Room 1 News

5 March 2015
Dear Families
Reports, goal setting forms will be emailed and interview time requests will be sent home in the children’s reading folders next Monday.

Next Tuesday is sports day.  The children have been practising their sprints and field activities and are ready for their big day. 

Parent helping: if you would like to parent help on Wednesday mornings can you please let met know.  We work with the computers for writing, Studyladder and other activities and ‘many hands make light work.’ Thank you.

Thanks for sending in the numbers of the cards you need for Countdown books.  It looks like we’ll be needing the whole lot.  Please send along any cards you have to spare on Monday to help the other children complete their sets.

With our buddy class we are investigating claymation (like the cartoon Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the sheep.) In class we made representations of the seedlings we have grown and with Mrs Gill they made people.

On Thursday we did Big Writing.  The children wrote on large sheets of paper what it would be like to be an insect.  You can read their stories in the children’s publishing pockets. 

Just a reminder that library books are due back at school on Thursday mornings.  It would be great if we could have all the books back each week.  The children are now taking home two books.  One picture book and a non-fiction book to enjoy.

From next week I will be changing my reading programme slightly.  Poetry will be included on Thursdays, along with their library books.  On Friday we will have a home reading book as well as on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

Everyone has their own browse box now.  These boxes contain books the children have already read, books from lower reading levels (so they can easily enjoy them) and other books that interest the children, that they may not be able to read independently but enjoy looking through. Sometimes children may bring home one of their browse box books.
Have a great weekend
Regards
Trish



20 February 2015
Dear Families
This has certainly been an interesting week. Mrs Gill taught in Room 1 on Tuesday for my classroom release time (lots of paperwork completed) and on Thursday Ms Leebody (as I hurt my back on Wednesday morning). 

In Team Rata we have had an issue with playground activities.  A number of children seem to find it hard to play without fighting each other.  What starts as play fighting turns to over excitement and hurting each other.  We have told the children that we do not have any play fighting games at school. In class we discussed all the other games we could play that did not involved grabbing hold of others and hurting them.  Perhaps you could discuss this with your child too. 

During the week we were given a tree cut down from one of the teacher’s gardens.  We will be using the tree to display some of our documentation but first we are observing what happens to the leaves.  Some of the children think they will change into Autumn leaves.

The other area the children are keen to observe is our seedlings.  They have all sprouted and are showing their first leaves. 

Athletics practise is well underway.  It is great to see the children practising their sprint racing at playtimes.  Being the starter is as much fun as the running. 

This week we also started to use the iPads in class - we have been learning how to take photos and movies. 

PMP and the sensory room are providing lots of activity.  Our goal this week in the sensory room has been to develop children’s descriptive language of materials and how these are placed in compositions.

Don’t forget library day is Thursday, our Journal in class and our Blog which has some home learning notes as well as our discussions in circle time.

Have a great weekend
Regards
Trish

13  February 2015
Dear Families
At the end of our first full week together the children have coped very well, although some are extremely tired. 
The children’s teddy bear friends have had a lovely visit this week.

Our Journal and class Blog are up and running (mrtedscorner.blogspot.co.nz).  The children enjoyed reading the comment from Room 1, St Patricks whose blog we visit.  They would love to read comments from parents and family as well. On our Blog is some useful educational links for you to use.  There you will be able to add a comment on the  a see, think and wonder page for us to share during the week.

Each child needs a photo of their family for week 4.  We will be writing and working about belonging and family. If you can’t print a photo out please send to my email trish.gleeson@rolleston.school.nz.

Children need to bring a water bottle everyday.  They are not able to access the water fountains during class time. For morning snack we encourage the children to have one filling thing before any fruit.  This might be cheese and crackers, etc.

Library books went home yesterday.  Our library day is Thursday.  The children may keep their books until then or return them early. 

I have given each child their Studyladder login and password so you will be able to access this online.  The children have full access at home but do need to use it at least once within a month to keep full access.

Next week I will be having a classroom release day to undertake assessment for out upcoming conferences.  Mrs Gill will be taking our class. At this stage it will be on Tuesday.

Rata Team Hui will not be starting until week 4 as we are very busy with our PMP programme, sensory room activities and athletics training.

Have a great weekend
Regards
Trish

4 February 2015

Dear Families

Welcome to Room 1 for the 2015 school year.  My name is Trish Gleeson and we are the Teddy Bears’ Garden.  Our special bear friend is known as Mr Ted Bear – he will go home with a different child each day.  Mr Ted’s special friend is chosen for showing great manners and practising our classroom goals.

I look forward to working with you and your child during the year.  We have lots to learn and I know that by working together we can provide a great learning environment for your child. You are welcome to come into our classroom with your child so they can share with you work they are proud of.  Please encourage your child with positive comments about their work.  It is vital that they feel their work is valued.

One way to see what we are doing in the classroom is to have a look in our Teddy Bear Garden Journal – we will be putting photos and comments about our week’s activities.  We also have a class blog. Our Blog address is: http://mrtedscorner.blogspot.com.  You will be able to see some of the work Room 1 has undertaken in the past.

The next two weeks will be spent getting to know each other, learning classroom routines, finding out where we are in our learning journey and setting our classroom norms.  These will be what we want our classroom to look, feel and sound like so we can all achieve our goals for the coming year.  There will be no formal reading books sent home during this time.

One of our goals will be for children to become self-responsible.  One aspect of this goal is for the children to have all their equipment ready for school.  To assist children achieve this, please let them pack their bags ready for school so they know what they have and what they need.  Also, encourage them to unpack their bags when they arrive at school making sure their reading folders, books, etc are where they should be. Naming children’s clothing is another way of helping them to take care of their belongings.

In Room 1 the children are signed up to Studyladder – an online learning site that is able to be used at home and school.

As part of our classroom environment we try to make the children feel at home.  A photo of their family is always a lovely connection to home and family. Please send a photo or email one to me so I can print it out for you. 

I would appreciate all children having their stationery by next Monday.  We will start using our books and equipment on this day.

During class time there will be occasions when children need to get a drink of water.  Please ensure your child has a named water bottle available for use at school even if they have juice for lunch.

Our timetable is broken into three one hour morning learning slots with a stop at 10.00 for a snack and morning play at 11.10 – 11.30.  The children will need a filling snack for 10.00, they can then eat again at 11.10 with a piece of fruit or such like and then lunch at 12.30.

The notice board is just outside our classroom door – encourage the children to read the notices each morning.  The larger notice board to the left of the door will have copies of any newsletters and notices that have been sent home. 

Sunhats are compulsory at Rolleston School in terms 1 and 4. Children may bring their own sunblock.

Next week I would appreciate each child bringing a teddy bear from home to share the week with us.  A special soft toy is welcome if no teddy bears live at your house.  There will be soft toys available at school for anyone who forgets.  We will be using our soft toys each day for maths and other activities.

Please feel free to discuss your child or any concerns with me.  A problem solved quickly will be easier to fix than one that has been left.