I spent all today preparing the classroom for our first day. You wouldn't think there'd be so much to do when I'm in the same room I was last year, but we're always working to fine-tune our process. I'm excited to be working with Maria Moniz again this year and to see many familiar faces on Tuesday. It's also exciting to see what new elements will come into the mix with our new JKs, so welcome to all.
Last year, I updated this blog about once a week with pictures and discussion about the learning in our classroom. Scroll through if you want to see some of that. I hope to do the same this year, but, before we start, wanted to highlight a couple of things.
Firstly, we have two students with anaphylactic reactions in our classroom this year, so we need to be diligent about peanuts and not sharing food. I still hope to cook with students this year and have opportunities to celebrate together, but safety has to be our first concern. Parents often ask me if they can bring in treats for the class to share to celebrate birthdays and a good alternative is sending in something that can go home with students to families can make those decisions for themselves. We need to be aware of allergies, but also religious choices and other food sensitivities. Non food related treats, like stickers, are also a great idea.
Secondly, if you'd like to be involved with volunteering in the classroom, I'd urge you to begin the paperwork process for a police check as soon as possible. Please speak to the main office to start the ball rolling. If you'd like to support our classroom's learning, reading this blog is a great start because it allows you to respond to the interests students are expressing in the classroom. For example, when our students became interested in doctors, we had material flowing in to add to our dramatic play area and a family member who worked in radiology brought in bones and talked to the class about x-rays. Engaging a community means that we can access these sorts of resources which would otherwise remain obscure (and it's exciting for me too).
Finally, if you've any questions, please don't hesitate to find me in the yard, call the school to leave a message, or email me @ lisa.goegan (@tdsb.on.ca). Getting used to a new routine can be challenging for Kinder students and parents and I strive to be thoughtful in my practice.
Hope you had a great summer!
Sincerely,
Ms. Goegan
P.S. I had the opportunity to go to the Amazon this summer and I hope to share some of my experiences and learning with students. Since I don't have any pictures of students to share yet, here are some of my own:
