CREATIVE WAYS TO TAKE ATTENDANCE..

I sometimes find that classroom routines become too repetitious, even automatic. Taking Attendance is One!!

Roll call and calling out names takes up valuable class time. I have two solutions for you all.

First one: You can have students name on pop sticks or name tags (laminated) with Velcro behind the name tag. Make a Whoo’s Here Today chart with three columns.

Whoo’s Here Today?

BOYS PRESENT	GIRLS PRESENT	ABSENTEES
Joushua	Maria	Emily
Abel	Ishita	Anirudh
Sam	Sarah	Adidev
Arush	Nabila

Train your students that as soon as they reach the classroom, students will take their name tag or pop stick and stick it on the chart. This can be continued till you start your circle time. Late comers can do it as soon as they enter the class. This name tags should be readily available for the students as soon as they reach the classroom.

I like it because it serves a lot of different purposes, the students are learning to identify their names, they can also use the name cards throughout the day if they need help writing their names.

Second One:

 You must have a chart on the wall with the name tags fixed with the Velcro or just tape.

BOYS	GIRLS
Joushua	Maria
Abel	Ishita
Sam	Sarah
Arush	Nabila

When students come in, they pull their name tag from the attendance chart and Velcro it to their desks. You can then easily look at the chart and tell if someone is absent.

Talk about the children who are absent, create a “who’s missing chart.”

Think about approaches to taking attendance that may support mathematical and literacy thinking, e.g., counting the number of children at school today, working out the number of children who are not at school today,calling out the names phonetically eg: a/a/a/a Arush...etc..

Give it a try and let me know your thoughts!

BACK TO SCHOOL--FEW TIPS FOR TEACHERS

         After a lazy summer it will be important to grab students’ attention in                meaningful ways and keep it all year long. Create interactive lessons,                encourage participation, and focus students on interesting work.

Here are few tips for teachers:

·       First things first. Put all the tables and chairs into position.

·       Start unpacking boxes. Unpack your entire decor, dust everything, and set it up around the room.

·       Throw out anything in the boxes that looks too worn, and make a note to replace it.

·       Begin to collect all the items that will need to be labelled with student names.

·       Make the class list,name tags on desks, portfolios, etc.

·       Distribute student supplies and materials to each desk.

·       Get books out from library and ready for students.

·       Plan the First day packet for children: like welcome back assembly, welcome card etc.

·       Collect the holiday homework, projects, crafts etc from the students and Create checklist.

·       Set up and decorate the main bulletin board with welcome and smileys…

·       Set up special classroom bulletin boards for Birthdays, Star Student of the Week, etc.

·       Prepare all lesson plans for the first week.

·       Complete the Attendance Register.

·       Make sure that the Bus number is not changed and all students are assigned to their particular bus.

·       Update class website and add resources.

·       Display the 5 Rules as well as the Conscious Discipline Rules.

·       Be firm and consistent.

·       If teaching is not fun for you, then learning is not fun for them. Create joyful teaching  and learning opportunities through purposeful design.

·       Don’t spend too much time with the assumption, students have lost ground over the summer. Pre-assess students on the skills and standards that you know.

·       Give a warm welcome to the students with a smiley face.

·       Talk to them, Hug them, Play with them etc.

·       Start again—everyday.  Each day of school is a new day.  Give yourself a fresh start daily.  Most students are forgiving; when you have a hard day, remember, tomorrow is a new day

·       Be humble—we can all learn to be more effective in the classroom

·       Smile—pretend like every student you meet is in need of a smile and a kind word, you’ll be right most of the time.

Anecdotal Notes - Teacher's Notebook On Children

In order to know the children well, to now the progress and the problems of each child and be able to help them in the class, the teacher needs some aid to her memory.She should Keep anecdotal notes on each child:What activities he does and does not join, who plays and talks with, whether he shares and cooperates, if he is healthy etc..

For this purpose, a regular exercise notebook can be used.

• Write each child’s name at the top of a left-hand page, leaving the right -handed page blank.This gives two pages for writing notes on a particular child.
• Keep the names in alphabetical order, for easier reference.
• When the two pages are filled, start the alphabetical listing again where there are empty pages in the back of the book , or use a new book.

Every Day 4 to 5 children should be observed preferably in the class while the children are working or immediately after the class.During Child-Directed Activities in particular, it is perfectly possible to keep notebook and pen in hand while walking from one group to another and talking with children.

They may ask what you are writing,in which case tell the truth, but generally they will not pay much attention.If a teacher observes 4 or 5 children each, then in two weeks it is not difficult to observe and record the activities of 30 children.

The observation should be jotted down in very short phrases, along with the date and time.

It is important to look over these notes from time to time.Piecing together all these notes on one child gives a total picture of that child as an individual.It also gives a sound basis for comparison with other children in the group and with the developmental norms for that age.The teacher can see patterns of behaviour and can relate these to what she knows of the family background.It is very useful in talking with parents or giving reports, since the teacher then has very concrete points to which she can refer

The teacher as a guide for learning

The difficult task facing parents and teachers is to nourish and channel children's natural curiosity and to provide the encouragement , information and stimulation that they require to continue growing.The teacher's role and the atmosphere which he or she creates in the classroom are critical factors in a child's education.We all remember our good teachers more than anything else in school.

The teacher is not the source of all the knowledge and order,nor does she put a premium on facts as such.She does not sit at a desk in the class, with the attention of all the pupils focussed upon her.She does not ask questions to test memory and elicit the one correct response.She does not expect all children to sit quietly at all times and listen to her words of wisdom.
Her task is rather:
1) To establish an environment and encourage children to use it.
2) By her attitudes towards other people and towards work, to help the children develop similar constructive attitudes.

The teacher prepares a stimulating environment.
Things should be available for the children to investigate and work with their own.These should be carefully and consciously selected as discussed above , to stimulate development of concepts , widen horizons, encourage self -expression, strengthen muscles and coordination, encourage children to think to work on problems.

The teacher is responsible for making sure that the environment is not only stimulating but also orderly.
She has to check that the materials are put back correctly, that they are kept in good condition.She must therefore check all the materials daily,re-organizing and re-filling for the next day's use , and inform the school authorities well in advance when the fresh purchases are to be made.

The teacher establishes a routine .
As a framework within which freedom of choice and personal investigation can occur in an orderly way.She sets a few clear and simple procedure for work , rules which make it possible to live in a group happily and adheres to them strictly.
a) Children must complete a task and clear their place afterwards.
b)Children must handle materials so as not to break them.
c)Children must learn to wait for their turns.
d)Children are not to grab things or tease another child.
The teacher should set up a timetable for work, for each day and for the whole week, that is followed everyday.

The teacher paces the day and each activity according to children's needs.

She recognizes the need of small children for change of pace, so plans sitting activities followed by moving , noisy alternating with quiet, group with individual.She is sensitive to children's mood, so on a day when the class is restless she changes the activity.Her voice and movements conveys a feeling of enthusiasm, interest ans energy.She continues an activity long enough for the children to understand and becomes involved, but not so long that they become bored.

The teacher helps children to learn techniques  for using materials and set limits for the sake of safety and cooperative behaviour but does not tell them what to do.Thus in painting she shows children how to dip the brush in colour, gently wipe off the excess colour on the side of the paint cup, apply paint to paper, then wash the brush in water before dipping t in another colour.
She explains that these are the ways of working so as not to waist paint nor have colours too dripping nor mix colours. However , if after being shown and understanding, some child chooses to have drippy colours to see what will happen when they mix on the paper, then the teacher need not interfere.She establishes and enforces the rule that painting is to be done on paper only, not on the floor or on hands or on anyone else.
She establishes and enforce the rule that one does not walk about with a wet brush or a cup of paints.Further than this she gives no directions.She only helps with basic techniques and let the child work on his own.
Certain activities require more technical skills than painting.Cutting with scissors means holding them properly with sufficient strength, cutting a straight line, cutting several thickness at once, cutting a pattern etc .These are skills progressively developed , over time.The teacher needs to give guidance at each stage.

The teacher encourages children to make their own choice,  thus showing respect of their opinions and interests, helping them to build confidence.
In Individual Activities : She makes few activities available or asks them once they know the class routine, lets each child choose what he or she wants to do within the limits of the amount of each type of materials, encourages free handling and experimentation.When there is not enough to satisfy all, the teacher must encourage children to find something else to do while waiting their turns.
In Group Activities: Children can choose the story they wan to hear , the songs they want to sing or listen-perhaps not everyday , but often enough so that they feel their desires are respected.

The teacher encourages children to talk.
She must encourage children to talk about their work and experiences.Their verbal abilities at this age are generally not highly developed.Most children's vocabularies  are small. They show their interests and feelings through actions rather than through words.
By encouraging children's own verbal expression, the teacher shows respect for their thinking and ideas.

The teacher must have a sound background of general knowledge and be interested in learning more.
Her own enthusiasm and curiosity set an example for the children.She must be willing to say, " I don't know" let's find out.How can we find out? "etc.. She must be aware of sources of information upon which she can draw materials, books, people in the school and community.

Finally the teacher's own attitudes towards other people, towards work , and towards learning are crucial.Children are extraordinarily sensitive and pick up the slightest shades of meaning in adult behaviour.
If the teacher says," Put all the materials away neatly",but leaves her notebook on a chair or table after class, the children are likely to leave things behind.The same will be the case if she says," All of you must help to put scrap papers in the bin" , but she herself stands by and watches. Her words will have far greater effectiveness if she herself takes a share in the work.
if she expects children to respect others, she must do the same , and never make fun of a child or make mean comments about a staff.
If she expects children to be curious , open minded, willing t try and find out, then these must be her own attitudes towards learning and life.

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PPT – The AT word family PowerPoint presentation | free to view - id: 142724-OTZmZ

PPT – The AT word family PowerPoint presentation | free to view - id: 142724-OTZmZ

STORY TELLING –IMPORTANCE AND TIPS

Story Telling is one of the most interesting aspects of any kindergarten. Stories fascinate everyone and play an important role in our lives. Interest in various subjects is awakened through storytelling, and children learn to identify with the feelings of others. Stories talk about various places, different kinds of people of people, a lot of new words and new pieces of information.

Stories can be real incident or figments of people's imagination.Even nature can be an abundant source of material for stories.The children not just enjoys these, but also learns various facts about nature from these.The story should be told in beautiful , simple and clear language.

Special Attention should be give to:

• The content of the story.
• Vocabulary used.
• Pronunciation of words.
• The tonal variations
• The expressions and gestures of the narrator.

Story Telling Method:

Gather the children in front of you,either as a group sitting close to each other, or in several rows close to each other.No children should sit alongside or behind you and the nearest children should be about a foot away.

Sit on a low chair so that children in the back of the group can see your face. The atmosphere should be very informal and cozy.

Story-telling is an art like dramatization.It involves Gesture,Voice- modulation, Volume fluctuation from low to high to higher to low.Tempo should be even , slow , quick, all these depending on the story.For eg: When describing a train, "The little train was so tired , it wen slowly trudging up the hill, slowly, slow--ly, slow--ly, slow----ly and at the ....eeeeeee----nd it reached  the top of the hill and it stopped !!!" All through this , the narrator should accompany the story with very tired facial and body gestures.

Very important to "do" about story telling is to look at each child constantly moving your eyes from the nearest to the furthest and from extreme right to the extreme left.

No child should feel that is neglected because teacher did not "look" at him/her.Every child should feel that the story is being told directly to them.

A story can be a continuation of a conversation.We should not develop an artificial way of speaking while narrating stories.The language should be kept simple and clear.Try to use words that the child will understand.

Going back and forth in the sequences of incidents spoils the effect.The voice should be well modulated.

Conversations between characters should be how they would normally speak.Emphasis in the right places is very important to carry the import.The charm is added with tonal variations and facial movements of the story- teller.

Sometimes the children should tell stories to the whole class and to the teacher.This helps them to organize their thoughts and to be able to pick out the highlights and important points of a story.

Often give chances to the children to fill in the details or complete a sequence in a story by asking questions like, "Then what did the monkeys do?" the children will feel pride in being able to fill in such gaps by saying, The monkeys threw away......all the caps".This gives them a sense of participation.

In addition to the purposes of story-telling, showing pictures from a book while narrating or reading aloud from a book helps children to associate the spoken and written word.The come to realize that the little mark on the page have meaning, thus increasing their motivation for learning to read.

Hold the book high, opening it towards the children and "Not" towards you .Tell the story from memory , once in a while looking at it, or read it line by line. Stop to explain any new words. Pronunciation should be clear, well-spaced and with proper emphasis , and modulation of voice.

Story time need not be a fixed time or a time when everyone gathers around the circle. The time when children are waiting to be picked up by the parents or 15 minutes before dispersal can be a wonderful time for stories.

 Tips For Teachers

In Kindergarten, story time is a serious activity.The adult has to prepare herself in the following manner before she proceeds to narrate a story.

•   The teacher should have a good stock of carefully chosen stories,either copied from other sources or prepared of her own. 

• It's a good idea to prepare a list of stories and write them in a note book for reference.In kindergarten, this will be useful for all the adults helping in that environment.

• The number of characters that play main roles should be limited.The child's simple mind will get confused and cluttered.

• The teacher has to prepare herself to narrate them like an actor rehearses before an appearance on stage.

• The teacher may even practice in front of mirrors to get the require effect.

• The adult must take special care not to laugh when children tell stories.This is very common occurrence in the child's world.Laughing at children undermines their self-esteem and we do more damage than good by laughing.Laugh "WITH" children not "AT" children.

• Tell the same story each day for at least a week. The younger the child, the longer you can stick with the same story. 

• You can make the story into a puppet show if you like and use little dolls and props to set the scene, or you can just tell the story all snuggled up on the couch.

• You can also expand on the story through other activities – drawing, dressing up and acting it out, painting from an image, feeling, or mood from the story, modeling, or crafting. In the kindergarten you can let your child learn through activity, imitation, and play, and save intellectual exercises (such as answering questions, recalling, or summarizing the story) .

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How To Introduce An Activity

The teacher should prepare herself and the environment before a presentation.

There are some points to be kept in mind...

    1.Preparing to initiate a lesson, the teacher should realize that the child's attention should be focused on the object of study.Hence the teacher should clear the table of everything else and place on it only the material she wants to present to the class.

     2.  The teacher's role is only to show the students how to use the materials.The teacher should perform the exercise herself once.She should work carefully and exactly , using forethought, minimum movements and minimum words.

     3.  The teacher should have enthusiasm and interest in what she is doing. A cold and bored attitude will discourage the children from taking up the activity.The teacher should be able to rouse the students interest in repeating that activity.

     4.  The children can make two kinds of errors while doing the activity. 

• The first error is the error when the child makes in working with a material like Building blocks -connecting one block over the other or spilling water on to the floor when pouring it from one container to another.These mistakes occur,because he child has not yet mastered coordination of will and motor.They can be corrected only by further development of the child, by repeated use of the material.The children learn from these errors and rectify it by themselves.The teacher needn't assist them in these class.

• The second type of error is due t a kind of ill will, or negligence on the part of the teachers.Here the child uses the material for purpose other that it is designed for.This may harm the material or the children.When the material is used wrongly so as t create confusion ,or for needs that it cannot satisfy, it is not really used.The result is waste of energy or uproar.This prevents the child from being able to concentrate and therefore from being able to grow and develop.

• In such cases the teachers has to assist the child in gentle or energetic ways, without ever screaming or hitting the child.There is no place for punishment,but for earnest words and good temper.

    5. If the child is using a material in a new or innovative way, without destructive purpose, and in ways that would lead to his /her self development.

The teacher should be careful not to interrupt in their work or try not to correct his slight errors or stop them work working .

    6. When children stops the activity of their own , the teacher needs to guide the children to put back everything in it's place and clear the workplace.

Once the children has been introduce to the exercises in the first classes and has already worked on it their own number of times,they will be able to distinguish the difference in the sense materials.
Now the teacher intervenes during the time the children performing the activity to give them exact names of the materials they are working with.This helps to increase their vocabulary and assist them to speak correctly.When the teacher gives them the names,She should pronounce each syllable exactly but without assuming a false manner of speaking.

Introduction of  an object or a material can be divided into 3 periods.

First Period: The teacher gives the child the name of the object; "This is a Square."

Second Period: The teacher can ask the child to find the object after it is named for him: " Can you find the Square?".This way the teacher can test if the child can now recognize the object corresponding to the name.

Third Period: In the third period the child ha to remember the name corresponding to the object.Here the child is asked to name the object pointed to: "What is this?"( as the teacher points to the square).

Tips For An Active Kindergarten Classroom

TIPS FOR KINDERGARTEN CLASSROOM

Kindergarten is a completely different {and better} world than most grades... so let's break it down and help out some of these news to Kindergarten teachers. 

Kindergarten is a time for children to expand their love of learning, their general knowledge, their ability to get along with others, and their interest in reaching out to the world. Developmentally appropriate kindergarten classrooms encourage the growth of children's self-esteem, their cultural identities, their independence and their individual strengths. Kindergarten children will continue to develop control of their own behaviour through

the guidance and support of warm, caring adults.

 At this stage, children are already eager to learn and possess an innate curiosity. Teachers with a strong background in early childhood education and child development can best provide for children what they need to grow physically, emotionally, and intellectually.

Here are 10 signs of a good kindergarten classroom:

1.   Children are playing and working with materials or other children. They are not aimlessly wandering or forced to sit quietly for long periods of time.

2.   Children have access to various activities throughout the day, such as block building, pretend play, picture books, paints and other art materials, and table toys such as pegboards, and puzzles. Children are not all doing the same things at the same time.

3.   Teachers work with individual children, small groups, and the whole group at different times during the day. They do not spend time only with the entire group.

4.   The classroom is decorated with children’s original artwork, their own writing with invented spelling, and dictated stories.Children learn numbers and the alphabet in the context of their everyday experiences. Exploring the natural world of plants and animals, cooking, taking attendance, and serving snack are all meaningful activities to children.

5.   Children work on projects and have long periods of time (at least one hour) to play and explore. Filling out worksheets should not be their primary activity.

6.   Children have an opportunity to play outside every day that weather permits. This play is never sacrificed for more instructional time.

7.   Teachers read books to children throughout the day, not just at group story time.

8.   Curriculum is adapted for those who are ahead as well as those who need additional help. Because children differ in experiences and background, they do not learn the same things at the same time in the same way.

9.   Children and their parents look forward to school. Parents feel safe sending their child to kindergarten. Children are happy; they are not crying or regularly sick.

 

Individual kindergarten classrooms will vary, and curriculum will vary according to the interests and backgrounds of the children. But all developmentally appropriate kindergarten classrooms will have one thing in common: the focus will be on the development of the child as a whole.

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