transitions
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Re-Thinking Transitions
I’ve been all about routines this week, probably because I’ve been super-conscious of my own personal routines for whatever reason. I can’t talk about routines in the preschool room without devoting some time to transitions. Transitions, that’s one of those buzz words that we use a lot in early childhood. Do you ever stop and really think about that word? To transition means to change from one thing to the next, when we use the word transition in the context of early childhood education we are usually talking about helping children move from one activity to the next. Some transitions are very natural, like singing a clean up song when…
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Routines and behaviors
Everyone says that routines are important. When you complain about behavior issues the first suggestion is always to implement a routine or schedule. But the real question is why? What do routines have to do with behaviors? In one word; Everything. Routines help children know what to expect and prepare for changes. Understanding the daily routine lets the child feel like they are in control because, instead of like they are being shuffled around by adults. When children have a routine to follow they are better able to focus on the work they are doing. They can immerse themselves in an activity because they know that they have time to…
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A flexible schedule in the preschool classroom
The words flexible and schedule don’t really seem like they should go together. Schedules aren’t generally flexible, but in preschool they should be. So what exactly is a flexible schedule? It’s a daily routine that has a some wiggle room. This lets the teacher follow the needs and interests of the children so that the entire group gets the opportunity to take advantage of teachable moments. Have you ever had an entire group of children working together to build a magnificent city in the block area, and you had to tell them that it was time to put it all away so that they could come to circle time? As…
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Preschool transitions – signals and warnings
Coming back to school after a holiday break is the perfect time to tweak and reinforce you daily schedule. One technique that can really help your schedule flow smoothly is is to employ warnings and signals that will let children know a transition is coming so that they are prepared to finish what they are working on. Having time to finish a project makes moving on a lot easier. Here are some ideas for warning signals that will catch their attention: Flip the lights off: Teach the children that they should freeze and listen for your message when the lights go off. Use a chime: Ring one note as…
