Written by Amanda McFaul
As we have all collectively begun to settle into the 2024-2025 program year, you will notice that new information will be coming to you from school about what your children are doing and learning in their classrooms. Teachers and children alike have begun to settle into a new routine, are starting to build relationships and trust, and are beginning to understand a little more about each other.
Many teachers have already begun to make observations about the children in their care. Their likes, dislikes, interests, motivations, personalities and fears (bugs and loud noises are often the first ones noticed as we’ve had two fire drills since the year began).
If observations are the basis of all that we do, then you cannot talk about routines and lesson plans without talking about these observations. During our August Staff In-service Day, classroom teachers were challenged to think about many iterations and meanings of WHY. To think about WHY we do what we do. WHY we struggle with what we do. WHY we put furniture, manipulatives, toys, books, tools, tables where we do. WHY we teach what we do. WHY we are even teachers in the first place. A huge part of discussing this WHY was really returning to observing the children in their care.
As children and teachers get to know each other you may notice that the classroom routine changes. Maybe they started in early September by going outside early in the morning, but as the year continues it gets a little later. The WHY may be as simple as the weather and light living in Western New York as we do. Or that our beloved specials such as music, gym and art are added and need to be accommodated. As children and teachers get to know and trust one another they will continue to settle into their routine. Classroom schedules are not posted yet in individual rooms but will be soon as teachers decide (while observing the children) what is and is not working for them at this moment.
Lesson Plans are starting the week of October 7th. We try very hard to make sure that every Friday you receive your “Week in Review” from your child’s classroom so that you are aware of the books, songs and activities that fill your child’s day. Please also take the time to familiarize yourself with the location of this in your child’s room on the Parent Board. Teachers take the time to document briefly what we do every day so that you can have that meaningful “car” or “dinner table” discussion that is able to go deeper beyond “What did you do today?”.
As teachers are deciding their lesson plans, they must document the WHY am I teaching THIS topic to THIS group of children at this TIME. This information often comes from the observations of the children in the space. Maybe they read a book for circle last week that really resonated with the children, so much so that they have been observed acting out or saying parts of the book. Maybe there was a center wide event (like AppleFest or the Pumpkin Patch) that has filled them with excitement, curiosity or passion. In the older rooms, teachers often solicit ideas from the children themselves, “What do you want to learn about this year?”
Simultaneously, teachers are also thinking about both the Developmental and Concept Curriculums that CCB references back to. As educators, it is our job to be aware of children’s development and here at CCB we focus on 5 areas: Large Motor/Small Motor, Self-Help, Cognitive, Language and Social-Emotional. As teachers are getting to know the children in their care, they are making more direct observations and asking themselves questions, such as: Have I seen this group or this child use scissors? Count objects? Recognize patterns? Comment on an object? Discuss why something happens? Tell a story? These questions help focus a Lesson Plan. Remember that Lesson Plans at CCB do not need to have every single activity tie back to the selected theme. This is where looking at these areas of development are extremely important and valuable.
Hopefully this brief discussion of observations, routine and lesson plans help you see how everything is connected: how your child’s teachers work with their knowledge of child development and the observations of the children in the classrooms to create Lesson Plans and a routine that supports and allows everyone to thrive.
If you find yourself with specific questions about your child’s classroom or anything else from this introduction, please feel free to reach out to your Cluster Support (Rylie or Brianna) as well as Efrim and Susan.
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