Report Card Time!!!!

Lil Miss is now into her third nine weeks. I must say, as more time passes, Lil Miss does even better. She's been actively participating in school and following the rules. (Which gives me a little relief because she doesn't always follow the rules at home. This past Wednesday, she brought her report card home in the Wednesday folder.

I have to say I am extremely proud of her. She brought home straight A's!!!!!  Her first report card showed that she was having a hard time in her classes which caused concern. I started her on an amazing learning tool that I must recommend to those who are trying to teach their children how to read.

It's called: The Reading Game

The Reading Game contains six stacks of cards and six books. Each marked with a level beginning at one. Each level is then split into six more. Lil Miss and I started level one right around Christmas when her reading grade was a 73%. We began playing as the instructions directed and started making our way up. Each level has words written on the opposite side of the card. After matching them several times, Lil Miss learned how to read that word. As she made her way through each level, she learned all the words needed for book one. Now she's excited that she can actually read a book.

In a nine week period of playing The Reading Game mixed with her school learning, Lil Miss brought home a reading grade of 95%. How awesome is that????

If you'd like to know more about The Reading Game, you can click on any of the links to be directed to their website.

Fun and Games while Learning to Read

For most parents, one task that seems over whelming at times is helping your child to learn how to read, count, recognize numbers, etc.

I've been working with my daughter with several activities that I'd like to pass on to my fellow readers who have little ones around the school age. They are inexpensive and easy to do.

Numbers in a Jar- Activity #1

Items Needed

Jar (any type) (several are needed)

Candy (any kind)

Directions: Place candy into the jar as child counts them. Once you reach a good number for their age, as them to take one out and tell you how many is in there. Keep doing this a few more times. Then, start adding the candy back in. This helps with counting, adding, and subtracting.

If you have several jars, fill them up with the candies at different levels. Ask the child which has more or less. Have them close their eyes, mix up the jars by moving them into different places, and ask again. This helps them learn more and less.

My daughter enjoyed this. She calls it the jar game.

Index Card Game Activity #2

Items Needed

Index Cards

Glitter

Glue

Black Marker

This also became one of my daughter's favorite games.

We went through the alphabet and drew each letter on one side of the card. Next, I let her decorate the index card with the glitter. This gave the cards a nice look and they were unique flash cards for her to use later on when she knew her letters. I'd periodically quiz her with the cards to keep the alphabet in her mind.

Do you have any neat and fun activities you do with your child to help them learn?

First Nine Weeks- 1/2 way over..... Update



Emma's Kindergarten Picture- So beautiful

For those of you who have been following along, I'm back to give another update. There's been so much going on with Emma and school. She just amazes me everyday. She's learning so quickly though we have come across some things she needs to focus on. We got her mid-way report card last week. She's passing her classes though there's one grade that bothers me. She as a C- in reading. One point lower and it will be a D.

I'm doing everything I can to help her reach the potential I know she has. We've purchased reading apps for the Nook to help her with the reading. I've made flash cards as well as taped the words to objects through the house. Such as.... stove, sink, chair, table, etc..... Hopefully seeing the words as she says them will help.

Last week they had a program where an African Dance & Drum Team came to the school. Emma really enjoyed this. She said they sang and danced. They were even in really pretty clothes.

This week is the book fair as well as Grandparents Breakfast. She's super excited for this. She loves books as well as her Me-maw which will accompany her Friday morning.

We will be working on carving Emma's first pumpkin for a school contest. Which she has to turn in on Friday. I think I'm just as excited as she is on this one.

The end of the first nine weeks is Oct 31 so I pray we get a good report. I've been working very hard with her.

Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day.

Road to Reading

After Emma came home from school today, there was a note in her folder telling me of a few words that she needed to learn. This gave me the idea to do two things to try to help her learn. One would be to create basic word flashcards to go over with her every night. Second is that I wrote a letter to her teacher asking him for a list of the words he plans on teaching them. This way I can add them into the flash card pile.

I've done some research and found some awesome websites that help Kindergarten students learn to read. Emma just loves them. Google brought up a bunch of websites that were also very helpful.

What did you do to ensure your child was staying up with the rest of the class when it came to reading? All creative ideas are great. I'd love to learn some fun ways to help Emma learn how to read.

School- Week Four

I'm really excited. Emma's progress in school is going great. Homework isn't such a battle anymore because it seems she's getting used to doing it.

One of the things I do with her to excite her as well as get her to behave, is this: I have a calendar just for her. I got stickers as well. For each day she does what she's supposed to do without an attitude, she gets to choose a sticker to place on the day on her calendar. This week, seems to be the first week since she's started school where she's got stickers every day. YAY!!

Fall pictures were taken this past Monday. She came home upset because her teacher made her stand on a chair. She said, "We aren't supposed to stand on the furniture. He made me do it." I told her that some times it's ok to do this. Especially when an adult tells you to. This seemed to calm her down.

I'm very proud of her. She's managed to bring her coat and lunch box home all week. (This has been a task since she started school.) She's progressing well with writing and learning. I can't wait to get her first report card just to see how she's really doing.

Well, that's the update. Thanks for reading. Comments are appreciated. :)

Kindergarten- Week One Ends

Well, this week has been a journey. Emma seems to be enjoying school more than I thought. I woke up this morning (Sat) and she's asking me to get her ready. I've explained to her that she only goes Monday thru Friday. She simply said , " I can't like this."

We've been doing some work with her writing here at the house. But she doesn't like doing it. I made flash cards out of index cards so she can start identifying the alphabet. She knows them to say them but doesn't know what they look like. It's the same with her numbers as well. Do you have any tips and tricks on doing this that you did with your child(ren)?

She's also upset because she doesn't have school on Monday. She said that's not right. How is she supposed to learn if they won't let her.

Her school pictures are in a few weeks. I'm excited about that. I have the frame ready for the photo. Yeah sort of crazy but this is my first child. I've scrap booked her entire life so far. She will have plenty to see what her life was like as she was growing up. I even have the discharge papers from the hospital from after I gave birth.

Well, everyone have a safe and happy holiday weekend.