Portfolios

I do end-of-the-year portfolios for each of my students. The process gets a
little bit more refined each year. We made a checklist for each year of
student as to what we would like to include which translates roughly into
anywhere between 10-25 plastic sheet protectors in the folder or binder.
Throughout the year we take pictures of the students in the classroom, on
the playground, at cultural events or other special all-school events, on
field trips, etc...At our school we send any papers and parent notes home
weekly, so we pull any work at that time for the portfolios. I also try to
make it a point to periodically take pictures in each of the classroom areas
during work time. It sounds like a lot, but if you set up the
folders/binders at the beginning of the year and set aside time at least
once a month to work on them, it really isn't hard.

Posted by: "Amy Lewis

Possible schedule Notes

7:30 - 8:00 Early children arrive and set the classroom up with me. We set dishwashing up, take chairs down, prepare snack, tidy anything that is glaring, etc. They are free to choose their first work after we've set up these basic things.

8:00 First assistant arrives. Other children begin trickling in around 8:15. These children are free to choose work, or we can gather if that seems necessary.

8:30 - 8:45 Second assistant arrives. Remaining children arrive. There is a huge rush of children at this point, so we will often gather, though we've had many days when everyone wants to go straight to their work.

8:30 - 11:20ish We work, gather, go pick flowers, hike, have lessons...I follow the children.

11:20 I sing a song that indicates the end of the morning work time. Children begin cleaning up and gathering with me. We usually sing songs, listen to a story, do something that I need to make sure everyone sees (like practice a fire drill). From this gathering, children are invited to tell me what they'd like to "check" (read: tidy/clean up) before they get their outdoor clothes on. Each assistant takes 7-9 children out to the playground (across the street). The remaining 8 children stay with me, and we set the classroom up for lunch. These are the eldest children, and they also have particular areas that they know to double check. By 11:45 we are all outside.

Noon Children start coming in for lunch in groups of 7-9. We start with the children who went outside first and proceed logically, until 12:20 or so. Children always go in and out with the same group.

By 12:50, most children are finishing up their lunch. 5 or so kids get picked up at 1. They can have a student led gathering or help classmates clean up their lunch until their parents arrive. Sleepers go take a nap in the half-day classroom from 1 - 3, rejoining the other all-day kids on the playground around 3. Older/non-sleepers stay with me in our room.

The non-sleepers "rest" for about 20 minutes while we read a chapter book. After the rest, we have a short work-time until 2:30.

2:30 Children who stay all-day head outside. Children who get picked up at 3 stay in with me, finish work, gather, tidy the classroom, etc.

4:00 Children come in to have an afternoon snack. Shelves that have more toy-type activities (dolls, legos, bean-bag toss, etc.) are opened up.

4:00 - 6:00 Children can choose work from the toy shelves or other shelves. Wanderers are usually invited to help with the end of day cleaning (take out garbage, run things through the sanitizer, check that windows are closed and doors are locked, do a final sweeping of the classroom, etc.).

Posted by Rochelle


8:30 Arrival and work cycle begins
11:30 Clean up and call to group(later if inclement weather)
11:30 Short singing, music or other group activity
11:35/40 12:00/12:10 outside time
12:00 dismissal for half day children
12:10 prepare for lunch, eat
1:00 lunch clean -up afternoon work cycle begins
no pull outs, one on one lessons, small group lessons, enrichment
projects or activities
2:45 Clean up and group snack, read a loud chapter book
3:00 dismissal

Hundred Board Extensions

Posted by: "Ron and Linda Cameron

- Every fifth number
-I have blank printouts of the hundred board, write in several numbers randomly, have your child fill in the number that comes before and after the numbers
- give your child the blank page and 10 numbers such as 56, 3, 64, etc, have him color in those squares (no pattern, just random, or you can make a simple pattern, such as the first letter in his name)
- Also-make a design on a blank squared page, like a cross stitch design. Give your child a blank page plus a code, such as 56+4=, where he colours in the answer. At the end he will get the design you made. You can give him your design as the control when he is done. I've done circles, letters, easy figures, numbers, etc. Use take-aways too: 78-3. After the child build the hundred board he can easily count forwards or backwards. Challenge him later by giving longer sums: 46+9-3+17=

Peace Table Notes

- There is a small photo of every child and the word peacekeepers on the wall next to it. There is also a pict of myself and my assistant when we were children. They come to rely on the photos being there and identifying themselves as peacekeepers/problem solvers.
- The table is covered with beautiful, soothing fabric that is rotated a few times a year. There is a small plaque that states the speaking and listening process using "I" messages. There is also a peace ball and a wheel of choices. The peace ball is a rainbow colored hacky-sack that serves the same purpose as the peace rose. The ball is gives a sensory outlet for frustration and feels really good to squeeze. (There are times when it gets tossed, but this is easily redirected and I have never seen it tossed in anger. The wheel of choices is a pie-like wheel that has words and pictures of 12 choices the children could make in resolving conflict. A few of the choices are; take a stop and cool off, count to ten and breathe, walk away, go back and try again, ignore it, use and I message, share and take turns, appologize, go to another work, what would love do. There is a blank spot for them to come up with their own idea.
-On stressful days where the feeling of peace is ellusive; but it does not warrent a class meeting, we will gather and toss the peace ball (gently underhand) to one another stating one way we can be a peacekeeper today.

Posted by: "jim blanchard" or Michelle