Let’s be honest. Teaching little people is TOUGH!
The start of school is often filled with tears and fits of anger. Why?
I’ll give you three reasons:
- Teachers need to set limits that many children haven’t encountered.
- It might be the first time a child is in school and separated from parents.
- Children are walking into a room full of strangers and new experiences. It’s anxiety-inducing.
What is a teacher supposed to do?
First and foremost, make sure to practice self-care. Drink your coffee or tea, listen to your favorite song, meditate, recite positive affirmations, chat with a trusted colleague, promise yourself a reward at the end of the day. Whatever you need to get your motor running, be sure and do it.
I’m speaking from experience. When I taught kindergarten, my stress levels were so high my doctor thought I had a heart attack.
I nearly cried with relief when he hospitalized me for observation on a school night. Who is happy when they have to stay in the hospital? A teacher at a breaking point!
After I left the district, I attended therapy. Seriously, the student on student violence in my kindergarten classroom left me shaken to my core. My therapist told me that teachers from my district were the largest group of clients she counseled. And people wonder why there’s a teacher shortage.
Okay, enough ranting. Once you’ve met your needs, execute a consistent morning arrival routine.
Here’s My Morning Arrival Routine:
I played classical music during the morning arrival. It’s good for the brain, reduces stress levels and increases productivity.
For this activity children found their names on an index card and ‘signed-in’ by flipping the card to in. I wrote the first letter of their names in red to draw attention to the letters. I used a small pocket chart for this and hung it from the classroom door, so it was the first thing children saw.
If you don’t have a pocket chart, use poster board and Velcro.
Draw a red circle around the word in and a red rectangle around the word out (or whatever shapes you like).
I used a magnetic board for this activity. Student names were written on magnets for the students to find and place in the correct column. You can use poster board and Velcro for this one too.
This is a great way to learn where your kiddos are emotionally when they arrive and support them if they need it. It also gives them the vocabulary they need to learn to express themselves in a positive way.
I asked my students why they felt the emotion they chose. This helps promote conversation and taking turns when speaking.
You can also count how many children are feeling the same emotion. Compare/contrast
Additional Arrival Activities:
Each week, one child can be chosen as the Morning Greeter. They can use a clipboard to check off the names of classmates as they arrive. Give high fives, or any other greeting you decide.
Limited Center Time:
Library, Quiet Corner, Easy Clean-Up Toys on the Carpet, Morning Writing/Drawing
For the toys on the carpet, I used 2-3 mats (or towels) and placed the bins on them. (You can also use puzzles.) I instructed the children to pretend the mat was a table.
The toys had to stay on the mat when the children played with them. 2-3 three children to each mat. I also taught the children how to fold the mat when they were finished. Once the children become more independent, they can choose their own bins to use on the mats.
Quick Note About Mats: When I taught Pre-K Head Start in Philadelphia, this practice was encouraged. It’s a Montessori technique that reinforces freedom within limits.
Years later at another Head Start program, my supervisor was against it. I defended my decision, and she allowed it for the first few weeks of school. Justify your strategy with learning objectives if it’s something you feel strongly about.
Morning Writing/Drawing
I didn’t have enough dry erase boards, so I laminated printer paper, bought a pack of black socks to use as erasers and found a bunch of dry erase markers to use for morning writing/drawing.
Note About Dry Erase Markers: Kids love them! But sometimes they push the tips into the markers, lose the caps, and don’t put the caps on correctly so the markers dry out.
Model how to use the markers correctly: take the cap off, stick it on the end of the marker and write with it gently. When you’re done, put the cap back on top. Listen for the clicking sound. Be sure to save any extra marker caps you find. You will need them.
Use a Timer and Give Five Minute Warnings
Introduce your children to a timer. Explain, when the timer goes off, it’s time to stop (freeze) what we’re doing and clean up. Remember to give verbal warnings before the timer goes off, so the children are prepared for the transition. Sing a Clean Up Song to make things more fun.
My morning routine, much like my teaching, developed gradually. The start of the school day was shaped by schedules, administrators, and the needs of the students.
Regardless of what happened, I always remembered that the morning arrival was the foundation for the day. A solid foundation lays the groundwork for a productive day for students and teachers.
Take the techniques that resonate with you, tweak them and make them your own.
Resources:
Kid Writing A Systematic Approach to Phonics, Journals, and Writing Workshop