Dear Families, We are about to embark on a new literature unit focused on caring for others. Our unit theme integrates the teaching of social skills with reading strategies for building comprehension and making connections. Students will learn to identify their own emotions and the emotions of those around them by relating to the experiences of the characters in the books we read and discussing how the characters might be feeling in response to those experiences. We will highlight the ways that people can show they care about others by identifying characters in books that are using kind words and actions and also by brainstorming new ways that characters could have shown they cared. Your child will begin to empathize and relate to the characters we read about and will hopefully enjoy studying the various characters we meet throughout the unit. Both school and home provide excellent opportunities for teaching children social skills and building upon their ability to empathize with others and show compassion for their classmates and family members. Children learn how to interact with others by watching and listening to their teachers, family, and friends. Throughout this unit and the rest of the school year, I will continue to encourage your child to think about, develop, and practice positive social skills both at school and at home. Research shows that children who learn and use these skills are more likely to get along with their peers and do well in school. During the upcoming weeks, I would like to invite you to ask your child to share with you what we are focusing on during reading. Every week, I will post our learning objectives, an outline of what we will be discussing, and some suggested activities that you can do at home to help your child understand and practice the new skills we are covering. I would also like to invite you to arrange a time by email or phone to come and visit our classroom during one of our reading lessons. I can be reached by email at wharton1@seattleu.edu as well as by phone before school and after school before 5pm (360-580-2488). If you ever have any questions about the concepts we are learning, please be sure to ask. Thank you for your support and I will keep you posted on our journey through the unit.
Sincerely, Kristina Wharton Montlake Elementary Student Teacher (K/1st Grade – Yorde) Seattle University MIT |