How do your students transition into the day?
Right now, children enter the classroom starting at 8:40 am. By 9:00, most of the children have arrived. We jump right into "choice time" upon arrival, where the children choose activities around the room - writing, blocks, painting, dramatic play, looking at books, and the light table are always options.
At about 9:15, we gather to have a meeting. We look at the calendar, talk about the day, read a story, and have a conversation.
After this we go back to choice time until we have somewhere else to go, like music, gym, or library.
There is nothing wrong with this schedule, per se. It has worked just fine. But I came across a lovely idea that I think can be adapted for young children :
sketchbooks in the morning. It would be a way for the children to gather their thoughts at the beginning of the day. Children could bring items from home, or found items, to put into their sketchbooks. Photographs and relevant items could be on the tables for inspiration. We could implement some of the
ten activities that are suggested to get things going, and develop a bank of inspiration and activities that work for us (and share it with
sketchbooks in schools!) and make connections with other groups of young children with sketchbooks.
I wonder about sharing sketchbooks. I keep a book where I write and draw, and i don't share it with others, really. Would it be too imposing to gather together once a week and share our sketchbook entries?
I may dismiss this idea as a late night rambling, or it just might stick. I love it right now...
