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Syllabus 1

This document provides information for parents about the upcoming kindergarten class taught by Raquel Alcala at Hightech High school. It outlines classroom policies and expectations regarding toys from home, homework, clothing, health issues, illness, kindness, snacks, water bottles, labeling, procedures, positive discipline, exploration and play, project based learning, and academic standards and goals. The document is intended to inform parents about how the class will be structured and ways they can support their child's learning.

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75 views10 pages

Syllabus 1

This document provides information for parents about the upcoming kindergarten class taught by Raquel Alcala at Hightech High school. It outlines classroom policies and expectations regarding toys from home, homework, clothing, health issues, illness, kindness, snacks, water bottles, labeling, procedures, positive discipline, exploration and play, project based learning, and academic standards and goals. The document is intended to inform parents about how the class will be structured and ways they can support their child's learning.

Uploaded by

api-366585369
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Our Kinder Class

Raquel Alcala
Contact email: ralcala@hightechhigh.org
School Phone #: 619- 564-6700

Kindergarten is going to be an exciting year full of new experiences and discoveries. My


goal is to provide an engaging, hands-on learning experience in a nurturing, organized
and peaceful environment In order to help your child be successful I also need your
support. Please take time to read the following information about our class and the
many ways you can take part in making school a positive and fruitful experience.

PLEASE NO TOYS: We ask that the students not bring toys from home. They are a
distraction and may get broken or lost.
HOMEWORK: Students at HTe do not have traditional daily homework. We want to be
fully sensitive to the needs of children and families. By limiting homework there is more
time for kids to play and spend time with the ones they love which is just as important to
their learning and development. However, there are still expectations that you will work
with your children at home. At least 20 minutes should be set aside daily to read with
your child.
Sometimes I will ask that students do small tasks at home which might include
interviewing a parent about a topic or collecting family pictures to share. I will be sure
and email about any mini-assignments before they are due.

CLOTHING: Please remember that children learn through experimenting, discovering,


and trying out new materials. This may include such things as playing with paint, glue,
sand, water, etc. Kinders are active and will be climbing, jumping, rolling, and other
physical activities. So please keep this in mind when they get dressed in the morning.
Also, make sure that they have clothing that they can independently put on and take off
to use the restroom and shoes that do not need to be repetitively tied or that they can tie
themselves.
EXTRA CLOTHING: Please put an extra set of clean clothes in a ziplock bag with your
childs name on it and place it in their cubbie. It can remain there all year in case of
spills or any, I was having so much fun I forgot to go to the bathroom, moments.

HEALTH: Please let me know of special circumstances which may affect your child.
These could include medication that may make them sleepy, personal family matters, or
morning potty troubles. I want to make sure I am accommodating all children
emotionally and physically.

ILLNESS: The question of when to keep your child home from school is often a difficult
one, especially when decisions must be made first thing in the morning. It is important,
however, to keep your child home if they are ill. This helps to make them more
comfortable and prevents others from becoming ill. Children function more effectively in
the classroom when they are healthy.

KINDNESS: Students in our classroom are encouraged and expected to treat all
members of our class as well as others with kindness and respect. Bothering others,
bullying, and interrupting learning is not tolerated.
We understand that kindergarteners are still in the process of developing certain social
skills and we allow room for their development and growth. At the same time we want to
ensure that all kids feel safe and can learn free from distraction.
SNACK AND LUNCH: You are welcome to pack both snack and lunch for your child. If
you do, please consider packing food that is nutritious. Studies have shown that healthy
food directly impacts the behavior of children and their ability to focus. We suggest
including fruits and veggies to go along with any treats.
If your child eats hot lunch at school they are still welcome to bring a snack for the
morning and afternoon. We do, however, provide goldfish or something similar.

WATER BOTTLES: Students can bring their own water bottles to school. We keep
them in the classroom throughout the day for them to drink as needed. There are also
plenty of water fountains so bottles are not an absolute necessity.

LABEL, LABEL, LABEL: Please take the time to label all your childs belongings. This
includes water bottles, plastic food containers, backpacks, and clothing. I have plenty of
permanent markers if you would like to label any articles before or after school. Labeling
helps us identify belongings and find them if they get lost.
PROCEDURES: Young children benefit from having daily routines, procedures, and
structures in place. They create a sense of safety by helping children know what will be
happening throughout the day and what is expected of them during these times. In the
beginning of the year we practice basic skills such as lining up, being whole body
listeners, and learning how to care for our materials extensively. Focusing on these
skills and developing procedures now will allow us to spend more time learning instead
of addressing conflicts that arise out of uncertainty or lack of clear expectations.

POSITIVE DISCIPLINE: Behavior management plays an important role in creating an


environment that is conducive to learning. We need kids to sit down, listen, and follow
basic rules so we can teach them. That being said I want your child to develop
autonomy and learn to regulate their own behavior. This is, however, a very in depth
process that takes place over an extended period of time and even years. At times
behavior needs to be met with immediate intervention. In our class I always give
students a warning and state clearly what the expected behavior is. Then I ask them to
explain their understanding of what they are doing and why it is distracting, harmful etc.
I follow by letting them know that the next step after a warning is reflection time away
from the activities we are taking part in. This is not meant to be a form of isolation but
time for them to pause and evaluate their behavior removed from other stimulation. This
is usually all that is necessary.
In the case that more serious incidents arise students are asked to reflect by filling out a
class contract that has them explain what behavior happened for example, hitting, and
then explaining what could have been an alternative choice they could have made. I
then will go over the contract with the student and help them understand the importance
of the choices they make and how poor choices can have negative impacts on others
and can carry consequences. The contract is then sent home to be signed and
returned. I will also notify parents.
If a behavior needs immediate attention the student may be sent to the director or a
phone call to the parents may be placed. This information is not meant to create any
uneasiness about school discipline but give you a clear picture of behavior management
in our class.
I strongly believe that there are no such thing as bad kids just not so good, choices. I
work to help students understand their behavior and to help them see alternatives to
their choices. This includes employing logical consequences when necessary, and
parent involvement so that students experience a uniform response to their behaviors.

EXPLORATION & PLAY: Play is essential to normal brain development and learning.
Every once in awhile a parent will voice concern that it looks like we are playing in class
versus taking part in more structured activities. Let me assure you that both play and
various forms of academics are taking place throughout the day. However, worksheets
and drills are very limited in our class. Current research on learning indicates that
student centered exploration and play yields far better academic outcomes in the long
run than traditional classroom approaches. Play helps students navigate social
situations, develop creative thinking which promotes problem solving, and provides time
for exploring academic concepts.
PROJECT BASED LEARNING: PBL is an approach to learning that is focused on
applying academic knowledge and skills to explore and address real world topics,
scenarios, and problems. It addresses the needs of diverse classrooms and allows
students the opportunity to learn in authentic meaningful ways. It recognizes that
students are not standardized nor do they all learn in a standard way. PBL projects may
include some or all of the following:
Role-playing
Real-world scenarios
Blended writing genres
Multiple reading genres
Authentic assessments
Authentic audiences
Real-world expertise brought into the classroom
Units that assess multiple skills
Units that require research and comprehension of multiple subjects
Student choice
Collaboration
Multiple methods of communication (writing, oral speaking, visual presentations,
publishing, etc.)

Bullets retrieved from: What is Project Based Learning?


STANDARDS: We consistently utilize Common Core & the National Generation
Science Standards to inform instruction. In addition HTe also has their own set of
standards to ensure that your child is acquiring essential academic skills.

Kindergarten Goals

Project * Understand and use the elements of critique: kind, specific


Workers/ and helpful feedback
Social Thinkers * Wonder about things (how?/why?)
* Share ideas and actively listen to others ideas
* Work well with partners/small groups (solving problems
together)
* Build independence
* Embody the HTH5: Curiosity, Empathy, integrity, confidence,
and reflective
* Take risks and learn from mistakes (when met with failure,
they persevere)
* Understand that they are part of a community, that the
community has norms, and that every member is valued

Readers * Read solidly at Level D


- read fluently
- show comprehension (ask and answer questions, retell main
events of the story in sequential order, connect to the text, and
make predictions)
* Concepts of Print
-Identify front/back cover
-left to right, top to bottom
* Phonemic Awareness
-rhyme,blend and segment cvc words, onset/rime, syllables
-identify initial/medial/final sounds in cvc words
* Phonics
-sound/symbol correspondence of each letter
-blend cvc words
-long and short sounds
* Use decoding strategies
(picture clues and blend sounds)
* Read Pre-Primer and Primer Dolch Sight Words

Writers * Write simple ideas independently


* Match illustrations to writing
* Know all the letters and sounds to use in writing
* Blend letter / sounds to use inventive spelling
* Develop use of spaces and end punctuation
* Write pre-primer and primer Dolch sight words
* Know some word families

Mathematicians * Read and write numbers 0-20


* Accurately count objects to 30
* Fluently add and subtract through 5
* Add and subtract within 10 using pictures/manipulatives, word
problems
* Name and draw basic shapes
*Compare numbers (greater, lesser, equal)

MATH: Math is an important part of the overall curriculum at HTe. We teach math
during project time when it is relevant to the project. We also teach math outside of
project time on a daily basis. The resources we use in kindergarten include,
Investigations TERC, an Inquiry-Based curriculum that is directly aligned to Common
Core and ST Math an online site for conceptual math practice.
LITERACY: Students receive explicit literacy instruction in the classroom. The
expectation is that all kindergartners will be reading at or close to a D level by the end of
the school year. To help students achieve this students will work in guided reading
groups with the teacher daily. The groups are organized based on each child's level of
proficiency and focus on everything from concepts of print, to phonemics, structure, and
comprehension. In addition each week students will work with one or two letters of the
alphabet and are introduced to new sight words to aide them in their reading.

The End: That was a lot of information but I am sure there are still are still many
questions that I have yet to address. Please let me know and I will be sure to include
answers here for you to reference.

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