Winter Canteen

Well the kids are in their winter uniforms now. Kit has moved up a level in his readers and is so proud of himself. Hannah is going great guns. She got a class award in gymnastics a couple of weeks ago and this week her teacher said that she had a lot of fun in that class. She is also getting very tired. She has music on Wed after sport and lunch. She has fallen asleep in that class for the past two weeks. I have mentioned to her teacher that I might atake her home half day next week on that day. It is mid term and she has been working so hard. You can see how tired she gets - and it isn't as if she isn't sleeping well - she is sleeping in until after 7 which is great for her.

the school has a canteen that has just started opening 3 days a week after refurbishments. Well the first week it opened I gave the kids a lunch order each for the Friday. Then this week - I hadn't planned on it but on Wed pm when I collected the twins, Hannah's teacher came and let me know about Hannah's day. It seems that at lunch she took ehrself to the canteen and lined up with the other kids. Her teacher tried explaining that as she didn't have any money she wouldn't be able to buy anything that day. She said that Hannah got very upset, stood up straight and stiff ignoring her - and when she realised that she wouldn't be able to buy 0 she was devestated and cried and cried. Kit happened to be standing nearby so he gave her lots of cuddles and then seh went off to music and fell asleep. Clearly her teacher felt upset about it all and mean. She said that the grade ones were all offering Hannah some money, the mums in the canteen were ust wanting to give her what she wanted - but the lovely gentle and kind Miss L stood firm God bless her.

To be honest the week before when I did the lunch orders - it was because I was unsure of how Hannah would cope with just lining up and communicating her order to the ladies - so an envelope put in in the morning seemed the better option. Needless to sayt hat I have had to adjust my expectations about canteen. I think I'll make it tat the twins can order from it once a week rather than the once a fortnight I had been hoping for. SO last night I got out my clip art and printer and laminator - and made a litle keychain communicator - some pics of a few things on the menu that I think would appeal to Hannah as well as some pics of the relevant AU$ - she is good at matching same images so I figure if need be the canteen ladies just have to show her what coins she needs for whatever she is buying. ANyways she came home happy - so it must have worked!

There was gold coloured muftiday this week too. Do you know how hard it is to come up with a gold wardrobe?? So I found Kit a dull stripey shirt - that at least he sorta needs and had some gold in it but Hannah? She gets heaps of lovely handmedowns and doesnt' need new clothes plus I couldn't see any in the department stores I scoured earlier in the week. In the end it occurred to me that the skirt on a Snow White dress up is pretty gold - well that was a big hit. In fact she won a lolly bag for hte best dressed girl in her kindy class - which made her very proud.

awards

Oops - I forgot to mention - on Monday - at the morning school assembly - a certain red headed brat was called up for an award - 'Raising expectations' - for showing great enthusiasm towards her learning environment. She walked up to collect it like a champ. I was chuffed for her - and boy - did she know she had done good!!

Readers

Hannah's focus teacher sent home a level 2 reader for us to try yesterday. She wrote that they had been working on it. When I saw it - it had quite a lot of words in it - I simply asked Hannah to tell me about the pictures (cos I was cooking and didn't have the time to actually sit and help her read throught hte text). She starts by pinting at the title and reading perfectly 'Going out'. SO I forgot about the dinner and went and got the video camera - she did GREAT!! followed the words with her finger and used the pictures to help her remember the 'different' words int he story. Her pronunciation of 'swimming pool' was fantastic and she even put the 't' on 'out' on the last page.

Then after dinner Kit got a Dr Seuss book - for me to read (they usually get 1 story book each before bedtime). It was Bears on Wheels which is quite a simple one - so his father suggested that Kit read it to me - which he did with only a couple of words giving him trouble. A little later it was time for Hannah's story choice - she staggers out into the loungeroom carrying all the remaining Dr Seuss books (and yes we do have quite a collection that was given to us by a friend). She then chose The Spooky Old Tree which is above her reading level for sure (I think Kit would find it reasonably challenging). Together we sat and 'read' it. What I was chuffed abot was that I could see not only an enthusiasm for reading but she was clearly applying the literacy strategies they have been using at school to help her read it. Luckily there were a few simpler pages in it - she would run her finger under the print and look to the pictures to help her with things like "one bear with a light, one bear with a stick and one bear with a rope.'
I have long known that Hannah would be able to read - but I am in awe of her progress. I thought it would take her much longer to get to the stage she is at now. Good work little precious. Good work.

Athlietics carnival

Today was the brats' first athletics carnival. I wasn't worried about it at all - partly cos it happened on my day off - so I knew I'd be on the sidelines. Unfortunately the day dawned overcast and dreary - with spots of rain and eventually we were chased from the oval home when there was an absolute downpour! Lucky the kindy kids had had a go at a few of the events before that happened.
I had a ball - watching the kids, chatting to the parents. When I got home and put the kids in a warm bath I downloaded my photoes - and the thing that struck me most was hands. Hands are everywhere - the hands of friendship, love and support - given in generosity without a second thought. I am eternally grateful for those hands. For the smiles and laughs from other Mums as Hannah 'jumped' over things and did the splits instead of what she was meant to do on one of the gym pieces. For the grins of encouragement on a mother and casual teacher's face as Hannah (and her teacher) sprinted in last in their race. For the kids who laughed and played together with such joy. Good memories were created today -even though both my kids (following in my footsteps no doubt!) came last in their 'events' today - who cares - they were there, front and centre - participating and helping to make the day a success. Here are some trimmed images (sorry - I have to consider the privacy of the staff!)
Two boys - cos friends is all we need
Walk with me

trampoline
stretches
sprinting to the finish line
friends
paralell bars
not the splits this time
Monkey bars
Walking with MissJ
Jumping

Star of the Week

Hannah's teacher said that Hannah went straight to the book corner when class started on Monday - apparently she stuck her head around the corner when her teacher called out 'good morning' to her but that was it - until she heard her teacher say taht she had 2 stars of the week - but could only give out 1 because the other star wasn't there - the other star she announced was Hannah. Well according to her teacher that got her out of book corner and up front ready to have her 'star' pinned on her uniform.

I helped in the class this morning and when I got there - she and her companion star of the week were taking the notices/box to the office - they were so cute! I also got a chance to chat to the spec ed teacher - it was GREAT to hear how pleased she is with Hannah's reading skills. She knows some sight words, understands that the text on the page relates to the pictures and is using her speech more too. Quite frankly - I know I shouldn't compare - but even her cutting out is better or at least on par with some other 'weaker' students in the group. They are going to start incorporating a more individualised social skills program in this term - which is brilliant. Have I mentioned that I love this school? It is truly giving the twins a best start.