I've been wanting to share some details of our first week at school, but I decided to give you some time to make your way through all of the first day blog posts. I know there was a lot! If you haven't yet had a chance, don't worry. Nothing gets deleted, you just need to click on Archives if a post has disappeared. There is some good stuff down there, so please check it out if you haven't already.
We've gotten off to a great start in Area 24. Thank you for all the mail - I've enjoyed reading all of your thoughtful letters. As soon as I have all the media forms back (part of the thick white package), I can start taking the occasional picture of the kids in action, to post here for you!
So far, the children have shown me their pencil grip, they have practised tracing some letters on our erasable place mats, they have told me about their family, in French of course, and are almost done drawing beautiful pictures of you.
They have all been measured so that we have a record of how tall they were at the beginning of grade 1, they have shown me that they can play nicely together both inside and outside, we have even discussed things that we often need help with (e.g., tying shoes), and we have been making lists of things that each of us is able to help with so that we know who to ask!
But that's not all! Area 24 students are excellent French counters. We are working on 1 - 20 right now and have practised this forwards, backwards, with our eyes closed, and in partners we have counted up all our boys, girls, rulers, chairs and desks.
The class is getting used to the routines, such as lining up against the wall when we are coming and going, signing out to use the washroom (or going at recess), hanging their belongings up neatly and placing their pocket in their mailbox. We have also practised what to do in the case of a fire alarm, and it only took us 5 seconds yesterday to get from our desks into a super straight, quiet line.
Every morning, we have some silent reading time, and the number of minutes will increase as we get better at it. So far, we're at 6 perfect minutes. Students know that Mlle likes the class to be neat and tidy and are doing a great job of putting books back where they found them, or keeping them safe in their own book box to come back to later.
I have been very impressed with how the kids have been walking through the halls at Dewson (I have already had a nice comment about their behaviour in gym class), and how willing they are to help with their assigned job in the classroom (and that they remind me when I forget who the right helpers are)!
As you may have expected, a lot of notes have come home this week. Here are a few things that I'd like to highlight:
1. Students need running shoes for gym. They will not be permitted to participate without them. Area 24 has a shoe bin where everyone can leave their indoor/gym shoes. For right now, many students are just wearing them to school, which is just fine. However, if your athlete is coming to school wearing sandals, or when they start wearing boots, please make sure they bring their running shoes in their bag. Let them know if they are allowed to leave their running shoes at school so that they are always prepared! (On rainy days, an extra pair of socks - or even 2 - is an excellent idea!)
2. You have received an envelope for contributing to the snack program. Snack can't exist without support from the parents, and this year it's even MORE important that we contribute what we can, since our lunch is a bit later, and the kids need that mid-morning snack. Snack program starts Monday!
3. Thank you for embracing the pocket routine! Please try to make sure it comes back to school each day - even if you haven't filled out a form - in case there is new mail to come home. I will do my best to make sure the pockets come home every day - even if it's empty - just so that you aren't wondering, and to maintain the routine.
OK, I think that's it for now. I'd love to get all those forms back by Monday if at all possible - but in the meantime, here are a couple pictures of what our class looked like to start off the year. Let's see how long we can keep it this way!
Tamara