I am FINALLY getting around to posting this... ugh I wish I was more on top of this stuff!
Where did the time go this school year?! Crazy that Ty is all done for the school year... movin' on up to the 1st grade! Wow that will be an adjustment in August - one I will not be looking forward to. I love having Ty home even if it means more screaming from Isabelle! Ty could not be more excited to have summer break and we have a jam packed summer full of vacations, camps and activities so hopefully it won't go by too fast!
Here's a look at Ty's last week of Kindergarten-
Tuesday was Ty's graduation performance. He did a good job memorizing his part and singing the songs. He was excited to see us all sitting in the audience and was happy Grandma and Grandpa Taylor could attend. Isabelle loved getting tickled by grandpa and surprisingly sat on grandma's lap so I could take pictures.
Wednesday was Field Day. It was a little bit chaotic so I was glad that I volunteered to help out for the 2 hours. Some of the games Ty enjoyed were the cart races, Space Invaders, kickball, soccer and tag. We took a little break to enjoy our snack and then we were back outside for more fun. While in outfield playing kickball Ty made a good catch to get the other team out - he was so proud!
Even Isabelle got to participate in one of her favorites!
Thursday he had his Teddy Bear Picnic. He took his dog "shadow" and a bag of cheese popcorn aka Pirate's Booty. He made a cute book all about his dog and enjoyed being outside to run around.
Friday was the last official day! He went to school for a few hours, said good-bye to his teacher and friends and was greeted happily by mom and Isabelle in his classroom! He came home with a "yearbook" from his class. It had photocopied pictures of the kids and each of them signed their name next to the pictures. It was such a cute idea - one my favorite handouts from the year!
Some of the things I learned this year... I am hopeful they will help me start off better with Isabelle:
- I know my child better than anyone and I can never expect a teacher to address issues that I may notice without talking to the teacher about specific ones. My persistence helped ensure Ty got the teacher I felt was best for him for 1st grade!
- Volunteer, Volunteer, Volunteer in the classroom, on field trips, school activities, etc. I can never spend enough time with my child and they will only be in that grade once experiencing those things once. Ty LOVED when I was participating in these activities or helping out. It gave him a sense of security to know I was constantly around and he was very proud to have Chad or I there. This also helped show his teacher that I was very involved in what was going on and developed better communication between the 2 of us.
- Voice my opinion not only in the classroom but school wide. If I don't say anything than chances are no on else will either. I want my children's school to be safe, secure and fun - there is always room for improvement!
- Work on homework together and challenge them on their levels in addition to the daily homework they get. They can never learn enough!
- Remember to put a water bottle and snack in their backpack. If they are hungry or thirsty during school they will not learn as well and they will feel comfortable knowing they have something provided in their backpack if this happens. Talk to the teacher to let them know they may need a little extra "fill-up".
- Pop into the classroom unexpectedly to just monitor during class time.
- Always remember there are 2 sides to every story - don't rush to a conclusion based on what your child has said. Hear my child's side first and then talk with the teacher about what I have heard from my child and get the teachers side of the story. The teacher respected me for this as a parent and was VERY helpful in finding the best conclusion for everyone!
- Talk frequently with children about NEVER being alone with anyone from school - the teacher, principal, etc. Help develop the knowledge and confidence they need in this area. The more we discuss this issue the more they will know and remember!
- Talk, ask questions, talk some more - communicate a lot with my child. New friends = new information and sometimes that information is not something done or said in our home. As long as I was always there and ready to talk about it when he was ready to talk then it seemed to get resolved quicker. This was a challenge at times because I want to choose his friends for him but there are definite differences in what each of us see but as long as he is reminded of our rules he can become a better example!
