I always say that each day of the first week of kindergarten is exponentially better than the day before. It’s true, it really is. But that doesn’t mean that the second day or the third day or the fourth day isn’t still a little on the crazy side. Am I right?
I am hoping to choose at least one block of time each day to video for you so you have a basic idea of what certain times of the day look like and what I am expecting at this time of year.
In this video of whole group writing time, please notice:
I am trying to teach and periodically stop and talk to you teachers; sometimes, my thoughts might seem scattered or not put together very well, especially when I’m trying to talk to you all while still working with the students
A bunch of noisy kids; actually, watching the video, I see that it’s really just a few noisy kids and that the rest are being quite respectful already on day two
Me reminding the kids repeatedly to be quiet; at one point I even say “If you don’t stop talking, I’ll take your paper away” (not that I’m proud of that, but hey, on day two I have to get their attention somehow); kids mostly trying to be quiet because they already know, from the first day of school, that drawing together with the teacher is fun and they don’t want their paper taken away
We start with name writing; I give students a star on their paper when I see them try their hardest; we’re surely not going for perfection or anything close to it, I just want their name to be slightly better than the last time I saw them write it
Students write names wherever on their paper, draw wherever, and label with Mm wherever they can find room; as the days go on, I’ll teach them to write their name small in the top corner and they’ll learn how to center their picture and write the letters directly above or underneath
A star on the paper means closure; when students get a star by their name, that means they did a good job and can put their name card away
Any remaining name cards is a signal to me that those students still need help with their name
Moving into the actual drawing part of the lesson before students get too restless
Drawing mittens step-by-step
Me (and Miss Lori) circulating around the classroom in between each step of the drawing; we want to make sure kids are keeping up so they feel successful
Me encouraging students to pick up their pencil/hold their pencil the same way I was teaching them earlier today at my center
Me providing assistance—usually in the form of hand-over-hand—only if students have already tried and just can’t get it and they’re starting to sound frustrated (for example, one student says, “I failed”)
Miss Lori and I encouraging students not to work ahead; their paper should look just like mine
Listening to the beginning sound of mittens and thinking about the position of our mouth (lips together)
Me teaching letter formation for capital M and lowercase m; students writing the letters in the air before trying them on paper
Miss Lori and I providing closure for the entire lesson by putting a star next to students’ drawing (eventually, anyone who doesn’t have a star will know that they have to work harder before they are finished)
Remember, make your plans and stick with them, even if your students aren’t yet listening or watching well. The students are getting much more out of this than it might look like and each day will be better and better. Our intuition is to wait until later in the year, thinking students will be more ready then and that they’ll do better. This is not true; the second day of whole group writing will look like this whether it happens in August or November or February. I’d rather get this semi-chaotic and exhausting teaching over with now so it’s smooth sailing before September even hits. And I recommend you do, too!
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