1-2 Newsletter

Welcome back! We hope everyone had a restful winter break! We enjoyed hearing and sharing events from vacation.

-We kicked off January by conducting interviews with each other about the children’s favorite parts of vacation. We paired the children up with new friends, whom they normally would not choose to work with, and they interviewed each other, then as a group we shared what we learned about each other. The goal of this activity was to encourage self-confidence through speaking aloud to the whole class, and to make connections with peers that normally the children would not choose to work with. We will be beginning each day with an afternoon message and greeting or team building game.

-We celebrated the 124th birthday of the drinking straw by doing some painting with straws, as well as a building challenge. We paired the children up with new peers and challenged them to build a tower strong enough to hold a baseball on the top with only scissors, 50 straws, and masking tape. Many groups succeed in the challenge, but the team work, cooperation, communication, and use of science factors being used were extremely rewarding to see occurring within each and every pair.

-This month we will be having a birthday bash for all the December birthdays in 1-2. We will be honoring interesting days such as, static electricity day by doing science experiments. Milk day through some painting with evaporated milk and baking. Backwards day through wearing out clothes backwards, as well as many others.

-Many children have begun to earn wish day. These are given when a child earns 10 homework stickers on their star. Stickers are given daily to a handful other children who showed their best behavior during homework and reading time.

*A gentle reminder, to please remember to sign-out your child at pick-up and make a timely exit between 5:30 and 5:45 as we close at 5:45, and teachers need to clean-up and prepare for the next day*

Happenings in Extended Day

Wednesday 1/11/12 - Ice Skating at Cleveland Circle

Please return your permission slip by Tuesday January 10th- Slips will NOT be accepted on Wednesday!

-In the 1-2 classroom we will be starting up our caring chain challenge on 1/9. A caring chain consists of links of paper staples together that hangs through the classroom. The links are earned by the students when a kind act is recognized by a teacher. Our first challenge is to get the chain across the whole classroom, our long term challenge is go the length of the first floor of Heath. The goal of this fun activity is to encourage kindness, teamwork and cooperation. As well, allow the students to see how their kind acts are growing as the year moves forward.

-We will be honoring “No Name Calling week” January 23rd through the 27th. According to the anti-bullying law, the purpose of No Name-Calling Day is to “increase public awareness of the devastating effects of verbal bullying, to encourage students to use positive dialog and pledge not to use hurtful names on this designated day. The day “promotes tolerance and respect for differences and to reaffirm the commitment of the citizens of the Commonwealth to basic human rights and dignity.”

In Heath Extended day we are extending this one day into a week full of reminders that will encourage one another to fill each person’s “bucket” with kind words and displays of compassion and respect.

-The 1-2  class has teamed up with the Speech and Language teachers and another extended day teacher, Ellie Edraos, a former guidance to incorporate the curriculum “Superflex Our Social-Thinking Superhero.” This goal is to improve children’s social and behavioral flexibility and develop better self-monitoring and self-feedback loops for social behavior. Please reiterate and discuss these characters with your children at home, Superflex, Rock Brain, Brain Eater, Body Snatcher, D.O.F(Destroyer of Fun), Un-Wonderer, Space Invader,  Glass Mna, Grump-Grumpaniny, Topic Twister Meister, Wasfunnyonce, Energy-y, One-Sided Sid, Worry Wall, Mean Jean.

We look forward to a Jolly January!

~Alyssa and Jackie~