Helping Kids Flourish in Kindergarten and Beyond
 
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Just want to give you all a bit of advanced notice as the end of the year is right around the corner! As the days in school dwindle I get sentimental and nostalgic, thinking about the wonderful progress and growth our kids have made this year. Speaking of sentimental, you will definitely want to stock up on Kleenex for our end of the year performance on Wednesday, June 9th at 8:30 a.m. in the cafeteria. We will be singing five songs with all of the Kindergarten classes and then will go back to our classroom for refreshments. After recess that day we will sing again for all of the classes who wish to attend. Last year we did the performance only once and we received requests later for other teachers and our kids' siblings to witness the tear-inspiring event.  You are welcome to bring family and friends but also please be aware that we have 120 Kindergartners at Capri so we will be a big crowd with all of our friends and families. We will still have class on the following 2 days, June 10th and 11th so please plan accordingly!
 
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As I just spent about an hour and a half trying to find a class picture just right for our class book cover I realized just how tricky it is to find a picture that includes all of the kids, ( not one absent) and all of them smiling! After giving up I tried making a collage using Picassa. When our class book is published through Bookemon you will be able to purchase it online! I am so excited for the kids to see their hard work in print! Stay tuned for more information.
 
Today during our Friday centers, we took the opportunity to try out a new way to record our students' voices. In honor and celebration of Earth Day, we asked the students how they will help the Earth.  You can listen to our "podcast" by clicking the play button below  and you can see the responses written here on our "wall wisher." The kids would love it if you would like to add your thoughts on how to help the Earth. We told them we would invite parents to add their thoughts and commitment to helping Earth.  Click here to add yours.
It's quite amazing to hear the insights of 5 and 6 year olds. Hope you enjoy their wisdom!

Click the arrow below to hear our students talk about saving the Earth!

 
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It's been a busy week and I apologize for the delay in posting. There seem to be so many things to talk about, yet not one that stands out as most critical. One issue I would like to discuss is that of emotional literacy: kids being able to handle their emotional ups and downs and thrive whether they are at home or at school.  When kids are emotionally impacted by a disappointing encounter whether at home before school or with friends at recess, their learning suffers. So, what can we do to help them manage their emotions, and in turn, help them learn?
There is a wonderful resource, via the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, where you can learn about how to give kids the skills to regulate themselves and be happy in the long term! By following the link below, you can watch some brief videos on a variety of issues related to kids. Check them out and let me know what you think!
http://www.youtube.com/HappinessMaven#p/u/4/PwZU2rsxnPg
There is also a wonderful article you can read by clicking below:
Emotion Coaching: One of the Most Important Parenting Practices in the History of the Universe

Parents and teachers are important teammates in helping kids grow up to be the best they can be. Please feel free to ask me any questions you might think of about how your child is doing at school! Thanks again for your support. It has been a wonderful year in Room 11.
 
As you may have read in our class newsletter today, spring break begins officially at the end of the school day tomorrow! We talked about our spring break journals today and the kids were very excited to choose stickers to decorate the covers. Please encourage your child to document some fun activities during the break.  Yes, this assignment is optional as it is technically a "no homework" time, but it is an opportunity to capitalize on the students' natural desire to share about fun experiences. Please help your child slowly say the words aloud as he/she stretches the word, isolating the sounds he/she hears and writing them down. We are working hard to empower our students to say a word slowly and "try it" before asking for help. Remember, developmental  or phonetic spelling does not have to be perfect!
Today we had fun sharing our plans for spring break. I can't wait to hear the stories when we return. Hope you enjoy a wonderful week with your kids. And remember, as stated in the announcements sent home today, Capri has begun a campaign to increase school attendance. We are tracking attendance and tardies and your child has an opportunity to win a drawing prize for being in class, on time every day! As always, we appreciate all of your support.

 
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First off, I want to thank all of you for your time, support and donations that made our spring celebration a great time for all! We had a wonderful time searching for candy and toy-filled eggs, dying eggs, making bunny baskets and cute bunny hats! To top it off we ate some yummy cookies, healthy fruits and veggies and ended the celebration singing our fun spring songs to our wonderful parent helpers. For pictures of our event, click here.  We truly appreciate your generosity; without your ongoing dedication we could not provide the positive, engaging environment that excites kids about learning. Thank you!