Welcome to our

Back to School
Night!
PreK-MK
2015-2016

The Plan for Tonight

A little about your
The GWA approach to
Our class Essential
Academics
ICT in Our Class
Communication
Nuts and Bolts
Questions

teaching team
education
Agreements

A Little About Us
Ms. Mira:

This is my second year at GWA. I am originally from Beirut, Lebanon

where I worked for 7 years in an IB world school. I was part of the
founding team of the school where I taught at both the Elementary and
Preschool level, and eventually took on the role of the language
coordinator. My passion towards the PYP pushed me to share my vision
and expertise with other PYP teachers from all around the world, as a
certified bilingual PYP trainer.
To tell you more about me, I am very passionate about photography and
enjoy exploring new places through my lens! I also love reading, jogging
and mostly learning with young children! I am very keen to be back in
Pre-K as I believe that this is where wonderful and fun learning happens!
This is my 3rd year as a Teaching Assistant at Gems World Academy and
I have enjoyed every year I have been here learning with the kids. I am
looking forward to help in your childs learning development.
This year I am most excited to get to know your children and learn about
all the wonderful backgrounds they come from. I am definitely sure, with
Ms. Mira and the whole class; learning will be fun and exciting!

GWA Approach to Education

Inquiry based
Challenged according to what students are ready
to learn next (developmental approach)
Focus on differentiation, activity based, small
group and individualized learning

How We Know What

Students Have Learned
Prior knowledge to drive inquiry
Assessment (observations,
summative & formative)
Process oriented more often than
product (reflection of learning)

Portfolios

Our EC Philosophy

Learning through play and individual discovery;

Learning through integrated units of inquiry;
Developing skills that allow students to work
collaboratively;
Learning through the manipulation of concrete
materials;
Moving through various learning activities ;
Differentiating through choice and readiness;
Initiating inquiry and asking questions and;
Building a highly sensorial environment where
multiple intelligences are catered for

The Importance of Play

Play is essential for children to develop

physically, emotionally and socially.

It fosters imagination and creativity

Encourages confidence and concentration.

It helps children to make friends and

learn about their ever expanding world.

It allows them to learn from mistakes

safely

What your child is learning

Physical-hand eye coordination, hand manipulation, visual perception
Maths equality, inequality (more than ,less than)shape, measuring, height,
weight, classification
Science- discovery and experimentation, trial and error, gravity, balance,
stability.
Social/ emotional- cooperation and team work, self confidence, initiative,
feeling of competence, compromise.
Language- naming building, stories about building, exchanging of ideas,
planning.

Class Essential Agreements

Created by teacher AND students
Embody the Learner Profile
Our classroom essential expectations
fosters shared responsibility.
What we are encouraging and how you
can help at home (consistency)

The Five Essential Elements

Concepts
Action
Skills
Knowledge
PYP Attitudes

The Year Ahead

Academically

Our Four Themes

Sharing the Planet: Living things in our care share the same
basic needs, need nurturing to survive and are important to us.
Who We Are: We can learn more about ourselves and each other
by understanding how and why people celebrate.
How We Express Ourselves: Our experiences and imagination
inspire us to create and communicate.
How The World Works: Materials behave in certain ways, can be
changed and are used for different purposes

What will ICT look like this

year
What will ICT look like in the classroom
this year?

Ipads in class
ICT instruction
Integration within our units of inquiry

Homeroom Parent

The purpose of the Homeroom Parent is to be:

1) a communication channel between the teacher and
the other class parents. Under direction from the
teacher, the Homeroom Parent organizes and
coordinates the resources of the class parents.
These resources include:
a) Parent Volunteer time in the classroom (reading
workshop, centers, fieldtrip assistance,
etc.)
b) Parent Volunteer time for event/party planning
c) Parent Volunteer and purchase of treats for
special occasions. d) Classroom funds
2) the classroom delegate to GWAPA where you serve
as the key communication ambassador for your
classroom families.
3) Overseer and Manager of the classroom funds
used to supply events for the class

Nuts and Bolts

Snack- must be brought from home and healthy

Labels
Spare Clothes
Hats, water bottles and eating utensils
Class Parent
Birthday Celebrations: whole Pre-K/last Sunday
of every month
Donations: clothes, accessories, kitchen items
(for our drama and dress up areas)
Drop off at 8:15 and pick up at 1:30

Communication
Best way to contact
All classroom news and upcoming
events will be posted on the Weebly
Homepage: http://pre-kgwa.weebly.com
Class weebly:
http://pre-kgwa.weebly.com/ms-mira
School Email (expect a response
between 2 pm- 5pm):
M.KADDOURA_GWA@gemsedu.com
By appointment

Time for Questions (General

questions )