Family Newsletter

Dear Families,

Here is our week in review:

Social-Emotional Learning:

• This week, the students continued to learn about how we can use clues from other peoples’ facial expressions, tone of voice and body language to better understand how they are feeling.  The students had the opportunity to show their own understanding of what those facial expressions might look like through art and while we discovered many similarities in our drawings, we also discovered that we also show our emotions in many different ways.

• This week, the students celebrated each others’ growth mindset, resilience and perseverance in our math classes by honoring their peers and giving them buzzies for being safe, kind and responsible.  For example, we end every math class with a closing circle when the students  celebrate each other's positive contributions to our class and learning.  The students love this!

• The students are learning that our brains grow when we think, engage with learning and make mistakes.  They are learning that mistakes lead to new learning and powerful connections in the brain.  The students are encouraged to see mistakes as learning opportunities and ways to grow their brains.

• The students also learned more about our listening skills and how we can build our brains by paying close attention to what other speakers are saying.  Among other things, we played a game called “My turn, your turn” and the students learned how they can focus their attention by using their “attent-o-scopes” (cupping their hands around their eyes to help zoom into the learning).  We can also focus our attention by giving the speaker eye contact, listen attentively to what the speaker is saying and having a quiet body and voice.

• We practice Mindfulness every day in our classroom.  Mindfulness is a time when the students are encouraged to “be in the moment” and learn to relax and do something calming and quiet.  They love this time when we listen to calming music, draw or read our books.

You Can: 

• You can support your child’s emerging growth mindset at home too by encouraging your child to persevere during challenging times.  Celebrate situations when your child showed resilience and discuss solutions for situations when your child feels frustrated.  You might want to use the same language we use here at school?  For example, I ask the students to show each other that they are “brain in”, which means that they chose a good learning spot for them so they are ready to grow their brains.  I encourage the students to try on their own first because they should grow their own brains, not mine!

• You might want to create some mindful moments at home too?  It is particularly important in today’s busy world that we all have opportunities to relax and engage in some calming activities.  Consider finding some time when you and your child do some deep breathing together or listen to some calming music?  How about carving out five or ten minutes of quiet reading time or a time to draw a picture together?  

Reading:

• I started formal reading assessments with the students this week.  It is always wonderful to have the opportunity to read together.  We had two different  guest teachers and we are so grateful to have extra help so I can read one-on-one with the students.  At ABS, we assess phonological awareness, phonics and sight words.  When all the assessments are done, we will start differentiated reading groups, a time when students will receive individualized and explicit reading instruction for future reading progress. I will share my findings with you when we get together for our parent-teacher conferences (more information on these conferences will be coming soon).

You can:

• You can support your child’s reading progress at home by reading to (and with) your child every day.  As I have mentioned in my other newsletters, it is okay for you to read to your child.  At this point, it is important that your child makes a positive connection with literature for future reading success.  The students love our classroom read alouds.  Expose your child to a variety of genres too.  Some students connect deeply with nonfiction books, while others prefer graphic novels or fictional narratives. Keep trying.  Give your child opportunities to listen to a variety of books and texts.  

Writing:

• This week, we started our English Language Arts (ELA) focus.  ELA provides a time for the students to learn how to create age-appropriate and grammatically proper sentences, both through verbal sharing and sentence writing.  We started reading the book “Hooray for Snail”  and learned how to share our understanding of the characters and the plot together.

• A large component of first grade spelling/writing is learning how to isolate the sounds and “tap out” sounds.  Don’t be surprised if your child raises his/her elbows to tap out the sounds heard before attempting to spell a word at home too!  Another aspect of our spelling curriculum is for students to learn about “trick words/sight words”.  These words do not follow the phonological rules and thus cannot be “sounded out”.  They are therefore “tricky” and must be memorized “by heart.”  Don’t be surprised if your child confuses these different types of words as they make sense of new spelling rules.  

You Can:

• You can support your child’s emerging understanding of these different types of words by asking your child if the word they are trying to spell can be “sounded out” or if it is a trick word.  As we introduce new “trick words/sight words” to our first graders, we hope these new words will be mastered and recognized.  Your child will have their own special “trick word” flashcards to practice at school.  They will also bring these home for optional practice in the upcoming weeks.

Math:

• First grade mathematicians continued to work on developing their growth mindsets in math this week.  We are establishing a math thinking classroom, a place where all students are actively engaged and have a voice.  We try to create tasks that have an entry point for all learners with open-ended solutions, allowing multiple pathways, creativity and sense-making.  The students sometimes work in groups and sometimes with a partner or independently.  They are learning how to share materials and math tools while also listening respectfully to other perspectives and strategies.

• This week, first grade mathematicians also worked on decomposing and composing numbers to 10.  We played a game called “Quick Look””, for example, which encourages young students to build an understanding of number partners up to 10 using ten frames and rekenreks. 

You can:

• You can support your child’s emerging number sense and understanding of numbers up to 10 by encouraging your child to decompose any number to 10 and then say what number of objects are in each group.  Let’s say your child has a collection of 7 pinecones.  Ask your child to split that into two groups.  Can your child find another way?  Another?  How many are in each group?  What happens if you move one pinecone from one group to the other? Asking “Keep thinking” questions promotes a growth mindset as your child is encouraged to continue thinking rather than giving up after one “solution” is found.

News and Reminders:

• Here is the link to October’s school menu. Please preview the choices with your child every day so your child can make a good selection at school.

• The students used their chromebooks for Lexia this week.  Lexia is an online reading program that provides targeted, explicit practice in the areas of phonics, word study and comprehension.  It is a wonderful online platform and the students are usually very motivated to use the program and “earn” stars as they progress through the different levels.  Your child will access this program at school too.  Please consider using Lexia at home too as part of your child’s reading at home too.  Let me know if you have any questions or problems accessing Lexia from home. We sent home information regarding passwords/usernames last week.

• Open House at ABS will be on 10/1 between 6-7pm.  Please consider joining us for an evening of fun and participate in a school-wide scavenger hunt.  See you then!

Have a great weekend,

Maria

Family Newsletter

Dear Families,

Here is our week in review:

Social-Emotional Learning:

• This week, the students participated in another restorative circle.  Restorative circles are times when all students have an opportunity to share their feelings and ideas.  They are learning the routines and structures of our circles and they are doing an outstanding job.  Ask your child to explain our center-pieces, the importance of the talking piece and how the zones of regulation help us get ready for circles.

• This week, the students learned about feelings.  They learned that all people experience different feelings. Sometimes those feelings are conflicting and they differ between people.  People can react and experience the same situations differently. We read the book “A Little Spot of Feelings” by Diane Alber to learn more.  The students had the opportunity to act out different feelings and be “emotion detectives” to figure out what feelings their friends acted out.  The students learned that facial expressions, body language and tone of voice/volume give us clues.  They also learned that we can show empathy and kindness by anticipating other people’s feelings by adjusting how we interact and act in any given situation.

You Can: 

• You can support your child’s emerging understanding of different emotions at home by encouraging your child to name his/her emotions.  Having the ability to label one’s emotions allows young children  to start understanding what they are feeling and why they are feeling that way, which helps them make more responsible decisions in managing those emotions.  Encourage your child to use nuanced words.  For example, if your child says “I am mad” encourage your child to use more descriptive adjectives such as frustrated, furious, agitated, irritated or angry. Young children do not have the vocabulary yet to describe and label their emotions so explicit instruction, patience and time must be given to our young learners as they start to learn these social-emotional skills.  Always validate your child’s emotions and help your child name them.  Share your own too.  Young learners benefit from seeing the trusted adults around them model the same social language and expectations.

Reading:

• This week, the students used their chromebooks to access Lexia, our online reading program.  Lexia provides opportunities for students to practice high frequency words, phonics, fluency, and reading comprehension.  Your child has an informational sheet on how to access Lexia from home with passwords/usernames.  Please keep this log-in information in a safe place at home for continued home access.  Thank you.

• The students applied decoding skills to short CVC words this week.  With guided help and practice, the students learned to track letters and print to sound out the corresponding sounds to read shorter words and texts.  Some of these texts will come home next week. 

You can:

• You can support your child’s reading at home by reading out loud every day.  Research shows that when emerging readers hear fluent reading and practice matching sounds to text, they make powerful connections for future reading success. Please consider helping your child log into Lexia at home too.  10-15 minutes/session is all that is needed.  Have fun reading at home!

Writing:

• In our word study/ Fundations classes, the students have continued to work on phonological awareness skills and learning to blend sounds together.  This week, they practiced using multi-sensory tools to blend 3 letter sounds together.  They even blended some 4 letter sounds together.

• This week, first graders continued to practice letter writing and matching the sounds they hear to each letter correctly. In first grade, we integrate phonics instruction along with phonological awareness skills and penmanship practice.  Our curriculum is called Fundations.  We do not send home spelling lists, but you will receive some practice pages along with periodic parent letters in your child’s Home Folders (this week’s folder contains the first parent letter).  This week, we are also sending home some letter formation guides.  These are just extra resources for you to have at home and not intended as “homework”.

You Can:

•  In first grade, one of the expectations in writing will be to adhere to lower case writing and save the upper case letters for the beginning of sentences, names and places. You can encourage lower case writing at home too!

Math:

• You can support your child’s subitizing skills and strategies at home by encouraging your child to group objects into smaller groups for more efficient counting.  How about taking a handful (or two) of legos and instead of counting them by ones to find the total, encourage your child to group them before counting?  How about using dice and looking at each side.  Can your child quickly identify the pattern represented for the number 5?  Can that pattern of dots be replicated and found in a larger group of objects?  

• You can support your child’s learning about the importance of having a growth mindset by supporting your child when a specific task feels challenging.  Rather than giving up and immediately stepping in as a parent to help/solve the perceived problem (within reason, of course, always considering the situation and their young developmental age), ask your child what can be done.  Can another solution be attempted?  How about taking a quick break before continuing?  How about taking some deep breaths first and then trying again?  It can be difficult as a parent to give your child the time to figure things out by themselves, but they are very capable of showing these strategies in our classroom.  Practicing and experiencing a little frustration and then overcoming that to return to the task at hand leads to self-confidence, resilience and perseverance. Praise them for having a growth mindset and for showing effort.  

News and Reminders:

• We started extra PE this week.  For the next 4 weeks, our class will have an additional PE class on Thursdays as part of a school-wide rotation schedule.

• Our ABS Open House is on 10/1 between 6-7pm.  ABS will host a school-wide scavenger hunt so please keep that night open for some socializing at ABS!

Have a great weekend,

Maria

Family Newsletter

Dear Families,

Here is our week in review:

Ms. Ainaka, our DEI Coach,  joined our class to teach us about Columbia and share about her culture.  We learned some new dances and some Spanish words.  Thank you Ms. Ainaka for joining our class!

Please welcome Ellie Reed, our new UVM Intern, to our classroom.  Ellie will be with us twice a week.  Here is a letter from her:
Hello Families!

My name is Ellie Reed and I am so excited for this experience as a practicum student at Allen

Brook! I can’t wait to build meaningful relationships with all of the students in this classroom. I

will share a little about myself. I am a Senior at UVM majoring in Early Childhood Education. I

am from Essex, Vermont, which is about twenty minutes from campus. I’m also a student-athlete here on UVM’s Field Hockey team! Some of my interests include playing and watching sports,reading, running, spending time with family and friends, and working with children! I have a lot of experience with children of various ages. For the past five years, I have worked as a summer camp counselor at my town’s local Rec Department. Two summers ago, I was promoted to an Assistant Coordinator at one of our sites, at Founders Memorial School. Last year’s Winter break, I was asked to be the Director/Coordinator of the Essex Elementary School After-School Program. Along with that, I’ve also babysat for many different families and I have coached children in Field Hockey as well as Track and Field fundamentals. This is my fourth and final practicum experience during my time at UVM and I am looking forward to all I will learn. I have packed a Video Release Form in your child’s Home Folder to ask for your consent to collect video/photographic data of the children, and I thank you in advance for filling it out! I look forward to meeting you all this week and can’t wait for a great semester with your children! 

Thank you,

Ellie

Social-Emotional Learning:

• The students filled our buzzy jar again for being safe, kind and responsible!  We celebrated with extra outside play-time and got on our chromebooks.  What an amazing group of first graders we have!

• The students participated in several collaborative group games and activities to build our classroom community of learners who respect and trust each other.  We played many new games together.  They have also learned more about what it means to be a respectful audience-member and how we can listen to each other respectfully.  The students are learning that having a calm body with eyes on the speaker shows that we care what the speaker has to say.  Additionally, having hands to yourself also shows respectful listening.  The students also learned that when we’re presenting, we use a “big” presentation voice.  We have some visuals in the classroom to support this learning and help the students.  They did an outstanding job!

• We continued to build the routines and expectations around our restorative circles, a time when all the students have a chance to share their voice about the topic we are discussing. Restorative circles provide a safe and nurturing way for our learning community to share thoughts and feelings and repair harm and relationships. All students have a voice and all students have something to contribute to our circle conversations.  They are doing a wonderful job sharing their perspectives and ideas. I am so proud of them.

You Can: 

• You can support your child’s emerging listening skills by encouraging them to have a calm body and pay attention to the speaker when you are conversing at home.  Simply waiting for your child to show you that they are ready to listen before giving a direction, for example, helps establish a calmer, quieter conversation. In class, we use the phrases “whole body listening” and “brain in”.  When speakers and listeners are “brain in”, they are paying attention to each other! 

• Encourage your child to share his/her thoughts and wonderings with you daily.  Validate the feelings your child expresses and find ways in which all voices can be heard at home too.

Reading:

• This week, the students practiced reading together in the classroom and in our library.  They practiced what it looks like and sounds like to listen to another teacher/adult read out loud to them.  They had the opportunity to practice active listening with their whole bodies.  They are encouraged to find a responsible listening space on our rug before the reading starts.  

• The students also practiced active engagement during echo and choral readings of texts.  They are getting more confident using a variety of strategies to help them read.  For now, we are focusing on looking at the first letter and sounding it out, then blending it together with the sequential letters.

You can:

• You can support your child’s reading at home by asking your child to do different kinds of readings with you.  Ask your child to read a book with you.  Ask your child to whisper-read to you or a stuffed animal.  How about reading a book out loud to a sibling or caregiver?  Don’t forget to read your child’s library books together this week! If your child struggles with finding “just right” books to read, encourage your child to point out words he/she can recognize. We will start sending home “just right” books and sight words for your child to read soon.  Stay tuned.

Writing:

• This week, the students practiced their trick words, words that cannot be “sounded out” using traditional decoding/phonological strategies.

You Can:

• You can support your first grade speller's emerging love of writing by encouraging him/her to take risks in writing and not give up during writing at home.  Having a growth mindset in writing is key to future success, well-being and a sense of accomplishment in writing.  Writing can typically be a daunting task for first grade students, but with support and time, even the most reluctant writer discovers the joys of writing stories and ideas down on paper.  If your child is writing at home, encourage your child to do his/her best.  It is okay if the word is not spelled correctly and perfectly.  Invented spelling is just right at this age (and at this stage in the school year).  Young learners develop a sense of independence and confidence in writing when they know that mistakes are okay.  We want those wonderful ideas down on paper so other people can learn from them too!

Math:

• We continued to build our classroom community of mathematicians by focusing on collaborative games, personal responsibilities and active listening this week.  As more math tools are introduced to our young mathematicians, it is vital that they understand the importance of using these tools for math learning (and not for playing games, etc).

• First grade mathematicians continued to practice proper number writing to build speed and fluency, while also building confidence in their ability to show their thinking.

• This week, we looked at numbers to 10, using ten-frames and finger flashing combinations. 

• First grade mathematicians also learned some new games this week.  They learned a game called EggHead and some new dice games while also practicing addition facts. 

You can:

• You can support your child’s love of math by engaging in daily conversations about numbers.  Numbers are all around us and math should be a social activity.  In our classroom, math is something we engage in together.  Sometimes, we tackle math problems as a whole group and sometimes the students work in partnerships or smaller groups.  Sharing ideas and solutions, while using words and drawings to justify one’s thinking are key components to math.  Ask your child to find groups of 5s, for example.  How many groups of 5s are there in 10, in 15?  Where can we find groups of 5s?  Groups of 10s, or 2s?  Other groups? Finding groups of things outside provides hands-on experiences that encourage your child to see how math is connected to real life too.

• Count forwards and backwards with your child.  This week, we practiced the first decade and beyond.

News and Reminders:

• We had extra PE this week.  For the next 5 weeks, our class will have an additional PE class on Thursdays as part of a school-wide rotation schedule.

• Our school picture day at ABS is fast approaching.  School picture day is on Monday 9/17. We are scheduled to have our pictures taken at 8:05am.   If you wish to order photographs for your child, please return the photo-order form to the classroom or contact the photographer online per the directions on the slip that was sent home a couple of weeks ago.  If you and your family need another copy of this photo order form, please contact the front office.  Thank you.

• Our ABS Open House is on 10/1 between 6-7pm.  More information will follow shortly but please keep that night open for some socializing and visiting at ABS!

Have a great weekend,

Maria

Family Newsletter

 Dear Families,

Here is our week in review:

Social-Emotional Learning:

• This week, we continued to get to know each other and establish our new classroom community.  We played many collaborative and team-building games and learned some new songs too.  Thank you for helping your child be ready for morning outdoor play-time.  They have so much fun playing with the other first grade friends on the fields behind our school. Next week, Mrs. Keating will take our first graders out while I will help our friends who need breakfast in the morning.

• This week, we started our new weekly job chart too.  Every week, the students will rotate through a variety of different jobs to help keep our classroom efficient.  The students are eager to help out and very responsible in their chores!

• This week, we learned about active listening skills in our Second Step lessons.  The students learned that listening skills are important for learning and engagement.  They also learned that the brain grows and gets stronger when learning is happening. Students can show active listening by using their whole body listening skills with eyes watching, ears listening, body still and voices off.  

You Can: 

• You can support your child’s love of helping out by asking your child to help you at home too.  Having simple, developmentally/age-appropriate tasks boost confidence and provide a sense of purpose.  Young children love to help out.  Talk to your child about what specific tasks your child can learn to manage more independently at home.  For example, does your child have a morning routine or a bedtime routine that your child can independently complete?  Does your child help you set the table, or pack the library books?  How about unpacking the backpack on Fridays and emptying the contents of the Home Folder for you to read?

• You can also support active listening skills and the social cues by following the steps presented in this week’s Second Step HomeLink.  This assignment is optional but we encourage families to engage in these conversations at home.  Having the same social language bridges the school and the home and young learners thrive on clear and similar expectations.  If your child wants to hand in the HomeLink for me to check (and to earn a buzzy for our classroom buzzy jar), please return it to the classroom on Monday along with your child’s Home Folder. Thank you.

Reading:

• This week, the students started to apply the skills they are learning in phonics/decoding to reading shorter word lists and texts.  They did a great job.  They learned that readers must be actively involved for skills to develop.  Ask your child to explain how they echo and choral read in our class.

You can:

• You can support your child’s love of reading by reading to your child every day.  Expose your child to different kinds of books and magazines.  Read recipes and lists together too.  Once you start looking, there are things to read together everywhere!  This week, for example, we explored some atlases and postcards from all around the world!

• Please read your child’s library books together too.  Remember that your child chose these books independently and they are important to them. 

Writing:

• This week, the students started writing their Hopes and Dreams for this school year.  The students also created a small art project to go along with the writing.  When everything is done, we will hang our creations on display along with the students in Ms. Crowley’s class by the lockers for all to see. The students are very excited!

You Can:

• Consider creating a space at home for your child to explore writing and drawing.  This space can be at the dinner table, in a hallway nook, or with a clipboard in bed.  (Nothing fancy!)  Involve your child in the decision-making process.  For example, what pens or pencils should be made available?  Crayons? Markers? Lined paper, blank paper or both?  Notebooks or scraps of paper?  Be creative.  Involving your child in the creation of a space for writing at home might also provide a creative corner, or a calming corner for your child.  

Math:

• This week, first grade mathematicians continued to count objects and add numbers together.  They learned how to subitize (see larger groups/patterns of objects) to help in solving addition problems and larger numbers.  They did great!

• First grade mathematicians also learned about the importance of having a growth mindset and showing perseverance and resilience when things feel challenging. They also learned that mistakes lead to new learning and grow our brains!

• Math students practiced parts of numbers in many different ways this week.  First grade mathematicians used their math hands, counting gems and dice to show their understanding.

• First grade mathematicians also started to practice proper number writing.

You can:

• You can support your child’s engagement in math by emphasizing the importance of having a growth mindset. In our math community, we help each other overcome those obstacles.  Having a positive attitude and being willing to try new things help us learn together.

• Please celebrate your child’s math work when it comes home in the Home Folder.  Your child will not take home math work every week because many of the learning activities are partner/group games and, thus, not paper-based.  You will notice that your child is currently learning about proper number formation and number writing.  While your child will learn about this at school, you can support this learning at home by reinforcing that all number writing starts from the top!

News and Reminders:

• Our Ice Cream Social is on Monday, 9/9 5:50-6:30pm at WCS.

• Your child’s School Picture Order Form is inside the Home Folder today.  We have school pictures on September 17th.

• Here is a link to the September Lunch Menu.  Please take the time to discuss the options daily with your child. Not knowing what is being served for lunch every day can cause anxiety and many times the choices are unfamiliar as well.  Thank you for helping your child be successful at school.

• ABS Open House is scheduled for Tuesday, 10/1 between 6-7pm. More information will follow shortly.

• Our fabulous parent-run science program 4 Winds is looking for volunteers.  Please view this link and consider volunteering for 4 Winds to provide monthly hands-on scientific learning sessions in first grade.

• Please check in with your child each day about their plan for after school, especially if it varies from day to day. I think I have connected with everyone about daily plans, if not, please let me know.

• We will start the school day outside next week too.  Next week, Mrs. Keating will take the students outside right away and I will help the students with breakfast.

Have a great weekend,

Maria