Welcome back to Belmayne Educate Together Senior Infant Parents!

Welcome
First of all a huge welcome back to Senior Infants and Belmayne ETNS. The first few weeks have been about getting the children back into a routine and hitting the ground running. Theyre a fantastic group of children. Very happy with how the children have settled. Making new friends. Feeling safe and secure in school. School as a warm and positive place where children can grow and develop.

General Information
Not a one one meeting Parent / Teacher meetings take place in February. Reports will be sent home before the meeting. If there is anything that you would like to discuss throughout the year please feel free to approach me and make an appointment. I cant meet Parents in the Morning Check out my blog Send me an email www.belmayneetjoe@gmail.com HSCL Eoghan Eoghans role

Parents Council
We have a very active Parents Council Maeve McNeil is the Chairperson Parents meet once a month to organise events for parents e.g. picnic, organise the open day, help to inform school policies. Parent Reps AGM coming up on 23rd of October in the Hilton Hotel. Elections taking place to elect new council.

Attendance and Punctuality

School starts at 8.30 Children to be in the line at 8.30 Lessons begin straight away A lot is covered early in the morning so its crucial that children are in on time. Topics will not be re taught. These lessons are crucial building blocks in a childs educational journey.

NEWB

Under the Act, a school is obliged to report to the NEWB every time: a student has reached 20 days absence cumulatively a Principal is concerned about a student's attendance including punctuality

Homework

At least one writing page from Jolly Phonics a night Will be introducing a Maths Page soon. Team Teaching will be giving homework on occasion. Reading Homework should take no more than 2omins. Reading together.

English
90 mins a day Integrated between SESE/SPHE/Ethics Reading Writing Oral Language Development Jolly Phonics

Oral language development.

English Oral language development. Poetry. News. Who, where, what etc... Songs. Adding a line Circle Time. I like school when Posters. Autumn, animals, the sea etc...

Jolly Phonics
Jolly Phonics is a programme designed to help children to learn how to read and write.
Jolly Phonics is revised until Christmas with differentiated work to expand their existing knowledge.

Reading
Reading from the board Reading their class readers Sails Readers Big Books Wonderland, This Is The Bear etc Blending, word and sound identification, concepts of print left to right orientation, full stops, capital letters, spaces etc Poems Songs Library Reading their daily news Reading with Teachers Reading aloud

Reading With Your Child

3 steps to help. Partner Reading, Echo Reading and Choral Reading. This is the approach to use nightly as you practice reading with your child. First, Partner Reading Parent reads the pages aloud to the child. Next, Echo Reading - In echo reading, the parent reads a short segment of text (a sentence or two) and the student echoes back the same sentence or phrase while following along in the text. When students are reading with some degree of fluency, you may choose to alternate taking the lead in echo reading.

Finally, Choral Reading your child reads along with you. When practicing choral reading, your child must be able to see the same text that you are reading. They might follow along as you read from the book, or they might read from their own copy of the book you are reading.

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Before you begin; Set aside special reading time (and a special reading place) if possible. Setting a designated reading time helps in several ways. First, it allows a parent to plan their day more effectively and make time for reading. It also helps the child, especially reluctant readers, to think of reading as a normal scheduled daily activity.

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As you read; When reading a book, point word by word as you read. This will help your child learn that reading goes from left to right and understand that the word he or she says is the word he or she sees. When you come to a new word, take this opportunity to talk about it in interesting ways that your child will enjoy and learn from. For example, I must pack my bag. Why would you pack a bag?, What would you pack in a bag? Draw out your childs understanding of the word.

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Stop and ask about the pictures and about what is happening in the story. This provides an opportunity for your child to use the language that they will read. Read with emotion. Reading with emotion draws a child into the story in a way that is much more memorable and enjoyable. It also helps them to better understand how words can describe something sad, happy, or exciting. Let your child turn the pages. Besides, being enjoyable, this activity helps more active children stay focused on the book.

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If your child needs a little help when reading this is how you can help them: 1. Give them time to think. 2. Remind them to check the picture and think about the story. 3. Encourage them to go back and read again. 4. Help them think about the story. 5. Ask them to start a tricky word with the first sounds that they see. 6. Help them find a part of the word they might know.

 DEAR / USSR time in class. Read as much as you can with your child. A love of books will help to encourage and develop their fluency and comprehension skills. A little chat about a new book, what might happen, did they like the story, who were their favourite characters etc

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Writing With Your Child

Writing

From now until mid term we will continue to focus on good penmanship or correct letter formation.
We are working from the Jolly phonics programme and the Handwriting workbook. I am looking for neat and tidy work.

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When practicing a writing work activity with your child please ensure that you follow the procedure below, it will help to ensure that your child's work is neat and tidy. Make sure that your child is sitting at a table or desk with their two feet on the floor and their back straight in the chair. Place their worksheet in front of them on the table at a slight angle with their pencil on top. Ask your child to bring down their writing hand and pick up the pencil with their thumb and fore finger. Your child's other hand should be placed at the top of the page Your child should hold the pencil using the tri pod grip. Please see the pictures below.

Hold pencil between thumb and forefinger.

Tri Pod Grip

Place your other hand on the table above the page.

Free Writing Copies Why?

Enables the children to write everyday without worrying if they are right or wrong. Free writing copies are never corrected, just looked at. Helps them to learn to write by writing. Helps them to assign a message to a written piece of text. Helps them to take what they are learning in formal writing lessons and practice. Free writing reinforces their understanding of the conventions of writing i.e. left to right orientation. This is part of the First Steps writing Programme.

Gaeilge/Irish
The Irish language is one of the three core subjects and the language is valued and used throughout our school. Irish is taught by all teachers in all classes every day. We also use Irish informally throughout the day e.g. Dun an doras! We greet each other on the corridors, in the yard and in the classrooms in Irish. Topics An Teach, M Fin, Bragin. Seachtain Na Gaeilge

Maths
50 mins of Maths per day Strands: EMA, Number, Algebra, Shape and Space, Measures and Data. EMA Ordering numbers, sets i.e. by how many in each etc.. Number Analysis of number: 4+2=6/3+3=6 Number formation, counting objects in a set, things in the environment, who has more less, how many more Addition: Adding 2 numbers, 3 numbers etc Sum Copies.

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Estimating and recording, concrete Materials Subtraction Algebra Extending patterns using colours, shapes. Space and shape: The language of spatial awareness beside, on top of, underneath, left and right. 2 D/3D shapes: Measures Weight, Time, length Time o'clock, half past, morning, evening,

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How long is a minute? Concept of time - Timers etc Data Making charts Gathering Data

SESE History/Geography/Science
The Seasons People at Work Water Where we find it at home, in school etc... Living things Animals: Sea creatures The Environment Green schools, composting, recycling. Myths and legends, C Chulainn, Children of Lir, timelines as I grow I change, sequencing events birthdays, stories start, middle and end etc

Visual Arts
Paint and colour. Experimenting with paint and colour to make volcanoes. Mixing colours Drawing. Drawing free hand, objects from a far i.e a tree, the school. Looking and responding to other paintings and the work of others. Oil pastels One Love Sign Construction Integrated with English

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Collage: Halloween collage of witches hat, pumkin, painting witches, skeletons etc... Clay: Experimenting with clay to make pinch pots and Diwali lamps e.g. Any parents interested in coming in to help with art???

Music
Song Singing almost daily, contemporary music 'Don't worry', 'The More we get together', All you need is love' etc... Dynamics, tempo, rhythm, etc Percussion instruments: The children play along to the music while clapping, tapping, beating a rhythm etc... Listening and responding: How a song makes them feel? Happy, sad etc. Using music to explore emotions.

Physical Education
Thursdays and Fridays Appropriate Clothing Gaelic football and hurling. Neil from the Gaa. Also during designated PE times. Soccer. Athletics, running, jumping, relays Playground games ship sea shore etc... Dance and gymnastics after Christmas. Outdoor and Adventure

SPHE
Myself Personal strengths, strengths of others. Feelings and emotions name and identify feelings. How I felt in a new school, being excluded from games. Who to discuss feelings and emotions with parents, teacher, someone you trust. How actions affect the feeling of others Friendship What makes a good friend etc... Walk Tall / Stay Safe Programme Talk to your children at home if they discuss recent events from the news.

Useful Websites
http://www.nspcc.org.uk/help-and-advice/forparents/keeping-your-child-safe/the-underwear-rule http://www.ispcc.ie/how-we-can-help/safety-tips-forparents/4990

Play Time
Theme based Structured play at stations ,role play, sand, threading, blocks, jigsaws etc Free play This is an essential part of early childhood education and helps to develop their communicative, social and emotional skills. All play has a purpose

Team Teaching
Team Teaching
Our class have begun Belmayne ETNSs Team Teaching. All Children in Senior Infants are taking part. The term Team Teaching is simply used to describe the fact that a number of Teachers are working with our class with children in smaller groups. Children are divided into groups to work on Maths and English. Team teaching compliments the Whole class teaching that your child receives every day in school and is guided by the Class Teacher.

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Team teaching work is based on the plans of the Class Teacher and the needs of each individual group.
As the curriculum is child centred, the teacher always ensures that each individual childs needs are being met and differentiated for. This has always been the case. Children are carrying out sorting/classifying/number work in Maths and Phonic/Word Identification/Reading in English etc as is the case in a whole class. The benefit of our Team Teaching is that children are working in small focused groups on their individual tasks.

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In addition to Team Teaching your child will receive the same level of Maths and English curriculum work as they have always done.
Each child works in small groups of 4/5. Team teaching happens on Monday and Tuesday. Children get 1 English session on Monday and Tuesday and 1 Maths session also on Monday and Tuesday. Children work from 9.10 9.50 doing English and 10.50 11.30 doing Maths Each group works with 1 individual Teacher.

Classroom Management
Golden Rules We listen. We dont interrupt We are gentle. We dont hurt others. We are honest. We tell the truth. We are kind.

We work hard. We dont waste time.

We look after property. We dont damage things

Positive Behaviour Policy

There is a Positive Behaviour policy throughout the school Praising good behaviour Motivation / refocusing Charts Children are continually encouraged and motivated throughout the day. Following the golden rules at all times. Integration with ethics.

AOB
Class Blogs Homework-Expectations Communication - email/blog/meetings-no contact after 5pm and no contacting staff on staff mobiles TVs outside Head Lice- note home where parents are informed and must check hair. Staff will email if they notice a child scratching/has head lice. Children cannot return to school if not treated. Staff cannot/will not check hair. Once a week checked with a comb and conditioner

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Explanation of support staff How we work with children- continuum of support prior to Learning Support EAL How you communicate if a child is not achievingcontact made at continuum level through email and reviewed . School meets with Kevin Keane and he decides re assessment. And supports staff re strategies re supporting children and also inputs at staff meetings Accepting where your child is at. Some children will struggle academically and the curriculum is wide enough to ensure they achieve success.

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Differentiation supports children learning at their own level. Some children will only make small steps. Confidence and self esteem so important that even if they struggle that parents work at commending every step. Research on parental expectation. Assessments-if we notice a child is struggling the parent goes to the GP and asks to be referred-Speech and Language/Hearing/Psychological/OT-early intervention is important and often children have no issues but important if noticed to refer.

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If you have a concern or question relating to school please talk to your class Teacher. There are 300 children in the school at present. Sinead has asked that the first port of call be the class Teacher. Class Teacher will then meet with Sinead and discuss.

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Child PROTECTION-handing over of children/children walking home/parents accessing corridors/coming into class-prefabs must go through office. Change of circumstances homeseparation/bereavement of grandparents etc/change of address/email address/mobile number and emergency contact number- Please let Teachers know. HSCL-supports/drops in to see how children are getting on. Any problems to email/ring him. Birthday cakes can be sent in. They will be cut up and given to children at the end of the day to take home.

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School Walk and Picnic- October 11th help and support AGM-Hilton Hotel-October 23rd Science Day-November 14th Food Fair-November 22nd Xmas Play-13th December