So, after reading The Brown Bag Teacher's post on her "morning work" and when my friend Jodi, Fun in First, shared her morning routines, I thought I would share my Morning Routines....
So... I'm not a huge fan of having students do morning work first thing in the morning when they get to class. I never really have been. I mean - don't you want to say hi to your friends and do things in the morning before you come in and just start laying down the work?? Some of my little friends don't even come in the room until RIGHT before (or after) the bell rings, so if there's morning work, they don't have time to do it and then they're already starting their day behind. Not the way I would want to start my day either.
Instead, I have some activities for them to be able to socialize while also waking up their little brains.
Here's a little look at what our morning routines are like...
They come in - I'm standing at my door to greet each and everyone with a name and hug.
They get to their desk and start doing their morning jobs...
I made little visuals for them so they could remember/read since they can't really read yet...lol
Changing books means to change their book baggie books out - they know their level bucket they get books from.
They put back their old and get 2 new ones.
They get out their snack and binder and put their backpacks in the bins... Pink for the girls, blue for the boys. I just happened to have those colors on hand - it worked out perfectly! haha
Their lunch goes in the lunch bin...nothing fancy. We "dump" it when we go to lunch and they walk by and get their lunchbag on the way out the door.
Then they head to their seat and put their binder on their desk, or in their desk....just so it's there so that when it's time, they all open it once and check their return to school said and I collect it all at once.
At this point, they finish their work they have in their blue folder (unfinished work from throughout the week) and then they can get out their morning buckets. Each group has their own bucket. To keep it "fresh," I change the contents in the bucket each week.
There are {small personal geoboards}...
There's also a Play-Doh bucket and a {Quisinaire Rod} bucket.
I have other buckets to rotate out....
In those buckets, I have the {Banangrams}, {DK Silly Sentences}, {Picture Stencils} from Oriental Trading, and {Imagination Patterns} from Oriental Trading.
I have all kinds of different themes for them to choose from - and I got the big ABC stencils to use for Word Work centers too.
I am so excited for these! The case doesn't fit into my buckets, but that's ok - they don't need to make them magnetic.
The kids are able to get out their jitters, and social bug in the morning, while getting their brains warmed up for the day.
You can check out {THIS} post I did a few years ago on doing "Social Hour" in the morning.
I feel like it is SO important for kids to be kids... we have so much to cram at them throughout the day, they need to have time to learn how to socialize - to learn social skills. Kids need to have time to have freedom of creations.... I learn so much about my kids just by letting them be creative the stories they have to tell as they're creating things, and they're so proud of their creations! They need to learn how to socialize, solve problems, and explore - and to be kids. You'd be amazed at what kids can learn just through the power of play!
14 comments
Love it! Thanks so much for sharing. How much time is spent on this morning routine after the final bell has rung?
We actually start our SMART time (intervention time) at 8:15, so it doesn't last too much longer than our bell rings, unfortunately. But the kids can start coming in my door at 7:45, so depending on how much they need to do in the morning, or how long they take to do it....
Great post!! Love all the activities you have for the kiddos!
Thank you for this post! Do you find that the kids are better able to focus once you do start the more "academic" or structured part of the day? Are they able to transition easily? Thanks again...great ideas!
I feel like they are less chatty, since they get to talk with their friends to start the day. They do transition pretty well... it takes a little bit to get "Trained" but when they hear the school bell, they know the end is near, and then when my timer goes off (about 5 minutes later), they start cleaning up on their own. We have our SMART time that starts at 8:15 in late September, so we have to start getting trained to to start our day pretty quickly.
Thanks for the fantastic post! Is there any way I can get a copy of your morning routine signs?
I love this idea! Your post has given me the final push I needed to revamp my morning work routine for the second half of the year- I want to rotate bins of things students can create with and socialize over to have a positive start to their day!
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Is it possible to get/buy a copy of your morning routine signs? Love them!
I did something similar this year but I have a Grade 1/2 combined class, so I added task cards to my bins and the kids seem to be loving it!
I would love a copy of your signs too if possible. They are great!! Thank you!
Julie
Hello
Just wondering where you get the pencil/eraser holder?
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browsing email or tuning in to voice message is for all intents and purposes programmed. From numerous points of view, these are among the most noticeably terrible approaches to begin a day. The two exercises seize our concentration and put us in a responsive mode, where others' needs become the overwhelming focus. They are what could be compared to entering a kitchen and searching for a spill to perfect or a pot to scour.
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I completely agree with your approach to morning routines! Starting the day with forced work can be a real buzzkill for young minds. It's so important to create a welcoming and engaging atmosphere where students feel excited to be in the classroom. Greeting each student by name and a hug is a fantastic way to build rapport and make them feel valued. I also love the idea of morning jobs. It's a brilliant way to incorporate responsibility and independence into the routine while allowing for socialization. I might consider adding a quick clean-up task to the morning jobs to instill a sense of ownership over the classroom environment. Overall, your dyson replacement battery approach fosters a positive and productive start to the day, which is crucial for young learners.
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