Distance Learning in Early Kindergaten
3/28/2020
As schools closed due to the widespread of the corona virus, we were faced with a question: how will learning continue while students are stuck indoors for weeks? We quickly adapted our instruction as we transitioned to distance learning and found tools/ resources for this new setting.
Morning Meeting is an important component of the day. Each morning, I will post a video on FlipGrid going over the calendar, daily schedule and the question of the day. Students can watch and follow along whatever time is convenient for their families as the videos are recorded. Morning Meeting is also a great time for visual demonstrations. Since we have been learning about plants, students are planting their own lima beans at home and recording their observations. We also went over how seeds absorb water using materials that can be found at home such as water, paper towels and sponges. Lastly, we went over the parts of a flower with a tulip. The best part about using flip grid is being able to see the student's response videos and the experiments they have been doing at home. Students also engage in the Heggerty Phonemic Awareness curriculum which provides students with consistent and repeated instruction to develop decoding and encoding skills. These activities teach early literacy skills such as rhyming, onset fluency (beginning sounds), basic skills of blending and segmenting sounds. Students use hand motion directions and oral repetition as they follow along to the video. We end the session by reviewing a letter, learning its sound and writing it. Students go on a treasure hunt in their homes to find things that start with the letter of the day and practice writing at home. Closing Meeting- We end each day with a closing meeting as we do in the classroom. This is a relaxing time for students as they unwind from the daily activities. I post a video on flip grid with a read aloud or sing along. The question of the day is posted for the next day and students respond with flip grid videos. Meaningful connections and social interactions are particularly important for preschoolers. I dearly miss my students and the face to face conversations. I am excited to say that we will be adding zoom live meetings starting next week. This way, students can see each other virtually and interact. We may also continue show-and-tell via zoom! These few weeks have been quite challenging but I feel blessed to be a part of PNA's supportive community of teachers and parents! |
Anna RamseyArchives
April 2021
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