May 11, 2015

Growing Readers!

Reading aloud is one of the most important things parents can do with their children. Reading aloud builds many important foundational skills, introduces vocabulary, provides a model of fluent, expressive reading, and helps children recognize what reading for pleasure is all about.

Getting the Most Out of Nonfiction Reading Time Reading together remains one of the most important things adults can do with their young learner. Today, recommendations include reading information or nonfiction books with much more regularity. Nonfiction books present many opportunities to learn new concepts and vocabulary, as well as broaden a student’s view of the world. Nonfiction books are written differently than picture books in that there are often more pictures, graphics, charts and photographs included within the pages. Parents can ease the transition into more nonfiction reading by encouraging your child to preview a book before reading and to be an active reader who asks lots of questions. Take a “Book Walk” One great way to make predictions about an unfamiliar nonfiction text is to take a “walk” through the book before reading. By looking closely together at the front and back cover, the index, table of contents, the glossary, and the photographs or other images, readers can start to get a sense about the topic. This scanning and skimming helps set the expectation for the reading. Take the time to walk through the book before starting to read. Encourage Questions A second way to develop more understanding with nonfiction books is to encourage your child to be an active reader who asks lots of questions. Parents can model these behaviors by talking or thinking out loud as you turn the pages of the book. This is a helpful way for your child to see and hear what a successful reader does when faced with difficult or unfamiliar topics. For example, “When I looked at this photograph, I asked myself, “Where is Antarctica? Is that the same place as the South Pole?” Then talk together about how and what you would need to do to find the answer to the questions. This will reinforce that many questions can be answered by reading a text closely and by paying attention to captions and picture titles. Some children enjoy writing their questions on sticky notes and working to answer them during the reading. Previewing a text and asking questions are two terrific ways to navigate nonfiction texts. Enjoy spending more time with some fascinating informational books!

Enjoy,

Nora Sierra

Early Childhood Assistant Principal

Grade 1 Teacher

Discovery School

(504)221-7790

(504)221-7791(fax)

(504)9500-1720(school cell)

(504)9985-0732(mobile)

nsierra@discoveryschool.edu.hn

nivesierra@yahoo.com

May 4, 2015

April 13, 2015

Discovery Goes Green

The preschool classroom environment is an excellent vehicle for introducing environmentally sound decision-making even to the youngest students. While in higher grades, this kind of education might take the form of special projects and perhaps also involve some student research and report writing, in the case of preschool children this training lends itself to modeling everyday life decisions.

In a few short years, the upcoming generation will decide the fate of this planet. And when it comes to how to teach children science, math, and geography, you're the best at it. The interdisciplinary skills they learn today will be the planet-saving skills they enlist tomorrow.

 As teachers we need to help children develop a connection to the environment, through both learning and experience.  

LET’S GO GREEN!!!!

Enjoy,

Ms. Nora

Early Childhood Assistant Principal          

Grade 1 Teacher

Discovery School

(504)221-7790

(504)221-7791(fax)

(504)9500-1720(school cell)

(504)9985-0732(mobile)

nsierra@discoveryschool.edu.hn

nivesierra@yahoo.com

April 7, 2015

What is the Role of Technology in Early Learning Classrooms?

Personalize Learning

Children log in to their own learning environment that captures progress and authentic work samples.

Encourage & Engage

Educational technology captivates children and instills a lifetime love of learning from an early age.

Build Essential Skills

Scaffolded lessons build upon foundational concepts in early math and literacy according to each child’s needs.

Preschool Technology

Combining child-directed discovery with teacher instruction to help scaffold and support children as they learn skills represents a highly effective educational environment for young children.

Studies show significant gains

Recent studies show children making significant gains in literacy and math scores after using Hatch Technology for only six months in their classrooms! Hatch products provide comprehensive cognitive and social-emotional skill development. Best of all, they seamlessly integrate into the classroom–Teaching is easier with Hatch! 

March 23, 2015

The computer is not just for games! Students who are using the computer on a daily basis for reading and math homework are excelling in these subject areas! IXL.com is an amazing math site.  Kindergarten students can practice a number of math skills that are assessed in the classroom.   

We as adults use our laptops and kindles to read everything from books to blogs, and Facebook to twitter.  Children are using computers to read and discover new knowledge in the same ways.  Raz kids is a great website that allows students to be read to, read, record their reading, and answer questions about their comprehension. The bottom line is go online!!

Enjoy,

Nora Sierra

Early Childhood Assistant Principal

Grade 1 Teacher

Discovery School

(504)221-7790

(504)221-7791(fax)

(504)9500-1720(school cell)

(504)9985-0732(mobile)

nsierra@discoveryschool.edu.hn

nivesierra@yahoo.com

March 16, 2015

Moving Toward School — and Reading

Preschoolers know a lot of things they didn't know as babies. They don't read independently, but if they've been read to a lot, they know a thing or two about reading:

•  They know books are read from front to back.
• Pictures should be right-side up.
• Reading is done from left to right.
• The language of books is different from spoken language.
• Words have different sounds in them.
• There are familiar and unfamiliar words.
•   Stories have a beginning, a middle, and ending.

All of these are emergent literacy skills — important building blocks toward the day when they'll read independently. How can you encourage further development of these skills? Just keep reading aloud.

Choosing lots of different books to read aloud will build your preschooler's vocabulary, and help your child learn about different topics and understand how stories are structured and what characters do in them. Your child also will learn that:

• Text is words written down.
•   Letters in a specific order form a word.
• There are spaces between words.

Understanding these basic concepts will help when kids start formal reading instruction in school.

Enjoy,

Nora Sierra

Early Childhood Assistant Principal

Grade 1 Teacher

Discovery School

(504)221-7790

(504)221-7791(fax)

(504)9500-1720(school cell)

(504)9985-0732(mobile)

nsierra@discoveryschool.edu.hn

nivesierra@yahoo.com

March 2, 2015

 Integrating Art in the Classroom

Art is an outstanding tool for teaching not only developmental skills, but also academic subjects such as math, science, and literacy. The most effective learning takes place when children do something related to the topic they are learning. When children study any given concept, they learn it better and retain it longer if they do an art activity that reinforces that learning. This information has been recognized by teachers since the time of Confucius, when he said: "I hear and I forget.  I see and I remember; I do and I understand."

Art & Literacy

Art activities are a great way to promote literacy and language development. Children who draw pictures of stories they have read improve their reading comprehension, and are motivated to read new material. Art tools introduce pre-writing experiences, as early learners grasp tools that later help them hold a pencil for writing. Art develops expressive and reflective skills that enhance writing, and also promotes print awareness, spatial relation skills, visual literacy, and verbal creativity.

Art & Math

Art can be looked at through the lens of mathematics. Young children can work with simple collage materials and beads to introduce numbers, positive and negative space, classification, and sequencing and pattern recognition. Tangrams can be brought in, and art journals can become creative number or shape books. "Math is not just about numbers, formulas and logic, math is also about structure, symmetry, shape and beauty," says University of Colorado math professor Carla Farsi. "Conversely, art is not only about emotion, color and aesthetics, but also about rhythm, patterns and problem solving."

Enjoy,

Nora Sierra

Early Childhood Assistant Principal

Grade 1 Teacher

Discovery School

(504)221-7790

(504)221-7791(fax)

(504)9500-1720(school cell)

(504)9985-0732(mobile)

nsierra@discoveryschool.edu.hn

nivesierra@yahoo.com

For Preschool Teachers and Parents

Young children are like sponges. Every day they learn skills that will help them become readers. Infants, toddlers, and preschoolers become aware of books and print and learn about sounds and letters. Preschool educators play a critical role in promoting literacy, preventing reading difficulties, and preparing young children for kindergarten. There has been many research-based information  collected especially for preschool teachers, to aid them in their teaching. It is very important to support our children and students in order to build a foundation for literacy in the formative years between infancy and five years of age.

Ex:

LETTERS:

One strong predictor of success in reading is a child’s familiarity with the letters of the alphabet — knowing a letter’s name, shape and sound.

·         

Enjoy,

Nora Sierra

Early Childhood Assistant Principal

Grade 1 Teacher

Discovery School

(504)221-7790

(504)221-7791(fax)

(504)9500-1720(school cell)

(504)9985-0732(mobile)

nsierra@discoveryschool.edu.hn

nivesierra@yahoo.com

February 17, 2015

What are typical behavioral characteristics and challenges in the Preschool years?

Children are in the Preschool Years from 3 years old until they start school. These children are starting to show personality traits and more intellectual development, including:

Egotism: A preschooler is the center of the world. Your child believes that everything in the world revolves around her.

Independence: A preschooler will want to dress by himself and want to help you with the household chores. Be patient as your child practices these skills.

Creativity:  Imaginations are constantly "on." Your child's world is full of magical things at this time.

"Why?": Preschoolers are trying to learn all about their environments; they will ask "why" constantly! Take the time to help your child learn about what causes the events happening around him.

Sociality:  Preschoolers are learning to be a good companion or friend to other children their age. Preschool, day care, play dates or playgroups provide wonderful opportunities for your child to learn important social skills.

Listening:   Preschoolers must also learn to listen to others with interest. Model appropriate listening behavior for your preschooler by actively listening when she tells you about her day, her friends and her discoveries.

Motor skills:  Preschoolers are also learning complex movements such as hopping, climbing, and skipping. Let your child practice and make it fun!

Adventurous:  Children can be very active during this time period. Make sure to provide helmets when riding tricycles and do regular safety checks on play equipment.

Language:  Pronunciation improves during this time. Don't be alarmed if your child leaves out word sounds occasionally.

Principles:  Preschoolers are also learning the difference between right and wrong. You can help by setting firm and consistent limits for your child.

Reality vs. Fantasy: Preschoolers must learn the difference between reality and fantasy. By the end of the preschool years, your child will have a better understanding of past, present and future.

Phobias:  New fears, especially to unfamiliar sights and sounds are common at this age. Be supportive while trying to ease irrational fears.

Poor sportsmanship:  Preschoolers learn to follow simple rules in the games they play, but they will always want to win and be in "first place." Playing "fair" will come later in your child's development.

Highly impressionable:  Preschoolers are heavily influenced by what they see. It's important to actively supervise what your child is exposed to on television and in the real world.

Enjoy,

Nora Sierra

Early Childhood Assistant Principal

Grade 1 Teacher

Discovery School

(504)221-7790

(504)221-7791(fax)

(504)9500-1720(school cell)

(504)9985-0732(mobile)

nsierra@discoveryschool.edu.hn

nivesierra@yahoo.com

February 9,2015

How can parents help an emergent reader at home?

Help your child choose books that they can read without much help. While they are reading, help them do the following:

·        Identify high-frequency words (popcorn words) such as the, I, my, in

·        Encourage your child to use pictures to help identify unknown words.

·        Match one-to-one (pointing to a word while saying it) consistently.

·        Use the beginning letter/sound to problem-solve words and to confirm word choice.

·        Re-read familiar books to help build fluency.

·        Encourage your child to read in phrases and not just word for word.

·        Talk about what is happening in the illustrations or photographs.

·        Retell/recall some events in a story.

Should I continue to read to my child?

Yes! Reading to your child is powerful, not matter what age they are. Experts recommend that parents read to their children through high school. Children love to hear a parent read aloud. Allow your child to select a favorite story and don’t be surprised if you find yourself reading the same story over and over. Your own enthusiasm will help your child realize that reading is an enjoyable and rewarding experience. Even after your child learns how to read, please don’t stop reading aloud.

Enjoy,

Nora Sierra

Early Childhood Assistant Principal

Grade 1 Teacher

Discovery School

(504)221-7790

(504)221-7791(fax)

(504)9500-1720(school cell)

(504)9985-0732(mobile)

nsierra@discoveryschool.edu.hn

nivesierra@yahoo.com

February 2, 2015

Technology and Young Children

Effective Classroom Practice: Preschoolers and Kindergartners

During the preschool years, young children are developing a sense of initiative and creativity. They are curious about the world around them and about learning. They are exploring their ability to create and communicate using a variety of media (crayons, felt-tip markers, paints and other art materials, blocks, dramatic play materials, miniature life figures) and through creative movement, singing, dancing, and using their bodies to represent ideas and experiences. Digital technologies provide one more outlet for them to demonstrate their creativity and learning

Technology Tools and Interactive Media

·        Allow children to freely explore touch screens loaded with a wide variety of developmentally appropriate interactive media experiences that are well designed and enhance feelings of success.

·        Provide opportunities for children to begin to explore and feel comfortable using “traditional” mouse and keyboard computers to  use Websites or look up answers with a search engine.

·        Capture photos of block buildings or artwork that children have created; videotape dramatic play to replay for children.

·        Celebrate children’s accomplishments with digital media displayed on a digital projector or on a classroom Website.

·        Incorporate assertive technologies as appropriate for children with special needs and/or developmental delays.

·        Record children’s stories about their drawings or their play; make digital audio or video files to document their progress.

·        Explore digital storytelling with children. Co-create digital books with photos of the children’s play or work; attach digital audio files with the child as the narrator.

Enjoy,

Nora Sierra

Early Childhood Assistant Principal

Grade 1 Teacher

Discovery School

(504)221-7790

(504)221-7791(fax)

(504)9500-1720(school cell)

(504)9985-0732(mobile)

nsierra@discoveryschool.edu.hn

nivesierra@yahoo.com

January 26, 2015

The Importance of Inventive Spelling

Parents of beginning writers often look at their children’s sentences and see something like this: We wnt on a rid it wuz fn. Translation: “We went on a ride. It was fun.”

When children are first learning how to write, they often use “invented spelling.” Otherwise known as phonetic spelling, invented spelling is when children listen to the sounds they hear in words and write down the letters that make those sounds. Words like "cat" or "pin" are usually spelled correctly under the invented system, but irregular words like “special” or “the” are often incorrect.

It can be frustrating to stand by and watch your child spell incorrectly. But using invented spelling is an important stage in your child’s development as a writer. In first grade, especially, children are still learning and practicing which letters make which sounds. Using invented spelling is a great way for children to practice which letter-sounds go with which letter! This practice will improve both their writing and reading. Rest assured, your child will develop standard spelling as she gets older. Use these guidelines to know how and when to help your child with spelling:

Do have your child stretch out the words she is spelling to try and hear all the sounds in the word. For example, “cat” should be stretched out /c/ /a/ /t/. Have your child say the word slowly and listen to all the sounds that she hears. If he doesn’t hear a sound in a word (let’s say he writes “ct” for “cat”) gently push him to listen carefully to the word once more (going with the “ct” example, ask him what sound comes between the “c” and the “t”).

Don’t correct your child’s spelling. Children should feel like successful, independent writers. If children feel like they can’t write without perfect spelling, they will not think of themselves as writers. Children also may develop a tendency to rely on grown-ups to tell them if their spelling is “right.” Instead of focusing on correct spelling, encourage your first grader to write phonetically. If first graders are representing all the sounds they hear in words, they will be able to read their own writing. That’s what we want from young writers-- standard spelling will come later.

Do find out what sight words/spelling words your child is learning in school. If your child’s teacher has taught the students the words “the” and “and”, then your child should be consistently spelling those two words correctly in his writing. You can hold your child accountable for words that he has spent a long time learning about and practicing in school.

Don’t worry if you can’t read your child’s writing. Try to point out why it is important for your child to be able to read her writing. Talk with her about including all sounds in the words she’s writing and remind her to put spaces between her words. Often kids will not be able to hear all the sounds in words-- that’s okay. Usually kids start by representing beginning sounds, then beginning and ending sounds. The final stage of invented spelling comes when kids are able to include middle sounds. For example, if a child is asked to spell the word “cat” she might start by writing “c” then “ct” and finally “cat”.

Finally, and most importantly, DO encourage a love of writing! Writing should be a fun, low stress activity. Take the pressure off your child to spell all words correctly and instead praise him for his imaginative story or interesting details. When your child values writing, he/she will see the importance of writing to be understood, and this will encourage him/her to develop more conventional spelling later.

Enjoy,

Nora Sierra

Early Childhood Assistant Principal

Grade 1 Teacher

Discovery School

(504)221-7790

(504)221-7791(fax)

(504)9500-1720(school cell)

(504)9985-0732(mobile)

nsierra@discoveryschool.edu.hn

nivesierra@yahoo.com

Math and the Common Core Standards

For more than a decade, research studies of mathematics education in high-performing countries have concluded that mathematics education in the United States must become substantially more focused and coherent in order to improve mathematics achievement in this country. To deliver on this promise, the mathematics standards are designed to address the problem of a curriculum that is “a mile wide and an inch deep.”

These new standards build on the best of high-quality math standards from states across the country. They also draw on the most important international models for mathematical practice, as well as research and input from numerous sources, including state departments of education, scholars, assessment developers, professional organizations, educators, parents and students, and members of the public.

The math standards provide clarity and specificity rather than broad general statements. They endeavor to follow the design envisioned by William Schmidt and Richard Houang (2002), by not only stressing conceptual understanding of key ideas, but also by continually returning to organizing principles such as place value and the laws of arithmetic to structure those ideas.

The development of the standards began with research-based learning progressions detailing what is known today about how students’ mathematical knowledge, skill, and understanding develop over time. The knowledge and skills students need to be prepared for mathematics in college, career, and life are woven throughout the mathematics standards.

Enjoy,

Nora Sierra

Early Childhood Assistant Principal

Grade 1 Teacher

Discovery School

(504)221-7790

(504)221-7791(fax)

(504)9500-1720(school cell)

(504)9985-0732(mobile)

nsierra@discoveryschool.edu.hn

nivesierra@yahoo.com