![]() By Danielle Lankford, Guadalupe School Communications Specialist It's almost summer! A time to soak up some sun, get outdoors, and take a break. Unfortunately, summer is also a time when children lose some of what they have learned during the school year. It happens to everyone, but there are ways to keep your child engaged with learning over summer break. This is especially important for the little ones in our early learning programs who will be getting ready to start their school careers in Kindergarten soon! So, if you have a little guy or gal, what can you do to make sure they are Kindergarten ready come August? 1. Review letter sounds and writing names in uppercase. In Kindergarten, students will begin learning how to read. For three and four year olds, recognizing letters and the sounds that they make is the first step. During the summer, read with your child and ask them about letters in the book, watch letter videos on Youtube or PBS Kids, or look for letter recognition games. Preschoolers have also been learning how to write their own names in uppercase letters, and practicing this exercise during the summer helps reinforce letter recognition and sounds. 2. Encourage practicing number recognition and counting. Play games that require counting like hide and go seek or Candy Land. Counting and number recognition skills will lay the foundation for early math in Kindergarten. Videos and online games can also come in handy for practicing this skill, so be sure to check out the online resources below! 3. Provide lots of opportunities for socializing with other kids and adults. Social and emotional learning and development is one of the most important things happening in your child's life from age 0-5. In Kindergarten, students will be expected to follow classroom rules and play nicely with their peers. Practicing skills such as conversation, sharing, and and pretending during the summer will assist that social growth process. 4. Foster independence by allowing your child to do things for herself. It may take a little...or a lot....longer for your child to tie their own shoes, pick up their own toys, or make their own bed, but in Kindergarten, children will be expected to be more independent. Providing lots of ways to do that in the summer, when time is not so limited will help your child build those skills without driving Mom and Dad crazy. 5. Engage in activities that support development for gross motor skills. Gross motor skills are large movements your preschooler makes with his arms and legs. Examples might be running, climbing, jumping, and kicking - all things best left to the outdoors. Take your child to the park or outside frequently, because they are doing more than simply playing, they are learning how to use their bodies, and burning off energy at the same time. Here are some great websites to visit this summer to help reinforce these skills: http://pbskids.org/ http://www.starfall.com/ http://www.kizphonics.com/letter-sounds-videos/ http://www.abcya.com/number_bingo.htm http://www.primarygames.com/math/fishycount/
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Thank you to everyone who attended our "Here's to 50 Years!" gala on Saturday, May 14. Thanks to your generosity, it was a great success, and we had a blast celebrating 50 years of transformation. Scroll through the photos, and you just might find one of you and your friends. We would also like to thank our generous sponsors, prize donors, and volunteers. Over $100,000 were raised for our programs thanks to you. We couldn't have done it without you. Here's to 50 Years! ![]() By Shelby Herrod, Adult Education Tutor and Board Member The highlight of my week is every Tuesday night when I arrive at Guadalupe School. For the past 8 years I have been an ESL (English as a Second Language) tutor in Adult Education. I have had the joy of seeing students graduate who I was with for 5 years. Upon their graduation I was placed with a new group of adult learners; David, Elvia and Gisela. While teaching English is the main goal of the program, I have found that developing friendships with my students is the true foundation and beauty of the volunteer work I do at Guadalupe School. In order for true learning to happen, a trusting and compassionate relationship must develop amongst the classmates and their tutor. In that spirit, we started a pozole contest in March. The idea was for one student to bring a different type of pozole to class. I decided to kick it off and brought green chicken pozole in March and David brought a delicious shrimp pozole in April. Elvia has May and Gisela in June. The goal of this is trifold: 1. Breaking bread with your classmates provides time for English conversation, as each student needs to present their dish. As important as learning grammar, reading and writing is for my students, they also need and want to improve their ability and confidence to converse in a social setting. Learning how to express emotions and feelings in a relaxed environment allow my students to work together and become a team. For many, learning English as an adult can feel intimidating, frustrating and at times overwhelming. David, Elvia and Gisela work full time jobs, provide for their family but have made sure learning English is a priority. I am very proud of their accomplishments and look forward to another 4 years with them until they graduate.
As we approach the end of the school year, it's all about looking forward: to the next grade, the next step, toward college and a career. The end of the school year is a fun time to explore college and career! Which is why 6th grade recently attended the Project Youth day of fun at the University of Utah.
Many of our teachers are U of U alums, as well as Westminster College, UVU, and many others outside the state. In the spirit of learning more about the college experience, our student journalists asked their teachers: what did you enjoy most about your college experience, and what advice do you have for the next generation? See what they found out... |
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