Like sands through the hourglass…
Hey Reader!
Time. It’s something we cannot get more of! We’re all gifted exactly the same amount of minutes every day. Today, I just want to share one idea that I hope you’ll consider as you keep working on being a rockstar early educator!
Look at your daily classroom schedule for your students – you have one right? (If you don’t, then stop here and get that done. Your students need routine!) Now, make a copy of it and document what you and any co-teacher, assistant teacher, floater, etc are doing in your classroom during the day as well.
What are you doing in the 15-20 minutes before our students arrive? Is your classroom ready for that first and second activity on your class schedule? Or are you having coffee, putting on your makeup, and sharing your weekend adventures with a co-worker? Could you count out the appropriate number of napkins/placemats for snack-time and lunch-time? Do you have the paint colors ready that you need for that art activity later on today? Are your supplies organized for today or are they shoved in a cabinet somewhere and you’ll find them while children are “sitting quietly” on the carpet?
What are you doing when the children arrive? Hopefully greeting them! Write it down. What is your assistant, floater, co-teacher doing when children arrive? Let me just show a quick example (Note: This is a SAMPLE! This is not how every classroom should function, but rather an idea of how a classroom could function!):
8:15 – 8:45 – Prep Time
Lead Teacher
- Arrange the classroom for the day (make sure we have all of our chairs after Sunday School); move furniture as necessary.
- Prep group-time props (read-aloud, pointer, puppet, music, everything!)
- Gather and organize supplies for centers
- Prepare table activities for arrival
Assistant/Aide
- Gather and prepare art supplies
- Refill soap, paper towels
- Count napkins for snack and lunchtime and place where “helper” can get them.
- Wipe tables to ensure they’re germ-free when children arrive
8:45 – 9:00 – Staff prayer/devotion time
9:00 – 9:15 – Student Arrival
Lead Teacher
- Greet children and parents
- Assist children with unpacking as appropriate
Assistant/Aide
- Assist children in handwashing
- Engage with children in morning table activities
9:15 – 9:30 – Morning Meeting
Lead Teacher
- Engage students in morning meeting
Assistant/Aide
- Assist late arriving students (greet parents, help with unpacking, handwashing)
- Clean up/put away morning activities
- Wipe tables again
9:30 – 10:00 – Chapel
Lead Teacher
- Take children to Chapel
Assistant Teacher
- Prepare classroom for snack time
- Finish any final prep for centers
- Join Lead Teacher and children in Chapel
10:00 – 10:20 – Snack time
Lead Teacher
- Engage with children
- Finalize any group-time prep
- Assist with restroom breaks
Assistant Teacher
- Assist with handwashing
- Assist with restroom breaks
- Assist with clean-up
10:20-10:30 – Read-Aloud/Literacy Lesson
Lead Teacher
- Lead group time
Assistant Teacher
- Prepare center activities
- Assist with any children who need extra support during a group activity
10:30 – 11:30 Centers
Lead Teacher
- Engage with children
- Observe and document development
Assistant Teacher
- Engage with children
- Observe and document development
This is tedious work, but taking the time to document what is happening in each part of your schedule will help with communication between co-workers (everyone’s expectations are clear) AND hopefully will help you identify areas where students are waiting on you to finish prepping – they’ll find their own fun if you’re not actively engaged! ;-)
If you need some help with personal time management, check out THIS downloadable time tracker we created to help you get a handle on your time!
Cheering you on this week!
-Your ECCN team
Listen to this podcast episode with Faith Rivera now on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
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Colossians 3:16
“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”
