Dear Warrior Families,

As we wrap up semester 1, I see evidence of student learning and growth in reading and writing all around the elementary school. It is also delightful to see how students tackle the challenges that come with more complex text and concepts as they get older. From a variety of nonfiction topics in grades 1 and 2, to the history of China and the Silk Road in grade 3, to natural and human-made disasters in grade 4, to animals and nature in grade 5, students in grades 1 through 5 have done quite a bit of informational reading recently. Evidence of learning from nonfiction texts has shown up in conversations in and out of the classroom, and writing. Students in P1 have been working hard to build knowledge and stamina in reading and writing. They put their knowledge of letter sounds into action, blending words and reading together. P1 students also started adding more letters, words, and sentences to their writing.

You might wonder what you can do to support your child as a reader and writer at home. One way you can support your child is by reading together. You can read to your child, listen to your child read, read out loud together, or listen to an audiobook. Reading together reinforces accurate word reading, making meaning of new words, the sound of fluent reading, and encourages a love of reading. Another way you can support your child is by telling stories, opinions, and information together as a family. You can tell stories about things you’ve done or make up stories together. You can talk about things you like or don’t like and give reasons why you think that. You can also share information about something you know or learned. All of these types of talk will help your child come up with ideas when it is time for them to write when they are at school. 

Thinking about reading and sharing stories as a family, as well as seeing all of the Christmas decorations pop up all over Hong Kong takes me back to my own childhood. When I was in third grade, my church choir did a Christmas musical called ‘Wise Guys and Starry Skies.’ The children in the church choir dressed up as wisemen, shepherds, and various travelers who were following the bright star and seeking the Christ child. One of my favorite songs from ‘Wise Guys and Starry Skies’ is His Name Will Be, which is based on Isaiah 9:6 and tells the names of Jesus. This musical focused on the old testament prophecies about the coming Messiah, as well as how we can prepare our hearts to receive and worship the newborn king, Jesus. As we enter the season of advent, I hope you take time to reflect on the wonderful gift we have in Jesus Christ our savior.