Sunday, September 6, 2015

Great Online Resources for Kids

I often get asked for some good online sites for kids.  Our school website has links for some of the paid ones and many of the others so be sure to check out the Maquinna School Website!



NOTE: To access the digital classroom for students:

 Go to the Maquinna Website
Scroll down to Digital Classroom


Wednesday, September 2, 2015

What Did You Do At School Today?




How many times have you asked your child, "How was school today?" or "What did you do at school today?" and you get a simple answer like, "Good" or "Nothing".

Here are some great ways to open up the lines of communication and find out about school with them even knowing you are doing so!

As seen on the Huffington Post:

1. What was the best thing that happened at school today? (What was the worst thing that happened at school today?)

2. Tell me something that made you laugh today.

3. If you could choose, who would you like to sit by in class? (Who would you NOT want to sit by in class? Why?)

4. Where is the coolest place at the school?

5. Tell me a weird word that you heard today. (Or something weird that someone said.)

6. If I called your teacher tonight, what would she tell me about you?

7. How did you help somebody today?

8. How did somebody help you today?

9. Tell me one thing that you learned today.

10. When were you the happiest today?

11. When were you bored today?

12. If an alien spaceship came to your class and beamed someone up, who would you want them to take?

13. Who would you like to play with at recess that you've never played with before?

14. Tell me something good that happened today.

15. What word did your teacher say most today?

16. What do you think you should do/learn more of at school?

17. What do you think you should do/learn less of at school?

18. Who in your class do you think you could be nicer to?

19. Where do you play the most at recess?

20. Who is the funniest person in your class? Why is he/she so funny?

21. What was your favorite part of lunch?

22. If you got to be the teacher tomorrow, what would you do?

23. Is there anyone in your class who needs a time-out?

24. If you could switch seats with anyone in the class, who would you trade with? Why?


25. Tell me about three different times you used your pencil today at school.

Do you have any to add?  The important thing is that we are chatting with our kids about their day and sometimes we just need some creative ways to do so.  

Monday, August 31, 2015

Brain Yoga

A very simple exercise with great results.  I will be incorporating this into my morning carpet routine. It is something you can do at home too.




A spiritual Teacher from the Philippines rediscovers an ancient exercise to raise I.Q.'s
Posted by Journalist Jennifer Sabih on Friday, August 28, 2015

Monday, August 17, 2015

Ways to Help a Child With Math

How can I help my child with Math?

I came across this article on some simple ways to help a child with Math.  The important thing for children to realize is that we use math everyday in our lives, it can be fun and they can do it!

For more detailed information
click on the photo.


Any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me.

Ways a Parent Can Help a Child With Reading

How can I help my child learn to read?

I came across this article and found it to include some simple things parents can do to help their children learn to read, which of course is one of the big expectations in Grade 1!

For more details, click on the photo to be taken to the article.


If you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact me.  My email is listed in the sidebar.

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Why 20 minutes a day of reading?

Why do teachers recommend 20 minutes per day of reading with our children?

The chart below is a simplified version of this recommendation. 
For more details, click on the chart to be taken to the article.



What does your child need to know before they learn to read?

What does your child need to know before they learn to read?  Many of us came through the school system focusing on the 'sound it out' strategy.

In our class we work on many reading strategies and sound it out (or we will call it stretchy snake) is only one of them.  Here are some great things you can do with your children to get them ready to read and use the many strategies we will learn in grade one.

Click on the photo to be taken to the article.