a little about Monday

On our first day back at school, after the holiday, we are right back down to work.  We are learning the sight word "an".  Our poem of the week is called Nice New Neighbours.  In physical education, we will be playing games designed to help the children be able to find their own space in the gymnasium.  After that, I will be reading with the seniors.  Then we will writing in our writing folders and, time permitting, have some writing conferences.  After lunch, we will be continuing our work on identifying attributes by playing a math game similar to the game Doggy Doggy Who's Got Your Bone? , if you are familiar with that game.  The children have music with Mr. Choto as well.

Hope you are having a wonderful holiday!

Miss Mynes

Enjoy the Holiday

I hope everyone enjoyed the Winter Concert last night.  I thought the children were adorable.  Hopefully, some of you won one of the wonderful gift baskets and other raffle prizes.

This afternoon, room 10 will be having a party.  You are welcome to send in treats for the children to share.

Have an amazing holiday and I look forward to seeing all of you in the new year.

:)
Miss Mynes

a little about our day

Our poem this week is called "My Merry Mother".  Our new sight word is "new".  The whole school will be heading to the gymnasium this morning to sing Christmas songs.  Hopefully, we will still get to have physical education but that depends on how long the carolling lasts.  We will also be working on our decorations for the Winter Concert - we are making reindeer.

Please remember to dress your child and yourself warmly so you are both comfortable waiting outside until 9am.

Thanks,
Miss Mynes

A walking trip

Today, Mr. Pate and I will be walking the class over the Albert Campbell Library.  The children's librarian will read us some stories and sing some songs with us.  The children will receive a package all about getting a library card.  I hope those of you who's children do not have their own library card head on over to Albert Campbell library and give your child the gift of access to books for free.  We are so lucky to have such an amazing library in our community.  They have so much to offer - programs, movies, computer access and every book you can ever desire.

Happy Reading!
Miss Mynes

Our Next Language Unit

Varied storytelling is useful for different reasons.  First the kindergartner wants to be "big" more than anything: she is expansive, generous, and open in the way she lives and the way she tells stories.  The expansiveness that accompanies her retelling of stories is all part of her growth experience: it builds stamina and, on the page, it builds fluency.  To deny a kindergartner the opportunity to tell an expansive story on the page or orally is to be inattentive to her developmental needs.

Kindergartners really do believe in magic!  They are moving back and forth constantly between an imaginary universe and what is real around them.  This unit seeks to bridge those worlds and help our children understand that there is power in what they know and what they imagine as possible writing topics.  Some students feel more comfortable telling imaginary stories while others prefer to tell you about their visit to their grandmothers house.  A unit in storytelling honours both entry points.  This unit is not about fantasy verses reality, but rather about the nature of story itself, which encompasses both of those worlds.  Kindergartners know better than anyone how to make the ordinary extraordinary, and that is what storytelling is all about.

The goals of this unit at to tell stories that contain story elements, tell stories that are sequential and use strategies for finding story ideas.


Get ready for your child to start telling you some great stories!!!

:)
Miss Mynes

a bit about our day

Today, in our language lesson, we are continuing our work on story telling.  We are focusing on the repeated lines in stories (e.g. in The Three Little Pigs, and he huffed and he puffed.....).  The children will use the pictures in familiar stories to tell stories to their partners.  Have your child tell you a story tonight.

:)
Miss Mynes

Our Poem This Week

Little Loving Lambs

Small in size with hearts full of care.
Little Loving Lambs
Friends to animals everywhere.
Little Loving Lambs
Living in peace on a gentle green farm.
Little Loving Lambs
The shepherd's there to keep them from harm.
Little Loving Lambs

Our sight word this week is "little".

Since the snow boot season has begun, please send your child with running shoes to wear in the classroom.  Snow boots are uncomfortable for the children to wear all day and make the classroom messy.  You can leave the shoes here at school, if you would like, for the season.

:)
Miss Mynes

a bit about our day

Today, in reading, we are talking about story book language.  Stories sound different than talking.  For example, you would never say "Once upon a time, I went to the beach."  After our discussion, the children will practice telling each other a story using story book language.  This weekend, have your child tell you a story using story book language.

Have a wonderful weekend.
Miss Mynes

Officer Jaccobs

Once again, we are expecting Officer Jacobs, our community police officer, to visit us this afternoon.  Let's hope he doesn't get called away to an emergency again.  He will be talking to us about traffic safety.

:)
Miss Mynes

a little about our day

Today, the nursing students working at our school are coming in to teach the children about proper hand washing techniques.  We have had a lot of sick students this year and hand washing is the number one way we can stop the spread of our germs.  When your child gets home from school, ask them how to wash hands properly.

:)
Miss Mynes

Tomorrow

Tomorrow is Wednesday which is physical education day.  With rain boot season, please remember to send running shoes for your child to wear in the gym so they can participate safely.  Our lesson will be bouncing and catching balls.

Have a good afternoon,
Miss Mynes

Christmas Share

Again this year, JG Workman PS is supporting a community organization called Share Christmas.  They provide baskets to needy people right in our community.  People of all faiths who are in need can receive a basket of much needed necessities.  We are collecting non-perishable food, hygiene products (toothpaste, deodorant etc.), household products (cleaners, paper towels etc.) or you can write a cheque to BBNC Share Christmas.  Thanks you for your support.

Enjoy your day.
Miss Mynes

Tomorrow's Language Lesson

Tomorrow we begin a focus on the Story Ingredient of the setting - where the story takes place.  We will be using a wonderful book called Mama Panya's Pancakes: A Village Tale From Kenya to launch this focus.  The children will be encouraged to include the setting when telling a story.  Remember, right now we are working on turning the children into story creators.  When you read to your child, ask them what the setting of the story is as well as to name the characters.

Have a great day,
Miss Mynes

Gym Tomorrow!

Don't forget that we have physical education tomorrow.  We will be working on star jumping from a height.  Don't worry, the height is just a bench.  This will help the children with their movement skills of stability and the movement concept of body awareness.  The children should be wearing running shoes and comfortable clothes in order to participate safely.

Ask your child to do a star jump for you when they get home from school tomorrow.

:)
Miss Mynes

a look at our news

Each day, I ask the children if they have news to share and I record their news in a note book.  Here is a sample of what I have heard lately.

"One Day, I talked on the cell phone."
"My mom says "There's monkeys in the story."
"One day, my dad bought me a fire toy."
"My mom thinks alligators are scary."
"One day, my dad bought me an extra Beyblade."
"There was a packet of Beyblades called Snaketuraganit(sic)."
"Once day, my dad bought me a Pokemon Beyblade."
"My mom bought me number words in cereal."
"When my dad bought me a Sonic Toy."
"One time, when I was shopping with my dad, I got two Beyblades."

This is a sample of the news the children share with the class.  Provide your child with interesting life experiences so they have interesting news to share.

Hope to see all of you at the Eid Supper tonight at 5:30 in the school gym.

:)
Miss Mynes

Parent Interviews

Tonight and tomorrow morning are Parent Interviews.  I am required to schedule an interview for all of my students.  I am happy to meet with you during the indicated time to discuss your child.  As a kindergarten teacher, I am lucky to see most of you each day and if I had any concerns, I would address them with you as they arise.  For those of you who come to the interview, I will show you some of your child's work and discuss their strengths and areas they should focus on.  If you are unable to attend the interview, I will send your child's work home with them for you to see next week.

If your interview time is inconvenient for you or you are unable to attend, please call Mrs. McLaughlin at 416-396-6365 to reschedule or cancel so I can have an accurate schedule.

Thank you,
Miss Mynes

Pizza Snack

Tomorrow, room 10 will have a pizza snack in the afternoon as a reward for raising the most money for UNICEF.  Today we will take a survey of what we like to eat on our pizza - I suspect it will be plain cheese but the kids may surprise me.  I will order the pizza so we can eat our pizza square around 2pm.  Thank you for your support with our UNICEF fundraiser.  UNICEF does some great work around the world.  The money we raised will go for everything from bed nets to equipping schools around the world.

Way to go room 10!
:)
Miss Mynes

and today...

Today we continue to look at the letter i with Into Invisible Igloos and our sight words (me, day, did, if, get, we, so, for, big, here).  We also continue our focus on story ingredients with a closer look at characters.  In math, we begin a unit on patterning.  The children have library in the afternoon.

Have a great day!
Miss Mynes

A Little About Our Day

Today, we are learning about the letter Ii with the poem Into Invisible Igloos.  We are also learning the sight word if.  In physical education, we are working on throwing towards a target.  In math, we are practicing writing the numbers from 1 to 10.  We will also have reading conferences for the seniors and writing folders for everyone.

Enjoy your day,
Miss Mynes

Eid Supper

Are you coming to the Eid supper in the gym on November 22nd at 5:30?  Last year there was a lunch and it was amazing!  Come and enjoy a wonderful meal and celebrate Eid or learn about Eid.  You can eat yummy food or try food you have never tried before.  Let's celebrate our cultural diversity together.

Hope to see you all there!

Miss Mynes

New Math Unit

We are beginning a new math unit.  We are still working on numeracy but moving into representation.  The children will learn to demonstrate understanding of sets and whole numbers, recognize and write numerals 1 to 10, count orally to 30, and use cardinal and ordinal numbers during play and daily classroom routines (e.g., identify first, second, and third places in a race). 

Officer Jacobs had to cancel our presentation yesterday.  It has been rescheduled for December.

We are having a Remembrance Day assembly today at 10:20.  The children have being learning about Remembrance Day with Miss Parton while in the library.

Have a great day!
Miss Mynes

Officer Jacobs

Today, Officer Jacobs will be visiting us after lunch to talk about traffic safety.  Anyone remember Elmer the Safety Elephant?  He's alive and well.  Ask your child about Elmer's rules after school today.  There will be handouts going home from Officer Jacobs.  Check your child's backpack.

:)
Miss Mynes

letter sounds

This year, we are using ABC Poem of the week to teach the sounds of the letters.

Here are the poems we have learned so far.

Amazing Active Astronauts
Ball-Batting Baboons
Cozy Carefree Camels
Deep Diving Ducks
Eggplants to Eat and Enjoy
Four Feathery Falcons
Gorgeous galloping Gazelles
Hank's Handy Hammer

We read the poems daily, find the letter of the week and find words that we know.  The kids have a lot of fun and often have the poem memorized by the end of the week.

This shared reading experience allows the children to learn many reading concepts: pointing to words as you read (you say one word for each word on the page), familiar words, letter sounds and also knowledge of thins like space, baseball, camels, etc.

Ask your child about the poem of the week over dinner.

:)
Miss Mynes

a little about our day

Today we continue with our poem Gorgeous Galloping Gazelles, our study of the letter Gg.  We are adding the sight word "so" to our sight word vocabulary.  For reading, we are going to start turning our attention from the pictures in the book to the words and letters.  I will read with the seniors and everyone will write in their writing folder.  In math, we are working on the concept of more/less/same.  Today we will each create a display of a number of counters and tomorrow we will use this display to challenge ourselves to identify and create displays of more/less or the same number.  It is book exchange day in the library so expect your child to come home with new library books.

:)
Miss Mynes

a couple of things....

A reminder that we have physical education class on Monday and Wednesday morning.  Please be sure your child is wearing running shoes on these days.

So far this year we have learned the following letters and words: Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg
                                                                                                 me, day, for, here, get

Picture retakes are Friday afternoon.  Please be sure to remind Mr Pate or myself if you want your child to have their school picture retaken.

Enjoy the sunny afternoon,
Miss Mynes

Parent Interview Forms

Thank you to those of you who have returned your interview time request forms.  I will attempt to accommodate all requests.  As I only have 22 interviews this year, I should be able to meet everyone's needs.  I am required to schedule an interview for all parents but that does not mean I need to see you.  Interview times will be sent home in the report card envelopes.  Senior kindergarten students will be getting a written report card, junior kindergarten will not until the winter reporting period.

Miss Mynes

book bags for seniors

All senior kindergarten students has received a book bag with 5 books in it.  You should read these books to, with and by your child.  Return the book bag once a week or whenever you are ready for new books.  Some children have never returned their book bags yet this year and others have returned them with their names removed so I am unable to give them new books as I don't know who to give them to.  Let me know if you returned your child's book bag and never got it back.  I will make them a new one.  The leveled books inside are very precious at school as we have very few level A books and they are surprisingly expensive.  Please be diligent in keeping track of them.

Thanks,
Miss Mynes

Halloween

On Friday afternoon, we will be having a Halloween party.  Feel free to send in a treat for your child to share with their peers.  They may also wear their costumes in the afternoon although I suggest not sending their full costumes as things get lost and broken easily.

:)
Miss Mynes

a little about our day

Today, in reading, we will be talking about what readers do when they finish a book.  Things like reread, favourite part, share with a partner, choose a new book). 
Each day I read with the seniors, one on one, and they are making great progress in their reading skills.  I give descriptive feed back which allows each child to know specifically what they are doing well and what they should be working on.

Happy reading,
Miss Mynes

something to try

Today, we are starting to use the alphabet charts (a grid of the alphabet with pictures beside of objects that start with the letter) and post-it note arrows to find letters in the books we read at independent reading time.  This will help the children to tune in to the print on the page.  They LOVE the post-it not arrows.  I got them at Staples.  Pick some up and see how excited your child gets to find letters everywhere.

Happy Hunting,
Miss Mynes

UNICEF

We have moved from 9th place to 6th place in the UNICEF penny weigh in!  We are continuing to collect pennies (or other coins, bills or cheques) all month.  UNICEF is a wonderful charity helping children all over the world have access to clean water, school supplies and health services.

Keep those pennies coming!!!

:)
Miss Mynes

Music With Mr. Choto

On Monday's and Friday's we are lucky to have Mr. Choto come into our class and teach the children a variety of songs and repetitive rhymes. Some of the songs the children are learing are:

Put Your Finger On Your Lip
The Colour Song
Days Of The Week
London Bridge
I'm Glad I Have A Nose
Little Red Wagon
Wheels On The Bus

Not only is Mr. Choto teaching the children the words to the songs but he is also teaching them the actions to the songs. See if your children can sing any of these songs for you over the weekend.

Cheers.
Mr. Pate

Our Day Today

Today Miss Mynes is away. In our class we will have Mrs. Irwin in the morning and Ms. Piazza in the afternoon. Today is also library day. The children will get a chance to exchange thier books for some new books. We will also be taking the children to look at Bear Wear in the gym. If you are interested in buying Bear Wear please visit the gym today and tomorrow.

Cheers.
Mr. Pate

Bad News

I regret to tell you that the trip to the Textile Museum has been canceled.  Once you add the $7 for the gallery tour and workshop and the just over $6 a student for the bus it would be over $13 a child for a 2 hour field trip - much too expensive.  I will schedule another Field trip soon.

:)
Miss Mynes

a little about our day

Today, Officer Shelden will be visiting to talk about traffic safety.  We will also be talking about choosing the "right" book for us to read, drawing pictures of ourselves as writers and we have library this afternoon.

I hope everyone had a wonderful long weekend.
:)
Miss Mynes

Boxes! Boxes! Boxes!

A special thank you to everyone who brought in boxes. The children had a lot of different shapes and sizes of boxes that they picked from to make their castle. They have been working hard all last week to get the castle built. They started off by drawing designs of the castle and then moved on to building it and painting it. This week the children will be decorating the outside of the castle and putting it up for sale. Below you will find some pictures of the children's work in progress.




Check back later this week for more pictures on their progress.

Cheers,
Mr. Pate

Fundraising

Right now, we have two fundraisers going on.  For UNICEF, we are collecting pennies but will accept any other donations you wish to make.  The Bring Back the Wild fundraiser just started.  The students can ask friends and family to pledge money to help species in Canada.  I know two fundraisers is a lot and your level of participation is totally up to you.

Have a wonderful long weekend!
Miss Mynes

a message from Miss Parton

Miss Parton asked me to let all of you know that the school library is open from 3:30 to 4:00 each day for book exchange.  Feel free to bring your child to the library and help them choose books to borrow.

Have a nice day!
Miss Mynes

tomorrow

Tomorrow morning is the Earth Rangers presentation.  The Earth Rangers came last year and did presentations to small groups of children.  This year, the whole school will enjoy the presentation together.  They bring live animals and teach us about them.  At home as lunch or after school, ask your child to teach you what the Earth Rangers taught them.

:)
Miss Mynes

for those of you looking for freash ideas for school lunches

http://www.familysanitysavers.com/school-lunch-ideas.html

up coming dates to remember

October 14 and 15 will be our Semi-Annual Bear Wear sales.  Bear Wear is clothing with the school logo on it.  I do not have any details as of yet.  Keep an eye out for information coming home one day soon.

October 25th will be a Field trip to the Textile Museum.  We will need parent volunteers to assist us with the supervision.  Look for information coming home soon with all the details.

Thursday the Earth Rangers will be visiting the school.  They bring animals for the children to see and have an Eco-friendly message.

Enjoy your day,
Miss Mynes

We need your help!

Lately the children have shown an interest in castles. They have been very busy building castles in the block area. They mentioned that they would like to build a castle and paint it.

What we are looking for is boxes. We will need boxes to build the castle. We will accept all clean boxes of any shape and colour.

Your help is appreciated.

Thank you.
Mr. Pate

a couple of things....

Allergies!  Please never send the following foods into the class as we have children with allergies: soy products, eggs and seafood - the seafood allergy is very severe so please be diligent.

We are running short of school clothes.  School clothes are the clothing the children use when they get wet at school.  If you have any clothes your child has grown out of that you would like to donate, we will add them to our school clothes collection.

Thanks,
Miss Mynes

Wednesday

Today we will be working on jumping and landing on two feet in physical education.  We will also be learning to plan our writing by choosing the right kind of paper for our plan.  In Math, we are continuing our work on breaking down numbers with the game Shake and Spill.  The children have library.  Tomorrow is book exchange.

A request.  Please remember the kindergarten class hours: 9:00 to 11:30 and 12:45 to 3:15.  Almost every day, after school especially, the kindergarten team is waiting for children to be picked up.  I realize it is difficult as school hours differ from kindergarten hours but, none the less, it is expected that the children be picked up on time.

Thanks for your support,
Miss Mynes

a little about our day

I'm happy to be back after being at a Report Card Administrator workshop yesterday.  Sitting in front of a computer all day drives me crazy.

Today, we will be reading our poem of the week Ball-batting Baboons.  We will be reading A Bedtime Story and sharing special reading memories and drawing a picture of them.  I will also be reading with the seniors.  In the afternoon, we are playing Boxcar Mystery which is a math game reinforcing operation sense.  The children also have library.  Library book exchange is Thursday.

Have a good day,
Miss Mynes

Monday again!?!?!?

Today Miss Mynes is away from the school. In her place we have Mr. Belamie. We welcomed, Isata and Arnab, two new students, to room 10 today. We had some time in the gym and this afternoon we will have music with Mr. Choto. We have a new poem this week, "Ball-Batting Baboons".

In your child's backpack you will find a reminder of the AGM on Thursday September 30, 2010.

Cheers.
Mr. Pate

Terry Fox Run

This afternoon the children took part in the Terry Fox Run. The children were matched up with grade 8 students from Mr. Webster’s class. Mr. Choto and myself walked along with the group. The children, and their partner, chose if they wanted to run or walk around the perimeter of the school. Most children were able to get around the school 3-4 times before stopping for a juice break.

Cheers.

Mr. Pate

It's Friday!

It was wonderful to see so many families at the BBQ last night.  I hope seeing the classroom gives you more of an understanding of what we do each day.

Today, we are talking about reading preferences, seniors are reading with me.  We are talking about the writing prompts "I wonder, I remember, I observe, I imagine" and then writing a piece for our folders using one of the prompts.  In Math we are using the 5 frame to investigate the number 5.

Today is the Terry Fox run and Mr. Choto will be bringing the children outside to run with the school. 

Have a wonderful weekend,
Miss Mynes

Community BBQ

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone who can make it to the community BBQ tonight.  It is a great opportunity for you to see the classroom and have your child show you their favourite things about school.  Please be sure to pick up the information sheet from myself and Mr. Choto.  It will provide you some information about the program this year.  Remember, this is not an opportunity for the children to play in the classroom.  It is a visit.  The children use the materials in the classroom everyday, tonight is just for looking.

Hope to see you tonight,
Miss Mynes

Picture Day

Today is picture day at school. We will do our best to be sure your child has a cute picture. If your child's picture doesn't turn out to your liking, not to worry, there is always a retake day later in the autumn.

Because of picture day, gym is cancelled as the pictures are taken in the gym.

Today, we continue learning about the letter A with our poem Amazing Active Astronauts. We are reading a story which will teach us about speech bubbles. I will read with the seniors. For writing, we are taking about what our writing folders are for (work in progress and finished pieces), listing topics to write about and working on printing our names. In Math, we continue to work on counting. We will be counting our days in school by putting pennies in a jar. Everyday we will count until we get to 100 days in school and then we will have a celebration.

We have library today.

:)
Miss Mynes

Thank you Miss Mynes.

I just want to thank Miss Mynes for letting me contribute to her blog. I have had the opportunity to meet most of the parents over the last few weeks and look forward in meeting those who I have missed.

This afternoon I took the Senior Kindergarten’s on a walk to the Sun Valley grocery store. We went looking for foods that start with the letter “A”. We bought avocados, asparagus, apples and Alpha-Bits cereal. All the children will be exploring these items further in the classroom. We also picked up some ingredients that we needed to make more playdough. The children are very good at making it now. Here is the recipe we use:

2 cups flour

1 cup salt

2 tbsps oil

2 tbsps cream of tartar

2 cups boiling water

1 package of drink mix (optional)

Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl with a spoon. Once cooled down mix by hand. Store in a sealed bag or container.

Cheers.

Mr. Pate

a little about our day

Today we read a book about respect - this months character trait that will be honoured at the Great Golden Bear assembly at the end of the month. We found A's in our poem "Amazing Active Astronauts". We read a book together called The Dress I'll Wear to the Party. I read with all the seniors and everybody wrote a piece for their writing folders. In Math, we continued to work with the hundreds chart, putting the numbers in the chart in order. Right now, the children are in library.

Mr. Pate is doing lots of wonderful things with the children and as soon as I figure out how to add him as a contributor to the blog, he will keep you updated, I'm sure.

:)
Miss Mynes

Room 10 class list

Hadia
Sadia
Maiya
Bandon
Alaina
Eghosa
Isata
Taslimah
Kyle
Darla
Kai
Wahaj
Alessandra
Phisone
Aimee
Eric
Keean
Nikolas
Ariel
Ivan

Chrip and Highlights

I have sent home two papers, each from a different magazine publisher. Feel free to subscribe. If you choose not to subscribe, please check the no box, sign the paper and send it back to school. I can get free things like stickers, pencils, a classroom magazine subscription etc just for sending in your response - be it yes or no.

Thanks for your support,
Miss Mynes

Rainy Day procedures

Rainy days always create havoc in an elementary school. The kids are restless as they do not get outside to play. We try very hard to keep routines the same on all days. It's what is the best for the children. On rainy days, ideally, parents and children should wait under the overhang by the primary/junior recess doors until 9am or 1245pm. There you can be dry if you arrive at school early. It can be very disruptive when the hallways are filled with parents, caregivers and children.

We appreciate your cooperation.
:)
Miss Mynes

today in kindergarten

Today, I have a request. It's mostly for the parents of the boys. I notice that in the kindergarten washroom, we have a problem with the boys peeing on the seat as well as the floor. It's really gross for the girls or the boys who have to sit down on the toilet seat and for all the children when they walk into the bathroom. Please review with your child toileting etiquette. Lifting up the seat when boys pee and wiping up any mess you may make by accident. At school, toileting is totally independent other than occasionally kids need help with buttons, belts or zippers. For all parents, please remind you child that it is embarrassing and inappropriate to peak at others in the bathroom, that the bathroom is private.

Thanks, for your support.

:)
Miss Mynes

another day....

Today has been a wonderful day so far. We ready a story and finished decorating our writing folders. This afternoon is library.

Tomorrow, we have physical education. Please be sure your child is wearing running shoes so they can participate safely. They also have library again tomorrow. I am not sure when the children will begin to bring library books home but will let you know when I find out.

This afternoon we are going to continue to count the days in school and when we get to 100 days in school we will have a 100s day celebration. We will also be plating the counting game.

:)
Miss Mynes

Our Second Week

Today we will read a story, the seniors will read to me, have free play in the gym, decorate our writing folders, have a fire drill, and have music. We are taking things slow as we still have a very full class and it will take time to settle in so many students.

Have a good day,
Miss Mynes

WOW!

Well, we did it! We survived the first week. With 36 students and only 2 children who cries, I think it was a super successful week. Today, we decorated our writing folders with pictures of things we like. That helps us express our preferences, practice cutting and gluing. We will continue with the counting game. We also have music today.

Have a wonderful weekend!

:)
Miss Mynes

We did it!!

I am so proud of all the children and Mr Pate and myself for surviving the day. The kids are in the library with Miss Parton and Mr Pate right now and they were really tired before they left. Today we read stories, played the counting game, sang some songs and did some dancing, went to the gym and the library - all day learning is a super busy day...no wonder the kids are tired.

At sundown tonight, Rosh Hashanah begins. I wish the Jewish families at the school health and happiness. Enjoy your celebrations.

Tomorrow, we have library again.

:)
Miss Mynes

Our First Day

Mr. Pate and I agree that we had a great first day. All the seniors and the few juniors that started today were very well behaved and excited to be at school. I read with almost all the seniors and I'm pleased with their reading. We played the counting game and some kids got to take a version of the game home with them. The rest will get theirs as the week goes on. A lot of papers went home today for you to read and some of them need to be sent back to school as soon as possible. Tomorrow we have library. Miss Parton is the librarian this year. We also have gym so please ensure your child is in appropriate foot wear.

Have a great evening and I look forward to the exciting day we have tomorrow.

:)
Miss Mynes

and so it begins....

I am in the classroom and it looks great. Mr. Pate and I have been hard at work getting ready for this new challenge ahead of us - all day learning! I hope you are excited about being part of this new initiative because I know I am.

A little about our first day

Our first reading unit has 3 goals.

1. Students will understand and follow the routines of reading time.
2. Students will make book choices that match their interests and purposes.
3. Students will share books and their thinking about books with a partner.

I will also be sending home book bags to the seniors. Everyone will be starting at level A but I try to read wit the seniors daily and will adjust the book bag level as I learn more about the students as readers.



Our first writing unit has 4 goals.

1. Students will understand and follow the routines of writing time.
2. Students will generate writing ideas.
3. Students will understand how to use writing materials and resources.
4. Students will represent their ideas through drawings and/or words.

I will start the year with a writing assessment. This will determine if the students are ready to print letters or need more fine motor practice.

In Math, we are starting with number sense and numeration. That involves counting, operational sense, quantity and relationships between numbers. Each child will be bringing home The Counting Game. It is for you to keep. It is not home work, just a fun way to practice counting with your children.

Please feel free to ask question by commenting on my posts. If you have a question, chances are other parents do to.

I'm looking forward to Tuesday and I hope your children are, too.

:)
Miss Mynes

Our Class Party

Tomorrow we will have an end of the year party. Feel free to send a treat to share with the class. We will play board games. The children may bring toys from home as long as they are not violent toys. They may also bring water guns and bubble blowers as we will go outside at some point for some outdoor fun.

I hope everyone has a wonderful vacation. For the parents of seniors, it's been a pleasure teaching your children. For the parents of juniors, I look forward to continuing to teach your children next year.

Have a safe and fun summer!

I'll see you in September!

:)
Miss Mynes

It's Friday!

Today some children are bring home shadow boxes and sculptures they made in our box craft activity. The kids are really proud of what they made and the rest are eager for their turn.

Next Tuesday, on the last day of school, we will have a class party. Feel free to send in treats for the kids to share. We will play games and celebrate our last day together.

:)
Miss Mynes

a bit about our day

Today, we are continuing to learn the poem My Wiggly Tooth. I am hoping we can preform it at the Great Golden Bear Assembly. I am piloting an English Language Learner Math Assessment and I will be administering a portion of that today to one student. Then, I will be continuing with the box crafts. So far, we have made scrapbooks, a basket and sculpture. Each child is making a different thing depending on the types of boxes I have. Thank you to the parents who are sending in boxes. The morning class has library. The afternoon class has physical education.

I've been reading a book called The Book of Awesome. It's derived from a blog and each page or few pages is about a different thing that is awesome. My favourite that I read yesterday was a two sentence chapter. It said (and this is not a direct quote): High Fiving babies is awesome. They never leave you hanging. So true - and they get such joy out of it, it's infectious. High Five a baby today.

:)
Miss Mynes

a little help

To end the year off, we are going to take on a big art project. We are going to use boxes ro make things, like Little Box Safari, Camera, Vacation Box, Fun on the Farm, Piggy Bank, etc.....

We need you to help collect and send in various boxes of all sizes. Before you recycle it, put it aside for us. Your child will bring home something adorable.

:)
Miss Mynes

Field Trip

Tomorrow is our field trip to Forrest Valley and I have not received many permission forms. I cannot bring your child on the trip without permission. If you do not want your child to have this experience, please return the form indicating that your child does not have permission so I can be prepared.

Thanks,
Miss Mynes

a bit about our day

Today, we continue our theme of sports. We will be working in our Math folders. Everyone is working on something different, depending on their needs and strengths. The morning class has gym where we will be working on body awareness. Sadly, I am absent yet again this afternoon with a meeting about next years all day learning program. For the parents of the juniors, I will be much better informed about the changes coming for next year.

The Field trip on Friday was a surprise and I apologize for the short notice. Please send in your permission form as soon as possible and the $1.50 fee. I will provide a snack while we are on the hike. I do need parent volunteers. The trip is a half day, during school hours, so don't worry that it will mess up your child-care arrangements.

:)
Miss Mynes

a bit about our day

Today, we continue our theme of sports (our riddle is about basketball). We will be working in our math folders. Everyone is working at their level - some printing numbers, others counting, others working on more/less. The morning class has library and the afternoon class will be working with scooter boards in the gym.

:)
Miss Mynes

Monday!

Well, I am back from camp. I had a great time but I missed my little ones and am happy to be back. The sad news is that I cracked a tooth and have an emergency dental appointment this afternoon and will be off again :(

This weeks theme is sports. Today, we will be writing in our writing folders/journals. The morning class has gym and the afternoon class has library.

:)
Miss Mynes

Wow!

A big thank you to all the parents who ran a super fun Fun Fair this weekend. I really enjoyed the community spirit and relaxed conversation. I "volunteered" and wasn't even needed. It was the easiest volunteer job I ever had :)

:)
Miss Mynes

a bit about our day

Today we are talking about being brave (being scared but doing it anyway). We are drawing pictures of a time we were brave and then writing a sentence about it. Tonight, talk to your child about times when they were brave and times when you were brave. Remember, being brave doesn't mean being fearless, it means doing things despite your fears.

:)
Miss Mynes

a bit about our day

Today we will be wrapping up our 3D shapes unit. With all the interruptions to our day, we have been working on this math unit for a long time. Today we will be sorting a collection of 3D shapes according to different attributes.

Next week, from Tuesday to Friday, I will be at camp with the grade 8's. I have booked Ms. Leonard to teach the children. She has covered my class before and does a great job.

Stay cool,
Miss Mynes

a summer like day

Today is fake Monday so we are writing in our writing folders and journals. Our theme this week is small animals (today's riddle was about mice). The morning class is at library and the afternoon class has physical education. Tomorrow is the healthy snack sale. A dollar gets you (if I remember correctly) cucumbers and carrots.

Enjoy the heat,
Miss Mynes

our day today

Today we continue our discussions of families with cousins. We also worked on comparing 3D shapes, talking about how they are the same. The morning class is in the library and the afternoon class will go outside to the park for physical education as the gym is closed today for Dreamscape practice.

Enjoy the summer like weather,
Miss Mynes

todays focus

Today we did an activity where we focused on beginning letter sounds using our names. For some of the kids it was super easy, for some a challenge. We used the book Alhpabears and put our names on the word wall, which we wrote ourselves. There are still a couple of kids struggling to write their name. Work with your child to be sure they can write their name and know what letter their name starts with.

Hope you are all enjoying the warm weather,
Miss Mynes

our day today

Today we being in theme of families. We will be working in our writing folders/journals. The morning class has physical education where they will be working on body awareness. I will be out of the classroom this afternoon for a Teaching-Learning Critical Pathway meeting. Next years juniors will be visiting all week. We have 3 this morning and 2 this afternoon.

Have a good day,
Miss Mynes

Friday!

Today we will be visiting the Albert Campbell library. Thank you to the parents who have volunteered to help us get there safely. I imagine the librarian will send home packages telling you how to get your child a library card and information about the library services. The library is an amazing place and free!

:)
Miss Mynes

Thanks!

I forgot to thanks Alexander's family for the yummy birthday cupcakes on Monday. Nothing beats fresh, home baked cupcakes.

:)
Miss Mynes

Tomorrow

Tomorrow we will continue our 3D shape unit with a lesson about the "tracks" the shapes make in sand. It's a fun way to examine the properties of the shapes - faces, edges, points and also how they move - rolling etc.

We will continue our theme of bugs (so far we have learned about the potato bug, spider and ladybug).

The morning class have library tomorrow and the afternoon class will be working on their travelling and balancing skills in physical education.

:)
Miss Mynes

a little about our day

Today we began the theme of famous bugs (today's riddle was about the Potato Bug). We also wrote in our journals and writing folders today. Here is a sample of what the children are writing about.

"I love Dad."
"At Saturday, I went to Vincent Seto's house for a sleep over."
"I went to a boat."
"This is a rainstorm."
"I'm going to Sulin's birthday."
"Me and my daddy bought a game."
"I'm watching a movie."

:)
Miss Mynes

the -at word family

We are learning about rhyming and we started by reading the Cat in the Hat and learned about the -at word family. bat, cat, fat, hat, mat, pat, rat and sat. At home, make up rhyming games with your child. Point out rhymes you hear around you. Kids love rhymes and having a firm grasp can really help them with their reading and writing skills.

:)
Miss Mynes

What a day!

Thank you to all the volunteers who helped me take the children to The Name of the Tree. The children loved the play (and the adults had fun too, I think). The play is based on a book. Next time you are at the public library, look it up - I'm sure your child would love to hear the story again. The children were all so well behaved - a fantastic day all around.

:)
Miss Mynes

20 Minute Clean Up

This afternoon, J.G. Workman P.S. will be participating in the 20 Minute Clean Up. I will be absent, unfortunately. The occasional teacher will bring the children outside, along with the rest of the school to pick up trash and clean up our school yard. The children will be given plastic gloves and bags. Feel free to send gardening gloves with your child if they own them. I'm sad to miss this activity. The kids always have so much fun and feel so accomplished when they look around at how much better the school yard looks.

:)
Miss Mynes

Family Fun NIght

Thanks you to all of you who came to Family Fun Night last night. The school really felt like a community and there was smiles all around from adults and kids alike.

:)
Miss Mynes

Today

Today we started out 3D shape unit! Sphere, cone, cylinder and cube!

The morning class is in library and the afternoon class will be working on spatial awareness with an obstacle course in gym.

Today our riddle was about chicks (they come from eggs). Thanks to all of you who have returned your field trip forms.

:)
Miss Mynes

a little about our day

This week, we are learning about things that come from eggs. Today, we are working in our writing folders or journals. The morning class will be doing an obstacle course in physical education in order to improve our body awareness. The afternoon class has library.

Thank you to those of you who have returned the field trip form. The Markham Theater plays are usually really terrific. I look forward to having all 31 students joining us for this fun life experience. I need volunteers so hopefully 5 of you are able to come with us.

Have a great day,
Miss Mynes

supporting our future students

For those of you who have little ones who will be in my class next year, here are some accomplishments they can achieve before their first day of school.

- recognize specific books by cover
- pretend to read books
- understands that books are handled in particular ways
- enters into a book-sharing routine with primary caregivers
- vocalization play in crib gives way to enjoyment of rhyming language, nonsense word play, etc.
- label objects in books
- comments on characters in books
- looks at picture in book and realizes it is a symbol for real object
- listens to stories
- requests/commands adults to read and write
- may begin attending to specific print, such as letters and names
- uses increasingly purposeful scribbling
- occasionally seems to distinguish between drawing and writing
- produces some letter-like forms and scribbles with some features of English writing


These are things children should accomplish between birth and 3 years old. It creates a firm base of literacy skills, preparing them for the accomplishments expected in kindergarten

:)
Miss Mynes

our focus today

I try to read with the seniors every day but, in all honesty, I rarely - if ever - get to all of them each day. Today, reading with the seniors is my main focus. I want to check in to be sure that their book bag books are the right level for them. I love getting that one on one time to read with the kids.

Enjoy your day,
Miss Mynes

Literacy Learning

Here are a few things kinds in kindergarten are expected to accomplish.

- knows the parts of a book and their functions
- begin to track print when listening to a familiar text being read or when rereading own writing
- "reads" familiar texts emergently, i.e., not necessarily verbatim from the print alone
- recognizes and can name all uppercase and lowercase letters
- understands that the sequence of letters in a written word represents the sequence of sounds (phonemes) in a spoken word (alphabetic principle)
- learns many, though not all, one-to-one letter sound correspondences
- recognizes some words by sight, including a few very common ones ("the," "I," "my," "you," "is," "are")
- uses new vocabulary and grammatical constructions in own speech
- makes appropriate switches from oral to written language styles
- notices when simple sentences fail to make sense
- connects information and events to life and life experiences to text
- retells, reenacts, or dramatizes stories or parts of stories


Well, I could go on and on but I will leave it there for today and take the rest of my preparation period to prepare for the launch of our 3D shapes unit.

Enjoy the sunny day,
Miss Mynes

Monday

It's a sunny Monday, thanks goodness for the better weather. We had lots of yummy birthday treats last week - thanks, to Jesse-James family and Vincent Seto's family.

Today, we are writing in our journals and writing folders. The morning class has gym where they will be working on spatial awareness by moving around and over pylons. The afternoon class has library. Our theme this week is "in the rain forest".

:)
Miss Mynes

rain, rain go away

Well, a dreary day indeed but April showers bring May flowers, I guess.

Today, we continue our theme of ways to take care of the environment. We also have a Math lesson followed by work in our Math folders. The morning class has library and the afternoon class has gym where we will be playing Space Invaders (games to help us learn to stay in our personal space in the gym).

Focus on those May flowers,
:)
Miss Mynes

we're back...

I thanks to Keira's family for the yummy birthday treats on Friday and to the parents who sent in Easter treats for the kids. They really enjoyed them.

On our first day back we are pretending it is Monday and writing in our writing folders/journals. Our theme this week is about ways we can help the earth. Today we talked about keeping the air clean so the animals and us have clean air to breathe.

Have a good day..the sun is trying to break through.

:)
Miss Mynes

a bit about our day

Today, I am out of the classroom in the morning for a Teaching and Learning Critical Pathway meeting. I am not sure which occasional teacher has been booked for me.

In the afternoon, we will be going outside for gym at the end of the day. It's nice to have a break from the physical education program and play in the sunshine at the park.

Have a wonderful long weekend. For those of you celebrating Easter - Happy Easter!

:)
Miss Mynes

a sample of journal writing

Here are a few examples of the things the children who are writing in their journal are writing.

"This is my mom wretle" (This is my mom's work)
"Yesterday I was dizzy when i played too much wii"
"One time I went to see a rainbow"
"at the wii I was almost went to world 8"

I encourage to students to write independently. If they ask me to spell a word, I ensure the word is on the word wall and tell them the beginning letter. Then it is up to them to use their reading skills to find the word. This is an exciting time where the kids learn so much about reading, writing, independence and perseverance.

:)
Miss Mynes

Sharing

Each day, 3 children have an opportunity to share news with the class. Then one of their friends can ask them a question about what they shared. Here is a sample of the news I hear.

"When I get home, I'm going to play with my Dora doll."
"One day, I'm going to go to the Science Center."
"In Spring, I'm going to China."
"Tomorrow is Saturday and I'm going to play Lego Batman."
"On the holiday, I'm going to go to a friends house and I'm going to stay."
"On the holidays, I'm going to go to the park."
"One day, on my next birthday, I'm going to a new place."
"One day, my dad went shopping for a Spiderman CD."
"I was playing skating on the computer."
"I'm going to Jamaica."

I love to hear what is going on in the children's life outside of school. Life experience is essential in the development of academic skills. It creates a knowledge base for the children to draw on, increases vocabulary and makes them more interesting people. Think about what your child would say if it was their turn for sharing. Try to provide your child with interesting experiences on a regular basis. You might even have fun, too. ;)

Miss Mynes

a request

As some of you know, I have a bunch of clothes in the class that kids can use if they get wet, dirty or are too hot or too cold. If your child wears a piece of this clothing home, just wash it at your leisure and send it back. That being said, my clothing collection is lacking. If you have any old clothes that you plan to get rid of, I would be happy to put them to good use.

I will be out of the classroom this morning, planning our next Teaching-Learning Critical Pathway. I will be back in the class this afternoon and tomorrow will be a regular day.

:)
Miss Mynes

Skating Day

Today is the schools last skating day at Birchmount Arena. Please feel free to bring your child down to join the school for an afternoon of skating (from 12:45ish to 3:30ish). I will not be bringing my class as it is too difficult to include all kindergarten students in a meaningful way. If you are pulling your child out of school this afternoon to go skating, just call Mrs. McLaughlin at 416-396-6365 and let her know.

It is a fun afternoon that I wish I could participate in. I hope you and your child share in this opportunity together.

:)
Miss Mynes

a little about our day

Depending on how long the concerned kids presentation is, we may begin our 2D shapes unit. We will be investigating rectangles, circles, squares and triangles. I will be sending home some suggestions on ways you can support this unit at home.

Have fun,
Miss Mynes

Our First Day Back

So far, so good on our first day back. The morning class wrote in their writing folders and journals. They also did cooperative games in physical education. The afternoon class has library/health and will also be working in their writing folders.

Tomorrow, the morning class has a Concerned Kids presentation. I believe we have had this group here before. It is a puppet show that teaches kids students with medical conditions - for example epilepsy.

Have a good day. I'm happy to be back into my routine.

:)
Miss Mynes

more march break ideas

The Toronto Public Library is a wonderful resource for all parents in Toronto. Check out their March Break ideas.

www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/pro_march_break.jsp

Have a wonderful break!

:)
Miss Mynes

March Break Fun

With March Break just one more sleep away, I thought I would share a link with fun ideas.

http://www.toronto.com/guide/marchbreak

I hope all the children have a wonderful, restful break. It's a time for the children to relax and enjoy themselves so they come back to school ready for the final stretch of school.

:)
Miss Mynes

supporting your childs literacy learning

First, I want to thank Maira's family for the yummy birthday cupcakes yesterday.

I wanted to share a few ideas of ways you can support your child's literacy learning at home.

- reading and discussing storybooks frequently
- teaching letters and sounds, both spontaneously and intentionally
- teaching "sight words," both high-frequency words and words of personal significance (e.g., one's name)
- providing help based on the child's questions and requests for assistance
- making rhymes with words
- participating in reading-related activities (e.g., magnetic letters on fridge, writing a letter, baking, etc.)
- listening to the child reading
- enjoying family literacy activities "on the run" (e.g., reading signs)
- providing direct instruction (information and explanations)



Parents belong at the center of a young child's education. The single best way to improve elementary education is to strengthen parents' role in it, both by reinforcing their relationship with the school and by helping and encouraging them in their own critical job of teaching the young. Not all teachers are parents, but all parents are teachers.

:)
Miss Mynes

a bit about our day

Today we continue or theme of "On the Farm". We are also doing a math activity to end our unit on area. We will be drawing a blob and covering the area with plastic chips and comparing whose blob is the largest, smallest and the same. The morning class has library and the afternoon class will be in the gym playing cooperatively with hoops.

:)
Miss Mynes

Character Matters

This months character trait is honesty. The kids and I are talking about telling the truth every day. At the end of the month, one student, as chosen by their peers, will earn an Great Golden Bear for being the most honest student in kindergarten. Talk about the importance of honesty at home. I know it's something we all encourage in our children.

:)
Miss Mynes

a bit about next week

Our theme next week is "On the Farm".

In gym, we are focusing on cooperative games.

Monday is writing day. I'm sure some of you have heard that many of our kids have moved onto journal writing - even a couple of juniors. I'm so proud of how hard the kids work in writing. The amazing me every time we take the folders/journals out.

Wednesday is skating day for the kids in grade 1 to 8. If you want to bring your child to Birchmount stadium on Wednesday afternoon to skate with the school, please feel free. Just let me or Mrs. McLaughlin know for the Safe Arrival program. You will have to skate with your child but it is a super fun way to be part of the Workman family.

Enjoy the weekend, the warmth and sunshine and I will see you all on Monday.

:)
Miss Mynes

our day today

Well, we are at the beginning of a long day. For the kids, we will be having a math lesson on area, continuing our theme of animal senses and the afternoon class will be doing parachute games in gym.

I am required to book interviews for all senior kindergarten students. For those of you who have questions about your child's progress, I will see you tonight or tomorrow.

Have a great day. The temperatures are rising and the sun is out!

:)
Miss Mynes

What a day!

It has been quite a morning and is shaping up for a nice afternoon. We had our riddle about one of the 5 senses as well as a lesson on waiting your turn. I read with some seniors as well. It is so nice when the big kids go skating as the school is quiet and calm. I loved taking my kids skating when I taught grade 2. Although kindergarten doesn't go skating, you are welcome to pull your child from school and bring them there yourself. You must be with them at all times but it is a nice way for the kindergartners to be part of a fun school activity. The morning class also had gym where we did parachute games and the afternoon class is at library right now.

Hope your day is as nice as the sunshine,
:)
Miss Mynes

Today

Today we continue our fruits and vegetables theme with a fruit tasting. We are also doing a math assessment for a meeting I am attending tomorrow afternoon. The morning class has gym where we are having free play with the balls. The afternoon class has library.

Have a great day,
Miss Mynes

Today

Today we began out fruits and vegetables theme with a riddle about carrots. I was pleased to see someone bring a fruit for snack this morning. Both classes are working in their writing folders today. Many of the students are making great progress and have moved from lines to letters and some from letters to journals. The morning class did parachute activities in the gym and the afternoon class is at library as we speak.

:)
Miss Mynes

next week

Our theme next week is fruits and vegetables. We will be doing riddles about them, reading books about them, doing activities with them. May I encourage you to make your child's snack this week with fruits and vegetables.

Have a great weekend,
Go Canada Go..lets rack up some more medals,
Miss Mynes

Thursday!

Today, we began our next math unit, which is about area. I am sending home a sheet for you with ideas of things you can do at home to reinforce this unit.

The Dance-a-thon money is due tomorrow. Thank you to those of you who fund raised. I know the school has been fundraising a lot this year, which can be taxing to your bank account. I apologize for that. Rest assured, I will not be initiating any more fundraisers this year in order to cut down on the requests for money but I will keep you updated on fundraisers run by parent council, Mrs. Lee and my colleagues.

:)
Miss Mynes

a little about today

Today, we continue our community helpers unit (our riddle today was about fire fighters). We had a lesson and activity about joining in (1. Stand near 2. Look 3. Ask). The morning class did some circle games in gym and the afternoon class is at library right now.

For those of you who are fundraising for the Move-a-thon, send in your pledge sheets and money as soon as you can. We use the money to pay for things like special presentations and events in the school.

Have a great day,
See you all tomorrow,
Miss Mynes

Long Weekend

Hello everyone,

Just a reminder that tomorrow is our class Valentine's/100's Day party. Feel free to send on some treats for your child to share with the class. We will also be having the Dance-a-thon - for many the highlight of the year.

Also, don't forget that Monday is the Family Day holiday. Enjoy some fun with your family!

Have a great, sunny day.
:)
Miss Mynes

Dance-a-thon

The Dance-a-thon is on Friday. Thank you to those of you who are fundraising. This is the most important fundraiser of the year. The money goes to bringing in special presentations for the school and other things like that. An example is the Dufflebag Theater who preformed Beauty and the Beast this year. They are amazing and worth every penny.

Thank you for your support,
Miss Mynes

up and coming

This weeks theme is 100s Day! We will have been in school for 100 days. To celebrate this, we will be having a combined Valentine's and 100s Day party on Friday. At the party, we will create a collection of 100 heart candies each so we can see what 100 looks like. We will also exchange Valentine's cards, play games and have lots of fun. I know some of you would like a list of students names. I have updated my previous list on the blog.

Today, the Earth Rangers will be visiting our school. They are bringing live animals! It should be a great presentation.

Have a great day. I'm sure we will.

:)
Miss Mynes

today and beyond

Today, we ended our habitat unit. Next week, is the 100s day unit as we get to our 100th day of school. We are also preparing our "handy rules" for our measurement lesson on Tuesday.

For your information, I will be absent on Monday. My mom is having her knee replaced and I want to be there to help her get to the hospital and settle her in. Then my dad and I can keep each other company during the surgery. I will be back on Tuesday for sure.

Have a great weekend!

I'll see you on Tuesday.

our day today

Our theme this week is habitats (today's riddle is about the desert). We will be doing paint blot art. The morning class has library, the afternoon class has gym where they will work on making circles, lines and finding a partner.

Tomorrow, I will be absent as I have several appointments.

Thursday and Friday will be a fundraising bake sale for Haiti. Feel free to send your child with a small amount of money to buy themselves a treat. I suggest 50 cents or $1.

Have a good day,
Miss Mynes

classroom waste

This year, JG Workman is on a quest for Eco platinum. To reach this goal we all need to work hard to reduce our impact on the environment. We had a waste audit and here are a few suggestions of ways you can help us to reduce our waste at school. When I look in the garbage can, I see that it is full of straws, juice bags and food wrappers. Try to invest in a reusable drink bottle and reusable food containers. By packing your child's snack in reusable containers you are reducing the amount of garbage you create and, in the long run, saving money. Snacks that are individually wrapped are much more costly than packaging the snack yourself.

Thanks for your support,
:)
Miss Mynes

a bit about our day

Today we continue our theme of winter things. Our poem is about toboggans. We are making carbon paper messages in art today. We have a dental screening where dental hygienists check our teeth. The morning class has library and the afternoon class has gym where they will be working on making lines, circles and partners. We will be watching a movie about ice fishing. Thank you to Jaccob's family who sent in yummy birthday treats to share with the class.

:)
Miss Mynes

art resources

Art is a delightfully tactile experience. By inviting children to express both verbally and visually, you help develop literacy skills within an engaging art experience. To that end, I would like to do a sensory art experience called Texture Garden. To do that, I need squares of fake fur or velvet (or other wonderfully textured fabric). If you have any scrap fabric like that laying around at home and would like to donate some to us, I would be very appreciative.

:)
Miss Mynes

today in kindergarten

Today, we begin a theme of winter things - not that the weather is cooperating. We have a riddle and a movie about snowmen.

The school will be receiving a dental screening over the next 3 days. If your child needs to see a dentist, you will receive notification.

We will be working in our writing folder.

The morning class has gym and will be working on making lines, circles and finding a partner.

The afternoon class has library.

Have a great day,
Miss Mynes

Great Golden Bears

Great Golden Bears are monthly awards that one child in each class receives. The teacher, and in some classes in conjunction with the students, chooses a student that best demonstrates the character trait theme for the month. This month is teamwork. February is fairness. March is honesty. April is co-operation. May is integrity. June is perseverance

FYI
:)
Miss Mynes

a bit about our day

Today, we continue learning about cold weather animals. We also have a lesson on asking questions. The morning class has library, the afternoon class has gym where we continue to work on staying in our personal space. We are watching a movie about taking care of horses in the winter. Miss Rogers is here today as well.

Have a great day,
Miss Mynes

Dufflebag Theater

This afternoon, at 1:30, the Dufflebag theater will preform The Beauty and the Beast in the school gym. They are a wonderful theater company that we have enjoyed at Workman for several years.
Parents of morning students can bring their child to enjoy the performance (and enjoy it themselves). Just bring your child to the gym at 1:30 and find a seat.

:)Miss Mynes

our day today

Today, we continue our theme of cold weather animals - yesterdays riddle was about penguins. We will be working on a group art project called "I Hear Art". The sound of music inspires us to feel, move and respond. Whether the sound is beautiful music or the sounds of nature, children's artwork is bound to reflect the mood of what they hear. We will be making a mural with paint and while listening to Spring by Vivaldi.

The morning class has library and the afternoon class has gym. In gym we are working on maintaining personal space while in the gym.

:)
Miss Mynes

It's Friday!

Today we have computer lab. We are also continuing learning about length by building towers taller than, shorter than and the same as different objects. If there is time, I will be reading with the seniors and, in some miracle we have time left, we will work in our writing folders.

Have a great day and an even better weekend. It is positively balmy out there today.

:)
Miss Mynes

Thursday!

We are lucky to have Miss Rogers join us for the next 11 weeks. She is an Early Childhood Education student from Ryerson University (I have that degree!). I am thrilled to have someone working with me and I know it will enhance your child's academic experience having another adult in the room to guide their play. It will be a taste of next year as with all day kindergarten comes an early childhood educator as my partner. Let's hope I'm lucky enough to get someone with their degree like me.

:)
Miss Mynes

It's Wednesday!

Today, we continue our theme of patterns. The morning class will be working in their writing folders. They also have gym where we will be working on staying in our personal space. This afternoon, I will be in a meeting with the primary division. During that time, there will be an occasional teacher as well as the literacy lead teacher. She will be reading with the afternoon class and assessing their reading level.

As you may know, JG Workman has been chosen for all day kindergarten next year. All that I know I have learned from the CBC. When my employer tells me the details, I will be happy to share them with you. At this point, if you listen to the radio, you know as much as I do.

:)
Miss Mynes

our day today

This week our theme is patterns. We will have riddles, stories and movies about patterns. I am doing a math pre-assessment with the kids today which will carry over to tomorrow. The pre-assessment is about their math processing skills. Processing skills are problem solving, reasoning and proving, reflecting, selecting tools and strategies, connecting, representing and communicating.

This week, I have a Ryerson student starting a placement in my classroom. She will be here 2 days a week in the role of an educational assistant. Also, the Ryerson student that is working with one of the grade 1/2 classes will come and work with a small group of afternoon student two days a week.

:)
Miss Mynes

our day today

Today we will have a riddle about numbers followed with a lesson about measuring length. We will go to the computer lab and reading a story about measuring. At center time, I will be reading with the seniors. I will try to read with them all, time permitting. We also have a Friday award.

Thank you for understanding about entry and dismissal time. Be assured, I am here to help your child dress and undress but my focus is teaching them to dress and undress independently. It takes time but it is worth it. The most important part of my job is to teach your child independent work skills - including life skills.

Have a great day and an even better weekend.

:)
Miss Mynes

Today

I am out of the classroom today at in services with the primary division. Now that our school is an OFIP school, we receive a lot of professional development, which is a good thing. The bad thing is it takes me out of the classroom. I try to keep my eye on the greater good, and I hope you will too. When I am out of the classroom, I tell the kids that I am doing work for Mrs. Lee and as one child asked in frustration, "When are you going to be done all this work for Mrs. Lee?" Just try explaining the concept of "life-long-learner" and professional development to a 5 year old...not so easy.

I look forward to teaching the kids tomorrow. I miss them already.

:)
Miss Mynes

Cold Weather

I know that it is cold outside. The TDSB has guidelines for when it is safe for children to be outside. When it is unsafe, we bring the kids in early. Please remain outside while you wait for your child. Dress yourself as well as you dress them. The hallway gets very chaotic when it is filled with parents. It is loud (which disturbs the other classes). It also effects the routines the children and I have. Besides, the rule is that parents wait outside and by coming inside, you are modeling for your child that you only have to follow the rules you want to and you can ignore the rest - is that a lesson you want your child to learn?

Also, your child needs to bring shoes to wear at school on the days they wear boots. Wet boots make for a wet floor in the classroom. I suggest running shoes so that your child is prepared for gym. Feel free to leave the shoes at school until boot season is over (hopefully sooner rather than later).

Thank you for your cooperation.

:)
Miss Mynes