Beginning of the Year!

   Hello! Welcome to Mr. Del’s Kindergarten blog!

   I am very excited about the year ahead of us. We have gotten off to a great start so far. I will use this blog to keep you updated on curriculum, JYJ happenings, and class events. 

   Ms. West will also be sending me photos of your children in action around the school to post. I will re-check everyone’s photo permission forms before I post any child photos on here, but if you have any concerns please let me know.

   If you need to get in touch with me for any reason feel free to email me tlancaster@wcpss.net or call the JYJ front office number (919) 856-7650 and leave a message. I will get back in touch with you just as soon as I can. Thank you!

Unit: “This Is the Way

We Go To School”

PYP Transdisciplinary Theme --

How We Organize Ourselves

Central Idea: Cooperation (working together) is a necessary part of our classroom community, and the students (citizens) of this class must establish and follow rules to maintain cooperation.

   For the first several weeks of school we explore ideas related to citizenship and why we need rules. Despite their frustration when they don’t get their way, children actually want and need rules. Children like a structure that allows them to learn, to make choices, and to play, but that one that also keeps them safe and allows everyone to share materials.

   During the last few days we have been developing “shared agreements” about how different parts of our day should look. Look at the tab at the top of the page entitled “The JYJ Way” for the agreements we have developed so far. These statements are actually generated by the children. I have been pleasantly surprised at some of the things that they have suggested. They have probably heard many of these “rules” from you, their parents, and from their pre-school teachers.

   We will later talk about how following rules make us good “citizens”. We will also explore what our classroom would be like WITHOUT rules.

   Next week, your child will bring home an activity to finish with you. Together, you will list some rules you have for them at home. Your child should try to think about WHY those rules are necessary (such as  to be safe, to keep the house clean, to have a healthy body, etc.). Then, you will have to talk about some rules that you have to follow as adults. They can be things as simple as traffic laws, work procedures, or how you behave in line at the grocery store. You will explain why adults have to follow rules, too.

We will try to consistently use the word “citizen” to describe ourselves as members of a community like a class, a school, or a country. While we as adults know that citizenship involves a great deal more, this is the beginning of your child’s understanding of what the concept of “citizenship” means.

Deadlines

   I realize that schools and teachers ask a lot of parents, particularly at the beginning of the school year. I try to make things as easy as I can.

   Please, send in your child’s Personality Train by Friday, October 3. We want every child to have an opportunity to share their poster in class before we hang them in the hall. The children love to look at each other’s posters, and your child may want to show you friends’ posters if you walk them into the school in the mornings.

   I also ask that you send in T-shirt money by October 3. The cost is $10. That will give us enough time to make sure every child has a t-shirt before our first field trip. If you are willing to donate an extra $10 for a child who otherwise many not be able to pay for their shirt, I would greatly appreciate it. You can just make a note of your intention to do that when you send in the money for your own child.