Ralph: Kindergarten Graduate

This photo is slightly staged but it is symbolic of Ralph walking through the doors of Kahoa for the last time as a Kindergartener.  His class departs through different doors BUT these are the same doors he did enter last August on his first day of Kindergarten.  What a year it has been!    

  

 I remember learning about this new math where they learn things in groups of 5 - and stacking their hands rather than putting them side by side.  I kind of remember looking at his teacher during conferences as if she had two heads trying to remember all this information she was giving me about snap words and walking words down your arm and stretching them.  I learned about the wh brothers.   I remember learning how a story is made with 3 different colors of blocks that represent a beginning, middle, and end.   I remember Ralph bringing home things his teacher said like "one, two, three . .eyes on me" to which the class was supposed to respond "one two eyes on you".   I remember thinking why can't they just learn math and reading . . .BUT somehow in the midst of all these various techniques there was learning going on.

I remember Ralph coming home wanting to try tapioca because there was a song in music class about tap - tap - tapioca.  I remember Ralph coming home, excited because he was the standing long jump champ for all kindergartners - beating another boy in his class by 1".  Ralph's jump was 4' 4" long.  I remember attempting to learn the what letters relate to which specials (gym, computers, music, art, and library) because Ralph thought it was more fun to just tell me which letter it was that day and not specifically which special he went to.

Oh, kindergarten was a new experience for Ralph and for us.

Ralph enjoyed computers class.  He kept telling me I should get the same programs Mr. Price has.

Ralph liked music class and tried but still doesn't think he sings very good.  It is hard for him to understand the pitch.  Unfortunately I can not set a good example.

He, of course, liked gym.  He will tell you that was his favorite subject.  I think the scooter unit was one of his favorites.

Reading is a very strong subject for Ralph.  By the end of kindergarten he was reading at a 2nd grade level.  He loves to go to the library.  He is starting to read (small) chapter books - but he did admit to me he skims them sometimes.  He likes reading the level reader books.  I try to sneak in a few regular books (what one might read to their youngster) as suggested by his teacher.  He also likes spelling words.  He enjoyed looking back over some of the stories he wrote at the beginning of the year to see how he used to spell some words.

One of the most interesting things to me was the weekly school folder that was sent home on Wednesday.  The folder/envelope was key to communication from the school and PTO to parents.  The backpack was just as interesting . .we'd put something in it for the teacher or PTO and it would magically get where it needed to go. 

 

This photo is also symbolic of Ralph, taken on the last day of Kindergarten.  He will pick up a book whenever he can . . . he also has trouble keeping his shoes tied!