Dear Evergreen Families,
In kindergarten, learning is about more than letters and numbers, it’s also about feelings. Through Social-Emotional Learning, Evergreen students practice recognizing and naming emotions like happy, sad, mad, excited, and calm. They also have opportunities to learn about and practice the following skills as outlined in curriculum:
• Describe personal characteristics and explore feelings and emotions: recognizing that people experience a range of feelings and that emotions can be expressed and talked about.
• Identify and express feelings and emotions in a variety of ways: including using words to describe emotions and practicing expressing feelings appropriately.
• Use strategies to support self-regulation and begin to manage emotions in different situations: building awareness of how they feel and ways to respond, like deep breaths, asking for help, or using calming tools.
• Explore how relationships and play help them understand feelings and connect with others: recognizing that emotions affect how we interact and learn together.
When children have words for their feelings, they can better express themselves, ask for help, and understand others. Building an emotional vocabulary helps our students learn to share, take turns, solve problems, and develop kindness and empathy. These early skills lay an important foundation for learning, friendships, and confidence in school. This work directly supports the Evergreen School Development Plan’s focus on strengthening linguistic vocabulary. When students learn and use new words to express how they feel, they are also developing oral language skills, listening comprehension, and confidence in communication.
As part of the morning routine in kindergarten, students practice greetings, turn-taking and identifying and labelling their emotions. Here’s what some of our Kindergarten students had to say about their emotions when asked “How are you feeling today?”
- I am feeling happy because my tooth is wiggly.
- I am feeling excited because it is library day tomorrow.
- I am feeling sad because my tummy hurts.
- I am feeling happy and excited because I am going on an airplane soon.
- I am feeling sad because my brother is sick and he is coughing and not covering his mouth.
UPDATES AND INFORMATION
Valentine’s Day: If your child is planning to write Valentines this year, we ask that they include all students in their class. Classroom teachers will provide time for students to hand out Valentines on Wednesday, February 11th. Valentines with pre-wrapped, store-bought candies will be permitted to be passed out. We ask that families with students with allergies assess anything brought home for their child.
Due to allergies, students will not be permitted to pass out any candies/food items that have been made from scratch at home. Classroom teachers will follow up with families regarding name lists.
Warm and wet outdoor conditions: As we welcome warmer spring weather, we are also experiencing wet and muddy conditions on the school grounds. Students are encouraged to dress for the weather so they can stay comfortable and enjoy outdoor learning and play. Waterproof jackets, rain boots, and extra socks or clothing are helpful on rainy and wet days, as puddles and soft ground are common during this time of year. Being prepared helps ensure students stay dry, warm, and ready to learn!
Have a wonderful rest of your Sunday!
Sincerely,
Angela, Kim and the Evergreen Staff