K2 Newsletter
August 16th 2013
General
The K2 classes have had a great first week at ISS. We have been spending time learning about your children and they have been getting to know us. We are gradually establishing routines in our classrooms and putting in place some ‘essential agreements’. Once these are finalised we will send them home for your child to share with you.
Please find an updated class contact information sheet attached. Let us know if there are any errors or omissions.
Information Evening - August 21st
We hope to meet all parents on Wednesday. During the evening we will share the K2 curriculum and how your child will be supported in school. We will conduct the presentation in room 10 (Mr Joe’s room). There will be two presentations; one beginning at 6.30pm and the second at 7.20pm.
Maths
Over the next few weeks we will be consolidating numbers and assessing the children’s knowledge and understanding in other areas of maths such as shape and pattern. Within the number strand we are working on formation, ordering, recognition, accurate counting and simple addition. This week we have spent time sorting and matching.
Language
We have started to revise letters and phonics and we will be continuing with this during the year. The focus is on the sound a letter makes, formation and correct pencil grip.
The reading programme is well under way. One of the most important ways you can help your child with their learning, is to set up a daily reading time. Read to your child, listen to him/her read to you or share-read a book together. Talk about the stories you read.
Programme of Inquiry (POI)
In K2 we have six Units of Inquiry (UOI) each of which lasts for 5-6 weeks.
Our first UOI is ‘How We Organise Ourselves’
The central idea is: ‘Cooperation is essential to achieve team goals’
The lines of inquiry are:
The importance of cooperation
How to successfully achieve team goals
The roles that people play in a team
If you have any books or materials that could be useful for this unit we would be happy for you to send them to school with your child.
Show and Tell
Your child will have the opportunity to take part in ‘show and tell’ once a week. For ‘show and tell’ your child should bring an item to school – a toy, photo, memento, in fact anything they would like to show the other students. It is best if possible that your child chooses which item to bring but may need some encouragement. The children show their special item to the class and tell them about it. Then the other children have the opportunity to ask questions. Usually the children are happy to talk about their ‘show and tell’ but if your child is concerned to begin with, it may help if you discuss what they could say. Show and tell builds up great language skills and we encourage all the children to take part even if their English is not yet established. I am on hand to help out. J
Blog
Our Class Blogs are up and running and have been updated with photos and write-ups. Please check them out and feel free to write a comment. The children love to read comments that their parents have written. The blog is also a lovely way for grandparents and other family members to see what the children have been doing at school.
Have a great weekend,
Hazel, Joe & Leah
August 16th 2013
General
The K2 classes have had a great first week at ISS. We have been spending time learning about your children and they have been getting to know us. We are gradually establishing routines in our classrooms and putting in place some ‘essential agreements’. Once these are finalised we will send them home for your child to share with you.
Please find an updated class contact information sheet attached. Let us know if there are any errors or omissions.
Information Evening - August 21st
We hope to meet all parents on Wednesday. During the evening we will share the K2 curriculum and how your child will be supported in school. We will conduct the presentation in room 10 (Mr Joe’s room). There will be two presentations; one beginning at 6.30pm and the second at 7.20pm.
Maths
Over the next few weeks we will be consolidating numbers and assessing the children’s knowledge and understanding in other areas of maths such as shape and pattern. Within the number strand we are working on formation, ordering, recognition, accurate counting and simple addition. This week we have spent time sorting and matching.
Language
We have started to revise letters and phonics and we will be continuing with this during the year. The focus is on the sound a letter makes, formation and correct pencil grip.
The reading programme is well under way. One of the most important ways you can help your child with their learning, is to set up a daily reading time. Read to your child, listen to him/her read to you or share-read a book together. Talk about the stories you read.
Programme of Inquiry (POI)
In K2 we have six Units of Inquiry (UOI) each of which lasts for 5-6 weeks.
Our first UOI is ‘How We Organise Ourselves’
The central idea is: ‘Cooperation is essential to achieve team goals’
The lines of inquiry are:
The importance of cooperation
How to successfully achieve team goals
The roles that people play in a team
If you have any books or materials that could be useful for this unit we would be happy for you to send them to school with your child.
Show and Tell
Your child will have the opportunity to take part in ‘show and tell’ once a week. For ‘show and tell’ your child should bring an item to school – a toy, photo, memento, in fact anything they would like to show the other students. It is best if possible that your child chooses which item to bring but may need some encouragement. The children show their special item to the class and tell them about it. Then the other children have the opportunity to ask questions. Usually the children are happy to talk about their ‘show and tell’ but if your child is concerned to begin with, it may help if you discuss what they could say. Show and tell builds up great language skills and we encourage all the children to take part even if their English is not yet established. I am on hand to help out. J
Blog
Our Class Blogs are up and running and have been updated with photos and write-ups. Please check them out and feel free to write a comment. The children love to read comments that their parents have written. The blog is also a lovely way for grandparents and other family members to see what the children have been doing at school.
Have a great weekend,
Hazel, Joe & Leah