Hello families! My name is Kristine Jenkins. I am the Speech and Language Pathologist for the Georgia Preschool Program. I am enjoying seeing familiar faces and getting to know new friends in our preschool program.  

Each year I conduct speech and language screenings in preschool. I screen every child who is enrolled in our program. The purpose of this screening is to support all children’s speech and language development. This screening will identify children who may need support with their speech and language development as well as assist me in monitoring each child’s progress.

The screening will take approximately 10 minutes. I use the Preschool Language Scales - 5th Edition (PLS-5) Screening Test. Each child will be asked to name several items and answer some questions.

Next, I ask the child to tell me about the items in the picture above. This allows me to get an idea of what speech sounds the child has mastered and which sounds (s)he is still working on.

The results of the screening will be shared with your child’s classroom teacher and sent home. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Thanks!

Kristine Jenkins, M.S., CCC-SLP

kjenkins@fwsu.org

524-6358

Opportunities for Learning through Play

Small Group Games

     This morning, in Mr. Anthony's morning class, children took turns playing a popular board game called Shelby's Snack Shack.  Children spin a spinner and count out bones to put in a dog bowl for Shelby the dog.  Board games provide young children with many different learning opportunities.   Children learn how to wait for and take turns.  They learn how to follow game rules.  They learn about the numerals on the spinner and the quantities that they represent and practice using one to one correspondence as they pick up each bone with a tweezer type dog.  Fine motor skills are developed as children pick up and move the bone game pieces with the dog and sign their names on a piece of paper to sign up for turns to play the game.  

     Making sign up sheets in the classroom for popular activities gives children an authentic way to practice writing their name.  The children learn that writing is meaningful and useful because they do get turns when the teacher "reads" the list.  

     Children are encouraged to write their names (or just the letters that they know or letter like forms or wavy line scribbles) on their art work in preschool.  Preschool children are given meaningful opportunities to practice their writing skills.   All forms of writing are honored and respected.  

Mrs. Howrigan's Class...

Let's take a peek in Mrs. Howrigan's classroom today...

Mrs. Howrigan likes to do a movement activity in her classroom before children go to circle.  The children are learning a Laurie Berkner song about driving cars.  "I'm Gonna Drive My Car" The song has predictable movements that the children enjoy moving to!  They dance and sing at the same time.

Morning Class

Afternoon Class

This is a motivating way to build movement opportunities into our preschool day!  After the children move they are ready to sit and listen to a story...

We Practiced Being Safe At School on Tuesday

We practiced being safe in preschool today...

We practiced an enhanced lock down procedure today.  An enhanced lock down is one strategy used in ALICE for teachers, staff and students.  

ALICE stands for...

A~Alert       L~ Lock Down       I~Inform      C~ Counter       E~ Evacuate

These are all strategies teachers and staff learned about at in service this year to keep children safe!

We are practicing these strategies with our students slowly over the school year.

Children are asked to find a self space in the classroom and to sit and be very quiet.  Shades are drawn, lights are turned off and furniture is moved to make entry into the classroom difficult.

The preschoolers impressed us with their ability to follow our directions and to be safe during the drill!  All of the preschool teachers had taught the children what to expect ahead of time.  There were no surprises.

Each classroom teacher debriefed with their students after the drill.  The children had a chance to talk about their feelings and share what they noticed.

  

     Each teacher used this language to talk with their students.  "It is my job to keep you safe.  This is one way to practice being safe.  Your job is to help keep it safe.  You can help keep it safe by finding a self space, sitting and being quiet so that you can hear my directions."  The children rose to the challenge and were very capable safe keepers.  Please feel free to reach out to any of us if you have questions about our ALICE drills.

     

So Many New Things To Learn!

Let's take a peek into Miss Sweet's classroom today...

Children are learning how to draw and construct people by singing the Mat Man Song.  The Mat Man song helps children add details to their drawings.  Drawing is one way that children can represent their thinking.  Constructing a model of something is another way to represent their thinking.  Symbolic thinking is an important cognitive skill that we nurture in preschool.  

Children are literally constructing their knowledge as they interact with the environment, the adults and the materials.

Ms. Johnson and several children enjoyed singing together and using our fingers to make large drawings on a screen.  Later this week children will draw their families on paper.  Using different forms of media to express our thinking motivates children to try different experiences.  Some children may feel uncomfortable drawing on paper and may feel more comfortable using a different medium.  

Children worked together to make pictures of people.  We used timers to take turns.  We practiced waiting for turns.  Some children knew how to write their names and some made letter like symbols.  Some scribbled.  These are all stages of writing development.  

Children learn by watching and talking to each other.  Peer teaching is powerful!

Children practiced breathing.  Breathing is a way that we stay calm and focused.  

Children are learning about the daily schedule and can read what comes next.  Preschoolers thrive on predictability!

Children learned about voice levels in the classroom.

Children learned how to walk in a line in the hallway by using a handrail.

We learned about how to touch the wall but not touch other's work on the bulletin boards.

We walked to the library!

We met Mrs. Rider, she will teach us how to check out library books soon.  We toured the library and even got to say hello to the fish!  

Our school library has so many books!

We learned so many new things today!

The afternoon class at work and play...

September in Preschool

Welcome to the Georgia Elementary Preschool Program Blog!

     My name is Julie Johnson.  I am the Preschool Program Director and Special Educator for the Georgia Elementary Preschool Program.  I am fortunate to have a job that allows me to be present in all of our preschool classrooms.  This year we currently have 88 preschoolers in our program who are placed in six preschool classes.  I have met and played with all of the preschool children.  I truly enjoy forming positive relationships with all of our students.  I enjoy documenting all of the wonderful experiences that are happening for the youngest students in our school by posting pictures and narratives on this blog.  My hope is that you will subscribe to this blog and have wonderful conversations with your children about school.   I also want you to have the opportunity to learn more about our program and how you can support your children's growth and development at home.  

                                                                               

                  Miss Sweet's PM Class

              

           Mrs. Howrigan's PM Class

Mr. Anthony's Afternoon Class

Mr. Anthony's Morning Class

 

Mrs. Howrigan's Morning Class

Miss Sweet's Morning Class

Please subscribe by e-mail to keep track of what is happening in preschool!