Dear Parents,
Our UPK school year is getting off to a very good start. We began the school year as a group of strangers. The children in the class were new to the program, to school in general, and to one another. As the fall progresses, friendships are being developed and everyone is becoming comfortable in the classroom. Our group of strangers is becoming a community of friends working together and learning about one another. Our room is a very happy place.
Since school is a new experience for us, we are still learning about the fundamentals of being in a classroom together. We are learning about the routine and the flow of the day. We are learning to play cooperatively with one another, and that includes sharing and taking turns. We are also working on the communication skills that are vitally important to develop at this time.
We are a busy group. Our school day may include dance, arts & crafts, sand and water play, story time, cooking, and music, among other activities. We have started the school year off by working on learning and reinforcing our color concepts, which we have been doing through art experiences such as painting, painting, painting! Our projects have included finger painting, easel painting, and sponge painting. It’s fun to mix two different colors together to see what we get. It makes us feel like mad scientists!
Our class just finished studying apples. We cooked with apples, painted with apples, and tasted different kinds of apples to see which ones we like the best. Our apple cooking projects included applesauce and apple cake.
It’s important to involve the children in the cooking process, so they can see how the ingredients change when we mix them together or cook them. Cooking incorporates many different lessons throughout the procedure. Math is needed to read a recipe and measure ingredients. Science comes into play as we see how cooking changes the ingredients. We also have a wonderful opportunity to socialize while we are cooking, and discuss what is going on. Sometimes we make a graph of who liked the finished product and who did not. It is a time for everyone to have a chance to talk and to share information and opinions, even the teachers!
We are always busy in the classroom. It might seem as though we are just playing, but imbedded in that play are lessons that will lay the groundwork for future learning. As the school year progresses, we will begin to involve the children more in the management of the classroom. Each child will have a job that they will have to do every day. It may be helping to set up the snack tables, or making sure things are put back properly after playtime. The jobs may seem small to you, but to a child they are a tremendous responsibility. Simple tasks go a long way towards fostering a child’s independence, which is crucial to their development, especially at this age.
As the weather gets colder, please remember to dress your child appropriately. We go outside as often as we can, so make sure your child comes to school dressed warmly. We go out first thing, and we want to make sure everyone is ready. Also, this is a good time to check you child’s extra clothes to make sure they are appropriate for the season and there is nothing missing.
Thank you for the pleasure of your children’s company. It is a joy to work with them every day.
More fun to come in the winter! Stay tuned!
Andrea & Alma
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