In Kindergarten, as well as in the other grades, we know that it is important to develop the whole child and not just focus on the academics of learning. Academics are important but it is the education of the heart that is going to take us through life and be most useful when working with others. Throughout the year we focus just as much on traits such as compassion and trust and patience and mindfulness and empathy as we do on learning our ABCs and 123s. And Team Awesome practices constantly by setting an intention, or goal, each day, such as focusing on being kind or making someone happy. That doesn't mean we don't do those things on other days as well, it just means we talk about our goal for the day and how we can be successful at it and then encourage and congratulate each other when we see the intention for the day being met. This link gives more information about the connectedness of heart mind well-being and the balance between educating the mind and the heart. t
It's that time of year again! Canada Post would like to send your child a letter from Santa but they have to write to him first. According to Santa’s CPE (Chief Postal Elf), Holly T. Elf, there are three golden rules in sending a letter to Santa:
NORTH POLE H0H 0H0 CANADA. What an awesome opportunity to write for real life, which enables the children to launch out and explore new opportunities for their emerging writing skills. So break out the special paper, the pens, pencils and markers and encourage your child to practice their literacy skills and write a letter to Santa soon! And how exciting to get a personalized letter back!
Last week we read the book 'Dipnetting With Dad' and Mrs. Leonard brought in a real dipnet and gaff and showed us how to use them. She helped us make our own dipnet, which we used to catch the ginormous salmon that were swimming in the rivers under our tables. And of course, we had to listen to and sing the song 'Baby Shark' as, inevitably, someone caught a shark in their river. Thank you Mrs. Leonard.
Team Awesome is so empathetic. They heard that a friend of theirs has a mom who is seriously ill and immediately clamored to help. We discussed ways we could help our friend's family (such as giving her our 'special icky medicine') and then their ideas were gently guided to things we could actually do. We settled on a Bake Sale, the proceeds of which would go to the family to help with travel costs to Kelowna. Will a few cupcakes be able to raise a bucket load of funds to help? No. But the children weren't concerned with that. They just wanted to do something to make their friend feel better and help out. So next week, Tuesday, Nov. 21 and Thursday, Nov. 23, the Kindergarten classes will be hosting a bake sale, one day for primary and the other for intermediate classes. If you would be willing to send some goodies that we could sell to help our friend's family we would very very much appreciate it. Thank you in advance for any donations.
After experiencing the corn maze on the pumpkin patch field trip, some of the children became fascinated by mazes. They wanted to draw them and solve them and talk about them. So Mrs. Farber and I did a quick lesson on mazes and labyrinths then took the children outside and they built their own mazes with a partner. Some were more successful than others but everyone had a great time using what was available and creating their own maze.
Having a day at home next Monday will be lovely but I find Nov. 11 often produces some sober musings, and well it should. I will spend most of the day doing the usual must-be-done things but I will also take a few moments to remember why I am home and not at work. Our Remembrance Day assembly today was very well done and I was happy to see many parents join us. The children were so well behaved at the assembly- I was so proud of them! At the end of the assembly, after we had watched two children from every class lay a wreath underneath a cross with the words 'We will remember', some of the children were feeling sad. Truth to tell, I always feel emotional at the Remembrance assembly too. And I couldn't help but wonder what must have been going through the minds of the veterans sitting in our gym that morning. So while I am thankful to have a day at home next week, it seems ungracious to revel in it as the cost for it was so high. Please refrain from sending more than 1 Halloween treat to school each day with your child in November. They will be encouraged to eat their healthy food (ie sandwich) before having the treat at lunch.
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Mrs. Bowden &
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