Blog Archives

Friday 29th September

29/9/2017

Hard to believe that we've reached the end of the first month in school already! How time flies and how fast these wonderful children are learning! I have to say, we have all bonded so well together and I am feeling very attached to your little ones already! They are a credit to wonderful their grown-ups.

Colour Mixing Project - Red & Yellow make... Orange

Add some stems and you have a bunch of flowers!

Scroll through the photos below.

We can Listen and follow instructions

Learning to be good listeners to become good good learners is the big focus in September... I'm delighted to say we have that one sorted. Well done girls and boys!

Sit and Follow Instructions from Ms Murray on Vimeo.

D.E.A.R. TIME

We try to do DEAR time every day. If there was one gift I could give to a child it would be to imbed in them a passion for books. This week I collected a selection of great books relating to this months topic, Myself & My Family. The lovely Maria in Ballymun Library is always so helpful in sourcing topical books for my class. Thank you Maria!

And who doesn't like to find somewhere snug to read a book!

Art Appreciation week - Self Portraits

This week we finished up our Myself topic with an integrated learning project on Self portraits! The children have observed and discussed various self-portraits by famous artists and not so famous artists.

We discussed our favourite and least favourite. What was the same about them and what was different.

We went on a walk about to look at self portraits another teacher did. And then we observed Room 2 lovely portraits.

One clever girl made a connection between an illustration in the book she was reading and the Picasso painting. Can you see it?

I hope you enjoy this little video we made to work on our language skills. I think the children speak very clearly! Well Done Girls and Boys.

Aistear

We finish up our Aistear topic for this month. But the main focus behind the children's first introduction to Aistear was about making friends and building the skills we need to play successfully. And they all did a really great job!

I hope you enjoyed this week's blog! Have a great weekend.

Kind Regards,
Ms Murray

6 Comments

Friday 22nd September

22/9/2017

14 Comments

Another great week in Rm 5 although I think that the tiredness of the first few weeks was hitting us hard this week. I think everyone was feeling it at some stage, myself included. But that is to be expected. It is a big change for the little ones and with all the hard work we do it's not surprising when they get a bit overwhelmed. So make sure everyone gets a good restful weekend with plenty of family time and sleep. That said, we got lots done this week and I hope your little ones will share some of their new found knowledge with you here.

Maths - The focus was colour and pattern

We continue our focus on colour and pattern and incorporate that into our learning wherever possible. Orange was the colour to be this week.

We even added pattern and colour to our PE lesson!

Pattern and Colour, Everywhere! from Ms Murray on Vimeo.

Art

The children couldn't wait to get all messy today! I'm sure they'll tell you all about it. Check back next week to see how our colour mixing art went.

Pre-phonics work

Before the children begin their phonics they have to learn to listen and hear sounds to help them understand the structure of language. Below the children are listening to a sentence I say and they have to count the words in the sentence. Not as easy for them as your would think. This is called phonological awareness and it forms the important foundation skills of reading.

Aistear

The Theme this month is Myself and My Family. But the focus is on teaching the children the skills of successful play. Aistear is just the most natural way for children to learn... you can just see them growing more confident each day.

Irish

The children have really taken to learning their new language, Irish. They are so excite and enthusiastic about it! They are really picking up the new vocabulary so well. Keep it up boys and girls! They love this song and want to practice it all the time, I think you'll agree they are so cute in this little video.

Is mise an train! from Ms Murray on Vimeo.

Little Red Riding Hood

Together we sequenced the parts of the story in the correct order. What happened first, next... at the end?

Then the children worked in small groups and had a go themselves! If you get the chance, read Little Red Riding Hood with your child this weekend and ask them some questions about the story.

Have a lovely weekend! I look forward to seeing everyone who can make it at the parents' meeting on Monday at 12.30pm in the school hall.

Kind Regards,

Ms Murray

14 Comments

Friday 15th September

15/9/2017

12 Comments

I'm delighted to say I have another class of fantastic listeners! and as I always tell the children... "Once your listening to each other and me you're learning!" The children have worked really hard this week as we start to get down to the serious business! Thank you to everyone who brought in tin cans! I still need a few more so keep them coming please.

Writing

We continue to focus on our pincher grip while drawing our straight lines. Check out last week's post about pencil grip if you haven't already read it. What I am looking for here is a good strong mark on the page, and a steady line. We were also learning about starting from left to right on our page. And knowing when to stop. Lots of colouring at home will strengthen their mark making.

Maths - Colour and Pattern

Last week our focus colour was red. This week it was yellow so we created these lovely patterns and discussed patterns we see around us every day. See if you can spot any at home or when out in the park.

Home Time

Next week the children are in until 1.30pm. They will be collected from the yard after they have lined up in their line at area 5. In the interest of your child's safety, please do not take your child from the line until we have all arrived and I say good bye to them. They must say goodbye to me and I will acknowledge their grown-up collecting them. If someone new is due to collect them, please let me know in advance. Thank you.

What we love about school!

This week the children have really started to settle into their new class. As a little project we made this little video about what we love about school so far. Not everyone was ready to have their voice recorded yet but that's ok and they will have plenty of time to build their confidence! Everyone enjoyed having photos taken though. It really is all about the journey in Junior Infants, and we all take it at our own pace. Well done on another great week boys and girls!

What we love about school from Ms Murray on Vimeo.

That's it for this week. Enjoy the weekend!

Kind Regards,

Ms. Murray

12 Comments

Friday 8th September

8/9/2017

5 Comments

A great first week !

Well done to all the children and grown-ups for getting through the first week of Junior Infant! No doubt we are all exhausted and looking forward to a rest this weekend! Below are a few snaps of what we got up to on the first week of school. We kept it simple and fun.

WANTED:

I'm hoping to do a nice art project over the coming weeks and I am looking to collect some empty tin cans please, especially large tuna tins (washed). If you could collect some over the coming weeks and bring them in I would appreciate that!

Early Morning Maths and Literacy Stations

I like to allow the children as much movement as possible around the classroom. They are allowed to choose where they feel most comfortable sitting to complete their morning activities. They are partnered up with a new friend to help them to get to know each other. the activities work on a rota system so each day they get to work on something new.

Yard Time

We have slowly been introducing the children to the yard. They will not share the same break with the older classes until we have the full day but for now they have been enjoying getting to know the different play areas and all the new toys... and of course their new friends!

Humpty Dumpty

Our focus nursery rhyme is Humpty Dumpty. Ask your child to sing it to you and make sure the are saying each word clearly. You could also ask them some simple questions like... What was Humpty Dumpty sitting on... Do you think the wall was high or low? Why?

Some budding artists in Rm 5!

Ask your child to point out their picture to you. let them know what you like about it. Make sure you correct any pencil grips when needed. The thumb and index finger should pinch the pencil and pencil rests on the middle finger. Some children are holding the pencil too high. Only 1 inch up for right handed and 1.5 for left. I put two dots on pencils to help the children remember, you could do the same at home.

Morning Work Stations... By Friday they all knew the drill!

Aistear

I am really looking forward to getting started with our Aistear learning. It will be easier to get the most from it when we have the full day but for now the focus is on behaviour, playing together nicely, taking turns, body language when talking to a peer and lot's of encouragement to get to know their new friends.

So, that's it for this week. Please keep posted to this page. I will do blog competitions every now and then and I love reading any comments during class. Children get a sticker if they post or their grown-up does, but really no pressure. I am really happy to stay that I have a very strong class this year and I am really looking forward to seeing what the will achieve! These little ones are really going places!

Have a great weekend,

Kind Regards,
Ms. Murray

5 Comments

Ms Murray's Class Blog

Friday 29th September

Colour Mixing Project - Red & Yellow make... Orange

Add some stems and you have a bunch of flowers!

Scroll through the photos below.

We can Listen and follow instructions

D.E.A.R. TIME

And who doesn't like to find somewhere snug to read a book!

Art Appreciation week - Self Portraits

I hope you enjoy this little video we made to work on our language skills. I think the children speak very clearly! Well Done Girls and Boys.

Aistear

Friday 22nd September

Maths - The focus was colour and pattern

We even added pattern and colour to our PE lesson!

Art

Pre-phonics work

Aistear

Irish

Little Red Riding Hood

Friday 15th September

Writing

Maths - Colour and Pattern

Home Time

What we love about school!

Friday 8th September

A great first week !

Early Morning Maths and Literacy Stations

Yard Time

Humpty Dumpty

Some budding artists in Rm 5!

Morning Work Stations... By Friday they all knew the drill!

Aistear

Categories

Archives

Ms Murray's Class Blog

Friday 29th September

Colour Mixing Project - Red & Yellow make... Orange

Add some stems and you have a bunch of flowers!

Scroll through the photos below.

We can Listen and follow instructions

D.E.A.R. TIME

And who doesn't like to find somewhere snug to read a book!

Art Appreciation week - Self Portraits

I hope you enjoy this little video we made to work on our language skills. I think the children speak very clearly! Well Done Girls and Boys.

Aistear

Friday 22nd September

Maths - The focus was colour and pattern

We even added pattern and colour to our PE lesson!

Art

Pre-phonics work

Aistear

Irish

Little Red Riding Hood

Friday 15th September

Writing

Maths - Colour and Patter​​n

Home Time

What we love about school!

Friday 8th September

A great first week !

Early Morning Maths and Literacy Stations

Yard Time

Humpty Dumpty

Some budding artists in Rm 5!

Morning Work Stations... By Friday they all knew the drill!

Aistear

Categories

Archives

Maths - Colour and Pattern