Meet the K2 Teacher

Hello, my name is Teri Keith. The saying "I wasn't born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could" certainly applies to me. I was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA and educated in Ohio (Miami University, B.S. and Xavier University, M. Ed.)  We came here to Coppell at the beginning of the new millennium and have loved every minute of it.

Kindergarten is my favorite grade level to teach because of the phenomenal growth students achieve. I like to call it the year of "developmental explosions". You can often see children's developmental changes from one day to the next. My classroom allows students to discover and learn using their imaginations and skills, and is mixed with a solid amount of discipline and love.

My twin sons, Bobby and AJ, spent their elementary years here at Lakeside, have moved through middle school at CMS North and are now at CHS. It's hard to believe they're in high school! My step-daughter, Caroline, just graduated from Texas Christian University, majoring in TV/Radio/Film. My wonderful husband, Tom, has spent his entire career at IBM. In our spare time, we enjoy playing a variety of sports, gardening, traveling and trying to teach our 9-year old lab, Austin, to stop chewing on shoes.

Tuesday Tip - Reading Tips

Tips for Parents of Kindergartners - www.readingrockets.org

Play with letters, words, and sounds! Having fun with language helps your child learn to crack the code of reading. The tips below offer some fun ways you can help your child become a happy and confident reader. Try a new tip each week. See what works best for your child.

■ Talk to your child.

Ask your child to talk about his day at school. Encourage him to explain something they did, or a game he played during recess.

■ Say silly tongue twisters.

Sing songs, read rhyming books, and say silly tongue twisters. These help kids become sensitive to the sounds in words.

■ Read it and experience it.

Connect what your child reads with what happens in life. If reading a book about animals, relate it to your last trip to the zoo.

■ Use your child’s name.

Point out the link between letters and sounds. Say, “John, the word jump begins with the same sound as your name. John, jump. And they both begin with the same letter, J.”

■ Play with puppets.

Play language games with puppets. Have the puppet say, “My name is Mark. I like words that rhyme with my name. Does park rhyme with Mark? Does ball rhyme with Mark?”

■ Trace and say letters.

Have your child use a finger to trace a letter while saying the letter's sound. Do this on paper, in sand, or on a plate of sugar.

■ Write it down.

Have paper and pencils available for your child to use for writing. Working together, write a sentence or two about something special. Encourage your child to use the letters and sounds he or she is learning about in school.

■ Play sound games.

Practice blending sounds into words. Ask “Can you guess what this word is? m - o - p.” Hold each sound longer than normal.

■ Read it again and again.

Go ahead and read your child’s favorite book for the 100th time! As you read, pause and ask your child about what is going on in the book.

■ Talk about letters and sounds.

Help your child learn the names of the letters and the sounds the letters make. Turn it into a game! “I’m thinking of a letter and it makes the sound mmmmmm.”

Visit www.ReadingRockets.org for more information on how you can launch a child into a bright future through reading.

Meet the K1 Teacher!

Hi, my name is Katherine Horton and I am so happy to be teaching Kindergarten at Lakeside! This is my seventh year to teach Kindergarten and I'm loving it more and more every year!!!

I am from Arlington, Texas, where I lived with my mom, dad, and big sister. I went to Baylor University and graduated in 2006 with my Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education. I currently live in Dallas with my roomates/best friends. I love spending time with my friends and family shopping, reading, traveling, watching movies and discovering new music!

Tuesday Tip - Questions from Round Up

Today we wanted to review a few questions that popped up from parents during Kindergarten Round Up. Since we value your thoughts and questions, we thought it would be good to review them again:

1. What if my child has food allergies?

If you child has severe food allergies, there are many things we do to protect your child. When you registered your child on the district's Portal, you should have noted in the system your child's allergy. If you did not do this, please log into your account and do so ASAP!! This notifies your child’s teacher and the office staff (nurse) of your child’s allergies. When you set up a lunch account for your child, please mark in the appropriate boxes your child's allergies. This will stop your child from being able to purchase any foods that he/she is restricted from eating. Your child's teacher will ask about allergies via paperwork that is sent home on Meet the Teacher night. This will allow your child's teacher to discuss your child's allergies with the class, fellow teachers that will be supervising your child (including substitute teachers and specials teachers) and will give your child's teacher a chance to post signs in the classroom for visitors. If your child has an epi-pen, please contact our school nurse about keeping one in the clinic, in case of emergencies. Lastly, be sure your child is able to say to an adult "I am allergic to ____." 

2. What is the maximum class size in kindergarten?

The maximum amount of children in one class is 22. However, CISD makes every effort to keep our class sizes as low as possible.

3. Is there an aide in the kindergarten classroom?

There is one aide at Lakeside (shared throughout the school). There are many other specialists within the building that will be working with your child to offer support in the classroom. Lakeside is committed to providing an excellent education to your child and arranges support staff to work with teachers/students often.

4. Is there snack time?

We have snack time every day, in the afternoon. Since our lunchtime is 10:30, the children are quite hungry by the afternoon. When school begins, your child’s teacher will inform you on how she schedules snack time (i.e. community snack or children bringing individual snacks each day).

5. What is rest time like?

We have rest time in kindergarten for the first nine weeks of school. Each child brings a towel to school on Monday to lay uponand the towel is sent home on Friday for washing. Students are allowed to sleep, rest, read books or write in their journal during this time. 

6. How often do the children have specials classes?

Specials classes consist of P.E., art and music. The children go to P.E. at least twice a week, art once, and music once. On Fridays we have a rotating schedule (so your child will go to one of these classes again). You’ll receive a calendar at the beginning of the school year noting your child’s schedule. This will help you know when your child needs to wear tennis shoes for their P.E. days.

7. When does testing for the Gifted and Talented program begin?

There are many qualifications for becoming eligible for the Gifted and Talented program. One of these is the CogAT test. This test will be administered to every child in kindergarten, typically near the end of the calendar year. For more inquiries, please contact our Gifted and Talented teacher, Mrs. Timmerman (ltimmerman@coppellisd.com). 

8. Do the teachers offer home visits?

Yes! If you would like your child’s teacher to conduct a 10 minute home visit before the first day of school, please sign up for this at Meet the Teacher night. Home visits are an additional service the Lakeside teachers provide during their own personal time, so the availability for these visits depends on the teacher’s schedule. There will be more about this in a future post, so keep checking in!

We are happy to answer any questions! Please email a kindergarten teacher when they arise. Remember, if you have a question or concern, another parent probably is wondering the same thing - so ask! We can post Q/A on the blog for others to read!

Meet the Teachers!

Starting next week, we will introduce you to a kindergarten teacher each Friday. Keep watching to get to know each fabulous gal!

Tuesday Tip - Library Time

Be sure to check out the happenings at our local library this summer. It looks like they have some great activities planned and some awesome book lists!

Here's a link - Happy reading!

Tuesday Tip - Kindergarten Readiness

Each Tuesday during the summer, we will blog about a little something we want to share with you. These topics will range from kindergarten readiness to book recommendations to school events. You never know what will pop up - so keep watching!

HOW DOES KINDERGARTEN DIFFER FROM PRESCHOOL?

1. Kindergarten follows a more regulated schedule than most preschools. The child is not as free to do as he/she pleases.

2. Kindergartens may offer activities similar to preschools, but with structured expectations. Any result will be accepted in preschool schools; kindergarten is moving toward definite goals.

3. Kindergarten students are expected to conform more to a standard of school behavior. A child must be more self-disciplined.

4. Kindergarten begins, in earnest, the task of preparing children for reading, writing and arithmetic.

WHEN SHOULD YOUR CHILD START KINDERGARTEN? CONSIDER THESE QUESTIONS:

1. Can my child be alone in a strange place outside the home without crying or behaving overly fearful?

2. Can my child attend to his/her personal needs without difficulty?

3. Can my child follow spoken directions, particularly several at one time?

4. Can my child keep his/her attention on a task long enough to finish?

5. Can my child play with other children without being overly fearful or overly aggressive? Can my child take turns, share, follow the rules and play fairly?

6. Can my child tell people his/her needs with a loud enough voice, a clear voice, and using the correct words?

7. Does my child want to go to kindergarten?

POINTS TO CONSIDER:

1. Age cannot guarantee readiness for kindergarten; it is only one of many indicators.

2. Readiness for kindergarten does not simply mean the ability to recognize alphabet letters and numbers. Even a child who can read may not be ready emotionally and physically for the demands of a school environment.

3. The younger a child starts school, the more stress he/she will be under.

4. It is always better to be at the top of the class than struggling to keep up.

5. In many cases waiting a year gives a child a twelve month edge in both physical and mental growth.

HOW DO I PREPARE MY CHILD FOR KINDERGARTEN?

1. Take your child to the school and discuss how he/she will get there when school begins.

2. Try to meet the teacher ahead of time or at least know her name.

3. Go to the kindergarten playground and let your child use the equipment there.

4. As with preschool, talk it up around others. Brag about your child being old enough to attend kindergarten.

5. Buy some special things “just for school”.

6. Get your child on a school schedule well before school starts.

7. The most important thing is to prepare your own attitude. Be cheerful, confident and fairly matter-of-fact about this new step.

REMEMBER: If you are questioning whether your child is ready for kindergarten, the best person to consult with is your child's preschool teacher. A preschool teacher knows your child best in an academic setting and can offer keen insight into kindergarten readiness.

Hello Again!

Hello Everyone,
It has been exactly one month since we met at Kindergarten Round Up and all the K teachers have been very busy saying good-bye to their students and making preparations for the up-coming school year. (We can't wait until you get here!)
If you haven't done so already, be sure to go to the Lakeside home page and order your child's school supplies. Remember, they will not be for sale after July 31st! Act now!
Keep checking back in this summer for loads of info!
Have a wonderful summer!
The Kindergarten Teachers