Color of Our Worlds 10/2017
Educating ALL MCSD Students for success.
Show Your Excited About the School Year with Your Child
"What will you learn today?"
Talk about your child's day at school before it happens. in the morning, let your child know you can't wait to hear about it. your child will be on the lookout for things to tell you.
"Show me what you did!"
Ask you child to demonstrate something he or she learned. you'll get to see what's going on at school. Plus, explaining something out loud will help understand it and remember, thus improving his or her confidence with this learning.
(Retrieved from home School Connection, September 2017.)
Why Reading to Your Kids in Your Home Language Will Help Them Become Better Readers by Lydia Breiseth
Note: In this article, Spanish is considered the native language, and English is considered the second language.
As a parent, you may be wondering whether you should be reading to your children in Spanish or English. You may be afraid that reading to them in Spanish will confuse them as they try to learn English, and that it will make it harder for them to read in English. You may also be concerned that you shouldn't read to them in English if you don't feel comfortable with your own English skills.
While it is important to encourage and support your child's efforts to learn English, research shows that children who are read to in their native language (such as Spanish) will have an easier time learning to read in their second language (such as English). The benefits are even greater for children who learn to read first in their native language. This means that by developing your child's literacy skills in Spanish, you will be making it easier for them to learn to speak, read, and write English in the future. This article provides information about the research done on this topic, and suggestions of ways that you can help your child develop his or her literacy skills in your family's native language.
(Retrieved from http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/why-reading-your-kids-your-home-language-will-help-them-become-better-readers, September 19, 2017.)
iReady Diagnostic Assessments in Kindergarten through Fifth Grade are Going On NOW!
iReady instruction for math and reading can be accessed at home using a student’s username and password.
After completing the diagnostic assessment at school, your child will have access to online instruction to support his or her progress in mastering each skill.
The online instruction is designed to be both challenging and engaging. iReady delivers instruction using engaging, contemporary animation; the lessons are also interactive. The result is an experience that attracts and holds your child’s interest while also teaching important skills and concepts. These lessons are proven to help students grow academically.
It is recommended that school and at home usage combined should be 45-60 minutes a week for each math and reading.
8 Sentence Starters to Use When Talking to Teachers
Working With Your Child's Teacher
Sometimes it’s not what you say but how you say it. If you want to effectively communicate with your child’s teacher, try these sentence starters.
“I’m concerned about my child’s...”
Saying “I’m concerned about my child’s progress in math” is a lot less confrontational than saying, “You need to do more to help my son with math.” Using “I” statements instead of “you” statements can let the teacher know that you want to work together as partners and that you’re not playing the blame game.
"Help me understand...”
Even in moments when you disagree with a teacher, saying “Help me understand” is a constructive way to move a conversation forward. It also makes it clear that you’re listening and engaged.
“What was the goal of this assignment?”
It’s important to make sure you and the teacher are working toward the same goals. Clarifying those goals is key. It’s also important to emphasize that you share those goals. A good follow-up to this question would be to ask, “Do you have any suggestions for other activities my child could do to work on those skills?”
“Have you considered...”
This is a polite way to share information the teacher might not know. It’s also a good way to ask questions without making the teacher feel defensive.
“I’ve noticed...”
This phrase allows you to share information and respectfully acknowledge that parents and teachers often see children from different perspectives. For example, you could say, “I’ve noticed my child can retell a story with more detail after she reads it aloud. Are there opportunities for reading aloud during classroom reading instruction?”
“It seems as if she has a harder time doing __ when __.”
Seems and appears are useful words when trying to reach a shared understanding about a child’s strengths and needs. These words allow you to present your take on the situation without making a harmful or incorrect assumption. For example, you could say, “It seems as if my child has a harder time showing what she knows when the worksheets mix operations” or “She appears to not complete homework when the assignments involve multi-part directions.”
“Her IEP provides her with __. How does that look in the classroom?”
This is a good way to ask about accommodations without accusing the teacher of failing to provide them. Remember the goal is to work together. Avoid making assumptions that could damage your relationship.
“How can I help?”
Teachers have a classroom full of students. These four words let the teacher know you’re willing to play a role in your child’s education rather than just leaving it up to her.
(Retrieved from https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/partnering-with-childs-school/working-with-childs-teacher/8-sentence-starters-to-use-when-talking-to-teachers, September 19, 2017.)
MCSD Students to Receive Free Meals in Wake of Hurricane Irma
Every student in the Martin County School District, regardless of previous lunch eligibility status, now has the option to receive a free breakfast and lunch each day they attend school from September 18 through October 20, 2017.
In effort to accommodate displaced Floridians in the wake of Hurricane Irma, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Food, Nutrition and Wellness is working with USDA child nutrition programs such as the one in Martin County with information and support during recovery efforts. Martin County was one of 37 counties named to receive benefits of free meals.
“As families and communities rebuild, we want every student to have the opportunity to receive nutritional meals,” says Laura Holmedal, Director of Food and Nutrition Services.
Each school’s menu is subject to change based on product availability. After October 20, food service operations will return to normal.
Your child’s backpack is an important link between home and school. But if your child has organization issues, she may have trouble keeping it in order. Over time, her backpack can become a mess of junk and crumpled papers. If she can’t find what she needs in there, the link breaks down.
The good news is that you can help your child get her backpack under control and keep it that way. Here are eight ways to organize your child’s backpack.
1. Find a backpack that matches your child’s needs.
Organizing your child’s backpack begins with finding one that’s right for your child. Young children, especially those with motor skills issues, may have a hard time handling a large backpack unless it has wheels. Some schools don’t allow backpacks on wheels. But if your child’s issues require one, clear it with the school.
Make sure the backpack you choose is sturdy and has multiple compartments and zipper pockets. But if your child gets frustratedlooking for things or has a hard time with zippers, don’t go overboard on the compartments. Instead, opt for Velcro and fewer pockets.
2. Start with an empty backpack.
If your child has a brand-new backpack, you’re ready to organize. If you’re starting with a backpack you already have, empty it out and start from scratch.
Have your child sort everything that was in the backpack into three piles: one for school supplies, one for papers and notebooks and one for stuff she has to take back and forth, like mittens or a lunch box. Everything else gets put away at home or goes into the trash. Don’t forget to shake the backpack over a trashcan to get out all the crumbs and crumpled-up paper.
3. Sort and group school supplies.
Help your child sort school supplies into clearly defined categories. For instance, put pens, pencils and highlighters together. Match up notebooks with folders and textbooks.
Next, assign each category to a compartment or zipper pocket. One big compartment can be for books and another for notebooks and folders. Choose a smaller pocket for writing tools. You may also need a compartment for things that change from day to day, such as gym clothes.
4. Map out the backpack.
Once everything has a place, help your child draw a picture of the backpack, labeling it with what goes where. This backpack “map” reminds her where things go once homework is finished, or when packing up for the next day.
You can keep a copy of the map in the main front pocket of the backpack, plus another one at home where your child keeps the backpack. Have your child practice using the map. Ask her to empty her backpack and then put everything back in its place.
5. Use a luggage tag checklist.
Invest in an inexpensive clear luggage tag. Remove the address label. Then print out and follow the directions on our free luggage tag checklist.
If you don’t use our backpack checklist, you can create your own. Use a red marker to make a checklist on a piece of paper that will fit in the tag. It should list what your child needs to bring to school in the backpack. Use a blue marker to make a checklist of what needs to come home from school.
Place the papers back to back and put them in the luggage tag. Attach it to the zipper tab of the backpack and teach your child to use the checklists as a guide.
6. Make a school-to-home-to-school folder.
Give your child a folder for all the papers the teachers passes out but doesn’t collect. Remind your child that this folder needs to come home at the end of the day. Check the folder each afternoon and take out anything that doesn’t need to go back.
Sign forms that need to go back and add notes to the teacher, lunch money or anything else that must go to school. Have your child put it in the backpack for the next day.
7. Ask for extra textbooks to keep at home.
One big cause of backpack mess is carrying textbooks. Speak to the school if your child tends to forget to bring home the right books for homework or study, or if the backpack can’t fit them all. You may be able to have an extra set to keep at home.
If your child has an IEP, you can ask the team to make that one of the necessary accommodations. Stress that having extra books makes it easier for your child to stay organized and remember to do her homework.
8. Schedule a regular time to do a backpack check-in.
To prevent your child’s backpack from getting disorganized, set aside a regular time for backpack check-ins. Depending on your child’s challenges, you could do this task together every Sunday night, every two weeks, or monthly. This is a good time to get rid of all that crumb and tissue buildup.
Keep in mind that your child may need a lot of practice before she can consistently keep her backpack in order. Make sure to talk to her about the different ways to stay organized. And give her lots of opportunities to practice these techniques.
(Retrieved from https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/learning-at-home/teaching-organizational-skills/8-tips-for-organizing-your-childs-backpack, September 19, 2017.)
3rd Annual Pinewood Elementary Panther Golf Classic
Saturday, Oct 21, 2017, 07:30 AM
Miles Grant Country Club, Southeast Miles Grant Road, Stuart, FL, United States
Title I/Migrant/ELL Services Department
The Color of Our Worlds is an Electronic Newsletter for the school communities of:
AMS: Anderson Middle School
HSE: Hobe Sound Elementary School
IMS: Indiantown Middle School
JDP: J. D. Parker Elementary School
PWE: Pinewood Elementary School
PSE: Port Salerno Elementary School
SWE: SeaWind Elementary School
WES: Warfield Elementary School
Email: khanals@martin.k12.fl.us
Website: http://www.martinschools.org/pages/Martin_County_School_District/Title_I
Phone: 772-219-1200