Personal Alphabets

Every year I send home a sheet with every letter of the alphabet with a line next to it asking families to write one word for each letter that is important their child or their family. I ask them to complete the alphabet and send it back in so that each week when we focus on a letter, I can use examples from their lives that start with our letter of the week. I send a note explaining why I am asking them to do this and I fill in my own alphabet as a way for them to get to know me as well. I really enjoy doing my own alphabet because I find that it changes every year. If you're interested in the template I created email me at sneakerteacher26@googlemail.com and I will be happy to email you the letter and template. I have both a Spanish and English version (disclaimer: my writing in Spanish may not be perfect!!).

Here is my alphabet for this year

A-adidas (where Mr. Sneaker works)
B-baking (I heart baking cookies)
C-Connecticut (where I grew up)
D-dissertation (I am working on mine)
E-español (I speak Spanish)
F-frogs (I am terrified of them!)
G-Grace (my sweet baby girl)
H-Hawaii (I would love to vacation there)
I-iPads (We have one for every student in Kinder this year)
J- John (Mr. Sneaker)
K-Kindle (I love reading)
L-lattes (my favorite coffee drink)
M-mom (I love being a mama)
N-nieces (I have three)
O-Oregon (I moved here in 2005)
P-pictures (I take tons of Baby Sneaker)
Q-quiet (I can be shy at times)
R-running (I ran a half marathon in 2010)
S-sushi (yum! My favorite!)
T-traveling (I lived in Germany for a year)
U-Up (I love that movie)
V-Villanova (where I went to college)
W-Wright (my maiden name)
X-eXcellent (the kind of teacher I am...hehe)
Y-yellow (my favorite color when I was in Kindergarten)
Z-Zumba (I love to dance)

I don't necessarily expect the families to give details about their words like I did, but that would be great. These personal alphabets are a great way to learn a little bit more about my students and to get them engaged with our letter of the week. I will take the stack of alphabets and read each child's name along with their word and sometimes ask them a question about it if I need clarification. They enjoy hearing their own words because they often don't remember what is on their sheet and they get a kick out of hearing me say names of family members, pets, their favorite foods, places they go etc.