Other Curriculums

AL'S PALS KIDS MAKING HEALTHY CHOICES

This program is designed to guide children as they explore their world and use their newly developed language and social skills. As the teacher, I will promote interactions that build social competence, problem-solving skills, and a sense of hope and future by providing opportunities for children to be involved in the decision-making process. During the lesson's Al or some of his puppet friends may come to visit the classroom to talk with the children about a variety of topics, the main ones being emotions, problem solving and how to treat others. Along with the program we have a special place in our classroom called Al's place where children and sit when they are upset, take some deep breaths and calm down so that when they return to the situation, classroom, or activity they are in a better state of mind. To find out more about this program you can visit their website: AL's Pals

Handwriting Without Tears

Handwriting Without Tears is a program that provides children with clear, simple directions for letter formation. It uses many senses–vision, hearing, and touch–to help children remember how to make the letters and what direction they face. The program also helps to make handwriting an automatic and natural skill so that children can focus on what they are writing, not just how to make the letters. This is a writing program designed to promote GREAT FORMATION OF LETTERS. Encourage your child to use correct letter formation at all times. A sheet will come home periodically.

For more information about the program, you may want to visit the website: www.hwtears.com.

The following is a video example of how a typical Handwriting Without Tears lesson is taught. In the video it is only taught to one individual student, however in the classroom it is taught as a group.

To see other videos click on the following link it will take you to a selection of other helpful how-to videos. Click Here


According to the Handwriting Without Tears website "The HWT kindergarten program incorporates hands-on activities and good handwriting habits to develop strong writers. We engage students with music, movement, fine motor activities, and child-friendly language. They learn capital and lowercase letter and number formation and how to print using hands-on materials and developmentally appropriate activities. Fine motor work prepares students for pencil and paper success in the student workbook." In the classroom we use play-dough, wood pieces, pencils, crayons, chalk, cloths, and sponges to practice writing our letters.

Tucker Signing

To help our students learn their letter sounds we use a program called Tucker Sign. With Tucker sign students are taught a 'hand sign' for each letter sound. There are 44 hand signs that prompt associations between letters or word chucks and their sounds. According to the Tucker Sign program "Tucker Signs require readers to see the letter(s), make a sign, and say the sound at the same time. This multi-sensory approach works wonders with students who struggle with regular reading programs."

For the kindergarten program at Wilbur we focus on the individual sounds each letter makes, both the soft and hard sounds. If you would like to review the signs for each letter with you child or if you would like to learn them you can watch the following video.