Dear Parents,
Over the past week, we've been working on time so that students can read the classroom clock and our class schedule. This is a component of measurement, but it's also a challenging concept for students this age because many of them don't have a sense of the times that matter in their daily life.
Many knew their bedtimes, for instance, but not what time they might eat breakfast or dinner. I sent the worksheet we had done together home on Monday, with the hope that you can see where your child's sense of time is. For many students, this was very challenging work.
The passage of time is a concept we'll revisit over the course of the year and a good one to reinforce with students --having routines and schedules lowers student stress by allowing them to predict what might happen. I also like the idea that instilling these routines and expectations early will help students internalize how to organize their time more independently as they grow older.
Today we started our JUMP math program. Each student in Grade 1 at IRC has a workbook that we'll work on together as a class. I'll supplement our math program with lessons to deepen and enrich their understanding of the 5 strands as we go, but I love the JUMP math program because it's based on the idea of "micro-inquiry"--allowing students to explore concepts and then build on them. If you want to learn more about JUMP math, here's their website.
I took a lot of photos today, but they are for parent night next week. Mustaches may be involved. Mystery must be maintained. I promise a more photo heavy post for next week.
Sincerely,
Ms. Goegan
