First, I want to start of by stating...this is kindergarten. The bulk of the work we tackle this school year revolves around literacy (reading & writing), math, and social-emotional growth. As a kindergarten teacher, I repeat myself about a zillion times per day. No kidding! Here's a list:
- Where should your body be right now?
- Remember to raise a quiet hand.
- Go wash your hands.
- Hands to self.
- Hands in lap.
- What did you stick in your nose?
- Go wash your hands.
- Repeat after me....
- I know you will be successful when you _____.
- Go wash your hands.
- Did you use soap when you washed your hands?
- Remember, we start writing letters at the top.
- Go wash your hands.
- Put your name on your paper...it's the first thing you do. So I can get it back to you.
- Check your legs and make sure they are ready for story time.
- Give me five! (Sitting, hands in lap, legs criss-cross, eyes on speaker, voices off)
- Here's what I noticed...
- Go wash your hands.
- We are in line...make sure your body and voice is with us.
After alllllllll of that business, we can work toward being successful kindergarten students, which eventually leads to being super-awesome big kids. :)
My grading system is based on our district's kindergarten early learning policy. It is rather straightforward and developmentally appropriate: 4 = exceeds standard, 3 = meets the standard, 2 = working toward meeting standard, and 1 = does not meet standard. We work toward meeting standards all year long. This means, if your student scores low in term one, which is to be expected, he/she will most likely show growth in term two.
Our district also focuses on effort and perseverance in the classroom. This is not something tracked via a grading system. It is simply a system that teaches students how to overcome challenges and struggles. It is a system that requires modeling positive behaviors and using specific vocabulary with students each day. Essentially, we are teaching students that they can and will be a success at school when they attend school each day (attendance is vital!), do their best work, keep trying no matter what, and participate with a positive attitude. Here are a few terms we teach and use daily in the classroom to encourage perseverance:
- try
- stick to it!
- work
- persevere
- keep going!
- positive attitude
- challenge
- persist
- endure
- You can't trick me! I am a super smart kindergartener!
- Pat yourself on the back because you nailed it!
- kiss your brain
Grade reports are sent home in the winter and late spring. If I have concerns about your child's performance in class, I will contact you as early as possible so we can work on an effective learning plan for your child.
Although we go through your child's work samples and assessment scores during conferences, I try my best to stay on top of regularly (usually once per month) sending home alphabet letter recognition and letter sounds tracking assessment results, number recognition / counting assessment results, and heart word recognition assessment results.
Take-Home Folders
Your child's take-home folder is sent home each day. Please check your child's folder each day! Your student's work comes home in this folder, as well as important notices (notes from me, field trip reminders, lunch money account updates, new heart word flash cards, assessment reports, various paperwork in need of your attention, etc.)
"Ketchup" Work for Missed Days
I realize the many older grades have "ketchup folders" waiting for students when them come back from an absence. They are adorable little red folders that feature a bottle of ketchup on the front cover. Upper grades use these regularly, but kindergarten is a little different. Because we do so much teacher-modeling and working together as a group in kindergarten, there is typically not much paperwork to "catch up" on unless students miss multiple days in a row. If need be, I will work one-on-one to help your child be clear on concepts missed while away.
