Tips for Parents

The aim of this page is to provide you with updates and information that may help you as you take on the role of teacher at home.

Remember you are just as important as your child, and your well-being needs to be considered in the day-to-day learning that you provide.

Please message me on Seesaw or email me at my school email for extra support

The difference between b and d

At this age it is expected that children get muddled when writing the letters b and d, as they are learning.

Here are some videos that can help you explain how to work out which way around to write them.

Writing tip

As you show your child how to write the letters think about using repetition as a way to embed the process in their head.

Try using this:

While writing the letter d say - "back and round, top and down"

While writing the letter b say - "top and down, up and around"

Here is a fun video about B's belly bumping into everyone.

Here is a link to Nigel Latta talking on Facebook about the early days of isolation ... Nigel's advice

Nigel Latta is a NZ renowned psychologist and author educating parents and caregivers with sensible advice on parenting children.

learning from home

Learning from home with your child can seem like a daunting step given the circumstances. But be reassured, we are here to help you along the way. Have routines, make plans for the day, and work around what best fits with your family over the coming weeks.

Reading, writing, and math tasks are focused on continuing the developing skills needed at this level, while Topic tasks provide a more hands-on exploration of our environment and community. The lesson plans aim to be simple and flexible enough to fit into your family day and encourage some independence for your child.

Check out these Fun Things to do at Home

MY Important Tip to you.... It's about the process NOT the product

Your child is building skills in the process of learning. That means they are learning how to do things, building strategies and skills through experience that they can transfer into their future classrooms. For example when learning how to spell words it is important we teach the strategies on how to sound out words and write down what we hear. As adults we have learnt over time that the word school is spelt S C H O O L but at 5 a child needs to be able to spell what they hear S K (a, o, u) L before they memorize and learn these bigger words.

PLEASE help your child by breaking down the lesson and learning into steps and strategies.

Remember to give them time to think before answering.

Be confident to add in 'I wonder" questions, use your home language if you speak one, and ask your child "What do you think that means?" They love to be the teacher too.

Differential Learning (for different levels of learning)

Look for the differential learning for EARLY WRITERS or EXTENSION LEARNERS on the Writing page. MATHS GROUPS give learning for specific to their needs, and there are OPTIONAL EXTRAS on the Topics page.

math tips

*Put together a container of counting objects. It could be stones from the driveway or garden, or other natural items, or blocks and counters you happen to have

*REPEAT, REPEAT, REPEAT it's important practice for learning

*You can write out the numbers on card as a visual number line.

*Use the mathematical terms for symbols (visually and aloud) but also put into simple terms - eg: “plus, + , add” “ equals, = , all together”, and “subtract, - take away”

*Use Seesaw to make videos and photos to show your child’s work.

*Maths Buddy online - login (your child’s name) and password (bethlehem)

*Make maths fun! Go outside on a numbers hunt. Collect items, find shapes, build with lego/blocks.

Essential Words Lists

Please either use STEPS WEB or the lists provided in your child's home pack to learn these essential words over the coming weeks. Add time in where you feel you can.

You can use these lists in their writing times to help them to build strategies on where to find words, how to sound them out and decide on which one to use.

Writing TIPS

Please use the parent notes to help you guide your child as they develop writing skills through practice.

*Always start by asking your child to share their idea. What is the sentence they want to share.

*If stuck, re-read the instructions together again.

*Count to 10 before offering your idea. It gives them time to process the instruction and think of an idea.

*Early writers who are learning the alphabet, use simple sentence starters like "Here is a ______. He likes to _______."

*Remember to encourage the strategy of SOUNDING OUT and WRITING WHAT I HEAR when writing to help develop their independence.

*Ask what is the first word you need to write.

*Go back and re-read the words written and say the full sentence aloud, to help with sentence sequencing.

reading tips

*As with Writing, it is important to encourage your child to sound out words.

*Early readers are learning how to read across the page and back to the next line in a sweeping motion, using a finger to point and connect to each word is helpful.

*Encourage your child to use their eyes to read once they are confident and capable to read.

*Support comprehension in reading by asking questions. What do you think is going on here? Look at the pictures for clues.

*New words in text can be highlighted before your child reads the page. Talk about what is happening in the picture and use the new word emphasizing the starting sound. Get your child to say it aloud, after you. Then, find the new word on the page before you move on.

*Encourage fluency by explaining that the aim of reading aloud is to read it like talking. You and your child could try talking like a robot to highlight the slowness.

*At the end of the book, talk with your child about the sequence of the story. What happened first? Then, Next, Lastly. This also shows you that your child has understood the book and not just read each word.

Here is a link to Nathan Wallis talking on Facebook about the early days of isolation ... Nathan's advice

Nathan Wallis is a NZ renowned neuroscience educator with many years experience in delivering child and teenage educational support to parents, teachers, and family services.

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