1. Simple ways to keep the classroom orderly and keep on track with literacy goals
2. Examples of ways to keep your classroom going all day long
In chapter 12 of our Classrooms That Work, it discusses how to spend your day with different level classrooms. I was a little skeptical about this, because I can imagine how hard it is to keep to a perfect schedule. As a teacher you never know what delays you might have and how to stick to the schedule. Would you move activities around? Skip them? Or just adjust them to the time you have remaining? How do you decide what is most important when everything is so important?
A lot of the activities are revolved around centers or stations. Some of the stations that could be worked on for a small amount of time at the beginning or end of the day could be reading to yourself, reading to a friend, listening to a book, practicing writing, and working on writing. Letting students choose the station they want to work at is extrinsic value and would allow students to be interested while learning. Students still need to be required to work in all stations, so a maximum at their favorite station would be necessary.
Discussion Questions:
1. How would you discipline students who just choose a station because their buddy wants to go to the station? Would you let them be together or would you work to separate them? And would they still be choosing their station in that scenario?
2. Would it be good to set up a system that allows students to pick first different days or do you think going by the alphabet is the easiest, most time efficient? -My teachers would always start with A or Z and I having the last name Phillips would never get to go first.
I think stations can be mixed up a little bit. Sometimes let them go with their friends, sometimes you will have o regulate them based on behavior. I think in general grouping and turns should be based on the class. Assess behavior, ability to sit still, who works well together and who doesn't
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