Hello Families!
Happy Summer! For this last newsletter I, Ms. Jessy, would like to begin with just how grateful I am to all of you, your children and what a joy it has been to be apart of the LEW community. I will miss this community dearly and seeing the second and first graders grow into third grade leaders, but we will be neighbors and I expect to get updates on the playground:)
Secondly, a desperate request for our buddy, Gex. As we were about to send him off with an eager third grader and her family, the bottom of Gex's terrarium cracked and an enormous hole formed. Before we go out and buy and new cage, we thought we would take a chance and see if anyone in our community happens to have an extra 3ft x 1.5ft terrarium lying around :) If you have any leads or insights, please feel free to contact Jessy.
Summer "Homework"
Some of the families have asked about things they can do with their child over the summer. Please choose any or all of these things to do with your child over the summer!
EXECUTIVE FUNCTION:
- Engage your child in the everyday chores around the home - yard work, preparing meals, cleaning around the house, etc. This a great way to foster your child's independence and sustained attention.
- Make a written plan for the day, like a to-do list, and check things off as the day progresses.
- Work through the books that your child enjoys. If the reading is above their reading level, then read to them; or practice by reading a page, then they read it back to you; or sometimes you read for long stretches, then trade off--mix it up to keep them engaged. If it becomes frustrating, just read to your child for the joy of the story.
- Use the attached exercise for research-proven fluency building in reading.
- Writing letters, poems, stories, grocery lists, vacation journals, to-do lists, anything else! Anything, no matter big or small! (If your child needs it, you can have her dictate to you, and the child can read it when you're done.)
- Most importantly, Math Fact Flashcards will do a world of good. If you can make it into a game, all the better. Just addition, subtraction, and multiplication facts 1-10. We strongly recommend this one.
- You could research together some aspect of your summer experience (animals? vacation locations? other interests that pop up?)--it doesn't matter--but we've found that the children are willing to go after knowledge greedily when 1) They're really interested, and 2) They have support.
- More time to play outside!!! (Put it on the to-do list!)
- More Arts and Crafts
- Less Screen Time!!!
- Trips to the library
That's just a few ideas, but if you would like more formal or structured examples of summer activities, please feel free to ask and we will share some more ideas.
Finally, here are some photos from the last days of school...
Once again, Erik and I want to extend our gratitude out to all of you and we wish you a beautiful summer.
All the best and more,
Jessy Eaton Fabel
Lower Elementary Guide"Our aim therefore is not merely to make the child understand, and still less to force him to memorize, but so to touch his imagination as to enthuse him to his inmost core." ~ Maria Montessori
