welcome to back to school night! scis - ece ~kindergarten~ 2015-2016 ms vangestel

Welcome to Back to School Night!

SCIS - ECE

~Kindergarten~ 2015-2016

Ms VanGestel

Welcome to Ms. VanGestel’s Class!-This is my third year in Shanghai- I am from Nova Scotia, Canada- I grew up overseas in International Schools.- I received my teaching degree in

Canada. - I was in Bahrain (KG) and Thailand (1st

grade) before coming here. The last two years I taught 1st grade at SCIS.

Ms. Anne

• Assistant in the classroom• She also teaches Mandarin to some of the

students

Typical Day• Arrival & Morning Choices• Morning Meeting• Word Study/Handwriting• Recess & Snack• Reading Workshop• World Languages (Mandarin/Dutch)• Recess & Lunch• Inquiry (Social Studies or Science)• Writing Workshop• Specialist Classes (PE, Music or Library)• Math• Centers• Dismissal

Morning Arrival

• Children arrive 8:10-8:30am• Unpack bag• Take out their snack, water bottle and

communication folder• Morning Choices

The morning routine helps children with the transition from home to school and promotes positive interaction with others.

Morning Meeting

Children gather on the rug to:• Greet one another• Read morning message• Review today’s schedule • Review who the classroom helpers are• Complete calendar

Word Study and Handwriting• Word Study

-An approach to spelling instruction

-Explore phonemic awareness, letters and sounds, reading words and early reading concepts

• Handwriting (Handwriting Without Tears Program)

-An approach to help students develop consistent habits in forming upper and lower case letters

-Uses common language (i.e. big line, little line, big curve, little curve)

Recess (Morning and Lunch)

• 15 to 20 minutes of outdoor time twice a day

• Recess is usually outside except for Thursday mornings when we visit the indoor playroom

• Recess is held inside when it is a rainy or poor air quality day

Recess gives children opportunities to interact with other Kindergarten students, develop their gross motor skills and learn social skills.

Literacy

Reading • Concepts of Print• Decoding & Word

Recognition• Reading

Comprehension• Comprehension &

Analysis of Grade-Level Appropriate Text

Concepts in Kindergarten:

Writing• Handwriting & Word

Study • Ideas & Context• Organization• Voice• Word Choice• Sentence Fluency• Conventions• Presentation

Reading and Writing Workshop

• Begin with group lesson • Practice implementing lesson with active

engagement • Link lesson to independent reading/writing time• Teacher conferences and mini-lessons done

individually or in small groups• Share and review lesson goals at the end

The workshop approach enables students to achieve success through a consistent routine. New concepts are introduced and scaffolded

through guided practice.

Inquiry: Science and Social StudiesConcepts in Kindergarten:• Communities (SS)• Natural Resources (Science)• Cultural Awareness (SS)• From Farm to Table (SS)• Healthy Choices (Science)• Life Cycle of Animals (Science)

MathConcepts in Kindergarten:• Number Sense & Numeration• Classification• Positions & Patterns• Data Management & Graphing • Measurement (length, weight, capacity and time)• Geometry, Fractions & Symmetry• Money (local currency)• Addition &Subtraction

Specialists Subjects

Children develop their multiple intelligences by participating in these classes.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

10:20 - 11:00Mandarin ~Various Levels

10:20 - 11:00Mandarin ~Various Levels

10:20 - 11:00Mandarin ~Various Levels

10:20 - 11:00Mandarin ~Various Levels

10:20 - 11:00Mandarin ~Various Levels

1:00-1:40P.E.~Mr. Roselle(P.E. shoes!)

1:00-1:40Music~Ms. Babb

1:40 - 2:20P.E.~Mr. Roselle(P.E. shoes!)

1:40-2:20Music~Ms. Babb

Library~Ms. Keller(return books!)

Centre Time

• Arts and Crafts

(i.e. paint, crayons, markers, colored pencils, oil pastels)

Children develop social, emotional, cognitive and physical skills through center time.

• Fine Motor Skills (i.e. buttons, play dough, cards, Lego, various writing tools)

• Math Activities (i.e. file folder and computer games, linking chains, Unifix cubes, pattern blocks, puzzles)

• Literacy Activities (i.e. alphabet games, puzzles, computer games, magnetic letters)

• Dramatic Play Activities (i.e. kitchen centre, tools centre, castle, costumes, stuffed animals)

Communication

• Communication Folder • Website https://

teachersh.scis-his.net/nvangestel/

Email: nvangestel@scis-his.org • Will respond to email within 24 hours of sending

- After 3:30 on Friday – respond by Monday afterschool

• Report Card (Quarterly written progress reports)

• Conferences (Fall & Spring)

Kelso’s Choices

Big Problem vs. Small Problem

Kelso’s Choices For Small Problems

Transportation Procedure• Email the transportation coordinator,

Angela Hu at transportationece@scischina.org and CC me at nvangestel@scis-his.org if there are any changes one day in advance

Portfolios

• Portfolios will be digital this year

• More information to come later

Birthdays

• Please inform me a few days in advance if you wish to celebrate your child’s birthday.

• Birthday parties are held at 2:30.• Please bring all supplies (plates, cups,

forks, a knife, etc).• Please do not bring gift bags for other

students.

Volunteer

• Field trips• Mystery Reader

• One volunteer I am looking for right now is a room parent

Room Parent

• Set up mystery reader on sign-up genius• Organize class parties (International Day

of Peace, Halloween, winter, end of year)• Collect money from parents for a class

fund• There might be a few others things that

come up as the year goes on as well• If you are interested, please send me an

email!

• Thanks for coming!