In other news, this week at daycare we are finishing our unit on dental hygiene as well as starting a mini-unit on Dr. Seuss. Each day we have a special Seussian activity with a correlating book. Today we read Fox in Socks and had "silly socks day". Tomorrow we'll cover Green Eggs and Ham and eat---what else but green eggs and ham! The kids may have other ideas, however.
I have only been with my students a little over a month but already we have made a lot of progress in following rules. This is good considering I am new to them, and I came in and gave them an almost-completely new schedule, new expectations, new way of doing things, etc. Still, we are always working to improve behaviors and continue exhibiting positive ones.
We already have a pocket chart with smile/frown cards that we use to monitor everyday behavior. But today I decided to go a step further as some students need to work on particular issues that are arising repeatedly. I recycled an old, home-made pocket chart into a more specific, problem-targeted behavior chart. I put each child's name on a pocket and slipped one small "great work" paper chart (from Dollar Tree) into each pocket. On the back of each child's paper chart, I listed a behavior that needs improvement, such as "I am working on keeping my body to myself", "I am working on using my big words", or "I am working on staying in my seat at meal time". As children are successful in achieving these individual goals each day, they will get a check mark in the box on their chart card. When all the boxes are full, they will get to pick a small treat from my treat bucket (party favors and donated Happy Meal toys), and be able to take their chart home to show parents which particular skill has been mastered.
I am hoping this helps us tame some unwanted behaviors and helps our classroom run even more smoothly. Behavior management rules are very important to have in place on the first day of class. I didn't get that chance as I moved into my position rather quickly to fill an opening. I had to learn the names of students, routines, and clean/arrange/paint my classroom within a period of about a week, so behavior management was not on my to-do list at the time. Besides, you must spend some time with a class to see where issues are going to be prevalent. Had I to do it over again, I would work on order and rules on day one and be sure the class was learning obedience before ABCs. If order is maintained and children know what to expect, I believe the education and academics will follow.
I was (and really still am) wet behind the ears with a large group of preschoolers. Although I taught preschool years ago, I don't recall having such a large group under my solo care. I also don't recall the group I had then being so lively, but that was over 15 years ago and kids have changed (and I have aged. :) ). I don't see nearly enough kids today having the attention span that kids once had, and kids today seem to have more problems with hyperactivity/aggression. This probably is due to our environment; we don't have to wait on much of anything. We get it now, or at least, pretty quickly and patience is not learned. And it's hard for a teacher to compete with game systems, computers, and TV, which are instant in gratification and full of flashy, eye-catching, often violent or aggressive images, and crude humor.
But today's kindergarten is harder than when I attended, and children are expected to know and be able to do so much more. My college course says that kindergarten of today is yesterday's first grade. That is why it's even more imperative for preschool teachers to have a classroom that is run smoothly and efficiently, and where behavior problems are at a minimum. That way we can spend more time doing what it is we love to do: TEACH!
-Lynn
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