It’s hard to believe the children have been in school for a little more than a month!  The primary children have been busy learning all about the school routine and the many things we can do at school.  There are so many things to remember!  They have been learning to cope with separating from Mom or Dad, and how to hang up their jackets and school bags when they arrive at school.  They are learning the names of their teachers and classmates, making new friends, learning the “snack routine”, learning new social skills, and discovering their freedom and independence as they explore our learning centers.  They are learning all about circle time, where it’s very hard to sit, listen, and take turns talking.  They are making wonderful progress!  We have divided the children into two groups of seven or eight children for circle time, story time, and small group activities.   These groups will stay the same throughout the year, and the teachers will take turns working with each group so that we get a chance to learn all about each child.  In smaller groups the children don’t have to wait so long for a turn to share their thoughts and ideas during our many discussions. 

We’ve discussed so many things this month!  We began with games and songs to learn each other’s names, and how to wash hands thoroughly to prevent the spread of germs.  We used puppets to help us learn the words to make new friends and solve problems that may arise with other children as they learn to share.  We talked about some simple rules to keep us safe at school.  We predicted what we might see on our trip to the apple farm, and then reviewed our experiences there.  Then we discussed colors and discovered what happens when we mix them, and talked about Autumn and the many changes it brings to our world.  This week we are talking about fire and personal safety and will walk to the Fire Station to see Firefighters Joe MacDougall and Chris Mele and look at all their special equipment.  Next week we’ll talk about

counting, and spend some time counting many things we can find at school. 

Earlier this month we introduced our job charts.  These jobs include being the line leader, feeding the guinea pig, putting small carpets out for story time, and putting books away.  Our jobs change weekly so the children don’t have to wait long to have a chance to do a special job.  We also introduced our planning boards.  These boards show pictures of each of the learning centers, and this helps the children to begin the important skill of planning where and how they want to begin their “work” time.  After clean-up, we review with the children whether they followed through with their plan, as well as other activities they many have tried during the day.  We also began our “small group time” where once a month the children gather to work on a particular skill or learning experience as the teachers spend one-on-one time with each child.  During our first small group time, we practiced rolling playdough balls and snakes, and then cut them up with scissors.  This is a great way to strengthen the small muscles in our hands, and it’s fun, too!

We have affectionately named this class “Wacky Wednesday” because we do not follow the usual school schedule and routines.  The children enjoy making spontaneous group decisions about what we can do together.  The flexible schedule enables us to do more gross motor and creative movement activities, enjoy group games and floor puzzles, and try some fun cooking projects.  So far we have made English muffin pizzas and apple turnovers, which the children can eat for snack or take home to share.  We have also started “Favorite Book Days”.  Each child will have a turn to bring in his/her favorite book.  We spread out a large comforter on the floor with a basket of plush animal puppets the children can cuddle if they choose, and we settle in together to listen to one child’s favorite story.  We then take a Polaroid picture of the child with their