Monday November 20th 2017

Hello!

What a weekend! First snowfall of the year. While it made for some slippery driving, it was beautiful and certainly had my kids excited! Please remember to dress your child appropriately for the weather each day. If you are in need of any winter items, please let me know and we would be happy to help.

Also, if your child still does not have indoor shoes here at St. John the Apostle, please let me know and we can make sure they have the appropriate footwear.

This is a short but busy week. A reminder that there is a P.D. Day on Friday November 24th.

We are celebrating Anti-Bullying week! In our class, we are focusing on the importance of being kind to others, and celebrating our differences. We often talk about how each of us being a unique and special person is worthy of celebration. This week is a great time for us to reinforce the significance of this! Today we will be reading a story called, Invisible Isabelle. The main lesson in this story is that we must remain true to ourselves and not try to be like others. We are exactly who God has intended us to be, and we are all beautiful!

We will also look at the story of The Good Samaritan to guide our actions. How can we be more like the Good Samaritan? How can we help others? What are some ways we can be kind and pay kindness forward?  I am really looking forward to having these conversations with the students!

This week, we will also begin discussing a book called, `Big Deals and Little Deals`. In the book, it explains the difference between a big deal (something that hurts your body, something dangerous, scary situations) and a little deal (someone bothering you, someone hurting your feelings). It teaches different strategies to handle the little deals on our own. The strategies that the book uses mimic those we have learned about while using our WITS! (Walk away, Ignore, Talk about it, Seek help) Look for more info as we practice the strategies in the class! Please let me know if you would like more information about the book or the strategies we are using!

Our new word wall words this week are:

and, it

he, she, no

have, old, little, tell, house

Please ask your child which words are theirs and help them practice them. The students have been playing some games to help reinforce their words here at school. We try to keep the learning exciting! Ask them about what their favourite Word Wall Word game is!

In our writing, we will be looking at procedural writing. This is where the students will be writing "how to" instructions. We will practice writing an introduction sentence, the necessary steps to completing our task, transition words (first, then, finally) and a concluding sentence. You can support this skill by asking your children what the steps are to the tasks they are completing at home. For example, brushing your teeth. First, put the toothpaste on the toothbrush, then brush the top teeth, next brush the bottom teeth and finally rinse out your mouth!!  Look for more updates on our amazing work with this!

This week, we are also going to begin learning about  idioms. Our language has so many sayings that are not so easy to figure out! We will be discussing how sometimes, words do not mean what they say! When I say, "It's raining cats and dogs", there really isn't animals falling from the sky! But what does it mean? This week, we are beginning with, "Get your act together" and how it means to behave appropriately for where you are. I have some other fun expressions up my sleeve for the rest of the year!

Enjoy the week everyone!  As always, please let me  know if you have any questions or concerns. I am happy to chat! Stay warm!

Exciting news!!!

Just a reminder.........

The students have been working hard to earn Dojo points!

At the beginning of the year, we set some goals for the class and we have been meeting each goal with speed and determination!

The students earned some free time, extra recess.....even a lesson on how to make slime!

Now they have reached 500 points and they have earned a little pizza party!

I will be ordering pizza for the class on

Wednesday, November 7th.

I will order two slices of cheese pizza for each student.

I am really proud of the students. They are working harder than ever to be kind and respectful, and to be diligent learners! They really do deserve this!

Thank you for sending me your wonderful children, and for allowing me to reward them with pizza!

Please let me know if there are any dietary concerns, or if you you have any other questions or concerns about our celebration!

Thank you!

Sarah Faloon

Primary Language Class

St, John the Apostle

Happy Monday!

I hope everyone had a nice weekend prepping for Halloween! My kiddos at home are so excited, I am sure your families are sharing in the excitement!

This is going to be an exciting week here at SJA. The students are so very excited about Halloween. I love it!  I love that they are putting their enthusiasm into great words that  have turned into fantastic sentences and really fun conversations.  I am happy to hear about their costumes and how they are celebrating this fun day! 

To get ready for Halloween, our activities and lessons are planned around this theme! We will be practicing our procedural writing when we learn how to carve a pumpkin and we will be using our descriptive writing skills when we write all about our costumes!

Students will be invited to wear their costumes on Halloween. We have some fun things planned for the day while they are here to celebrate! Check out our class Twitter for some pictures of the exciting times!

We will not have Word Wall Words this week!! Instead, we will be focusing on our Halloween Vocabulary. Check it out!

We have really been enjoying writing in our journals.  The students have really been focusing on writing complete sentences using our Writers Eye! Here are the things we are looking for with our Writer’s Eyes!

Students can use this chart on the wall when they are writing to double check that they have included these 4 things!  (Capitals at the beginning, lowercase letters throughout the sentence, spaces between our words and punctuation at the end).

As the students become more comfortable with their writing and their skills improve, we will be adding different criteria to the list. The students did an excellent job!

As I review the student's written work, I will be commenting on what they have done using a strategy called, "Tickled Pink and Green for Growth".  You make have heard of this already, all this means is that I will write in PINK something that they did really well, something I am proud of them for doing! Then, I will add in GREEN their next steps.  Since these goals are so different for each student, this is a great communication tools! 

This is an example of what it may look like! 

A few reminders!

* If your child does not have indoor shoes to leave here, they need to bring them to and from their home school. As the weather gets colder and wetter, everyone needs a clean, dry and warm pair of shoes to wear here.  Please let me know if we can be of any help in getting your child a pair of shoes to leave here st SJA.  We would be happy to help! 

* We are in the last week of #WEscarehunger! Please send in any canned goods to help those in need! 

* Students have many opportunities to eat snacks in our class, however, there is a lot going on in your child's day!! Please let me know if you have any concerns about how much your child is able to eat during the day.  

* I will continue to send home the Word Wall Words every Monday. How/When/How Much you practice those words is up to you! I will take the WWW book out of the mail bags once I see that they have practiced, or on Friday.  Please let me know if I take it out and you would still like to practice. The words are usually posted on this blog and on our Twitter account, so feel free to check there as well! 

* The students are doing really well with their Snuggle Book Reading! Again, I will switch the books once I see that you have signed the page telling me how they have done.  You are welcome to keep each book for as long as it takes to read it with your child. 

* Please remember that our Library Day is Wednesday.  Please return all books on or by Wednesday of each week. Thanks! 

*There will be a P.J. Day on November 9th. Please bring in a donation for United Way!

October-10-17

Hello everyone!

I hope that you all had a lovely Thanksgiving weekend shared with family! What a beautiful weekend it was!  I have said it many times, but I feel so blessed to live in a city that gives us the most amazing and glorious autumns. Even with the rain yesterday, the colours of the leaves make me smile! I had some time this weekend to really think about the things I am most thankful for. My family is certainly one! I am also thankful for each of my students. They each teach me something different, every single day!

This week will be short and sweet!  While there are only 4 days at school, we still have plenty of work to do! 

The students had their picture taken here at SJA a few weeks ago. The proofs will be ready soon! Each student will be given an individual picture here. I will be sending them home as soon as I get them. I am sure they had one taken at their homeschool as well, or perhaps picture day has not happened yet. Please do not feel obligated to purchase from both. each group (both morning and afternoon) had a group picture taken and I will send it home as soon as it arrives.  

go, like

am, the look

went, has, down, off, go

Here are our word wall words for this week.  You will notice that there are MANY more words than the ones your child brought home.  As it is with much of our learning, students are working at varying levels. Each student has their own words that they are responsible for practicing.  

This week, we will begin to talk about stories and their elements. We will explore what the characters (who the story is about) and the setting (where the story happens) of a story were. These are some great things to discuss while you are reading with your kids at home! 

On our writing, we are working toward writing perfect sentences. Some of the things we will be practicing are starting the sentence with a capital, using finger spaces between words, using punctuation at the end of the sentence and ensuring that the sentence is a whole thought.  !! For students who have mastered these steps, they are working toward creating more descriptive sentences by adding details and explanations.  

A note about Snuggle Books!!

I try and send home books that will challenge the students and help them feel successful. The books are also chosen to help them work on specific strategies that we are learning about in class. The picture here shows some of the strategies that the students are working on. Depending on your child's reading level, they are using different strategies to solve unfamiliar words. Ask your child which strategy they are working on! If the books are too difficult for your child to read in one evening, please keep the book for longer!  The books only need to returned when your child has practiced and read the book independently. 

Quick Notes:

#WEscarehunger 

SJA is working together to SCARE HUNGER!  We have begun collecting canned goods and we will continue to do so until Halloween.  We will be donated all goods collected to Morrison Gardens. Please give if you can! 

The United Way Campaign is underway. In the next few weeks we will be having fun days and special events here at school to raise money for this amazing cause.  Please stay tuned for more details about the exciting events! 

A reminder that Library Day is on Wednesdays. Please remind your child to bring back the St. John the Apostle library books before Wednesday each week so that they can enjoy another book! 

Your child's IEP will coming home shortly. Your child’s IEP is developed in collaboration between the homeschool team, you the parents, and me. The homeschool will send home a draft copy of the IEP shortly. Please take the time to read it carefully. I would be very happy to arrange a time to sit and discuss the IEP with you. I can also set up a time to talk to you by telephone if that is preferable. Please remember your input is very important. Please note that Rosalind Mcguire, teacher at St. John the Apostle Catholic, will be reporting on the Social Studies curriculum for our students. 

Wishing everyone a great week! As always, please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns! 

S. Faloon :) 

Hello everyone!!!

It has been a very busy few days here in the Primary Language Class. 

So, it is official! We have moved! 

Our new classroom is up and running and we are settling in really well. Monday was our first full day in the class and the kids did really well. I know change can be difficult, especially after routines and structures have been set in place, but the kids were champions and I am really proud of them. We will spend some times this week reviewing the basics: where we line up, where the washrooms and water fountains are and how to get to the office from our new spot!

Last week, we read the book, "Have You Filled a Bucket Today". This book talks about how being considerate and conscientious of others really makes a difference, and how one small and simple act of kindness can turn someone’s day around!  We brainstormed and discussed ways in which we could be kind, be good friends and fill each other’s buckets. I am so thrilled to say that all of the students were FULL of ideas! It made my heart smile! What a kind bunch! 

As you know, the weather has been unseasonably HOT! While it is so nice to have this late summer weather, it does make for some pretty hot days at school. We have been encouraging the students to drink lots of water and find the shade at recess and we will keep it as cool as we can in the classroom. Please make sure your children are wearing lightweight clothing and send in a water bottle if you can. Thank you!

Today at St, John the Apostle, it was picture day! The students showed off their best smiles as we took our class photo and they had individual pictures taken. Each student will be having their individual picture taken at both schools, so if you are looking to purchase pictures, you will have two to choose from. 

We will be participating in our annual Terry Fox walk on Thursday. We will talk about the impact that Terry Fox had on us as a nation and look at how his contributions to cancer research started something bigger than he could have imagined. 

Today I will send home some Word Wall Words with your child. On the cover of the Word Wall Book there are some instructions.  Basically, the book is there for you to practice the words with your child.  There are no specific activities or timelines! All I ask is that the book be returned by Friday so I can put the new words in for the following week. We work on the words in class throughout the week. Practice at home is a great way to reinforce the learning that is happening at school! However, I understand how busy life gets and that sometimes homework takes a back seat to everything else in your day.  I also understand that there are so many more valuable things that you can be doing with the little time you have with your children at the end of the day. So, please do what you can, even if it is just talking about the words. Thank you so much for your help!

Here are of our words for this week:  

Group 1: a, see

Group 2: a, go, like

Group 3: I, the, is, can, like

I have also sent home a Snuggle Book.  For the new families, the concept of the Snuggle Book is that I send home a book for you to snuggle up and read with your child.  While I am sure you have tons of books at home, this is a book that I have chosen to be at your child's reading level.  The idea is that you read the book with your child a few times until they can read it to you independently.  This may be right away or it may take a few days. However long it takes.....noproblem! Please keep the book until your child feels comfortable reading it on their own, then you can return it for a new book. In the folder there is a place for you to write whether the book was too easy, too hard or just right.  Please let me know so I can continue to choose appropriate books for each child! 

This week, we will be learning about words in the _an word family.  Talk to your child about what words belong in this word family (i.e., pan, can, ran).  

We have also begun learning about the vowels and the sounds they make.  Vowel identification is an important part of learning to read!  Ask your child about the different sounds that the vowels make!

Have a great week everyone. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions!

Welcome Back!

Mrs. Faloon

Primary Language Class

Hello and welcome to a new school year! I hope that everyone had a wonderful and relaxing summer! I know I enjoyed my time with my family!

I was so thrilled to see my returning students and I am very excited to get to know my new students.

We certainly have had an exciting start to our new school year.  It has been a very busy week. We have started some getting-to- know-you activities, discussed school and classroom rules and procedures, and began to establish routines within the classroom. We are off to a great start and I know it is going to be a wonderful school year!!

I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to the St. John the Apostle Program Evening. Please see the handout for more details and information!

In the next few weeks we will dive right into our learning. I will be teaching the students about reading and writing strategies and we will be working on our oral language skills daily. We will begin weekly word wall words shortly. The students will complete activities within the classroom to practice and learn their words. The words will be sent home each week for you to practice with your children. I will write the students words in a book each week and you can review them with your children. There is no specific activity that will be required of them, the words are sent home for reinforcement and to keep you in the loop about what your children are learning. Feel free to read the words with your children, write the words with them or simply bring them up in conversation and talk about their spelling.

We will begin learning about our Daily Five work stations. This is valuable learning time that we use to focus on each child’s individual goals. The stations are set out with each child’s individual learning needs in mind. It gives them time to work on skills at their level!

Also in the next few weeks we will be learning some new games to help with our learning. We love to make learning feel like playing!

The students are working hard and I am really proud of them.  It is a lot of work coming to two different schools!  I would like to thank you for your dedication to your child's learning. Our little class can be best described as a family. We take care of each other and learn from one another. Our situation is unique and beautiful. I feel so fortunate to be in a class where I can focus on each child, assisting each one to meet their goals. I am looking forward to learning with them throughout this school year. I know it will be amazing!

Here are just a few little reminders:

Have you checked us out on Twitter yet?

@MrsFaloonPLC

There are tons of pictures and snippets of what we do everyday!

Also, remember that our blog is mrsfaloonplc.blogspot.ca!.

Transportation: If your child is absent from our Primary Language Class, it is very important that you call the transportation office to cancel the STS drivers (arrival and departure).  The phone number is 613-723- 9677.

Does your child have indoor shoes at St. John the Apostle Catholic

School?   We are requesting that each student brings an extra pair of shoes that could be left in our classroom. The shoes should be shoes he/she can put on easily on their own (i.e. without laces if you child is unable to tie his/her shoes yet).  This will help keep the class floors neat and tidy.  Please be sure to write your child’s name in the shoes clearly.

Please label your child’s belongings. It is very helpful to have your child’s name in their coats, sweaters, lunch bags, backpacks, shoes and boots!

IEP’s

Your child’s Individual Education Plan is developed in collaboration between the homeschool team, you the parents, and me. The homeschool will send home a draft copy of the IEP in October.  Please take the time to read it carefully.  I would be very happy to arrange a time to sit and discuss the IEP with you. I can also set up a time to talk to you by telephone if that is preferable. Please remember your input

is very important. Please note that Rosalind McGuire, a teacher at St.

John the Apostle, will be reporting on the Social Studies curriculum for our students.  

Have a great weekend! Please remember that I am happy to help if you have any questions or concerns.

Sarah Faloon

Can you believe the end of the school year is only a few days away? We have enjoyed a wonderful
year of learning and created many memories, and now it’s time to celebrate our hard work! The
children are very excited with the end of the year coming and the new challenges they will be facing
in September. Some children will be moving back to their homeschool or moving to another system
class while others will be returning to the Primary Language Class. For the children moving out of
the program, I wish you more success and happiness, and, I look forward to helping those students returning to St. John the Apostle Catholic School meet new language goals.

We are all ready to enjoy the class party today! I am really looking forward to enjoying the day with the students!

The students will continue to bring home their school work. Please take some time to go through what they have done. 👍
The students will also be bringing home their plants today. Some of them are pretty impressive, but as nature would have it, some did not grow. If your child's plant did not grow, I will be sending home a little package for them to try again!

A big thank-you to all of you for your support and assistance this school year. As parents, you play
an important part in helping children meet success. It has been my sincere pleasure working alongside with you to teach your children this year. I have mentioned this in previous posts, but this is the most amazing job in the world. Your children are an incredible joy and they teach me something new everyday. I feel blessed to be in this unique teaching position and I look forward to seeing what the children can accomplish next year.

Over the summer vacation, I strongly encourage you to help your child continue learning. Read to your child every day and practise writing by using the word wall words that we have been working on all year. Doing one or two activities each day over the summer vacation will help to keep your child’s skills sharp.

I hope you enjoy time with each other this summer. Have a happy and safe summer holiday.
God bless you and your family in this summer season!

Sarah Faloon