have a change of clothes for your child. We do have extra freezer-size Ziploc bags at school if needed.

Also, we will be heading outside as much as possible. With wetter weather a strong possibility for upcoming months, please be sure to send appropriate rain clothes, if possible. We do have extra rain ponchos that the children can wear, however if you do have a rain jacket, rain boots, and/or umbrella already, please send it on the days were there may be a chance of rain. Not only does it makes it easier for us with getting ready to go outside, it ensures all children in the school will have some kind of coverage if the rain starts to fall. Please also now that this does not mean you have to go out and purchase new rain gear! We are simply asking those who already have it to send it along on those potentially wet mornings. Also, if it's torrential downpour, severe weather, and/or we don't have enough coverage to keep everyone "dry" while outside, we will stay inside and extend our play-day. Lastly, if your child is a recovering from a previous illness and you'd prefer they stay inside from the rain, please speak with me so we can make arrangements to keep your child healthy as well as a part of the group.

Gym

Now that we have finished the first week and are on our full-day schedule, we will be venturing to the gym! Our gym time is between 8.30-9a, sharing our arrival time. For the beginning of the school year, we will have "All-Gym" days on Mondays and Fridays, meaning when your child comes to school, they will put their things in their cubbies, wash their hands, and head to the gym. "Choice-Gym" days will be on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, meaning your child will have the choice of going to the gym or staying the room and exploring the materials in the front half of the room with one of the teachers. Large Group will still always start around 9a, after the children from the gym have returned to the classroom. We will have a sign next to the "Question of the Day" board reminding you and your child what kind of day it is to avoid any confusion.

I know this was a long newsletter, but the first one of the year always is, so thank you for reading it. Also, I appreciate any feedback on how things are going for you and your child as the year unfolds. We are working together on helping your child grow in all areas of development, and keeping lines of communication open will help us do exactly that! Thanks for reading and here's to a fantastic school year!

Sincerely,
Ross

getting to know each other...

finding interesting things...

enjoying the end of the day together...

Art Center

Expressive materials:

-The collage table is a place where children can use everyday materials to create their own pieces of art and express their creativity. It is currently stocked with a variety items, including corks, bottle tops, pom poms, and milk jug lids. This is also one of the places in the classroom where children will be able to use drawing, writing and cutting tools such as markers, crayons, colored pencils, scissors, staplers, tape and glue.

-Easel painting is available with the primary colors of red, yellow and blue paint. This activity gives the children another opportunity to creatively express themselves, as well as gain an understanding of the concept of color mixing.
Sensory:

- The sand table is a wonderful place for the children to interact around a familiar material. The use of shovels and scoops provide opportunities for the expression of symbolic representation and sharing of materials.

-Playdough is available with a variety of tools that the children can use to make impressions in the dough, including cookie cutters, rolling pins and potato mashers.

Dramatic Play Center

- The dramatic play center is focused around home and family play, including dress-up clothes and kitchen props. This set-up was chosen because many of the children expressed an interest in play kitchens during home visits and the idea of family is familiar to all of the children.

- One cave features babies to expand on the family play. Props for baby care, such as clothes, food and grooming items are available.

- One of the caves includes Little People, houses and vehicles. This gives children another outlet for their dramatic play using miniature sets.

Math and Manipulative Center

- Color sorting game with small animals and large tongs for fine motor, matching and color identification.

- Montessori puzzles for seriation and matching.

- Ants In the Pants game for finger strength and color identification.

- Assorted puzzles, including color and animal puzzles, for visual discrimination, hand-eye coordination, shape recognition and part-whole relations.

Science Center

- The focus of the science center is color. There are currently transparent red, blue and yellow shapes for the children to experiment with color mixing. A light box, color glasses and books about colors are also available. While the concept of color is very familiar to children these materials allow the children to explore the ideas of identifying, matching and mixing the colors.

Language and Literacy

- Books about colors, school, families and feelings are featured in the literacy center. Sometimes reading a book on the couch can be a cozy and calming experience.

- The writing center is equipped with paper, postcards, envelopes, stickers, scissors, tape and hole punchers so the children can begin exploring the idea of writing.
Block Center

- The unit block area is equipped with wooden cars with peg people. The peg people have pictures of all the children and teachers so children are able to see their classmates' pictures and use them as props in their play.

- Hollow blocks are available for the children to build large structures. Building large structures often requires the children to cooperate in both the lifting and planning of structures.

Large Motor

- The gym is set up with the A- frame ladder, balance beams, slide and jumping station. This set up promotes balance, eye-hand coordination and lower body strength.

- On the playground the children have the chance to run, swing, climb on the equipment and dig in the sand with shovels. Bikes and wheelbarrows are also available.

Snack
Monday: Rice Cakes, Milk / Water
Wednesday: Rice Cakes, Milk / Water

12:45 - 1:05 Large group
Large group is a time when the children come together and participate in songs, games and stories. This is also the time when we talk about our day and anything special that is going to happen.

1:05 - 1:35 Gym time / Large Motor Time
The children have the opportunity to participate in gross motor activities. In the gym they challenge their muscle strength, balance, coordination and risk taking abilities through both self and teacher directed activities.

1:35 - 2:30 Free choice time
During this time children are free to decide what they want to do in the classroom. They have the opportunity to play in different areas of the room, engage in a wide variety of activities and interact with peers. This is also a time for teachers to observe, support and facilitate the children's play and development.

2:30 - 2:50 Snack time
Children are able to enjoy a small snack and talk with each other about what is of current interest to them. Teachers will take notice of interests, and also facilitate conversations about current themes and upcoming events.

2:50 - 3:30 Outside time and departure
Children have a chance to play outside on the playground before going home. Depending on the weather, the children will be dismissed from the front of the building or from the hallway in front of the classroom.

Alternative schedule for small group days

1:35 - 2:30 Free choice time/ open snack On days when we have small groups, snack will be offered during free choice time. Children filter in and out of free choice to snack.

2:30 - 2:50 Small group time
Small groups allow children the opportunity to participate in small group activities where they will explore topics of interest with a teacher.

2:50 - 3:30 Outside time and departure
Children have a chance to play outside on the playground before going home. Depending on the weather, the children will be dismissed from the front of the building, or from the hallway in front of the classroom.

Abbreviated Daily Schedule for
Nyna's 3 PM class
2009-2010

12:30- 12:50 Arrival and discovery time

12:50 - 1:05 Large Group

1:05 - 1:15 Gym

1:15 - 2:00 Free play

2:00 - 2:20 Snack

2:20 - 2:30 Outside time and departure

Dear Families,

The classroom has been intentionally been set-up with basic yet appealing materials. We want to give the children the opportunity to focus their energy and attention on settling into our classroom community. We want to allow the children for time to explore and get acquainted with what we have to offer and will continue to expand and add to what is already available.
I want to take a moment to thank you all for allowing me to meet the children in their most familiar environment; this makes a huge difference for the children once school starts. It was great to see the children eager to be in the classroom and explore what we had set up for our open house! What a great beginning!
During the first days of school we will not have any staff outside to walk children into school from their cars for drop-off. We will walk children to their cars for pick-up if you feel comfortable. Official drop-off and pick-up to and from the curb will start at the beginning of the third week (I will e mail you letting you know). These first days the children need the support of their parents when making this transition, so please plan to find a parking spot and accompany your child into the classroom. All parents are welcome to stay as long as they feel it is necessary.
Thank you all for your cooperation,
Dalia

Weekly Plan for Dalia's Class
September 23rd- October 1st, 2009

Overview and Goals
It is finally here... the first day of school! I want to welcome all of you to our new school year. I am looking forward to an amazing year. These first couple of weeks, although exciting for children and their families, might also prove to be quite demanding. The teachers will focus on building relationships with the children and supporting interactions between the children. In addition, we will work on getting used to the classroom schedules and routines. The morning teacher and I have set up the environment in the classroom to reflect familiar and highly appealing materials; we want to capture the children's interest right away. We've also taken into consideration things the children mentioned during home visits. Our goal and focus for the whole school year, but especially at the beginning, is to offer the children the opportunity to enjoy learning in a safe and nurturing environment where they can feel valued, respected and accepted. We have three student teachers in the classroom this session; Mary Beth, Elizabeth and Natalie. Please take a moment to introduce yourselves if you didn't have a chance to do it during open house.

Expressive Arts
~Easel painting with primary colors: red, yellow and blue.
~An assortment of construction paper is available for the children, along with markers and crayons to express themselves freely.
~Scissors, glue sticks and hole punchers are also available to add to children's creations.
Sensory Materials
~The extra popular play-dough is featured along with rollers and cutters. We will add cookie cutters as the children become familiar with the basic utensils.
~The water table provides children with opportunities to use different sized cups and bottles while pouring and filling and experience the concept of conservation in a very informal way. It also allows for social interactions.
Dramatic and Symbolic Play
~A housekeeping area has been set-up in the back of the classroom. Our focus is the kitchen and foods we can cook with vegetables and fruits. This will tie quite nicely with our focus on fall and harvest during our first session.
~Symbolic play in the second cave features two farm buildings, farm animals, tractors and fences. These materials foster children's imaginary play and social interactions.
~Big doll's house with family figures and furniture are located by the caves. It allows children to engage in symbolic play while exploring familiar roles.
Science Center
~We will dedicate this session to explore fall as part of the yearly cycle of life. We will encourage children's exploration of different topics and support their beginning and deepening understanding of important concepts such as life cycles, matching, weighting, comparing, sorting and most of all enjoying engaging in scientific thinking and questioning. We make conscious efforts to set up this area so it challenges children's cognitive abilities while supporting social interactions. One of our primary goals is to encourage children's respect for each others' ideas and support their natural curiosity and joy of exploring.
Language and Literacy
~An assortment of papers, envelopes, colored pencils, staplers, tape is located in the writing center along with an alphabet.
~Favorite and classic books are featured in the book area.
~A cozy book area is located in the upper part of the loft. Books related to the seasons, fall, harvest are featured.
~Computer center with didactic games in 5-10 minutes intervals are available for the children. The games include: A to Zap, Sammy's Science House, Bailey's Book House, Thinking Things and Kid Pix.
Math, Manipulative and Games
These first weeks we will focus on the concepts of sorting, shapes and colors.
~Multi-color pegs with yellow boards, shape sorter/stackers, colorama game and small colored farm animals are available to encourage children's development of fine motor skills, sorting and shape and color recognition.
~Puzzles emphasizing the color theme are located in the middle of the classroom, right across the caves, in the manipulatives' area. Puzzles promote and support the development of part/whole relationships, synthesizing and hand-eye coordination.
~See through Duplo blocks are available on the light table in the first cave encouraging the development of fine motor skills and allowing for creative building.
Block area
~Hollow blocks are available in the back of the room allowing children to engage in social interactions while using mathematical and spatial concepts as well as creative abilities to build in this large area of the classroom.
~The Unit blocks are placed near the caves and close by to the hollow blocks to encourage children to use these in different areas of the classroom. In addition to the unit blocks we have wooden airplanes and cars to encourage children's symbolic play.
Large Motor
~The gym has been intentionally set up with basic equipment and in a simple way. We are featuring the A frames with balancing boards to cross, the slide and stairs, a big donut to jump into and the monkey bars. We want to give the children the opportunity to familiarize themselves with this area of the school.
Our classroom will have gym time on Mondays only to allow for extra time outdoors while the weather cooperates. Once winter starts we will add gym time to our schedule.
~Going to the playground and getting familiarized with the equipment and materials available. Running, riding cars and tricycles, digging in the sand, swinging and sliding.
Music and Movement/Large Group
~We will be singing name-songs to help with the process of getting to know each other.
~Some old time favorite songs will also be part of our repertoire in the next couple of weeks.

Thank you for attending the open house on Thursday, September 17th. I appreciate your efforts to come to school before the official starting date. The children take advantage of this opportunity and it seems to make the transition to school much easier. It was fun to see you all!

I am looking forward to an amazing year! See you all around. Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions, comments or concerns. The best way to reach me is to leave a message on my cell phone.
I check messages regularly: 763-218 8739
You can also e-mail me at dalia_gheiler@yahoo.com

If you haven't given me your e-mail address yet, please do so at your earliest opportunity. I will be sending important information and reminders to check our web site, which includes lesson plans, newsletters and updates every week (please let me know if you prefer a hard copy).

Thank you all!
Dalia

• Parent Information Night is this Thursday evening from 7-9pm. Please come to hear about our philosophy, curriculum and helpful points to starting off the year successfully. This is an adult-only event.
• Please check your child's folder daily for artwork, announcements, and other school news. The folder basket will be out at the door each morning at arrival and will be with us at the end of the morning at dismissal time.
• Please sign in your child upon arrival and note who will be picking up your child at the end of the day. This is particularly important in the beginning of the year when we don't know each family's schedule.
• Please do not bring any food into the classroom as we have children with allergies to a variety of foods, primarily dairy, nuts, wheat, and eggs. Many thanks for your help in keeping everyone safe.

Talking about school with your child is fun for you and your child! One of their favorite topics to talk about is their teachers. Here is some information to help you get to know us as we get to know all of you!
(pictured left to right: Stacy, Elizabeth, Rachel, Ross)

Stacy Kranig - Student Teacher
Hello Families! My name is Stacy Schaaf Kranig. I am from South Minneapolis.
In my free time I enjoy music, film, art, cooking, traveling, yoga and
football. I have two puppies named Sonny and Chewie. I am greatly looking
forward to getting to know you all during my time in Ross' class.

Elizabeth Argo - Student Teacher
Hello, I'm Elizabeth. I've lived in Minnesota all my life. I currently
live in St. Paul with my Beta fish named Phineas. I like spending time
outdoors, learning about other cultures, and traveling anywhere/everywhere.
I'm excited for the adventures that this semester will bring!

Rachel Harris - Student Teacher
My name is Rachel Harris. I was born in Tucson, AZ but grew up in
Rochester, MN. I moved to the cities for college at the U of M. I have a
bachelor's degree in Child Psychology and am now working on my master's in
early childhood special education. In my free time I love to do arts and
crafts, such as scrap booking. I also am really enjoying planning my
wedding which will happen next June!

Ross Thompson - Lead Teacher
Hello everyone! I'm very excited to be back for another fantastic year at the Lab School. This is my 6th year of being a part of the Lab School Team, and my 3rd year as the 5-day morning teacher. I'm a true Twin City-ian, growing up in the northwest suburbs and living in scattered areas of Minneapolis and St Paul while attending the U of M. I received my undergraduate and master's degrees here at the university, both in early childhood education. I love finding/listening to new music, making/seeing art, spending time outdoors, working on the seemingly never-ending to-do list that accompanies owning a new home, riding my bike (which I do nearly every day to and from work), as well as practicing yoga. I've also recently started to develop a bit of a green thumb, and would love to chat/share tips about plants and gardening!

Weekly Lesson Plan
Weeks of Sept 22 - Oct 2, 2008
Lead Teaching This Week: Ross

Overview and goals
School is finally upon us, and I want to officially welcome everyone to the Lab School! These first few weeks are a time for your children to become comfortable with the environment and begin establishing relationships with their teachers and peers. The beginning of the year can be overwhelming for some, and I hope to make the transition of coming to school as easy for you child as possible. The materials and activities in the classroom reflect a focus on social interaction, as a majority of the children in the class will be unfamiliar with one another. One of our major goals in the fall is to establish that sense of community right away. I am eager to see what will happen with this new group of children, and anticipate many quick friendships.

Art Center
Expressive Materials
~ The large floor easel will be available with large brushes, red, yellow, and blue paint; promoting large-motor skills with long brush strokes and opportunities for primary color mixing/color recognition.
~ Collage materials will be available at the art table, allowing for artistic/creative expression with familiar materials (scissors, glue, colored paper, stickers, crayons, markers, tape) as well as support opportunities for social interactions during the collage making process.
Sensory Materials
~ The sand table will be open and ready for digging with shovels, rakes, buckets, and molds. With the perfectly moist sand, the children will be able to dig and build a variety of sand sculptures while interacting with one another and exploring the properties of sand.
~ Playdough will be at the sensory table, promoting fine-motor development with cutting, mashing, pinching, squeezing, and rolling the dough. It also supports social interaction through common interest, as children observe one another's actions and talk about what they are doing with the dough.

Science Center
~ Color will be the focus in the science area. Assorted translucent color-gels and pieces of velum will be available at the light table, allowing the children to explore new concepts or recall existing knowledge about color and color mixing. We will exchange with new color props and games during the two weeks, allowing for new opportunities to explore color.

Math and Manipulative Center
~ Puzzles: promoting visual discrimination, shape recognition, and part-to-whole relationships
~ Graduated pegboard: promoting concepts of seriation (ordering by length) and sorting by color
~ Color sorting game (with large tongs): promoting color recognition, fine-motor strength/coordination, and opportunities for cooperative play/social interactions
~ Link-Togethers: promoting color/shape recognition, matching, creativity, social interactions, opportunities for symbolic representation

Language and Literacy Center
~ The writing table will have pencils, markers, tape, scissors, and hole punches for exposure to pre-literacy skill development.
~ The bookshelf will be filled with books that are favorites of many children and will be available to look at any time of the day. Some titles include My Friend Rabbit, The Little Mouse, Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear, and Just Me and My Dad (Little Critter Series).

Block Center
~ Large hollow blocks will be in the back of the room, supporting large-motor development as well as social interaction/dramatic play themes through building. Blocks are an integral part of an early childhood classroom, as they allow countless opportunities for children to create and interact with one another while supporting development in all the domains (e.g. social, emotional, cognitive, creative, physical).
~ Small unit blocks will available, allowing the children to create smaller, more detailed buildings and constructions using familiar shapes while supporting social interaction and cooperative play.
~ Seeing that cars were a popular item during the home visits, small wooden cars and peg people will be available to accompany the unit blocks. We hope that the common interest will bring together new peers and help establish new friendships through symbolic and imaginative play.

Dramatic Play Center
~ House props (sink, stove, fridge, cabinets, etc.) and dress-up clothes will be available in the back of the room. Having familiar and enjoyable props foster socio-dramatic play between children, and allow them to create well-known play themes for themselves and with others.
~ Babies and stuffed animals will be available in the caves, offering an extension of the house dramatic play as well as opportunities for social interactions with familiar materials.
~ Fischer Price houses and school will be in the other cave, promoting symbolic representation and social interactions, as well as helping children with the transition of coming to school.

Large Motor
~ The gym will have a slide, monkey bars, wall climber, jumping station, and A-frame climber available; promoting the skills of running, jumping, balancing, upper and lower body strength, eye-hand and eye-foot coordination, as well as cardiovascular strength. While the weather is still agreeing with us, we will be spending as much time as we can on the playground! Thus, we will spend less time in the gym and more time outside while we still have the sunshine and warmer temperatures. The playground offers similar opportunities for large-motor strength and skill development through the use of the monkey bars, slides, swings, tricycles, wagons, pedal cars, shovels, and buckets.

Special Interest
~ The primary focus for the next two weeks will be getting to know the children, as well as supporting their interactions with one another. In addition, we will help the children become familiar with the routines of the classroom and establish a sense of trust that school is a safe and fun place to be.
~ Parent Info Night will be on Thursday, September 24 from 7-9p. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the philosophy of the program as well as meet other parents from your child's classroom. I hope you all can make it and if you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask! The event will be at the school and refreshments will be provided. Also, plan on arranging childcare as this is for parents only.

Snack
Monday: No School
Tuesday: Rice Cakes
Wednesday: Rice Cakes
Thursday: Graham Crackers
Friday: Cheddar Bunnies

*All snacks served with milk and water, unless otherwise noted*

Typical Daily Schedules 2009
Ross' Class

Non Small Group Days
(Every day for the first 3 weeks of each session, then Mondays and Fridays once small groups start in week 3-4)

7.30-8.30 Teachers arrive, set up the environment, and discuss the day

8.30-9.00 Arrival/Exploration Time/Gym: teachers walk children into the building, and help them start the day. Children choose an activity in the front of the room: art, puzzles, manipulatives, sensory table, playdough, computer, science exploration, writing center, or "the caves." Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays children may choose to go to the gym. Mondays and Fridays will be "all-gym" days

9.00-9.15 Large Group: children come together to share music, stories, as well as new information pertaining to classroom interests, events, or projects

9.15-10.15 Activity Time: children may return to the front of the room and finish an activity started during arrival/exploration time or choose from additional activities in the back of the room: dramatic play, large block building, or small block building

10.15-10.25 Clean-up and hand-washing

10.25-10.45 Whole-group snack

10.45-11.15 Toileting, getting ready to go outside, and playing on the playground

11.15-11.30 Pick-up/end of the day story reading

11.30-1.00 Teachers clean-up the room and discuss the day

*Note: the schedule will change slightly once "small groups" begin. Free-play will include "open snack" (i.e. children choose when to come to the table and have snack) rather than whole-group snack. Small groups will take the place of the whole-group snack on the schedule*

Small Group Days
(Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays starting week 3-4 of each session)

7.30-8.30 Teachers arrive, set up the environment, and discuss the day

8.30-9.00 Arrival/Exploration Time/Gym

9.00-9.15 Large Group

9.15-10.15 Activity Time and open snack

10.15-10.25 Clean-up and hand-washing

10.25-10.45 Small Groups

10.45-11.15 Toileting, getting ready to go outside, and playing on the playground

11.15-11.30 Pick-up/end of the day story reading

11.30-1.00 Teachers clean-up the room and discuss the day

We have a great team of student teachers this term, and they are looking forward to working with you and your children. The information below should help you get to know them a little better:

Bob
I grew up in the Hudson River Valley, in Hastings-on-Hudson, just outside of New York. Before coming to Minneapolis, I had worked for ten years as a unit manager in broadcast television, with the "Today Show" in New York, and the NBC News Bureau in London. In 1990, my wife and I moved to Minneapolis to expand her background in cancer research into the area of epidemiology. After many years as a dad at home looking after our two daughters, now aged fourteen and sixteen, I entered the Early Childhood/Early Childhood Special Educations Initial Licensure/Masters program. I look forward to working with preschool children and becoming involved on issues of quality, funding and universal access to preK programs. I enjoy reading (usually non fiction) and doing successful home repairs. I also love observing nature. Minneapolis is a wonderful place to live and raise children.

Elizabeth
I am in my second year in the M. Ed. Initial Licensure program in Early Childhood Education and Special Education, and I am excited to be starting my series of student teaching experiences! I grew up in Lawrence, Kansas, and did my undergraduate degree at Oberlin College (in Oberlin, Ohio) in German studies and French Horn performance. I moved to the Twin Cities in 2006 to work for Americorps as a literacy coordinator, and then I spent a year in Berlin, Germany, teaching English. After I complete my degree, I hope to work either as an early childhood or early childhood special ed teacher. I enjoy knitting and crocheting, biking, gardening and shopping at farmers markets, reading, music, and being with friends and family.

Becky
I am originally from LaCrosse, WI, but I have been living in Minneapolis for the past five years. I am in my second year of the Early Childhood/Early Childhood Special Education masters program. My undergraduate degree is in Theatre/Dance from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. My passion for dance and movement led me to study somatic movement therapy with various practitioners throughout the country; I am particularly interested in the early movement patterns and reflexes of infants and toddlers. After completing the education program, I hope to work in special education in a birth-to-three program or a special education preschool. In my free time you can find me at the local farmer's markets, in my kitchen, outside taking walks and bike rides, and at home snuggling with my two cornish rex cats, Henri and Pippin.

Hello families! My name is Ayuko Uezu Boomer. I was born and raised in Manhattan, New York, and moved to the Twin Cities a couple of years ago with my husband, George, who is a native Minnesotan. My immediate family and friends still live in NYC so I visit there often. In my down time, I like to take my dog, Otsuu, out for a walk and play with my cat, Tama, on his cat tree. I enjoy traveling, singing, and eating. If you know any good restaurants to go to in Minnesota, please let me know. I love to try them out.

This is my third year teaching at the SGM Lab School. I was trained at the Lab School at Sarah Lawrence College in New York. There, I earned my M.S.Ed degree in teaching from Nursery to 6th grade. I also lived in Japan for a couple of years teaching English to children ranging from 5 to 18 years old. After returning from Japan, I became a preschool teacher in Manhattan, and continued to be in this profession. I am looking forward to having an exciting year with you and your children!

We will be updating our weekly lesson plan on the Lab School website at the beginning of each week, so you can discuss school activities at home with your child. As you read it over, you will have an idea about what we are planning on exploring and investigating in the classroom. You may notice that your child's description of the day's activities slightly differs from the description we teachers give you. If you read that the children are "exploring shapes and colors" at the manipulatives table, the children may tell you that they played with puzzles and toys. Even though you may read about the activities in a newsletter or the lesson plan, please take the opportunity to ask your child about their day, using the lesson plan as your guide.

Lesson Plan for Ayuko's Class
Weeks of September 23rd and 28th, 2009

Goals: The first couple of weeks we will focus on helping the children say goodbye to their families and adjusting them to the school environment. As the children explore and investigate the classroom, we hope they begin to think positively of the teachers and school. Slowly we will begin to learn the routines of the classroom and give children the support they need to make transitions through the morning. The play areas are arranged to promote these goals and encourage the development of positive relationships with classmates and teachers.

Art
•At the easel, wooden paint brushes will be available to explore brush strokes and fine motor grip. Primary color paints will be available to explore color mixing.
•The children will be able to explore the properties of paper, markers, stickers, and scissors at the art table.
Manipulatives
•The manipulative tables will have shape sorters and colored stackers. The shape sorters promote fine motor development, shape and color differentiation, and hand-eye coordination for spatial awareness. The colored stackers serve the same purpose, but also promote the awareness of size differentiation and seriation (large to small.)
•Puzzles will be available to enhance fine motor development, spatial awareness, visual discrimination, and understanding of shapes. Puzzle topics include fruit and vehicles.
Sensory
•Play dough will be available for sensory exploration, fine motor development (squeezing, poking, and pinching), symbolic representation (modeling), and to promote social interaction.
•The water table contains items such as measuring cups and bottles to encourage the practice of pouring and filling. Water play is soothing and calming to most children and also encourages social awareness as children notice what those across from them are doing with the same materials. Water play also helps develop the concept of empty and full, less and more, and in and out.
•Four noise sticks promote experimentation with sound and how to produce the sound. This challenges children's thinking, physical coordination, and creates a satisfying trial and effect game to share with teachers and other children.
Science
•Various forms of foliage and camouflaging frogs will be hidden in a terrarium. The children will be encouraged to observe and investigate the items in the terrarium using magnifying glasses.
•We are beginning to collect leaves, flowers, fruit and vegetables from our garden and surroundings for observation, exploration, and discussion. Please feel free to bring in natural materials that your child finds around your yard, garden, or neighborhood.
Dramatic Play
•Familiar household items are available in the kitchen area to promote social interaction and cooperative play. There are also multi-ethnic babies available with baby carriages, bassinets, and strollers to foster symbolic play.
•Scarves and soft stuffed animals are available at the loft area to promote social interaction, pretend play, and playing peek-a-boo games.
•There are various dress-up clothes available for children to support their pretend play and foster social interaction and cooperative play.
•The barnyard set is arranged in the cave area with horses, cows, and pigs to stimulate pretend play, perhaps reflect on a trip to the state fair, and promote social interaction among children and teachers.
•Moving trucks and cars are available to promote pretend play, social interaction, and negotiation.
Language and Literacy
•Language and literacy activities occur throughout the day and the classroom is filled with activities and materials that support their development. We have a book area for the children to read stories individually or with their peers or teachers. The process of independently turning pages in a book and dictating a story from the pictures is also a form of emergent reading. We will begin to have a daily circle time when the children are ready to sing and read a story together, until then we will read books in smaller groups.
Construction
•The block area is open for social interaction and collaborative building. Block building promotes mathematical concepts such as balancing, connecting pieces from parts to whole, and exploring concepts of space (width and height), as well as hand-eye coordination. This area contains cardboard boxes, large wooden hollow blocks, and foam blocks. We expect the blocks may eventually be incorporated into buildings for the vehicles located nearby.
Music
•Music will be apparent throughout the day to support transitions and encourage participation. We will sing good morning songs as part of our routine and name songs to familiarize children with each other's names. We will also sing some finger-play songs to promote fine motor development and hand-eye coordination.
•The piano is open for the children's use to promote exploration of sound, volume, rhythm and social interaction.
Large Motor
•The gym will be arranged to assess and support basic skills such as jumping, climbing, balance, and coordination.
•There will be a tent, "camp fire," and a picnic table at the grassy area to promote camping pretend play. The playground is also arranged to support the children's upper and lower body development, such as running and using tools to dig and mold sand.
Snack
Wednesday 9/23: rice cakes, water, and milk (first half of alphabet.)
Thursday 9/24: rice cakes, water, and milk (second half of alphabet.)
Monday 9/28: pretzels, water, and milk
Wednesday 10/1: cheddar bunnies, water, and milk
Thursday 10/2: Birthday snack, graham crackers, water, and milk

We start out the school year gradually with an abbreviated schedule to increase the children's comfort as they get to know the teachers and new routines. Below is a schedule indicating when your child has school.

**Please walk your child into school and pick him/her up on the playground on his/her first two days of school. Curb side service will begin on Friday.**

Tuesday 9/21 ----Short Day/Half Class
8:30-10:30 Last names A-J

Wednesday 9/22 -----Short Day/Half Class
8:30-10:30 Last names L-Z

Thursday 9/23 -----Short Day/Whole Class
8:30-10:30 All children

Friday 9/24 ----Full Day/Whole Class
8:30-11:30 All children, regular schedule

Parent Information Night---Thursday 9/24 7:00-9:00 p.m.
First, Barb will speak about the philosophy of the school in room 172. Refreshments will be served in the Lab School afterward, and I will available to answer questions specific to our classroom. I will have a fall conference schedule posted so bring your calendars if you would like to sign up early.

PAC Coffee Mixers---Tuesday 9/29 8:30 9:30 a.m. & Wednesday 9/30 8:30-9:30 a.m.
The Parent Advisory Council is sponsoring a get together in the lounge. Come enjoy some snacks, coffee, tea and casual conversation with fellow Lab School parents.

PAC Kick-Off Meeting---Tuesday 10/6 7:00-8:30 p.m.
This group of parents works to support the school in a variety of ways and is open to everyone. Please come and take advantange of this opportunity to get involved in your child's school.

Coffee with Barb---Thursday 10/8 8:45-9:45 a.m. & 12:45-1:45 p.m.
Friday 10/9 8:45-9:45 a.m.
Barb will be available to answer any questions you may have about the philosophy and operations of the Lab School. These informal meetings will take place in the lounge.

September 18, 2009

Dear Parents,

It was lovely to see so many of you at the Open House! Home visits and the Open House are great ways to begin the relationship building process that will be a primary focus these first few weeks of school. Those meetings help make the transition to school easier for the children, parents and teachers! This first abbreviated week will be a period of adjustment for everyone. Getting up early and heading off to school may be exciting the first day, but may be difficult for the rest of the week. I will be taking cues from the children to figure out what kind of support each of them needs. Let me know right away if your child seems unhappy about coming in the morning. I will be happy to give extra support during these early weeks of school.

My main focus at the beginning of the school year is dedicated toward getting to know the children and helping them adjust to being at school each day. I want them to feel secure and appreciated so they will feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas. I will be teaching the routines and "rules" of the classroom and will begin to instill a sense of community. As time progresses and relationships form, their sense of community will grow. The children will get to know one another through conversations and will build interpersonal skills as they relate to both new people and familiar people. Many recognized each other at the Open House and some even made new connections! They were very curious about each other and soon will have many opportunities to share unique qualities about themselves and notice differences. Throughout this process we will also discover the many things we all have in common.

Because the student teachers and I are getting to know your child and focusing on building relationships, the goals for the classroom at the beginning of the year are different from the program goals listed on page ten of your parent handbook. They are as follows:

Social Development
-Establish relationships: child-child, child-teacher, and teacher-teacher.
-Establish routines that are clear and consistent.
-Establish classroom clear and consistent rules and guidelines that are simple and easy to understand.
-To become familiar with each child's social style and general level of social development.

Emotional Development
-Establish a sense of trust and security.
-To convey to each child that he/she is a valued and important member of the classroom community.
-Encourage and support independent action and thinking, including problem solving, decision making and self-help skills.
-To become familiar with each child's general level and style of emotional development.

Physical Development
-To become familiar with each child's physical capabilities, activity level and energy level.

Cognitive Development
-To become familiar with each child's general level of intellectual functioning, his/her conceptual understandings and style of learning.
-To become familiar with each child's verbal abilities.

Creative Development
-To become familiar with each child's enjoyment of novelty and approach to investigation of unfamiliar materials.
-To become familiar with each child's approach to problem solving.
-To become familiar with each child's willingness to take cognitive and creative risks.
-To become familiar with each child's ability to express themselves through a variety of media and their interest and enjoyment in doing so.
-To become familiar with each child's interest in, and enjoyment of, fantasy and imaginative play.

Here is some information about the teachers so you can get to know us too!

Amy Vavricka
I am originally from St. Paul where I currently live with my husband Tony and five year old daughter Lily. I worked for four years in a child care center with infants through five year olds. Caring for and teaching children from this wide range of developmental levels made me want to learn more, so I pursued my education here at the U of M. I have always been amazed by children's inborn sense of wonder ability to make sense of their world. I enjoy teaching because it gives me a chance to provide opportunities, experiences and interactions that support children in making their own discoveries.

Vanessa
My name is Vanessa Jorgenson. I went to high school at Anoka Senior High and graduated from there in 2003. Right after graduating I started a job as a Personal Care Attendant (PCA) for a little boy who has Down Syndrome. I have now been taking care of him and his three brothers for six years. I have also worked in the nursery at North Heights Church. There, I have taken care of children in the infant, toddler, and three and four year old rooms. My first couple years of college were spent at Anoka Ramsey Community College. When I began, I had many ideas about what I wanted to do. I considered going into singing, photography, journalism, or even nursing, but I soon realized that I wanted to teach; specifically I want to teach early childhood special education. My inspiration came from my PCA job. After graduating this semester, I will continue my education in Early Childhood/Early Childhood Special Education and work toward a Master's degree.

Claire
Hi! My name is Claire Swanson and I grew up right here in South Minneapolis. I am an Early Childhood Education major with plans of working with preschool aged children or younger after graduation. My experience with children includes nannying, coaching, teaching Korean Dance and acting as a mentor to young Korean adoptees, and tutoring. I most recently finished my service as an Americorps member. During this time, I volunteered in a preschool classroom and helped children develop their early literacy skills in preparation for Kindergarten. Some of my other interests include traveling, playing sports, attending plays and musicals, spending time with family and friends, and hanging out at the lake.

Katie
My name is Katie Hill and I am from Mequon, WI. I am 22 years old, and I will be graduating this December from the Early Childhood Education program. In January I will start the Initial Licensure Program where I will specialize in Special Needs Early Childhood Education. I have worked with children since I was 5 years old when my mom would take me to work with her during summer programs and my days off from school. My mom is a pediatric physical therapist in the North Shore school district in South Eastern Wisconsin. I continued to volunteer on and off in that school district throughout my high school years. Additionally, I babysat consistently for many families, including a family whose children I have cared for for nine years. Aside from working with children, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, as well as dancing, painting, and cooking.

We look forward to the journey of learning that lies ahead!
Sincerely,
Amy

Every Monday I will post a copy of the lesson plan here as well as on the bulletin board outside the classroom. This will keep you informed of our curriculum goals and classroom activities. Please read the lesson plan so you can get a sense of our intentions as we select materials and activities for the children to explore. The children may or may not be able to discuss these plans with you, as their perceptions of what they do at school are often very different from the teacher's plans. For example, you may read in the lesson plan that we are "beginning an exploration of life cycles with an investigation of fruits and vegetables." Your child will tell you that he/she painted a picture of an apple, made soup, or measured a pumpkin. It takes time, repetition, and discussion for the concepts to make sense to children. Nevertheless, ask children about their activities at school, using the lesson plan as your guide. When you ask specific questions your child is more likely to remember and talk about their morning.

Overview
To begin the school year, the materials selected are meant to be familiar and appealing. The student teachers and I will be observing and recording developmental abilities and themes we see in the children's play. We plan curriculum by incorporating individual and group goals with the children's ideas and interests. This helps give children a feeling of ownership of their school experience.

Creative Arts
-The easel has blue, red and yellow paint with thick, easy to grasp paint brushes.
-Various colors of paper and markers along with scissors and glue are available for creative expression.
-Music and rhythmic movement will be used throughout the day to help the children learn each other's names and the classroom routines.

Sensory Materials
-Water and a variety of containers, pitchers, and funnels allow for experimentation with pouring and contribute to beginning understandings of the concepts of measurement and volume.
-Playdough with basic tools, are very conducive to social interaction as children watch each other, talk, and imitate new ways of manipulating the dough.

Science
-We have provided fresh vegetables and fruits to bring the harvest season into the classroom. As children begin to bring in their own fresh veggies they will investigate them closely through activities such as sorting, measuring, and weighing. Eventually they will cut them open and cook them. Teachers will engage the children in conversations about where their vegetables came from, and will use the small garden on the playground to support inquiry about how and why vegetables grow. Through these hands-on experiences, conversations with other children, and interactions with adults, the children will formulate their own theories and develop foundational knowledge. He or she will use this knowledge as they grow to make sense of more abstract concepts such as seasonal cycles and life cycles.

Math and Manipulatives
- We will emphasize the pre-school concepts of sorting, color, and shape using multi-color shape sorter/stackers, puzzles and games. Colored shape puzzles, in both inset and interlocking versions, while building concept knowledge also contribute to knowledge of one to one correspondence and whole/part relationships. The colorful duplos in the cave promote color recognition, fine motor development and construction skills. To reflect the seasonal changes outside, we have brought in natural items such as colored leaves, acorns, and pinecones for sorting.

Language and Literacy
-The computer games featured are: A to Zap and Bailey's Book House which focus on letter recognition and letter sounds. The writing center is supplied with paper, envelopes, note cards and various writing implements. The upper and lower case alphabet is posted to promote alphabetic awareness. The library has books about animals, vegetables, and families. It is placed near the couch for cozy reading time with new friends and teachers.
There is a second library on top of the loft with books about trees, leaves, and fall.

Blocks
-The large hollow blocks are available with a spacious area for communal building. Children use creativity and problem solving while developing their awareness of geometry through building. The unit blocks are available to support and enhance dramatic play with the farm props in the caves.

Symbolic Play
-A home-like environment is set up in the back of the room with dress-up clothing, cooking utensils, and a kitchen full of fruits and vegetables. Through family role-play the children will have many opportunities to negotiate and get to know one another.
-Small group interaction is also promoted in the farm cave, which has animals, barns, and tractors.

Large Motor
-To start the year we have a very basic set-up in the gym so we can get a feel for the children's gross motor development. There are two wall-mounted ladders that promote climbing skills and coordination. The monkey bars provide opportunities to strengthen the upper body. A balance beam connects two tall A-frames and requires depth perception, problem solving, balance and coordination to move up, over, and down the structure. The slide climber and a donut for jumping into are also available.
-We will go out to the playground each day where children can run, climb and dig.

Snack-All snacks are served with milk and water
Tuesday: Rice cakes
Wednesday: Rice cakes
Thursday: Rice chex
Friday: Pretzels

Here a little bit about our new, yet experienced student teachers. Meet Mary Beth, Elizabeth and Natalie!!

teachersbios.doc

7:45 - 8:30 Teacher preparation of environment and discussion

8:30 - 8:55 Children's Arrival/Discovery Time
Teachers walk children into school and help them start the day. Children
choose activities in the front of the room: art, sensory table, playdough or clay, science center, library, writing center, puzzles, games, building sets, blocks, or the "caves."

8:55 - 9:10 Morning Meeting/Large Group Time
The whole class comes together to share music, movement, puppets and literature as well as new information relating to class activities, interests and projects.

9:10 - 9:25 Gym (Mondays and Fridays)
Large motor skill development is facilitated by teachers through encouragement and engagement in motor challenges and games.

9:25 - 10:15 Activity Time
Children and teachers play together in learning centers throughout the classroom. Teachers observe, facilitate and support children's play and interactions.

10:15 - 10:25 Clean up, bathroom, and handwashing

10:25 - 10:45 Whole group snack and dress for outdoor play
10:45 -11:15 Outdoor play on the playground
The teachers intentionally set up the outdoor environment and plan activities that incorporate the children's play preferences while providing motor challenges. Specific large motor skills are addressed through group games.

11:15 -11:30 Pick-up time/End of day story reading
Teachers wait with children and read stories until parents arrive. Children are brought to their cars for departure.

11:30 -1:00 Teacher clean up and discussion

When small groups begin, they will meet from 9:10 to 9:30 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

September 12, 2009

Dear families,

Hi! I hope you all had a wonderful summer break. My name is Nyna and I am thrilled that I will be teaching your children this year! I have been spending this week getting our classroom all ready for school. I have also had the opportunity to visit many of you in your homes and have enjoyed getting to meet you and your families. I also look forward to seeing you all at our Open House on Thursday September 17th from 1:30-3:00 in room 20.

I would like to collect all of the forms from the Information Packet either at my home visit or at our Open House. Please be sure to complete all the information. If you do not have a dentist yet, put in the name of a dentist that you think you will use. Also please remember to bring a family photo to the open house for our family board

The first day of school is scheduled on Wednesday, September 23rd, from 12:30 - 2:30 PM, for children with last names beginning with the letters A-I and Thursday, September 24th for children with last names beginning with the letters J-Z. Everyone will have school together on Monday, September 28th, also from 12:30 - 2:30 PM. On Wednesday, September 30th, we will begin the regular schedule with school meeting every afternoon from 12:30 - 3:30 (pick-up from 3:15 to 3:30.) During the first days of school we will not have any staff outside to walk children into school from their cars. (You received a letter explaining our parking and drop-off/pick-up procedures in your enrollment packet.) It is important for children to have their family's support while making this transition, so please plan to find a parking spot at a meter or in a parking lot/ramp and accompany your child into the classroom. If you have any concerns about this transition please talk to me about it at our open house, or feel free to email me. Parents are invited to stay as long as they feel it is necessary. I am looking forward to a fantastic school year!

Sincerely,

Nyna Anderson
612.703.0291
mcde0035@umn.edu

3-Day Daily Schedule
Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday
Ayuko's Class

7:45-8:30 Set-up and planning with assistant teachers. This includes the classroom, gym, playground and snack.

8:30-8:45 Arrival and individual welcome of children.

8:45-9:40 Self-directed activities from various learning centers. These centers include the art table, sensory table, manipulatives, book area, discovery and science table, dramatic play, and construction area. This may also include small group time, the topics of which will be generated by the interests of the children. Music and movement may spontaneously occur during the day.

9:40-9:50 Clean up and toileting.

9:50-10:00 Large Group. Activities include, reading stories, singing songs (good morning, name songs, etc), doing movement activities, and discussing topics that occur during this time.

10:00-10:05 Transition to the gym.

10:05-10:20 Large motor activities in the gym (Room 40)

10:20-10:45 Hand washing and Snack. The children will begin to learn to pass out napkins and cups, pour their own drinks and serve their own snacks.

10:45-10:50 Transition from snack to the playground

10:50 -11:15 Outdoor play

11:15-11:30 Dismissal and Good-byes.

11:30-1:00 Clean up and daily meetings by teachers.

Phase-In Schedule for Ayuko's Class
Wednesday 9/23, Thursday 9/24
and Monday 9/28

8:45-9:25 Free play time - self directed activities

9:35-9:40 Large Group

9:40-9:50 Gym

9:50-9:55 Hand washing and toileting

9:55-10:10 Snack

10:10-10:30 Outside and Goodbye

Dear Families,
Below is a copy of my goals for the beginning of the school year.

Social Development:
• Establish relationships among teachers and children.
• Start a consistent routine in the classroom.
• Observe and become familiar with each child's social approach and interactions.
• Encourage and support the use of classroom expressions to facilitate exchange of materials ("Can I have a turn?" "It's not your turn yet.")

Emotional Development
• Establish a sense of security with the teachers and the school environment.
• Support children and parents in forming and managing positive separations.
• Learn each child's form of expression, but also encourage using words to express how they feel.
• Encourage each child's independent thinking and decision-making

Physical Development
• Learn each child's large motor capabilities (energy level, spatial awareness)
• Learn each child's small motor capabilities (fine motor skills, manual dexterity)

Cognitive Development
• Observe and support each child's style of learning
• Observe and become familiar with each child's interests.
• Observe and become familiar with each child's language abilities (vocabulary, expressive, receptive).

Creative Development
• Become familiar with each child's creative expression through different media.
• Learn each child's interests through various forms of play.
• Support and foster each child's exploration and discovery during play.

Attached is the schedule for our classroom for after the short day scheduled days.
Please note that this schedule has small groups' time included. We will start small group work during week 4 or 5 of this session, so the times noted will vary to accommodate this.
We will extend free play time as well as our time outdoors. It is our goal to have a consistent schedule to create a safe and trusting environment for the children. Once the children feel more secure and comfortable we will have more flexibility.
Please let me know if you have any questions regarding our schedule.

schedule w-small groups.doc

Dear Families,

I have attached a short bio about myself, along with a picture.
I will update you with the new student teachers bios and their photos soon!!
Dalia

about me.doc

Dear Families,

Starting September 23rd, we will begin our phase-in schedule. It will start with a shorter day, eventually leading up to a full day schedule. We will begin in small groups to give each child the opportunity to feel as comfortable as possible.

Wednesday, September 23rd (8:30-10:30): Children whose last names begins with A-H

Thursday, September 24th (8:30-10:30): Children whose last names begins with J-Z

Monday, September 28th (8:30-10:30): Whole Class

Wednesday, September 30th (8:30-10:30): Regular schedule begins!