My friend, Josefina Calzada, is offering Spanish classes for toddlers on Wednesday afternoons from 1 - 1:30. The classes use art, books and games to help the children learn basic Spanish vocabulary and phrases. Josefina loves children and puts a lot of time and effort into creating classes that kids rave about. This is our third year working together. She has classes for other ages, but the toddler class is currently the only one that has openings.

If you are interested in joining us, please email me or leave a comment below. We pay by the month and it is only $25 per month for the toddler class.

We have a great group and would love a few more students!
Rebecca Wolf

Just an FYI, there’ll be a Homeschooling Conference February 8-12 at an indoor water park in Sandusky, Ohio, with John Taylor Gatto and no registration fees! It doesn’t get much better than this folks!

http://www.ugo.unschoolgathering.com/

It’s not too late to sign up!

Enjoy,
Rebecca

We studied M this week and the Mr. M song from the Letter People was a big favorite. We also learned some new nursery rhymes like Little Miss Muffet, the Muffin Man, and Mary Had a Little Lamb. We made magic marker watercolors and cut paper mosaics.

Next week, we won’t have any preschool classes because of Thanksgiving. Preschool classes will resume December 1st.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Rebecca

I recently found out that Barnes & Nobles offers free e-books. Many of them are classics, but they also have a nice selection of modern fiction from authors like James Patterson and titles from Harlequin Romance. Of course you’ll find some that are great for kids, like David Copperfield, and much more. Besides, you can’t beat the price tag!

The only caveat is, you have to use their e-Reader. Luckily, it works on the iPhone/iPod Touch, Blackberry, Windows and Mac. Check out the titles for yourself and your family.

Enjoy,
Rebecca

A new Readers’ Circle is starting on Mondays from 9 - 9:45 a.m. here at the Sibley Learning Center. Our first group of beginning readers that began in February is now reading at a second grade level!

This group will meet once a week and is perfect for the child who is just starting to read simple sentences like, “I see the red balloon,” with strong picture support. Cost is $10 per session. Please see the Financial Aid page if you have questions about costs.

Classes start next week, but we do have a rolling admissions if room is available.

Thank you!

Rebecca Wolf

For all you animal lover’s, here is a webcast that’s sure to please:

Winter’s Tail Live Webcast
October 7, 2009 1:00 - 1:45 P.M. (ET)
Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Florida
www.scholastic.com/winterstail

AGENDA:

Welcome to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium
David Yates, CEO, Clearwater Marine Aquarium

All About Dolphins
Joe Malo, Director of Education at Clearwater Marine Aquarium

Winter’s Story!
Hear all about Winter’s amazing story and see her in action with her trainers, Ashley & Diane

Meet the Authors
Craig, Juliana, and Isabella Hatkoff, authors of Winter’s Tail: How One Little Dolphin Learned to Swim Again

Q&A

Meet Brandon & McKenna
Two kids who’s own personal stories were inspired by Winter

A Surprise for Winter!

Enjoy,

Rebecca

Here are some of our potential upcoming themes: Moon Watch, Harvest Time, Hibernation and Snow/Ice. We are currently ready to dive into the topic of Weather by keeping weather journals, making and using instruments of measurement and learning about temperatures.

Classes meet on Monday and Wednesday mornings from 9 - 12 noon. Ages 6-9 are welcome to join us for a day, a theme, or the entire semester!

Warmly,

Rebecca  Wolf

I just read this article from the New York Times and wanted to share the link with you.

Tools of the Mind was a required text when I taught Foundations of Education at SUNY Brockport. The article talks about the vital difference between free play and guided play in the development of self-regulation in young children. A truly playful environment allows children to practice or rehearse many valuable social skills, including the delay of self-gratification and regulation, which, “is a remarkably strong indicator of both short-term and long-term success, academic and otherwise. In some studies, self-regulation skills have been shown to predict academic achievement more reliably than I.Q. tests. The problem is that just as we’re coming to understand the importance of self-regulation skills, those skills appear to be in short supply among young American children.”

To read the entire article, go to:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/27/magazine/27tools-t.html?_r=1&emc=eta1

Happy Reading,

Rebecca Wolf

I have received many inquiries about our music classes. Now that our home renovations are virtually finished, we are ready to begin our first music program!

Since mornings seem to be the preferred time, and most of my mornings are already booked with preschool and/or homeschool classes, I will be offering music at the beginning of my preschool class on Thursdays. We will begin at 9:00, when my preschool students arrive, and we will all enjoy a half-hour of music, fingerplays, singing, playing rhythm instruments, doing movement and dancing together.

This session begins on Thursday, October 1st from 9:00 - 9:30 a.m. here at the Sibley Learning Center. This will be a 4 week session ending on October 22nd. The cost is $5 per class. Please call or e-mail me (see the Contact page above) if you’d like to register.

Warmly,

Rebecca Wolf

Interested in the parent workshops I give on literacy? I’ll be speaking next Monday, September 14th at Holistic Mom’s in Pittsford, the Rochester chapter. Feel free to click the link below for more details. The fun starts at 6:45!

Rebecca Wolf

September HMN Meeting

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