Little Brick School, LLC

Protected: February Fun!

Sue and Mary — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:26:23 +0000

The Importance of Creativity for Your Child

Sue and Mary — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:39:41 +0000

There is a great deal of emphasis put these days on early reading and math for young children. Many music and art programs have been eliminated or reduced as a shift in focus to a primarily academic curriculum happens in our public schools.

There is no denying the importance of academics; however, more than ever before, parents need to ensure that their children develop both sides of their brains. In order to become creative problem solvers and lead a successful life, children need many kinds of experiences.

Children need a balance of activities in their day to develop fully and rise to the potential that is in each and every one of them. Creativity is as important as academics in a child’s overall success at learning throughout the school years.

A good preschool offers young children the opportunity to develop their creative side as well as their academic side. There are so many different arts media for children to experience: paint (with different brushes and their fingers); clay and play dough; stamping and rubbings; drawing with markers, crayons, chalk or pencils; and weaving, sewing and beading, to name just a few. Also important are songs and rhyme, learning simple rhythms, and really listening to music to follow simple directions or learn a dance.

We were inspired by the following video, filmed from the TED Conference in 2006. Sir Ken Robinson, Ph.D. makes an entertaining and profoundly moving case for creating an education system that nurtures (rather than undermines) creativity. Robinson is an internationally recognized leader in the development of creativity, innovation, and human potential.

Please share your thoughts!

What do you think about the lack of creativity being taught in public schools today?

Scholastic Book Orders – Extra Day

scholastic — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:28:41 +0000

You still have time to either send in your Scholastic book order or go online to place a order. The last day to hand in your order has been moved to Tuesday, January 24th.

For more information on how to place your order, please visit our last Scholastic post.

Thank you!

School Delay

Sue and Mary — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:12:29 +0000

There will be no morning classes at Little Brick today, Monday January 23. There will be lunch bunch at 12:00 and PM class at 12:30.

School Delay

Sue and Mary — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:26:12 +0000

There will be no morning classes at Little Brick today, Tuesday, January 17th. There will be lunch bunch at 12:00 and PM class at 12:30.

Scholastic Book Club – Due 1/23

scholastic — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 04:18:16 +0000

Class Activation Code: GNBPM

Dear Parent,

This month’s Scholastic Book Clubs order are due Monday, January 23rd. To place your child’s book order, fill out the order form on the flyer and return it to me with your payment, or follow these simple steps to order online:

Register at Scholastic Book Clubs’ secure Web site (www.scholastic.com/bookclubs), and create your own User Name and Password.
Enter the onetime Class Activation Code above to link you to our classroom.
Choose the books that you would like to order.
Pay for your selections using your credit card.
Submit your order to me online.

And remember, if you prefer to send your orders to me by returning the order form to the classroom, I’ll be happy to place your order as always.

Thank you,

Laura Thomas

Winter Brick Note 2012

Sue and Mary — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 22:21:10 +0000

During the next month or so, the Big Bricks will explore “Drama in Literature”. We will read stories and act them out as mini plays, often using props to help us. We will also play memory, math, and language games to go along with each book. Many of our art projects will be related to the stories we read (like Mushroom in the Rain last week). Some of the books we will include are: Ask Mr. Bear by Marjorie Flack, Not Now Said the Cow by Joanne Oppenheim, Play with Me by Marie Hallets, The Mitten by Jan Brett, The Scarecrow’s Hat by Ken Brown, Mr. Gumpy’s Outing by John Burningham and Mortimer by Robert Munsch. At the end of the unit each class will be creating their own story. The teachers will write the children’s thoughts and the children will then do the illustrations. These simple books will be shared with you as the children take turns bringing them home.

The Little Bricks have just begun a unit on the senses. This week they are exploring their sense of touch. They used the ‘feely box’ at grouptime to try to guess what they were touching without looking! Was it hard, soft, squishy, or smooth? There was shaving cream to play in at free play too. At story time we learned that our sense of touch tells us when we hurt or are hot or cold or tickly! Each week the children will explore a different sense. It is one of the children’s favorite units because it relates directly to them.

This month also begins our visits from prospective parents for next fall. It makes the classroom a little chaotic at times, but the children cope marvelously well and it is so important for incoming students and their parents to see the program in action. If you know of anyone with a three or four year old ready for preschool, please let them know it’s registration time. Thanks!

Protected: Holiday Fun in December

Sue and Mary — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 20:32:15 +0000

A Little Brick Note

Sue and Mary — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 22:13:12 +0000

Just some reminders for you during this hectic time of year…

The deadline for the Junior Women’s Club collection for local families in need is Friday, December 16th.
If you are sending your child to Lunch Bunch please send in slippers or extra socks for them to wear in the afternoon. Often after morning outdoor time their shoes are damp and muddy. If they have slippers or double socks they can let those shoes dry while they play with warm feet.
Please for the safety of your precious child, keep him/her at the car with you until a teacher comes to escort them inside.
Next week’s schedule just in case you misplaced the note:

Monday, December 19 – Regular school day

Tuesday, December 20 – Big Brick Kris Kringle Gift Exchange. Big Bricks come to school at their regular class times. The Little Bricks come as usual. Lunch Bunch is held as on a regular day.

Wednesday, December 21 – Children’s Holiday Parties

All Little Bricks: 9:30-11:00 a.m. No Lunch Bunch. No Big Bricks.

All Big Bricks: 1:00-3:00p.m. No Lunch Bunch. No Little Bricks.

School is closed Thursday, December 22 to Monday, January 2. See you on Tuesday, January 3, 2012.

Have a wonderful, happy, peaceful holiday!

Protected: Classroom News 12/3

Sue and Mary — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 23:20:38 +0000