How Do You Prepare For A Test?

Studying for a test can be overwhelming for some upper elementary kids. Students can feel confident and ready to take tests with a little preparation and practice. Here are a few ideas my students gave me when I asked them, “How Do You Prepare For A Test?”

LISTEN IN CLASS

What the teacher is teaching and writing on the board is important and will probably be on the test, so listen and take good notes.

USE STUDY GUIDES

If given one, use the study guide which outlines the featured information on a test.

ASK PARENTS FOR HELP

After you have studied on your own, ask your parents to design a practice test for you to take both written and/or orally. Have them create a short game with whatever it is you are studying instead of just cramming info into your brain from notes.

WRITE

Many students suggested writing what will be on the test 3 times really helps them remember key information.

LOOK IT OVER

Get into bed, look over what will be on the test so it sinks into your brain, turn off the light, and get a good night’s sleep.

Mrs. Stacey Brandes

Fifth Grade Teacher

Saint Francis Xavier School

Saint Francis Xavier School
Developing the whole person:
Academics, Faith, Community and Character
Interested in learning more about Saint Francis Xavier School? Just fill out our inquiry form and someone will be in touch!

Five great books to read with your child before kindergarten

It’s  common knowledge that reading aloud daily to pre-school children is a vital step to help prepare them for success in school; in fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics endorses this habit.  In line with the AAP, the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten initiative began several years ago,   promoting the development of early childhood literacy through the shared and oh-so-pleasurable task of reading aloud to a child (with some helpful print and digital logs to track progress).  

When you think about it, reading 1000 books to a child before kindergarten is actually a quantitative concept that’s not so hard to wrap one’s head around.  That averages out to about 200 books per year between birth and the start of kindergarten--not even one a day! (And who can stop at just one?!)   But how to begin selecting those 1000 books?   To get started, the 1000 Books Foundation has compiled and posted on their website a very good list of 100+ titles called  “Books Your Child Should Hear Before Kindergarten.”  This list is a great roadmap for parents to take to their local library or retailer.   Here are five of my personal favorites that I have especially loved reading aloud both to my own children and those I’ve served in public and school libraries.

Whose Mouse Are You?  by Robert Kraus, pictures by Jose Aruego.  This simply written paean to the centrality of family ties and love in a young (mouse)  child’s life  blends rhyming text and colorful, amusing illustrations seamlessly. Each page spread deftly anticipates the next with humor and heart.   Just right for preschoolers.

Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann.  This nearly-wordless book relies on rib-tickling, predictable visual jokes to tell the story of a hapless zoo keeper whose attempts to keep his animal charges safely locked up at night are thwarted by a key-snatching gorilla.  Very young children will catch right on to what is happening and relish the amusing details, again and again.

A Visitor for Bear by Bonny Becker, illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton.  A  large curmudgeonly bear, who lives alone quite by choice in his forest house, is called on by a very small, polite mouse.    Finally outdone by the mouse’s  persistence in staying for a visit,  the bear  relents and  lets Mouse stay for a “spot of tea” … and slowly realizes, through their conversation, the pleasures of companionship.  The comic visual and verbal antics of both the mouse and bear combine perfectly with repetitive language and just enough plot to hold a young child’s attention.  

The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Stephen Gammell.  The excitement of relatives coming to visit could not be more joyously rendered for a young child than in this book. Arising at dawn in Virginia and driving hundreds of miles over hill and dale in their overstuffed car, “the relatives” finally arrive at their destination, where their assorted kin sweep them exuberantly into their home and lives for a cozy, active and  extended stay.  Warm, conversational text matches perfectly with delightful, humorous drawings exquisitely rendered in colored pencil.  A Caldecott Honor Book.   Readers of all ages will be sorry when this family reunion comes to an end.  

Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel  by Virginia Lee Burton.  When your preschooler is ready for a longer “listen”, there is no better book to read aloud than Burton’s beloved, enduring tale of a determined  steam shovel named Mary Anne and  “her”  driver, Mike Mulligan.  Brightly colored, whimsical crayon drawings evoke a small town community of an  earlier era in which new-fangled gas and diesel-engine contraptions are threatening to put both Mary Anne and Mike out of business.   The duo finds a creative  way to repurpose themselves in a way that has left generations of readers and listeners cheering.     

Dive into “1000 Books Before Kindergarten” with these sure-fire pleasers...you and your preschooler will love them!

Mrs. Kathleen Finn

Librarian and Digital Learning Specialist

Saint Francis Xavier School

Saint Francis Xavier School
Developing the whole person:
Academics, Faith, Community and Character
Interested in learning more about Saint Francis Xavier School? Just fill out our inquiry form and someone will be in touch!

Christmas Gifts

One of my favorite things about being a mother is creating my family’s own Christmas traditions with my husband and our two daughters. Though we may disagree on a few details (mostly regarding when to start decorating the house and the specific weather guidelines under which it is acceptable to go cut our tree) my husband and I have finally - for now - agreed on our plan for giving our daughter’s Christmas presents.

We are in our second year of doing four gifts: something they want, something they need, something to wear, something to read. While my children are quite young (3 and 1) my older daughter’s reluctance to actually play with toys has left me with no desire to fill my house with junk. Focusing on four gifts helps me think about what their interests are, and how I can happily coexist with those supplies in my living room. I am genuinely excited for them to open their gifts this year because I think they really capture their interests. I’m also really excited that there won’t be piles of toys everywhere that they both trip over as they race to unload the tupperware drawer and scatter its contents across the kitchen.

My three year old is a tried and true “threenager” and it is taking some real work to teach her, and remind myself, about the Spirit of Christmas. If only she could read I’d get a shirt that said “Love and Kindness, that’s what Christmas is all about”, but until then I will just keep saying it 100 times a day (along with “Fine. I’ll just call Santa then.” sprinkled in for good measure). Her rotating Christmas list includes: ballerina slippers, a monkey, Oreos, and a Christmas tree. My one year old would probably also enjoy any of these items as long as her big sister was currently trying to use it. This is to say, their needs are minimal. I am, however, quite happy to establish a gift giving tradition that can grow with them throughout the years.

Though I really think my girls will like their gifts, I will not be disappointed on December 26th if they are scattering kitchen utensils from one end of the house to the other while I sit contentedly coloring with their new art supplies. My true Christmas wish for them is that they know how to love unconditionally and I hope that they feel loved in return. I pray that they are kind to each other, themselves, and others, today and always.

Love and Kindness, that’s what Christmas is all about.

Mrs. Eileen Barendse
Assistant Principal and

Director of Early Education

Saint Francis Xavier School

Saint Francis Xavier School
Developing the whole person:
Academics, Faith, Community and Character
Interested in learning more about Saint Francis Xavier School? Just fill out our inquiry form and someone will be in touch!

Memorization Doesn't Have to be Frustrating

I know this from experience. Although I come from a family of good memorizers, I was terrible at it and I hated it. I’m not sure how old I was when I learned the “sevens” on the multiplication table - but I do remember poking my head up over the wooden rail of my bed in my room that day because I refused to memorize them. I felt that if I didn’t remember a fact the first time, then I had failed.

Memorizing is frustrating for parents because they can’t just do it for their kids. But kids feel like they just can’t do it, period. There’s nothing more frustrating than that.

I speak from experience: for me, memorization requires effort, but I didn’t know that because it seemed so effortless for my family members.

But it does not have to be frustrating.

It requires the good kind of effort. The kind that is rewarded as soon as the child can say “Hey, I memorized 7x1! I will get extra dessert for the day!” In other words, if you want your kids to “practice, practice, practice”, my advice is to “encourage, encourage, encourage”. We tend to underestimate the amount of time we need to commit facts to memory a lot. If you want your kids, who might not be good at memorizing multiplication facts or words in a foreign language, to spend the correct amount of time practicing memorization, then spend more time than feels necessary to practice. Don’t expect them to get it all at once and tell them that you don’t expect that. Some kids will remember their words the first time (lucky), some kids will remember the third time (lucky), some will remember the 20th time. Students will feel success as soon as they accomplish small tasks. Let them experience that success.

I read what I think is a good strategy for practicing memorization: a mother, who gave her kids the multiplication chart to look at, would quiz them repetitively, and eventually they would stop looking at the chart. I think this strategy makes a lot of sense - don’t remove the children’s study aid too soon; and, let them be in charge of it. It gives them a feeling of “I’m still succeeding”, and checking the study aid is a visual form of repetition.

My last suggestion is to match memorization with some sort of physical activity. As I got older, I began to pace as I held onto my cheat sheet and practiced my words.

I imagine that any repetitive physical activity which they could do while holding a normal conversation could serve as a “physical focuser”, a physical activity which “distracts” the kids from not liking the mental activity. I imagine basketball, jenga, drawing, stacking or organizing objects could serve as physical focusers. If you are going to spend time helping them memorize, pairing the memorization activity with a physical activity might be helpful for a perfectionist or an easily-frustrated child. This would be for a student who is capable of keeping his mind on the facts which are being practiced while his body is busy shooting hoops. As a side note, keep in mind your children’s saturation point and encourage your kids to think about how they learn. How many words can they learn before they need a break? How much time do they need as a break? How does the intensity of their practice affect their duration?

Remember, a good strategy for practicing memorization can make learning new information easier.

Ms. Elizabeth Caron

Middle School Teacher

St. Francis Xavier School

Saint Francis Xavier School

Developing the whole person:

Academics, Faith, Community and Character

Interested in learning more about Saint Francis Xavier School? Just fill out our inquiry form and someone will be in touch!

Give Thanks

Thanksgiving will upon us soon so I decided to write about giving thanks!  It seems like it is always easier to gripe or complain about things;   but wouldn't it be nice to spend more time saying thank you?    Thank you for our warm homes, food to eat, clothes to wear and especially each other.  

When my own children were younger we made a paper lunch bag into a Thanks bag.  We drew hands on it to show like they were praying ,giving thanks to God.  Then for the month of November we would put small notes in saying what we were thankful for.  These notes would then be read on Thanksgiving day.  November has already started, but why not try it from now until Thanksgiving?  What a good habit to get into.  

One day we picked up three small flower bouquets at the flower shop.  We decided to give them away to three people we met that day.  One we gave to the lady at McDonalds, who we used to see.  One went to the lady at the meat counter and the third?  I can't remember.  But my children and I can remember their faces.  They were three strangers to us but their faces were glowing with happiness that day when we gave them the flowers.  It also gave us joy to see their faces.

There are many ways to give thanks.  Draw a picture to give.   How about taking the time to write a thank you note to someone who has been a help in your life?  Or how about saying a special prayer for someone?  Brainstorm with your family.  Come up with new and different ways to say thank you!  

Right now, I would like to say thank you for our priests, our teachers and staff, our beautiful school and most of all you, our families.  Without you our school would be empty.  With you, our lives are full!  May God bless you and your families this November.

“He who sings,” said St. Augustine, “prays twice”.

God Bless,

Mrs. Noreen Pelchat

Middle School Teacher

St. Francis Xavier School

Saint Francis Xavier School

Developing the whole person:

Academics, Faith, Community and Character

Interested in learning more about Saint Francis Xavier School? Just fill out our inquiry form and someone will be in touch!

Learning our Heritage Through Language

I just heard a little knock on my door. It’s the end of the day, in fact, a day off for the students but a training day for us, faculty. I see a silhouette in the door as I’m approaching. My face lights up as I recognize a parent, smiling back at me. He hands me a little tiny French book. He found it in the older part of the school, as he was doing work for us. I told him I was recognizing it from my days as a schoolgirl. We chat about the book and its stories and there it comes…. my idea for this blog!

Our heritage, just as this father embraces his own heritage and clearly wants to pass it down to his children, it is a vital part of us we cannot ignore.

Mine is French-Canadian. I am proud to say I was born in Quebec, I am even more proud to say I now live surrounded with people of French-Canadian descent. When I first moved to Vermont, I was unaware of this strong heritage. Yes, I knew my history and that of Vermont, but to live it, is a different story. I now have a broader view of my heritage, through the people I meet, the people I connect back to my roots.

One of the many ways to understand our heritage, besides asking our parents and grandparents about your family, is through language. Learning the language your forefathers spoke helps us get closer to them. It’s not always an easy task but in today’s world, we have access to practically everything!

Here at Saint Francis Xavier school, we are blessed to be able to offer all our students both French and Spanish classes. Our Middle Schoolers have the opportunity to practice both languages using a great app, on their tablet, that complements very well our classes.

Here are great suggestions for learning French and many more languages. Adults and children alike will find something of interest. Download on your computer, laptop, iPhone, tablet or smartphone… anywhere, anytime, with anyone! Learning French can be fun!

Apps:

• Duolingo (free, educational, fun for the school-age children!)

Check this link with great suggestions of apps as well: https://www.thelocal.fr/20160414/top-five-free-apps-to-learn-french

• Rosetta Stone (probably the best but you must pay to enjoy the complete program)
• Memrise

Resources:

• http://www.omniglot.com/links/french.htm (you will find all you need to know within this site about the language itself as well as learning it)

• https://www.fourmilab.ch/francais/

• http://french.about.com/od/tools/fl/Best-French-Learning-Resources-For-Self-studying.htm

• http://www.education.vic.gov.au/languagesonline/french/french.htm

Happy learning and happy connecting with your heritage!

Madame Hélène

Middle School Teacher

St. Francis Xavier School

Saint Francis Xavier School

Developing the whole person:

Academics, Faith, Community and Character

Interested in learning more about Saint Francis Xavier School? Just fill out our inquiry form and someone will be in touch!

My Favorite Pumpkin Activities

Fall is here and it brings with it a new season of crafts, especially ideas for pumpkin pickers, carvers, and crafters of all ages!

There are many new ideas online and traditional ones as well. Here is a list of a few of my favorite pumpkin activities that I have done at home and in my classroom.

Painting pumpkins is so much fun for younger children. Let them be creative and choose from many colors! To make it even more creative, add hair with yarn and googly eyes!

If you choose to carve your pumpkin you can cook the seeds and eat them, choosing to season them with any seasonings you and your family enjoy. We love salt, or garlic salt, and the combination of cinnamon and brown sugar!  Another great idea with your seeds is to dye them with food coloring.  This are a great seasonal and sensory activity to practice sorting by color, counting, or recognizing letters by writing on them with permanent marker.

One of my favorite Halloween books is Pete the Cat: Five Little Pumpkins. If you are familiar with Pete the Cat, I am sure you will like it as well.  After reading the book it is fun to collaborate it with a fun pumpkin painting project.  I enjoy seeing the many fun faces that are created.

I find that not only are these activities fun for our children, but essentially get us to spend some quality time with our children doing what they enjoy.  As a teacher and a mother these are the things I like to do best - let them get messy and see them smile.

Mrs. Micky Labonte
Middle School Teacher

St. Francis Xavier School

Saint Francis Xavier School

Developing the whole person:

Academics, Faith, Community and Character

Interested in learning more about Saint Francis Xavier School? Just fill out our inquiry form and someone will be in touch!