Parents’ Homework at the Garden School

Today at school, our Kindergarteners were given a work bag. This work bag has their name on it, and inside, there are tools. Each child was given three folders – one for Reading/Writing, one for Arithmetic, and one for Parents.  Inside the bag, there is a box of crayons, a pencil and a pencil sharpener. The children were told that these things are theirs to take care of, to use in school, to use at home, and to bring back every day they take home their bag.

Tonight, there is a Reading assignment which parents can find in the Parent folder. Children are to learn the words the, an, a  for a spelling test on Thursday. We are fully emerging into reading and writing right from the beginning. This is not to get upset about. If this is WAY over your child’s head, he will either learn quickly, or be put back into the Littles – but not right now. If he does a reasonable job…he will feel such a sense of accomplishment. Our Ks have either been with us for a year or are turning five. This is not too much for them to do.

Tomorrow, we will look at our first reader. It is The, an, a .  This reader is designed for children to stretch, to reach, to learn to read quickly.

Tomorrow, our Ks will be taking home handwriting work. They will be practicing their names.

Please take time to sign your child’s calendar if you work with him today. There is a tiny line in the square that says August 13. Please initial or write your first name. Homework should take no more than 15 minutes.

On Wednesday, Ks will have Arithmetic homework.

It’s a little by little progression. There are many steps forward and many back  on the way to reading.