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“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” ~ Lao Tzu
…and then there were 18! We had a great start to our school year. Where else do you start with a pillow fight on the first day of school? or a community day in nature, the very next day? The TKG way…
Meeting Discussions: What is school? How do we want to feel at school? Starting our Bill of Rights we all shared we like to feel happy, excited, and safe at school. At TKG we have the right to: learn, eat, have fun, be creative, draw, choice, be heard, have feelings, everyone doesn’t have to do the same thing at the same time, try anything else (new things). How can we be mindful of our bodies, our brains and our hearts when we are together?
Math: Counting Collections! This week we counted independently, found just right numbers, estimated before counting, and counted with a partner. Anna and Alex counted rocks, but then found another container of rocks. Their plan was to dump out the rocks and count again. Michelle challenged them to find a way to do it without starting over. They decided to start with the number they knew and continue counting; 28, 29, 30… 52. Mathematicians call this “counting on”. We were introduced to Madison and Bennett’s strategy for keeping track of groups you count- Touch and Push to the Side. Question for next week: What are some strategies for estimating how many might be in a collection?
Language topics: Characters, Main Character, Character’s attributes and feelings. When creating stories students characters included snails, spiders, lizards, chickens, dogs, their dog, their family, and themselves. Michelle challenged students to recreate their story with their character in different areas. As students created stories about what school is, several foci emerged. Character Development was explored by Isabella, Simone, Hayden and Madison. With the desire to draw comics, Bennett, Zoe and Teddy explored how to show the passage of time in a comic strip.
Books and conversations: We LOVE Books! Yoko by Rosemary Wells – If you don’t like something, how could you express yourself? Tomomi shared how she felt like Yoko as a child when her mom packed her favorite snack, rice balls. She helped us think about real world connections to literature. A read-aloud in the 7 to 9 Classroom: The Hoboken Chicken Emergency How would you react if a 266 lb chicken, on a leash, showed up at your door?
Emerging interests: Planning for our big birthday celebration, which included making a house. A real house! A class pet, chess, a show about witches/fairies/shape-changers…What does it mean to have “no characters” at school? (this is an ongoing conversation currently!)
Social Emotional: This week was filled with connections, reconnections, some disconnection and then reconnections. We are getting to know each other and understand that we sometimes have the same ideas, and sometimes have different ideas, and they all can be good ideas. Some of next week’s wonderings might be:
What are our rights and responsibilities in our classroom? Idea- Read the US Bill of Rights with your student
How do my actions create a ripple effect in my environment? Idea- Explore the ripple effect in the kitchen or bathroom.
What does it mean to us to “keep the flow?” Idea- Explore the effect when the flow of water is blocked and begins to flood.
How do we recognize our needs and the needs of our classmates? Idea- Explore how each person in your family wears a different sized shoe by trying on each other’s shoes. Note how the shoe that we need a shoe that is “just right”.
Thanks to each of you for pitching in to make this first week so true! Special shout out to the setter uppers, cleaner uppers, parent teachers and Max the amazing. |
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Tending the Garden
***CLASSROOM SUPPLIES NEEDED
Kitchen supplies, water vessels, things to make potions
***CLASSROOM HANDY WORK NEEDED
We need to problem solve some lost hinges for our outdoor easel. We may need to source new hinges or devise another way to set up the easel. Handy folks, please connect with John Schwartz to sign up for this project.
***PARK/FIELD DAY SNACKS
Please pack a ‘separate’ snack (in the outside pocket, a small bag within a bag, easy to access container) to facilitate morning snack basket. Contact Michelle with questions.
Field trip Day is coming up on Sept 27th! Stay tuned for details from Renee. |
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TKG Principals
- CONSTRUCTIVISM, as teachers and parents, we provide the trellis on which students will build on their existing knowledge
- WHOLE CHILD, cognitive, physical and social/emotional are inseparable
- BRAIN SCIENCE, students are sensory learners, we honor each student’s unique developmental map
- CAPACITY BUILDING, nurturing creative thinkers who are encouraged to solve problems that serve our community
- COOPERATIVE LEARNING, small groups, low ratios, mixed ages and generations
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Parent/Teacher Corner
PARENT TEACHER SCHEDULE
MON Sept 16 – Hess Park
EL/RD/MS
TUE Sept 17
LS (8.30-11.30) & AS (11.30-2.30)
WED Sept 18
SW (please pack classroom for StAndrew’s monthly meeting)
THUR Sept 19
TV & EC (upstairs)
YF (downstairs)
FRI Sept 13
TSB & EL (upstairs)
AS (downstairs)
PT NOTES
*The next parent meeting (Sept 21, 9am) will be devoted to reflecting on the first 2 weeks of school, tools to support social emotional development with Renee and a deeper look at some of our curricular foci.
*New parents: please submit a TB Test at your earliest convenience.
Please contact John Schwartz with any questions. |
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PT TOOLBOX: Q&A about Project Work
What is project work?
Project work is a long-term, in-depth investigation of a question, idea, or theme that engages a small group of children and a teacher. It can begin from any number of places and it ends with a celebration of the group’s work together. Teachers invite children who…READ MORE!
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The Seeds
We are offering the opportunity to engage:
MATH
Grade 2 Overview of Operations and Algebraic Thinking (downstairs)
Represent and solve problems involving addition and subtraction.
Add and subtract within 20.
Work with equal groups of objects to gain foundations for multiplication
Counting & Cardinality (upstairs)
Know number names and the count sequence.
CCSS.Math.Content.K.CC.A.1 Count to 100 by ones and by tens.
CCSS.Math.Content.K.CC.A.2 Count forward beginning from a given number within the known sequence (instead of having to begin at 1).
CCSS.Math.Content.K.CC.A.3 Write numbers from 0 to 20. Represent a number of objects with a written numeral 0-20 (with 0 representing a count of no objects).
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
Comprehension and Collaboration (downstairs)
English Language Arts: College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Speaking and Listening
To build a foundation for college and career readiness, students must have ample opportunities to take part in a variety of rich, structured conversations—as part of a whole class, in small groups, and with a partner. Being productive members of these conversations requires that students contribute accurate, relevant information; respond to and develop what others have said; make comparisons and contrasts; and analyze and synthesize a multitude of ideas in various domains.
Speaking and Listening Skills (upstairs)
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.K.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about kindergarten topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.K.1a Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others and taking turns speaking about the topics and texts under discussion).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.K.1b Continue a conversation through multiple exchanges. |
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FEATURED WORKSHOP: ECHO PARENTING, 8-Week Series Presented by Renee Dokmanovich.
Raising children is so difficult, yet most parents don’t get much support to build skills and techniques. Nonviolent Parenting is an empathy led approach to raising children. It is based on brain development and child development.
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From the TKG Office
- September Tuition NOW DUE: apologies for the confusion! First month’s tuition should be stated as last month’s tuition. Sept tuition is still due. We pay 9 months of tuition which means last regular tuition is due in April.
- After-School Offerings please look out for a separate email outlining registration. FREE TO BE ME Drum circle will offer an introduction class this Monday (instead of usual day on Friday) after Park/Field Day (for one hour). Cost is $15.
- Sept Board Meeting: 7pm. Guest are welcome to join the forum in the first hour. Meeting at W’s China Bistro.
- EMERGENCY CONTACT FORMS Please give Trish your forms. Thanks if you have already completed.
Thank you Families! Contact Trish or Monica with any questions. |
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“So many books, so little time.”
― Frank Zappa |
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Resource Of The Week
Gardening with Kids
Turn digging in the dirt into a lifetime of love and respect for nature with your children.
Gardens are magical, fun, and always full of surprises. Watch a child pull a carrot from the earth, brush off the soil, and take a bite, or see the anticipation in the eyes of a youngster creating a bouquet of flowers she grew. There is a natural magnetic attraction between children and the earth, whether it’s making mud or discovering a germinating seed emerge from the earth. Gardening with children, from toddlers to adolescents, opens new windows in a world dominated by technology.
Whether you are an accomplished gardener or a novice, gardening with children is your chance to partner with Mother Nature to make magic. Don’t worry about achieving horticultural perfection. Just dig in and grow something beautiful or good to eat. Your garden is your treasure chest; you and your young gardener—exploring together—can discover its priceless bounty for an afternoon’s delight or for READ MORE… |
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