Lesson plans School calendar To do lists Contact information Field trips Meeting notes
Label each desk with the children’s names and photos. Create labels for toy bins and include pictures for closed containers. If you find that you don’t sit at your desk very often or use it much at the end of the day, take it out of your classroom. This will free up valuable space in the room.
To help create a sense of community, involve your students in creating simple rules for the classroom. [2] X Research source Choose a few books about rules and good behavior to read with your students. Don’t forget that kindergartners will also have expectations about how kindergarten should go. Ask the kids what they expect to learn or do while they’re at school and help them work toward their goals. Set firm participation requirements for your students. Kids need to participate to get the most out of class. [3] X Expert Source Soren Rosier, PhDEducation Researcher Expert Interview. 1 May 2019.
To get to know the parents, set up a “meet the teacher” night before school starts. Schedule parent-teacher conferences on a regular basis. Pass a communication log or notebook back and forth between yourself and the parents of children with special needs or those with behavioral challenges to stay up to date on the child’s needs and progress. For a fun way to keep in touch, have the parents write their address on an envelope. Mail a card or letter to the parents if you have concerns, questions, or praise about their child.
If you start to lose your patience, remember that your students are only 5 years old and they may be overwhelmed or overstimulated in the classroom. Remember that a child’s attention span is approximately their age in minutes. So, 5-year-olds may only be able to focus on a task for 5-10 minutes at a time. [6] X Research source If you are overwhelmed, ask if another teacher can cover you for a bathroom break and do a short 5-minute meditation.
For example, have a water or sand table set up in 1 corner of the room. Put blocks and construction materials in another space. Then, set up a reading nook in another corner. Create rule charts with pictures for each center. For instance, make a sign that says “no splashing” with a picture of a splash surrounded by a red circle with a diagonal line through it and post it next to the water table.
If you’ll be taking the children outside in poor weather, ensure they all have the right outdoor gear. Consider keeping umbrellas or mittens that you can distribute to the kids. Include gross motor activities in your daily schedule.
Remember that you can play using instruments. Give the children small instruments or noise makers and have the kids play their instruments in a specific order. This is a great way to teach patterns. For example, instead of saying, “You’re going to be learning about the ocean and sea animals,” tell them, “Today, we’re going to explore 1 of the most beautiful and amazing places on the planet. Will you come with me to discover what creatures live in the ocean?”
For example, say, “I see you put that nut in the water. Is it floating or sinking? What do you think would happen if you put a rock in the water?”
8:30 to 9:00: Arrival and welcome 9:00 to 10:15: Listening to stories and working on letters 10:15 to 10:45: Snack, outdoor play, and bathroom breaks 10:45 to 11:30: Playing in learning-based centers 11:45 to 12:15: Lunch and bathroom breaks 12:15 to 12:35: Quiet time 12:35 to 1:30: Social studies and science experiments 1:30 to 2:20: Outdoor exploration and bathroom breaks 2:20 to 2:35: Cleanup and dismissal
For example, give 1 child 3 balls. Ask the child how many balls they’ll have if they give 2 to a friend. Remember to include math throughout the day. For example, if a child collects leaves, ask them to count how many they gathered.
Growing simple plants Activating yeast in water Making an exploding volcano Mixing up their own slime
For example, choose a letter to focus on for the day. Show the kids the letter and read them a tongue twisters or rhymes that use that letter. Ask kids to point to words when they see them. Don’t force the kid to identify the word. Instead, sound it out together so the child begins to recognize the sounds that letters make. Make sure your kids are reading books at their reading level. [13] X Expert Source Soren Rosier, PhDEducation Researcher Expert Interview. 1 May 2019. Phonics lessons can be useful for early readers with dyslexia. Phonics is all about creating associations between letters and sounds; if they get that help early on, it can make a big difference for those kids. [14] X Expert Source Soren Rosier, PhDEducation Researcher Expert Interview. 1 May 2019.
For example, if you see a student call another a name, tell them, “Name calling hurts feelings. Let’s see if there’s something kind we can say instead. " Set up a reward system for good behavior if the children are struggling with the rules. Similarly, create a communication log to inform parents of behavioral issues.
Get the kids to pair up when you take them out of the classroom and have them keep track of their “buddy. " Create a lesson plan designed around a particular social skill if you notice your students struggling with it.
For example, say, “I need you to stop telling your story now so we can have circle time. Would you pass out these books to the class for me? It would be a big help. " Use a quiet down signal, such as chanting “one, two, three” to which the students can respond “all eyes on me!”
When the child is ready to come out of the calm down space, identify what they were feeling and let them talk to you about it. For example, say, “You were really mad that she took your drawing. Would you like to come over and work on a project with this group?” Make a note of what caused the meltdown and let the child’s parents know what happened.
