La clase de Sra. Lowry ~ Kindergarten Spanish Immersion
Sobre la clase
Welcome to our classroom website! Let me tell you a bit about what our class is all about...
Our classroom will be a fun place for everyone where each child is encouraged to share his/her unique ideas and opinions. It will be a place where a TON of learning takes place each day! It is my hope that every student grows to love school and becomes a life-long learner. One unique element of our room is the alternative lighting. (Research indicates more positive learning outcomes when alternative lighting is used in the classroom as opposed to flourescents!) Also, I frequently add other home-like elements such as pillows and fluffy reading buddies so that all of us are more comfortable in our learning environment.
Learning through play is an integral part of kindergarten! Especially in Immersion. I constantly look for ways to sneak in more vocabulary and language-building activities. Whether it be in our sensory area or dramatic play, bi- or tri-weekly themes provide great exposure to new words. We work to develop fine and gross motor skills using games, manipulatives, art projects, brain breaks, and outdoor play. Social development is reached through daily class meetings, teamwork, role play, and character building activities.
Our reading block will be based on the Daily 5 which is rooted in the idea that children will become better readers if they are given the exposure and time to practice reading. The students have five literacy-related areas to work on independently throughout the morning hours. This allows the teacher to give one-on-one and small group instruction tailored to the students' specific needs. For the first 6-8 weeks we will be working hard to learn independence in reading and working on each skill. Once that is established, students will be free to choose the order in which they complete the tasks and I will be conferring with them individually to set goals and work on reading strategies. We will also be implementing the Spanish version of Words Their Way (Palabras a su paso).
Our math time will be structured in a similar centers-type manner. There are four rotations each day that incorporate one main skill aimed at different learning styles. For writing, we will use Handwriting Without Tears. We will work on proper formation of each letter, neat handwriting, correct spelling of common words, and eventually writing sentences and stories (Writing Fundamentals & Lucy Calkins). Science and Social Studies have their very own bulletin board in our room and will be taught as hands-on as possible. I will also teach the culture of various countries around the world- especially songs!
Sobre la maestra
Sra. Lowry
Hola! My name is Señora Amanda Lowry. This is my 1st year (officially) at Ada Vista and my 11th year teaching. You may remember me from when I was here a few years ago as Sra. daSilva's long term maternity sub. I have my Master's degree in Bilingual Education through the University of Texas. I obtained my Bachelor’s (from GVSU... go Lakers!) in Elementary Education with a major in Spanish. For six years, I taught preschool at a Migrant Head Start (native Spanish). That is where I learned a lot of my Spanish and where I found my life's passion: teaching young children.
When I'm not at school, I enjoy spending time with my husband, Dann, and our four-year-old daughter, Callyn and nearly-two-year-old son, Merrick. We love to camp, swim, and travel. I also love to read, and when I have time, I like to look for new books to add to my collection... in particular children's books in Spanish. And "these are a few of my favorite things..."
COLOR: pink! FOOD: milk chocolate, ice cream, pepperoni pizza BEVERAGE: hot chai RESTAURANT: BD's Mongolian BBQ
MOVIE: La lengua de la mariposa BOOK: Esperanza renace MUSIC: Michael Gungor & Camila STORE: Target FOR FUN: latin dance