Establishing Routines-September 2017

One of the most important practices for EVERYONE at the beginning of each new school year is to establish routines for a smooth transition and successful year.

According to the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (2000) Routines are prescribed, detailed courses of action to be followed regularly; a standard procedure; a set of customary and often mechanically performed procedures or activities.

Establishing routines in the classroom reflect best practice and help ALL students better able to focus on their learning. When time is taken to establish and practice routines, more time can be spent on the teaching and the learning.

Good Routines:

• Begin and end with a clear signal (often including non-verbal cues)
• Are consistent
• Follow the same sequence every time they are used
• Appropriately scaffold responsibility to the students

All around campus I am continuously reminded of the importance of setting routines. As someone who is in and out of classrooms all day long, I have the great pleasure to see these routines consistently established, reminded and reinforced across all grades...and across all curricular areas....

Effective instruction is direct and explicit, this is no different when we teach  basic routines.

Important steps our teachers include when establishing routines:

• Introduce (be explicit and direct)
• Model (I do)
• Guided Practice (We do)
• Independent Practice (You do)
• Reminders/Feedback

Some Routines Around TCS

Setting the routine for how to shop for books.          

                                        Mini-lesson for Reader’s Workshop

Independent Practice choosing Just Right Books.

Ok, perhaps not quite a routine -

but surely modeling how to be a

good friend and help each other

         -how could I resist? -

Teacher modeling...

How to draw a self-portrait

    Guided Practice - Small group work

Setting up Readers’ Notebooks

             Snack Break - read aloud

Teacher modeling: How to start a reading letter.

  Literacy Stations

“...and fifth graders show fourth graders how it’s done....”

More small group work....

  Independent Reading

Prevent Summer Slide

Getting Your Child to Love Reading

• Helping your children enjoy reading is one of the most important things you can do as a parent and it's well worth the investment of your time and energy.
• Kids will learn reading skills in school, but often they come to associate reading with work, not pleasure. As a result, they lose their desire to read. And it is that desire—the curiosity and interest—that is the cornerstone to using reading and related skills successfully.
• By far the most effective way to encourage your children to love books and reading is to read aloud to them, and the earlier you start, the better. Even a baby of a few months can see pictures, listen to your voice, and turn cardboard pages.
• Make this time together a special time when you hold your kids and share the pleasure of a story without the distractions of TV or telephones. You may be surprised to find that a well-written children's book is often as big a delight to you as it is to the kids.
• And don't stop taking the time to read aloud once your children have learned to read for themselves. At this stage, encourage them to read to you some of the time. This shared enjoyment will continue to strengthen your children's interest and appreciation.
• Simply having books, magazines, and newspapers around your home will help children view them as part of daily life. And your example of reading frequently and enjoying it will reinforce that view.
• While your children are still very small, it's a good idea to start a home library for them, even if it's just a shelf or two. Be sure to keep some books for little children to handle freely.
• Include specially made, extra-durable books for infants, and pick paperbacks and plastic covers for kids who are older but still not quite ready for expensive hardbacks. Allowing little children to touch, smell, and even taste books will help them develop strong attachments.
• How you handle books will eventually influence how your kids treat them. Children imitate, so if they see that you enjoy reading and treat books gently and with respect, it is likely that they will do the same.
• When you read aloud together, choose books that you both like. If a book seems dull, put it down and find one that is appealing. There are, however, so many children's books in print that making the best selections may seem a formidable task.
• One approach is to look for award-winning books. There are two famous awards for children's literature made each year by the American Library Association that are good indicators of quality work: the Caldecott Medal for illustration and the Newbery Medal for writing. But these are given to only two of the approximately 2,500 new children's books published each year.

 Fortunately, there is a lot of other good help available. For instance, there are lists of books recommended by the American Library Association and the Library of Congress, as well as some excellent books to guide parents in making selections.

• The best help of all, though, is at your neighborhood library. If you are not familiar with the library, don't hesitate to ask for help. The children's librarian is trained to help you locate specific books, books that are good for reading aloud, and books on a particular subject recommended for a particular age group.
• The library also has many book lists, including ones like those mentioned above and probably some published by the library itself.
• In addition, your library will have several journals that regularly review children's books, including the Horn Book and Booklist. These will give you an idea of what's new and worth pursuing.
• And there's nothing like just browsing through the many books available at your library until you find ones that appeal to you and your kids.
• If your children are school-aged, keep in mind that the school library is an excellent source for a wide variety of materials and the school librarian is knowledgeable about children's literature. Encourage your kids to bring home books from their school library for pleasure as well as for their studies.

Author: Kathryn Perkinson

Source: U.S. Department of Education

TCS Required Reading List

Summer 2017

 

Children entering PreSchool:

I Went Walking

by Sue Williams

Children entering PreK:

The Little Red Hen

by Jerry Pinkney

Children entering Kindergarten:

A Stick is an Excellent Thing: Poems Celebrating Outdoor Play

by Marilyn Singer

Children entering First Grade:

Mr. Putter and Tabby Pour the Tea

By Cynthia Rylant

Children entering Second Grade:

Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney    

Suggested Additional Read:Owl Moon by Jane Yolen

Children entering Third Grade:

Thank you Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco

and at least one other free choice book.

 

Children entering Fourth Grade:

The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies (Option: read independently or as a shared reading with an adult) and read at least one other free choice book.

Children entering Fifth Grade:

A Long Walk to Water by  Linda Sue Park (Read independently or as a shared reading with an adult; involves civil war in Sudan)

From the Mixed Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg

One other free choice book.

Children entering Sixth Grade:

1. Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
2. Intermediate or Teen Nutmeg of their choice
3. Biography of a current or historical leader of their choice

Children entering Seventh Grade:

1. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
2. Teen 2018 Nutmeg Nominee of their choice
3. Newbery of their choice

Children entering Eighth Grade:

1. Flying Lessons and Other Stories, edited by Ellen Oh
2. Teen 2018 Nutmeg Nominee of their choice
3. March, Book 1, by John Lewis

TCS Celebrates Read Across America with our lifelong love of BOOKS and READING!!

Some of the many ways we will celebrate this special and exciting week......

Mystery Readers- all week

This has been a big hit over the years - here is how it works......As a “surprise” students will have guest readers visit classrooms throughout the day. All faculty are invited to sign up to read a picture book to individual classes. The students loved it when someone new came to their room ie School nurse, a middle school teacher, Art teacher went to their classroom to read aloud a favorite story or picture book.

After School Read - a-thon-Wednesday March 1st

Children in grades 1-8 are invited to come to the TCS Library with their independent reading books, some cozy clothes, a stuffed animal, and sleeping bag for an after school Read-a-thon. 3:15-4:15

**HAPPY BIRTHDAY DR. SEUSS!!!! - Thursday, March 2 is Dr Seuss’ Birthday! Bring out your Dr. Seuss books, costumes, hats...Practice reading and modeling fluent reading with phrasing and EXPRESSION.

Research facts about his life....his other names, etc....

**Dr. Seuss READING BUDDIES-cross grade level partnering

DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) *** Friday 8:30 - A WHOLE School DEAR-Read Across TCS

Bingo for Books - Friday March 3rd

Our week will conclude with you annual Bongo night. For prizes students will pick books donated by fellow classmates and families - Out with the OLD, in with the NEWSED!!

Other Special classrooms celebrations:

Kindergarten - Breakfast with Books

Intermediate Grades - Bagels and Books book swap ( all leftovers will be donated to Bingo)

More teacher collaboration at TCS.....

Teachers team teach cross-curricular to give students the best experiences possible. Here it is in action as 5th grade Writing teacher and 5th Grade Science teacher dive into a lesson where students use their research and facts from science to produce a written piece.

Teacher collaboration

               Our teachers are TRULY lifelong learners -

always sharing ideas and talking about ways to get even better!

Reading Workshop

Head of School, John Fixx, joins the Second Graders 
for Reading Workshop- as they
 practiced retelling a story
"across their hand"!