Math
Students are learning to add and subtract numbers. We often use word problems to help in the understanding and application of the concepts. You can relate real-life scenarios to support your students' understanding. For example- if your student is saving money to buy a certain toy. You can ask them how much they have and how much more they need to be able to buy the toy. This is just one of many real-life examples where we use adding and subtracting in our daily lives.
Another strategy we use in math is the inverse operation to check our work and make sure it makes sense. Use this when reviewing your child's in-class work or when reviewing assessments.
Another fun way to engage and support math development is to play learning games. We use regular playing cards and UNO cards. We play Go FISH for doubles, make a 10, and math war games.
Reading
Secret Stories is a supplemental phonics program we use for reading instruction. Your students learn the stories in class and practice them every day. You can use these secrets to help support our students when they are reading at home and you will find a copy in the back of their black take-home folders.
Read TO them, read WITH them, and LET them read TO YOU.
We love to read to our students because it gives them an opportunity to hear a story read with fluency skills. Fluency skills help support a better understanding of what is being read. We also stop periodically to discuss what I have read (to check for understanding). This also improves their listening skills.
We love to read with them to support word recognition, fluency, and understanding. This is a coaching role. Let them try reading strategies while supporting them.
When your student is reading to you it is ok for them to struggle to read, but be mindful of the point of frustration. The books or stories they are reading to you should be at their level so they are not frustrated by the end.
Vocabulary Development- make learning words fun by asking "What does that mean?" OFTEN (in the car, while playing at home, watching a show, at the park). Especially about things that interest your child. Make up silly sentences using the correct meaning of the word and ask them if there is another word similar to the word to help make connections.
Social-Emotional
We focus on the development of character traits like kindness, responsibility, respect, etc. For example- when we focus on kindness we learn what an act of kindness is and students are encouraged to practice acts of kindness at school and home. We are on the lookout to see if students are practicing these skills so they can earn PBIS points which can be spent at the PBIS store!