We have been incredibly busy over the last few weeks welcoming our new students! Transitioning into kindergarten is a huge milestone, and our class has risen to the challenge. We have worked really hard at learning classroom rules, building new routines, and diving headfirst into our daily learning.
Here is a look at what we have been up to and why these early activities are so important for your child’s development:
Finding Our Voice in Restorative Circles
Every day, we gather together for our restorative circle time. This is a structured, intentional space where students sit in a circle to share their feelings, talk through reflection prompts, and connect with their peers.
Why it matters: Restorative circles build a strong, inclusive classroom community. At a young age, this practice teaches children crucial social emotional skills like active listening, empathy, and emotional regulation. It gives every single child a voice and ensures they feel safe, valued, and seen.
Reaching for the Sky in Math
In math, we aren't just writing numbers on paper we are using our whole bodies! We have been practicing "skywriting" our numbers from 0 to 9, lifting our arms high to trace the shapes in the air.
Why it matters: Skywriting uses gross motor skills to build muscle memory before kids transition to fine motor writing with pencils. This multi-sensory approach helps young learners internalize the correct stroke order and orientation of numbers, which significantly reduces letter and number reversals later on.
Discovering Sounds with UFLI Reading
Our reading journey is powered by UFLI Foundations. In these "Getting Started" lessons, we focus heavily on phonemic awareness learning to hear, identify, and play with the individual sounds in words. To make it fun, we have been using personal mirrors to look closely at our own faces while we speak.
Why it matters: Using mirrors allows children to visually see how they form their mouths, teeth, and lips to produce specific speech sounds (articulatory awareness). Connecting the physical feeling of making a sound to the visual cue in the mirror helps solidify their foundational reading and spelling skills.
Play, Breaks, and Well-Earned Rest!
Of course, kindergarten isn’t just hard work, it is also full of joy! Some of our absolute favorite parts of the day include energetic brain breaks, hands on math games, running around at recess, and exploring our classroom centers.
By the time Friday rolls around, our brains and bodies have worked so hard that we are absolutely exhausted!