Typical Day in Mrs. Fauskee’s Kindergarten Classroom
8:05 Kids hang up back packs, put any notes into my mail box, put folder into his/her own mailbox, pencil box to table, sign in on interactive whiteboard, and come to the carpet.
8:12 School wide pledge and announcements
8:20 Morning Meeting: Morning meeting is a community building time. Students will learn many different greetings, use eye contact, learn to shake hands, learn names, play group games, read a message and interact with white board, sing songs, and have fun. We will read a story that goes along with our morning work or a theme that we are working on. Students will read a morning message and be asked to circle rhyming words, punctuation, plurals, certain letters, etc… By the end of the year, they will be in charge of leading most of morning meeting.
8:40 Group Time: Students will be split up into 3 groups. They will rotate through a Reading Lesson, Language, and Independent Practice time. My para Mrs. Blatz will work on language and vocabulary skills at her table. I will be teaching your child sounds, blending, segmenting, sight words, and how to read! At independent table time, your child will be working with the ipads, computer, listening center, word work, paper/pencil work, projects, and other hands on learning games. Each group time will eventually be around 25 minutes each. Grandma Laura, my foster grandparent will also be working with your child during independent time. She is very sweet and patient with the kids.
9:50 Bathroom, change shoes for gym, and snack time. Each day your child will be given milk with his/her snack. Please send only healthy snacks for your child. You may refer to my web page for examples if needed.
10:05- 10:55 Math Time: We will always begin with our new concepts in whole group. Math includes, use of manipulatives, math journals, interactive whiteboard games, partner work on math stations, paper/ pencil work, ipads, and dice games. Math in kindergarten is a lot different from the upper grades. We do not have many paper tests. Your child is assessed daily through observation and the work he/she shows in his/her math journal. At fall conferences, you will be able to look through your child’s math journal with them!
10:57-11:49 Phy- Ed/ Music Specialists
Gym shoes are required for class daily. You may choose to leave gym shoes in your child’s coatroom cubby. Your child will have Mr. Hansmann or gym class and Mrs. Cahill for music every day. If you have any changes for the end of the day or any questions, please e-mail before this time because I will be checking my e-mail during my prep hour.
11:55 Drink, bathroom break, those who need to finish morning work,
12:05-12:45 Lunch/ Recess Please look over the menu with your child and remind them if they are getting hot lunch or have a lunch from home. Milk can be purchased if your child chooses to bring their lunch from home. Please allow a few weeks before visiting your child for lunch. This gives your child enough time to feel comfortable at school and will be easier on them when it is time for you to leave.
12:50-1:10 W.I.N Time: This is a time set aside by the school for kids who need a specific concept or skill to be worked on. It is new this year so I too am learning what it is all about.
1:10- 2:00 Reading Group Time: Once again, your child will rotate through the three groups. In my group, we do a lot of individual practice on the whiteboards, have individual reading practice with me, and work on writing skills.
2:00-2:30 Centers/ Science/Social Studies Time:
This last block of time changes depending on the week. Center examples include: interactive whiteboard, building, play corner, math, projects, puzzles, painting, pizza shop, post office, doctor, flower shop, and more.
2:40 Dismissal Time: During the first 2 weeks, the 6th graders will walk the kindergarten kids directly to their bus. We ask that if your child has an older sibling, that they not come to get their brother/sister during the first 2 weeks. Our goal is for your child to feel they can find and walk independently to the bus.