Welcome to Kindergarten

I am so excited to start the school year. We have a great group of kids! It is very importatnt to me as your child's teacher to develope a strong communication system. I have found that informing you through a blog is the easiest way to stay in touch. I will be using this blog to inform you on classroom activities, projects and upcoming events. If you have any questions, feel free to call me at school or send me an e-mail. Lets have a wonderful year!

khaskins@emporia.edu
785-555-5555

6 Areas of Language Arts

There are 6 areas of Language Arts. There are receptive skills and expressive skills. Each one is important and is incorperated into the classroom differently.

Receptive Skills-

• Reading-taking in information and ideas by looking at symbols
  
• Listening- taking in information by hearing noises around them
  
• Viewing- taking in information by watching what is happening

Expressive Skills-

• Writing- expressing information and ideas by putting words and symbols on the page


• Speaking- expressing using body language and voice


• Visual Representation- expressing by creating something that has images, messages or symbols

How are these skills are incorperated into the classroom?

Reading-

• the teacher reads alound, daily assignments and submitted work


• the student reads textbooks, bulletin boards, posters, books for fun

Listening-

• the teacher listens to questions, repeats back information, and uses eye contact


• the student uses body language such as nodding, leaning forward and eye contact

Viewing-

• the teacher observes other teachers, attends inservice, watching interaction between students


• the student views the teacher, charts, graphs, videos, computers, and overhead projectors

Writing-

• the teacher writes lesson plans, news letters, blogs and writes on the board


• the student writes stories, notes, on worksheets, and to pen pals

Speaking-

• the teacher gives directions, has conferences with students, and reads aloud


• the student uses interactive speaking, informal talking, conferences, story telling, and asks questions

Visual Representation-

• the teacher adds props to instruction, actions to books, and skits and plays to daily instruction
  the student creates charts, graphs, posters, web pages, art work, and stories

Encouraging Writing

At Home-

• Children love to keep a journal or a diary. Encourage them to write down what they did each day, secrets, favorite hobbies etc. If they have a special notebook and pen reserved just for journaling they might just get excited to write!


• Using art is a great way to motivate writing. Let your child use sidewalk chalk on a nice day. Have them draw a picture or create something and have them describe it in a story, poem or letter to a friend.
  


• Have your child write the grocery list, to do list or chore list

At School-

• Writing on different surfaces with different utensils. (i.e. whiteboards, markers, construction paper, shaving cream on desks)
  
• Setting aside a time to write every day, it will soon become routine


• Let students share what they write
  
• Use technology to motivate writing

5 Text Types

Five text types are required by the State of Kansas to teach each year. They are all equally important. Below they are listed and described.

Narritive- tells a story

• books and short stories

Expository- informational text that uses structures such as; problem/solution, cause/effect, comparrison, sequence and descriptions.

• textbooks, student encyclopedias

Technical- informational text that shows how to do something

• a book that shows how to play basketball

Poetry- expressive form of text

• repetitive line poems, Q/A poems, hikus

Persuasive- used to persuade an opinion of another

• essays, letters

Elements of Writing Workshop

Time- a specific time will be set aside each day for writing workshop and conferencing with the teacher about the student's writing.

Space- a specific place will be set aside for writing with items including but not limited to:

• writing paper
  
• publishing supplies


• pictionary


• letter formats


• markers, pencils, pens


• white out


• envelopes


• topic lists

Mini-Lessons- specific types of lessons for writing workshop will be used to help students with thier writing, including but not limited to:

Procedural- (how to topics)

• How to choose a topic


• How to be ready for a teacher/student conference


• How to be a peer editor


• What to do if you cannot spell a word

Literary-

• Fiction and non-fiction


• Author/poet/illustrator studies


• Character developement


• Showing rather than telling


• Organization

Strategies/Skills-

• Tips for reading aloud


• Revision and editing strategies


• Punctuation and grammar skills


• Using editing marks


• Using technology to improve writing
  

Sharing Time- students will be encouraged to share their stories, poems, letters etc. There will be a sign up system the students must follow. If they do not sign up to share for that day, they will not be able to share. When they are not sharing they will be good listeners. Students are not required to share although it is strongly suggested.

Conferencing- there are several ways to conference with students, it depends on the struggles and achievements they are having.

Peer (student-on-student)-

• When students peer conference with each other it can sometimes be like the blind leading the blind. Therefore we will use the sandwich or (OREO) theory. The students will always lead with something positive to say about each others writing, this is one side of the cookie. Next, the students will issue some suggestions they have for each other. This is also known as the cream filling! Lastly, they will end with something else positive about each other's writing. This works because it gets kids talking and teaches them how to give appropriate feedback.

Whole Class-

• Whole class conferences will be used when a majority of the students are having the same struggles. This way everyone can learn without anyone feeling singled out.

Small Group-

• Small group conferences will be used with a group of students share similar needs. (i.e. editing, topic choice, publishing)

Individual-

• Individual conferences will be used to fix two or three key things. This will be done side by side with the instructor. The instructor will use a variety of techniques to help the student, she will be sensitive to the writers feelings, use sticky notes instead of writing on the paper and never take the paper away from the student. It is a team effort to make the writing the best it can be.

Stages of the Writing Process

Pre-Writing- takes up about 70% of the writing process. In this first step students will focus on finding a topic to write about and develope a purpose for it. They will decide who the audience will be and what form the writing will be in (i.e. story, poetry, letter). They will begin collecting ideas by; organizing, drawing pictures, talking to others, reading, and by making story maps or graphic organizers.

Drafting- is the process of getting the students ideas down on paper. At this point the student should not be concerned with grammar. This step is to simply get the "flow" started.

Revising- comes into play after the student has written down some ideas. They will be looking back and revisiting what they have written. Here they will choose the big ideas, reword some sentences, delete some sentences or even just move them around. The student will conference with the instructor during this time and discuss the big ideas.

Editing- is when the student should become aware of mistakes in grammar, spelling punctuation, capitalization, handwriting and any other little mistakes. The writer needs to become courteous to the reader at this point, so that the reader knows what is it that the writer was trying to say.

Publishing- is a time to shine! When a student produces a peice of writing there is a chance it will be published. This does not always happen for many reasons; time, quality of work, lack of materials and many others. However, if students do have something published you may see it in one of the following forms

• Combining an art project with the writing


• Using construction paper or lamination


• Written in ink


• Flip book style


• Cardboard cover