A day in the life of a PLAY BASED PROGRAM

OUR DAILY SCHEDULE

Every morning we start the day off with Outdoor Learning. 

This provides students with the opportunity to share with their friends and teachers events that may have occurred the previous night.  Since the children are required to go outside twice a day, having Outdoor Learning time in the morning creates less transition time during the winter months. The cold weather has arrived.  Please dress your child appropriately (winter coats, hats, mittens and boots when needed).

Students enter the classroom and follow the same routine every day: hand in notes/notetotes, put their lunch pail in snack container and sign in by answering the question of the day. 

Circle Time

 

Learning circles are only 15 minutes in length.  Fifteen minutes is age appropriate for students to be able to sit quietly and engaged in the activity. 

 

 

 

Learning Centres

 

 

 

All centres are open.  Students plan and self regulate where they want to learn.  A snack table is open from 10:00 am till 12:20 pm for students to eat with their friends.  They know to eat their sandwiches and healthy food first. 

 

Clean Up

 

Students are expected to tidy up throughout centre time when they are travelling from one area to the next.  When the music plays all students participate in cleaning the whole room.

 

 

2nd Learning Circle

Outdoor Learning

2nd Nutritional Break

All students sit and finish their lunches with Mrs. Wood (our class lunch aid).

 

Dance and Movement

 

Learning Centres

Sharing/ Reflection Circle

Students sign up throughout the day to share items they have created, stories they want to tell, or to talk about some new learning.

Home Time

For students to depart safely, they are to exit the classroom and wait against the wall until a  teacher calls their name.   At this point, they may run to the guardian picking them up.   

Meet the Teachers

Meet your Child's Teachers

Throughout the day, your child spends the majority of his or her time in their classroom with 3 adults.

Mrs. Taylor - Homeroom Teacher

I believe that children learn BEST through inquiry in a play-based program. 

Never underestimate the value of play!

Miss Zilio

Miss Zilio is joining the Prince Edward's Early Years Team.  

Mrs. Taylor and Miss Zilio will be teaching partners. 

Her background specializes in Early Childhood Education.

Ms. Brown

Ms. Brown has been part of the Prince Edward Team for numerous years.  Her role in the classroom is an Education Assistant supporting the students.   Ms. Brown goes beyond the call of duty with her hard work and dedication to the Breakfast Program and provides daily snacks to all the homerooms.

Mrs. Wong supervises the students daily during their first nutritional break.

Mrs. Flynn teaches the students in the Learning Commons (aka the Library).

She provides the students with opportunities using thh Smart board, book browse and centres.

You may recognize the following three friendly faces.  They cover Mrs. Taylor's preparation time at 9:00am.  They spend time with your child during Outdoor Learning and Morning Centres. 

Ms. McIntosh

Mrs. Mosco

Mrs. Lesperance

Stay tuned for my next post about your child's daily schedule!!

A Busy Week

A busy week of learning...

Smartboard fun in the Learning Commons (aka the Library)

Practise name printing in sand 

Prince Edward HAIR SALON

Thank you for the generous donations.

Working together!

"It's a house," replied Ahmad.

Letter writing (an excellent example of best guess spelling)

To Ms. Palmer

How are you?

I miss you

Kyiah

Building with logs

 

Using the overhead

While on a nature walk/ leaf hunt, City of Windsor employers stopped to show the students the wood trimmer and how it worked!!!

The Listening Centre

Our First Baking Experience

Students signed up to bake.

There were delicious. 

Try the recipe at home

Happy Thanksgiving

Fostering Writing in a Play Based Program

There are many ways to foster

Writing in a Play Based Program.

Here's some of the writing that happened this week.

Daily sign in/Question of the day

Mystery Box

White boards

Writing Centre

(making cards, mini books, signs, art)

Items that may be at a Writing Centre includes: letter stamps, alphabet books, word cards, magnetic letters, a variety of paper and writing utensils, clip boards, newspaper

Surveying the class

Drawing and labelling

Creating materials for the Dramatic Art Centre

Chalkboards

Sign up sheet for Daily Sharing at our last circle

Important Key Notes

• Molding with clay, using Legos, picking up beads and playing with puzzles all prepare the fingers and hands for writing.
• Students writing should be authentic (no worksheets).  They love to write about things they are interested in (recycling boxes for dumping and class pets/insects)
• Every child develops differently.
• There are many different stages of writing.   http://wwcsd.net/~goodwinm/Writingstages.htm
• It is OKAY for children to use best guess spelling (sounding out the words). 

Young children need writing to help them learn about reading, they need reading to help them learn about writing:

and they need oral language to help them learn about both. 

Ideas for Writing at Home

• create a grocery list together
• make lists (favourite things, names of family members, places you have visited)
• make cards for relatives
• survey family members
• READ with your child for 20 minutes a day

The Beginning of Our Inquiries

What a GREAT start to our NEW school year!

This week my focus was to get to know the students and learn about their interests.  The Full-Day Learning Kindergarten Program at Prince Edward is inquiry and play based.  The majority of our learning projects are student driven, also known as Emergent Learning.


Here are two excellent examples of the students' inquiries:

1. Our teaching team noticed the girls were interested in styling each other's hair.  They would pretend to be at a 'Hair Salon', take turns being the hairstylist and customer, and use items around the room as their props.  Eventually, two of the SK girls suggested making a Hair Salon in the classroom.  Together they made a sign and gathered furniture from around the room, and created a list of items that were needed.  They sounded out the words together using 'best guess spelling'.

On Thursday, getting your hair styled was very popular in the classroom. 

Both girls and boys visited the centre repeatedly.   

2.   Caillou - My First Vacation


A student brought this book in as her favourite read aloud.  The story is about a little boy who is going on vacation and taking an airplane for the first time.  The book also discusses the role of the flight attendant and the pilot.  I expected to follow up the story with a mini-discussion about the students summer vacations.  However, the students were eager to share what they want to be when they grow up.   Teachers employing Emergent Learning, must always be flexible and listen to their students.

This is what they said,
Elijah - "Policeman"
Lucas M - "Policeman"
Haven-Taylor- "Animal Doctor"
Kyiah - "Mommy and a teacher"
Selma - "Soccer player"
Cristian - "Police car"
Tyson-Jamal - "Construction Worker"
Kaylo - "Firefighter"
Noah - "Policeman"
Laila - "Mermaid"
Ella B - "Policeman"
Izabel - "Policeman"
Cameron M - "Race Car Driver"
Ahmad - "Batman"
Cameron H - "Police Officer"
Rowan - "Doctor"

   I learned our class will sure be safe with all of the future Police Officers!!!

Thank you to all the parents and students who brought in their 'favourite read alouds'.

A FEW OTHER EXCITING MOMENTS CAPTURED

 A pattern using Lego.

This JK student made two towers. She said, "My second one is much bigger!"

Painting - Remember it is the PROCESS not the PRODUCT

Students are always so proud of their pictures. 

When students bring home their ART, ask them to tell you about their picture. 

(9 times out of 10 they will have a story to share!!)

Puzzles

Following instructions on how to draw...

Fine Motor - Play dough

Play dough has many benefits for out Early Learners.

·         It’s fun.

·         Helps to strengthen little fingers, hands and wrists. 

·         It is one of the best open ended toys   (it can be anything - food, animals, bowls, shapes etc.) 

·         It helps to foster your child's imagination. 

·         It helps children develop self esteem -there is no right or wrong.  Children have opportunities to gain mastery over their environment. 

·         It is a great release for tension or angry feelings - squeezing, punching, poking are all acceptable if done to playdough.

At home, please continue to practise printing your child's name with him or her.