Pre-k Teacher Reflections of 2015-2015 School Year

The school year is coming to an end for pre-kindergarten age students with excitement and sadness to start kindergarten in the fall leaving friends behind.  This is a great time for pre-kindergarten teachers to reflect on the year and make changes/modifications for the upcoming school year.

Here are some ideas to ponder over the summer months and start of the new school year.

1.     Re-read teaching Standards and Elements to plan evidences that will be placed in teacher portfolio (levels proficient or higher for 2015-2016),

2.     Set up teacher portfolio with dividers per Standard using cover page that will reflect current school year (2015-2016),

3.     Purchase composition notebook to use for reflective journal entries (2015-2016) ,

4.     Review the concept of DIALOGIC READING to pose a range of critical thinking questions.  Go to  http://community.fpg.unc.edu/connect-modules/learners/module-6  to gamin more knowledge of concept,

5.       Create a class website to communicate with parents.  Go to http://www.simplycircle.com/   then click “Classrooms”,

6.     Set up texting/emailing system to keep parents abreast of events such as early release reminder, school closing, and parent workshop.  Go to www.remind.com to create account,

7.     Write on sentence strips “open-ended” questions in multiple languages and align to centers.  Remember to post skills/objectives per center (e.g., blocks, computer, art),

8.     Conduct home visits over summer break to get to know your students and their parents, if possible (have questionnaire to lead conversation),

9.     Ask parents for family photo that can be placed in students cubbies to build security by viewing, as needed,

10.                         Ask families to create a page of child’s favorite things that will be placed in binder that can be viewed periodically (e.g., Our Preschool Class Families Book, Connecting with Families).  You will bring a piece of home to school to assist student’s adjustment to school,

11.                        Schedule parent orientation prior to first day of school, if possible.  Have classroom set up and walk them through typical day for their child.  Share the skills/objectives per center and ways they will be active participants in the learning process,

12.                        Label materials on shelves with pictures and name in English and another language, 

13.                        Label different objects in classroom in English and another language (e.g., door, clock, sink),

14.                        Plan lessons around getting to know each other and the classroom learning environment.  You may want to take a small group at a time to the enters discussing proper way to play with materials, and 

15.                        After students have been enrolled 30/45 days conduct formal assessment, review data and create short-range to long-range goals for individualization.

The list could be longer but you must carve out some YOU time before it is time to start the 2015-2016 school year.  As you are preparing, if you have other ideas please share because knowledge is powerful.