February News
Jeffers Pond Nature Preschool
I Love to Read Month!
Also, check out the information below on some important news & upcoming events in preschool. Also featured is Reading Rockets, a great resource for parents on supporting literacy development.
As always, let me know if you have any questions or concerns!
Happy February!
Miss Anna
Tour of Area Nature Preschools
It was great to be able to connect with other nature preschool teachers to share ideas, strategies, & stories, as well as observe them teaching. I am looking forward to applying some new ideas I learned into our indoor and outdoor classroom experiences!
All Seasons Preschool
All Seasons Preschool
Tamarack Nature Center
Important Information & Upcoming Events
Jeffers Pond Yearbook Orders due Friday, February 5th
Preschool WILL be part of the Jeffers Pond Yearbook. If you are interested in ordering a yearbook, see the information below:
The PTC is excited to announce the 2015-16 yearbooks will arrive soon! We are working hard to make a beautiful keepsake for your family. The deadline to order is February 5th. You can order online at https://ybpay.lifetouch.com and use School ID Code 5494816. Please see the attached flyer for more details.
Please direct questions to brandi.cotnoir@gmail.com
Jeffers Pond Carnival! Saturday, February 6th
Friendship Day Celebration! Friday, February 12th
Ice Fishing with MN DNR! Thursday, February 18th
Favorite Stuffed Animal Day! Friday, February 19th
Favorite Book Character Day! Friday, February 26th
We will NOT be going outside this day due to costumes, so no need to send winter gear.
Field Trip - Coming Soon!
Report Cards & Kindergarten Readiness
Many of you have asked about ways to help your child with letter and/or number recognition, letter sounds, etc. at home. Here are some general suggestions:
* Keep it FUN!! If your child is getting frustrated or upset, stop. It's important to not let learning become a power struggle.
* NO Flash Cards! Children at this age learn best from meaningful, hands-on learning experiences. If your child is working on letter identification for example, play "Eye Spy" at the grocery store. Give your child a piece of paper with 1 or 2 letters on it & encourage see how many you can find during your next trip to the grocery store. Model saying the letter as you see it - "Look, this cereal starts with the letter 'A'" Have some fun by pointing to the wrong letter and saying "I think this starts with the letter A" - if your child agrees, you can encourage him/her to check on the paper and see if the two letters match in shape.
* Flashlight Games! Who doesn't love playing with flashlights? Hide letters/numbers around the room and have your child find them with flashlights.
* Always Start & End Positive! Children are smart and aware of their abilities. Make sure you end on a positive note with your child feeling confident about him/herself. If your child is struggling, include a letter/number your child is confident with.
* Make Practicing Part of the Daily Routine! Repetition is key. Include practicing letters/numbers as part of your daily routine. If your child doesn't enjoy it - even with fun games, incorporate it into the child earning a preferred activity. For example, it could be part of the "key" to "unlocking" screen time. For example be,fore you can play on the iPad you have to find 5 letters hiding in the room.
* Consider Education-Friendly Screen Time Screen time is a common practice in our families today. As a result, there are MANY great educational apps, shows, YouTube videos out there. Consider balancing these with those your child currently enjoys. Your child might not enjoy them at first, but the "First this one, then your game/show/movie" strategy works great. Also, letting your child have a choice from the options you pick also works great.
* Read Books Every Day! To foster a love for reading & development of literacy skills, it is recommended that you read at least 10 minutes a day to your child.
Come Spend the Day with Us!
Anna Dutke
Email: adutke@priorlake-savage.k12.mn.us
Website: http://natureprek.blogspot.com/
Phone: 952-226-0651
Twitter: @adutke