Thank You

Dear Parents:
I want to thank you coming to today's Spring Celebration. The children did an amazing job with their poems and songs. I really loved it and hope that you did as well.
I know that you also had to be so happy reading your children's Book of Poetry. When I was putting the poems in the book, I could not believe how many poems they had written. The poems the children recited were poems from our Shared Reading for the several weeks before the celebration. They love reciting them. Copies of the poems are now in their Shared Reading notebooks. Have the children recite them to you while they point to each word. It is amazing how well they are reading.
The children just loved writing their poems. The writing unit of study on Poetry teaches children to explore, and savor language, valuing voice and repetition, sounds and onomatopoeia (even if they never heard any of these terms before). The children in Class K-207 learned to read and write with an ear, appreciating and revising the pace and rhythm of words, and they learned to care not only about their topics, but also about how they write about those topics. Poetry can teach children to deliberately craft their language, trying things on the page on purpose, hoping to create special effects.
Poetry can also encourage young children to see the world with fresh eyes. They write what the see. Children can learn to see with their hearts, to show their feelings by pretending and imagining with language. The children in Class K-207 learned to have fun with words…to be daredevils and gymnasts with language.
For any parent who was not able to come to the celebration, their book of poems is currently on display outside our classroom. Please take a moment to come by and take a look.
Thank you to for all the food and goodies. The Children were so happy to see so many of you. Also...thank you for all your support. I know that on any occasion I could call any number of you to come by and help me. You are a great group of parents! I will miss you next year.

Fondly,
Mrs. Graham

PS: Kindergarten Graduation - June 18 in Prospect Park.... More to follow!