Summer Learning

In Focus: Summer Learning


Summer has its own rhythm. It's the perfect time to try new activities, pique your child's curiosity about the world, and enrich literacy skills developed during the school year. And the longer days promise lots of extra time for pleasure reading. Here are 5 simple ways to stop the 'summer slide' and keep your kids actively learning through July and August.

1. Build Background Knowledge, Side by Side
Children are full of questions about the world around them. Tap into your child's interests and start a journey of discovery together.


2. The Night Before the Museum: Get the Most Out of Field Trips
Whether you're going to the zoo, the museum, or a state park, there are a few "stops" to make before you get on your way.



3. Rediscover Your Public Library
Here are 9 reasons to go visit your local library, where everything is free.
Top 9 reasons to go visit
1.Free programs and activities: From author visits to puppet shows to family films, libraries offer programs with kid appeal after school, on the weekends, and during the summer. Ask your librarian for the schedule of upcoming events.
2.Story times: There's nothing like hearing a good story read by someone who loves to read aloud. Libraries are terrific settings for story times which often include finger plays, games, songs, and crafts that can be learned and enjoyed again at home.
3.Workshops: Many libraries offer workshops that can help enrich your life as an adult and support you as a parent. At many libraries, it is possible to learn to knit, prepare your taxes, update your résumé, gain computer skills, or improve your parenting skills.
4.Books: Librarians are happy to make recommendations and most public libraries have a special section just for children's books.
5.Audiobooks: Listened to a good book lately? Most libraries have a collection of popular adult and children's titles available for checkout on tape or CD.
6.Movies: Your public library is a great source for free access to the latest blockbusters, family movie classics, documentaries, or favorite TV shows.
7.Music: Want to introduce your children to Beethoven or the Beatles or new children's songs? Check to see if your library has a collection of music on CD.
8.Magazines and newspapers: Introduce your child to some of the magazines designed just for children. With bold photographs, poems and a joke or two, magazines are another reading choice for beginning readers. Or catch up on the news in your community and share a smile over the comics.
9.Computers: Most public libraries offer free Internet access, computers with educational games for kids, and valuable online resources for teenagers.

4. Open Up a Book Club
Family or community book clubs are social, low-key, and fun. You'll discover that you have lots to talk about as you dive into new books together. The active discussions are a great way to help strengthen comprehension skills, too.

5. Crickets, Books, and Bach: Start a Summer Listening Program
In addition to a summer reading list, consider putting together a summer listening list, too. With more and more kids plugged into iPods and other audio devices, the importance of learning to listen and listening to learn is greater than ever.

Poetry Month

By: Reading Rockets (2010)
Roses are red
Violets are blue
We like poetry
How about you?

While our poetry may not be very good, our ideas for sharing it with young kids definitely are! National Poetry Month is a time to celebrate poets, rhymes, rhythm, and word choices that make poetry fun for kids.

Sharing poetry with kids is a great way to highlight language. Poems include humor, interesting words, tongue twisters and alliteration (the same consonant sound at the beginning of each word). Choral reading of poems, where more than one reads the same thing at the same time, and several rereading of the same poem also builds fluency.

How to Plan a Family Poetry Jam
Start with playful, rhyming poetry about topics that are familiar to your child like animals, food, and bedtime. Nursery rhymes and Mother Goose collections are early favorites.

Read the poetry aloud slowly. Emphasize the sound of the words and the rhymes. Read dramatically to emphasize the breaks and phrasing of the poem. Have fun with the colorful language and word play.

Reread the poem several times. Many popular poets for kids (for example Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky) have several of their poems online. These can be printed and used for rereading. Favorite ones can be arranged into a family poetry notebook.

Once a poem is familiar to your child, take turns reading! First you read one line or one stanza, and have your child read the next. See if you can do that while maintaining the rhythm of the poem.

Plan your own family poetry jam. Have each member of the family choose and practice a favorite poem to share with the family. Set aside a special time to celebrate poetry by having each person share their poem.

While April is National Poetry month, there's enough excellent poetry for kids to share all year long. Ask your local librarian for help finding poetry collections that are a good fit for your child.
Happy Reading!

Cooperation—working in harmony with others to achieve a goal—is vital not only to a happy, successful life but also to a more peaceful and harmonious world. Cooperation requires children to solve conflicts and exercise a certain amount of self-control and empathy—often letting go of something they want for the good of the group. Building this kind of team spirit begins in the family, where kids learn how good it feels when everyone works together. As the classic children’s song puts it: “The more we get together, the happier we’ll be.”

Read some tips on teaching kids about cooperation:

Tune In to Your Child
The seeds of cooperation are planted very early, when parents tune in and respond to their young child’s needs. Try mirroring exercises: When you smile into your child’s eyes or synchronize your movements to his, it creates a harmonious rhythm that says to the child, “Mom and Dad understand me.” As kids get older, listening empathetically to them--even as you make demands or enforce rules--continues to foster the good feeling of reciprocity, the give-and-take that underlies cooperation.

Share and Share Alike
Why is sharing so hard to do? Because initially children think their toys might disappear permanently if someone takes them away--and their drive to be separate makes "No" the word of choice. Still, it's important that kids begin the process of learning to share even though it may take a few years to sink in. Why? Sharing some of their possessions is an early precursor to sharing thoughts and ideas. It also strengthens the bond between friends and makes people feel closer and happier, a strong basis for cooperation.

Set a Few Good Rules
Cooperation starts with learning to follow the rules that make a family--or any group--run more smoothly. But if parents don't set any guidelines, kids never get used to having limitations on their behavior. (On the other hand, too many rules make home a stern, forbidding place.) Having a few simple rules in the context of loving family relationships gives kids a strong foundation for working together with others. Rules can range from "no muddy shoes in the house" to "no name-calling." These convey the sense that children are part of something larger than themselves and that the world does not revolve around them.

Teach Problem-Solving Basics
When kids get into a dispute, parents often want to jump in and solve the problem. But kids learn more by solving disagreements themselves than when you take over. Help them control their impulses by having them take a few breaths before they say or do anything. Encourage verbal problem-solving, pointing out, "How do you think that makes her feel?" and "Can you think of some ways to work this out?" Show children how to use “I messages” to tell their friends what’s bothering them. Instead of “You’re stupid,” they could say, “I feel mad when you take my toy.” Use “I messages" yourself as a way to express your feelings without blaming or attacking.

Kindle Family Spirit
The family is the first group to which children belong. It’s important to help them see their family as a team that benefits as a whole when each person does his or her part. Give age-appropriate chores to foster a spirit of helpfulness at home. Since kids are more cooperative when they have some choice in the matter, you might offer choices for jobs they can do, geared to their various likes and dislikes. Fun traditions like making up a song with every family member’s name or taking turns talking about their day at the dinner table also contribute to the growth of cooperation

Encourage Group Projects
When kids engage in projects with friends--building something, cooking, putting on a play or musical, or pretending together--they strengthen the social skills that underlie cooperation. Encourage children to collaborate on creating a pretend environment (such as a farm or a restaurant), and suggest they decide together what animals or food they want to make. The point is that they are learning to be flexible, to use language for mutual understanding, to work out decisions--the basic ingredients of cooperation. Throughout their school years, doing projects with classmates allows kids to see first-hand that when people come together to cooperate, great things can be achieved.
Be Aware of Peer Pressure
There are times when cooperation isn’t a virtue, such as when peer pressure pushes kids to go along with things they shouldn’t. Teach them to be aware of their alternatives and to have a strong enough individual sense to know what’s really good for the group and what’s not. Talk about the difference between going along with the crowd in negative ways, like harassing another child or shoplifting--and true cooperation toward a positive goal.
Join the Team
Playing team sports is a time-honored way of giving kids the opportunity to practice cooperation. Not only do they see how rules work for the common good, they learn to put off immediate gratification for long-term gain. A child may want to play a certain position, but if the coach needs him in another spot, he’ll have to sacrifice his personal desire for the good of the team. If your child doesn't love sports, joining another kind of team--a band, a debating team, a drama club--can offer the same kind of experiences. All of us have individual strengths and weaknesses, and teamwork enables us to maximize our strengths and compensate for our weaknesses in order to make a contribution. These lessons serve children well in later life.
Do Community Service

Lots of schools encourage students to participate in community service, but it’s also great to volunteer as a family. Not only will you be helping your community—you'll be showing kids how banding together can have an effect on the larger world, not just on their own immediate lives. Check out the needs of your community and how much time you have available. You could commit to a regular weekly spot at a food bank or participate in a short-term project, like spring cleanup at a recreation area. Through volunteering, kids learn to work together, to take on different roles, and to set goals. But the most lasting benefit is the closeness you’ll feel as a family joined in a cooperative effort
Have a wonderful week,
Mrs. Papp

Treasure our Planet....

Your child, Respect and You!

Schools teach children about respect, but parents have the most influence on how respectful children become. Until children show respect at home, it's unlikely they will show it anywhere else.

Respecting your child
How can you show respect to your child?

• Be honest. If you do something wrong, admit it and apologize.
• Be positive. Don't embarrass, insult or make fun of your child. Compliment him.
• Be trusting. Let your child make choices and take responsibility.
• Be fair. Listen to your child's side of the story before reaching a conclusion.
• Be polite. Use "please" and "thank you." Knock before entering your child's room.
• Be reliable. Keep promises. Show your child that you mean what you say.
• Be a good listener. Give your child your full attention.
Modeling good behavior
Children learn from everything we say and do. Make sure that you are modeling respectful behavior. Some of things you can do are:

• Obey laws. Follow rules.
• Be caring. Show concern for people, animals and the environment.
• Avoid poor role models. When you see examples of disrespect, discuss them.

More respect tactics
When you set rules at home, explain to your child why the rule is important. For instance, if the rule is "No TV between 4:00 and 6:00," explain that this is because this is homework time and homework is important to keep grades up in school.

• Teach your children to respect themselves. Self-respect is one of the most important forms of respect. Once we respect ourselves, it is easier to respect others.

• Your opinion means a lot to your children. If you believe your children can succeed, they will believe they can as well. Build their independence. Give them responsibilities as soon as they can handle them.

• Help them set and achieve goals. Their self-respect will skyrocket when they see themselves achieving those goals.

• Encourage honesty. Let your children know that they may be able to fool some people, but they can't fool themselves. There is no pride in stealing, cheating or lying.

• Most importantly, show love! Say “I love you" often, and give plenty of hugs and kisses. If your child makes a mistake, remind them that they are still loved.

Respect at every age
Age affects children's respect. Children and adults deserve respect at every age.

• Babies are too young to show respect, but when you meet their needs, they learn to trust you. This helps as they get older, because respect for authority is based on trust.

• Toddlers are old enough to learn to say "please" and "thank you."

• Preschoolers are a good age for learning rules and consequences.

• Elementary age children show the most respect for adults who make fair rules. It helps to let them have a say in the rules that they are expected to follow.

• Middle schoolers and high schoolers should be allowed to show independence, such as in their clothing or hairstyles, but make sure you have guidelines. They will appreciate the respect you are showing them.

© Steve McChesney

The Reading Scoop of the Week... The Importance of Classroom Libraries

Understanding the Importance of Classroom Libraries

Research shows that classroom libraries help students attain reading achievement. The
following key points from "Scholastic’s Classroom Libraries Work: Research & Results"
provide concrete examples that will help you build an effective skill-building library for
your students:
-Children learning to read need access to meaningful and personally interesting books.
-Effective teachers of reading incorporate diverse trade books into their reading
curriculum, introducing their students to the wide range of genres, authors, and topics.
-While the best predictor of reading success is the amount of time spent reading, reading
achievement is also influenced by the frequency, amount, and diversity of reading
activities.
-By providing access to a rich classroom library, teachers promote greater amounts of
reading, increased reading frequency, and more diverse reading experiences among their
students, thus helping them to attain greater levels of reading achievement.
-Effective teachers of reading know that comprehension is enhanced by reflection and
social interaction. Therefore, they provide their students with multiple opportunities to
respond to their reading and interact with their peers through a variety of activities such
as book clubs and discussions.
-Increased vocabulary knowledge helps students understand what they read, and reading
comprehension is enhanced when students understand the meaning of words. Thus there
is a reciprocal benefit to independent reading of trade books--vocabulary growth and
reading comprehension.
-Effective teachers know the reading levels of their students and reading levels of the
trade books in their classroom, so that they can match their students to texts that can be
read with success, thus assisting their students to grow as readers.
If you think of a classroom library as a cozy, welcoming space where students can read
quietly or browse through a rich collection of texts, you are only partially correct. The
fact that classroom libraries are places for storage and quiet is only one small part of their
purpose. They are, in the broadest sense, the backbone of classroom activity: Much of
’First Steps to Excellence’ Newsletter October 2004
Department of Curriculum and Instruction Memphis City Schools
what goes on each day draws from or occurs in or around the resources and space within
the classroom library. According to D. Ray Reutzel and Parker C. Fawson, there are at
least five important functions of an effectively designed classroom library.
1. Supporting Literacy Instruction
The first function of a classroom library is to support reading and writing instruction--in school and out. To this end, outfit your classroom library with books and other media materials to support student learning in all of the daily curriculum subjects. Include materials related to science, health, mathematics, history, economics, geography, music, art, drama, dance, languages, grammar, spelling, literature, computers, and other topics.
Build an adequate collection of fiction and nonfiction materials at enough different levels to accommodate the many interests and abilities of students designing to check out books for take-home reading.
2. Helping Students Learn About BooksNext,An effective classroom library provides a place for teachers to teach and children to
learn about books and book selection. Here children can experience a variety of book
genres and other reading materials in a smaller and more controlled environment than in the school or public library. You can also use the classroom library to teach students how to take care of books. You can set up a book repair area for instruction on repair, and display a poster with clear directions on how to mend torn pages, remove marks in the books, cover frayed edges, or fix broken bindings. You can also use the classroom library to teach students effective strategies for selecting relevant, interesting, and appropriate
reading materials. A good classroom library helps students locate books easily and gives them room to get comfortable.
3. Providing a Central Location for Classroom Resources
You can also use your classroom library as an organized central storage location for
classroom instructional resources. Here is additional space for organizing science
equipment, CD and tape players, VHS and DVD tapes, computers wired to the Internet,
games, magazines, and other materials that support learning. In this respect, the
classroom library mirrors the organization of media centers at the individual and district
levels.
4. Providing Opportunities for Independent Reading and Curricular Extensions
The fourth important function of a classroom library is as a resource and location for independent reading, personal exploration, project research, and individual assessment.
Every good comprehensive reading program provides students daily time to read
independently. The classroom library is typically the resource that supports children’s daily independent reading of self-selected books that meet their personal, recreational reading interests. The classroom library also provides students with readily accessible print materials, expository books, computer technology, and media for conducting research or completing curricular extension projects. Further, an in-class library offers a setting for students to quietly read aloud and discuss a book with a peer or the teacher.
This provides an ideal opportunity for you to conduct an informal assessment of each
student’s reading, which will help you to plan individualized instruction.
Have a wonderful week,
Mrs. Papp

Teaching your Child Study Skills

As I get to know your children, I will try to incorporate more and more study skills elements and lessons to our daily routine but it would help if you did the same at home. The following article may help you get started.
Your child has a better chance of succeeding in Middle School if she/he masters school survival skills now. Here's how you can help her get organized and learn to study effectively.


Does your child know how to study for a test?
While many teachers spend some class time teaching study skills, students often need more guidance than they get in the classroom. In middle school, there's more homework, it becomes more difficult and it requires analytical skills your child may not have developed yet.
The study skills your child needs to do well on her test on Friday are the same ones she will need to succeed in middle school and beyond: getting organized, taking good notes and studying effectively.
As your child moves toward independence, she's/he's less likely to ask for your advice. She will need to go through some trial and error to come up with the strategies most compatible with her learning style. And you'll want to encourage your child to take responsibility for her/his own school work. You can help her by monitoring homework, asking questions and helping her evaluate what works for her/him — and what doesn't.

Helping Your Child Get Organized
Getting organized is crucial for your child, "And the key is parent involvement."
Some tips to help your child get organized:
'Did You Do Your Homework?'
Parents need to ask more questions than this one, teachers advise. How much should you help with homework?
Monitor homework but remember it's your child's homework, not yours. You can help by asking questions that help guide your child to his own solutions. Some examples:
What information do you need to do this assignment?
Where are you going to look for it?
Where do you think you should begin?
What do you need to do next?
Can you describe how you're going to solve this problem?
How did you solve this problem?
What did you try that didn't work?
Why does this answer seem right to you?
Tell me more about this part? Provide a place to study.
It doesn't have to be a desk. "A kitchen counter is a great place, especially if mom's in the kitchen cooking."
The desk or table surface should be big enough so that your student can spread out papers and books. Make sure essential supplies such as pens, paper and calculator are close by. Have good lighting and a sturdy chair that's the right height available.
Help your child develop a system to keep track of important papers.

Make sure your child has — and uses — his /her assignment notebook. Help your child get in the habit of writing down each daily assignment in each subject and checking it off when it's complete.
Encourage your child to estimate how long each assignment will take.
He/she can then plan a realistic schedule, building in study breaks after subjects that are most challenging, and allowing for soccer games and band practice. Helping your child keep track of time spent studying — rather than staring at a blank page — will help him/her think about how he's/she's using his/her time. If he's/she's spending too much time on a subject that might be a signal that he needs extra help or tutoring.

Help your child break big projects into smaller ones.
A big research project will seem less overwhelming and will be less likely to be left until the last minute if it's done in manageable chunks, each with its own deadline.

Communicate with your me
If your child is struggling with organizational skills, please let me know and we can meet to talk about what might be causing the problems and brainstorm approaches to solve them.

Studying for Tests Studying for tests is a skill.
For struggling students, it's a mystery.

Parents can help their children manage their time and attention — which means turning of the cell phone, the TV and the iPod.

Some tips to remember in helping your child:
Rereading isn't the same as learning.
"Reviewing alone is not enough, reflecting on what she/he has learned along the way adds to learning. Thinking of potential essay questions and outlining them or working out the challenging math problems helps me learn how to apply the material so that I do not blank when I see the questions on the test.

There are other ways your student can practice active learning — highlighting his notes, using Post-its to mark key textbook passages, making study cards, and mapping and diagramming concepts.
People are productive at different times of day.
Some people focus better in the morning, others at night. Help your child find the times that his efforts will be most effective.

Sometimes we just have to memorize.

Help your child make the most of his time.
If she/he carries a review sheet or book along with her/him, sitting in the doctor's waiting room or waiting out a traffic jam can be productive study time.

Make sure your child knows the basics:
I will post a blog with the skills students at your child's grade level are expected to have. Middle school students are generally expected to have learned basic multiplication and division facts, for example. If your child can't quickly recall them, it is likely to hurt her scores on math tests. I will keep you posted.


Reflect on what works:
Some questions you can ask your child: How do you know when you've studied enough? How did you keep yourself focused? How much time did you plan to spend and how much did you actually spend? How would you do this differently next time?

Help your child de-stress:.
Good study skills can help reduce anxiety, and so can relaxation exercises and regular physical activity. If your child seems unusually anxious about tests, talk to him/her about it. If the work seems too difficult for your child or the workload too great, contact me as soon as possible.
Have a great weekend,
Mrs. Papp

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