Pre-K Homework

Dear Pre-K Friends and Families,

What a great effort everyone showed doing the homework! Well Done!
As you know, the homework is given twice a week. The main goal is to master skills that were learned in school. In addition, friends will work on developing critical thinking skills, problem solving skills, attention, ability to listen to instructions, patience, and a sense of responsibility.  In other words, everything that our friends need in order to become successful Kindergartners.
Here are some helpful tips for you, dear Parents:

• Choose a child appropriate and least distracting place to do homework. It is better if you use this place consistently most of the time. (If your child can't sit for 5 minutes, may be his seat is not comfortable or too high).
• Be patient and no matter what, keep your cool! Praise hard work, not perfection.
• Choose the right time for homework, choose one when both of you- you and your child- are not tired and in a good mood.
• Have real expectations. Remember, that Pre-K friends are just four years old kids whose fine motor skills are still developing. Give it time and plenty of practice.
• Try do not use general phrases like "Good Job!" or "Nice". Describe what you see, saying, for example, "I really like how straight is this line you made..." "You really work hard, keeping your eyes on the line while cutting..."
• Encourage neatness.  Remember - only positive comments!
• Try to use the same words we use in school. For example, when a child is practicing to write letter "F", say, "start from the top, big line goes down, jump on the top, little line on the top, little line in the middle." All capital letters start from the top. We use big lines or small lines, big curves or small curves.
• Please do not do homework for your child. If you see he or she needs more practice, please send us a note. If your child forgets how to write his or her name, write it for them using yellow marker and ask them to trace the letters. If you have a question, please do not hesitate to contact us morahs.
• It is your child's responsibility to bring the homework folder in to the classroom.
• One more thing! Take your kids outside as much and as long as possible. Let them move! Less TVand video games

This week in your child's homework folder you will find the new homework and the homework that is already checked and hole punched for your convenience. Please store it in a binder at home. It will help you to see your child's learning progress.
One more thing, once in a while we will send thematic rhymes home. We do learn them in school but not by heart. Children illustrate rhymes and take them home to keep. If you collect all of them, at the end of the year, you will get nice collection of children's rhymes illustrated by your child.
Got a question? E-mail us!

Best wishes,
Morah Inna & Morah Bassie