Wendy's class
2007 Term 2
25th June 2007
Our home group is beginning to feel like an aviary with our six
hens and one rooster chirping or sleeping away the day. All the
children have being caring for the chickens changing their
house, feeding (continually) and keeping up a fresh water
supply. All children have handled the chickens very well and
they are happy to come out and have a cuddle. The children
sound like little old parents when they say ‘Gee
they’ve grown so big, so quickly”.
It has been a
wonderful learning experience watching the quick growth of the
chickens compared to human babies. How soon they stand after
hatching, predicting the amount that will hatch out of ten
eggs, how their covering has changed from ‘fluff
balls’ to feathers, noticing the wings forming quicker on
some than others, the bossy rooster pushing and pecking at
others, how they keep warm by huddling, the amount of water
they require and this week we shall let them have a run around
the class room. We made a pictograph of the chickens that
hatched encouraging mathematical thinking.
A totally different
learning experience was our pirate week and special pirate day.
Our treasure hunt was conducted by each child having numbered
clues to read out. This was great practice for learning and
reinforcing numbers and directional concepts. Left, right,
over, under, around, towards, forwards, backwards, in between
and eventually the treasure was found. Jewels and lollies for
all including a wonderful bag full of small gold pieces kindly
donated by Bianca (Kylan’s mum)
Sometimes it is easy for
adults to forget the pure joy of receiving something new albeit
second hand. I bought a thicker rug for the class to be more
comfortable and warm as little bodies as the mornings are
especially chilly. The highly excited response was most
unexpected. They adore the rug and have special lunchtime dance
times, enjoy jumping from square to square, and rolling and
tumbling.
More excitement is brewing with the impending Mad
Hatters Tea Party to celebrate the end of second term and to
connect into our fairytale theme. We also have invited parents
and children who are coming next year and those who are
interested.
The children will be reciting nursery rhymes of
their own choosing, role playing The Three Little Pigs and
performing together a rap version of Goldilocks and the three
bears. Of course we shall finish with sharing a delightful
luncheon consisting of Pumpkin Pie and Pumpkin Scones (Peter
Peter Pumpkin Eater), Roast Lamb sandwiches (This little piggy
liked roast beef), Little Pies (Kittens who lost their
mittens), and best of all the children will be making candles
(Jack be Nimble) from bananas and pineapple.
Last week we said
goodbye to our student teacher Danny and wished her well in her
next teaching round which is around the corner at Croydon North
Primary School. We thank her for her many hidden talents
including the best toffee apple maker we have known!
At the
moment (unless the children think of another idea) our group
will be travelling into different countries next term
discovering the unique dress, languages, foods, natural and
manmade formations of countries they choose. I imagine we will
be speaking common courtesies and counting in different
languages before long!! Have a safe and happy second term
break.
Wendy Ferres
23rd April 2007
The children are delighting in our home group theme of Nursery Rhymes and Fairy Tales for term 2. The Three Little Pigs is our first tale, reading a different version each day and discussing the differences and similarities between the stories. The children have made the house of straw, sticks and bricks and are still taking turns at playing the different roles. We will be making masks for the characters in the coming weeks. The group acted a short version at the whole school assembly on Friday and performed wonderfully. Dramatising Fairy Tales and Nursery Rhymes develops speaking skills and self confidence, use of the voice and working together. We have enjoyed watching the new school building growing and in particular, finding the squares, rectangles and triangles appearing. The group made their own framework buildings carefully testing their fine motor skills using match sticks and blue tac. Many a budding young architect in this group!!
2007 Term 1
26th February 2007
It is with great delight that I watch the children being soooo busy; working together, taking turns, playing together working out problems and learning all day long. Integrating areas of learning and the use of spontaneity is an ideal way to teach. Last week the children iced biscuits discussing change of the icing sugar from powder to liquid and traffic light colours, what the certain colours mean, counting how many drops, using fine motor skills to spread the icing across to the edges of the biscuits. Counting out biscuits into groups worked out so that each student having a group of 6 biscuits to ice. They were considerate of the children not there and iced a biscuit for them to eat the next day. The children have chosen what to cook each week. In library we sang the story ‘Over in the Meadow’ discussed book matters and they created wonderful masterpieces, displaying a page from the book which related again to numerals and reading. Hairy Hat man was the letter/sound last week and this week is munching Mike and his Mother. They had great fun with a simple number game closing their eyes and then quickly calling out the number I had removed. All showed great skill in knowing how to read the numerals 1-10 and some 1-20, and the exact location of numbers in a line. The other love that has developed is that of sewing, which also deepens the understanding of concepts of over, under, across and down.
Wendy.12 February 2007
The children are a most lovely and responsive group and as I said in my little note on day one, I feel very lucky to be teaching such a wonderful group of children. I am really enjoying getting to know their personalities and witnessing their interest in learning. Our morning meetings have been going for quite a long time with some very interesting items being shown and talked about. I will organise a list so that we have only a few children bring items each day. We have started to discuss bodies – similarities and differences in height, measuring by tape and streamers, hand sizes and soon feet. They have painted and clothed full size bodies and labelled body parts on smaller diagrams. We have discussed safety issues within the school and at home in regards to preventative measures to keep bodies safe. They have painted their hands to compare size and also to count how many fingers there are in the group. How many fingers are there in the group??? We have been using the Letterland system to introduce the alphabet letters and corresponding sounds plus correct writing technique of each letter. The letters have been ‘C’ for Clever Cat makes the sound of c c c and Annie Apple making the sound of a a a. and discussion of Mr ‘A’ as in Amy compared to in apple. They have taken turns and counted whilst stirring when making play dough, played new games outside, (birds nest and fruit salad) enjoyed a library session and sang ‘dem bones’, heads and shoulders (silent version) and enjoyed rhythm while clapping and chanting in ‘who stole the cookie from the cookie jar?’. Children lose stamina over the holidays and need to build up to full days – please appreciate this need for ‘prep/transition’ children to come on half days for a little while longer as a few are showing signs of extreme tiredness after lunch.
Thank you,
Looking forward to a fantastic year, Wendy