How do you decide who is working where each day?

[Marianne Cane]

I am curious about how other people negotiate with children about the day's work. In my classroom, the children write on the calendar what they plan to pursue, when they have a strong commitment to their plan. That doesn't necessarily happen daily. I have twenty children in my class, and am fortunate to often have three adults in the classroom. We can manage two groups of children working with adult support, and the third adult is a general classroom manager.

I feel like this is sort of an Emperor's clothing topic, but I would really love to have insight into how other people carry out the negotiation of the day.

[Viki Rozsas]

HI Marianne,
From my previous centre I adopted goal setting as a routine. The children chose a focus, ie. a goal for the day at morning circle. Some children follow up with their goal and some don't. I guess the important thing is that they are learning that their decisions are taken seriously and that they are capable to take initiative for their learning.
I sometimes suggest ways to extend some "projects" which they might chose to follow or not.

My colleague and mentor in a nearby kindy doesn't have group times at all. She thinks that it is difficult for 3.5 to 4.5 year old children to sit in group times. Personally, I think that it is important to make announcements/ whole group discussions, but on the other hand I understand what my colleague is meaning here.

Talk to you soon,
Viki

[Marianne Cane]

Hi Viki,
Does the children's work carry over from the previous session? Do you think your colleague's class might be missing chances to bond by not having shared experiences and discussions that happen during meetings?

[Viki Rozsas]

HI Marianne,
As you might know this is my first year at a kindy environment as a teacher (used to be a German language teacher at schools). Goal setting has been the routine for us and children know what it is, but often they do not follow on with their chosen goals. I would love to see more intrinsic motivation and more projects, but it is not the case. Maybe I am not listening well enough? I am trying very hard to establish a democratic classroom, where children, parents and staff shape the program and environment, but at the moment I am not too clear on just how to get there? It'll take time, I know. Would you have any other suggestions/ advice ?
Thank you,
Viki

[Marianne Cane]

I reread what you wrote earlier, Viki, and am curious about the phrase "goal for the day." Could you tell me more? With our current schedule, my children choose where they will work for Team Time, which is what is left of 40 minutes after we transition from recess and make sure the children who are supposed to be in my classroom (my partner and I alternate weeks with two teams of children who are integrated 1/2 English dominant and 1/2 Spanish dominant). Then, I go through the clothespins with the children's names on them, and they choose where they would like to work. On a great day, we have a 35 minutes to work where they choose. Sometimes it takes too long to make the transition successfully, and the time is hardly usable. It hardly qualifies as work for the day. Of course some days we really have an ongoing project that we've planned in advance to work on. Those are on the calendar or easel.