Time for School
Posted by Jen Bragg on 18 Sep 2009 | Posted in: Classroom Routines, Planning and Curriculum, Teachers and Teaching
During a recent conversation with my brother, he mentioned that he was in charge of getting my third-grade niece, Carly, to school by 9:00 the next day. Since I’m settled at my desk by 7:30 most days, 9:00 seemed like a late start to me. But then, thinking about my teaching days, my start times definitely varied. At one school, students rolled in at 7:45. I taught at another school where half the class arrived at 8:00 and the other half was expected by 8:50. (Their release times were also staggered.) At still another school, the day officially began with the 9:15 bell. While there were surely advantages to each schedule, as a morning person I definitely preferred the earlier start times. Earlier start meant earlier dismissal, perfect for my energy levels. For some of my students, though, it meant more time in afterschool care, while for others it created ample time to complete homework before sports practice.
What about you and your students? Do you notice a change in energy levels during the day? Do your start and dismissal times affect your planning or your use of parent volunteers?
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17 Responses to “Time for School”
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More Comments Pages: [1] 2 » Show All Comments
We have 6 different schedules in our school. Some students come in as early as 7:30 and some not til 9:00. Some leave at 12:30, 3:30, and the latest at 6:00pm. This schedule causes the teacher’s schedules to be all crazy as well…. some of us pull a full day with some of these kids. Energy levels definately start to diminish around 4:30pm, especially for the kids who have been at school since 8:00am.
I would love for our day to end at 2:25pm like Vicki. But- our school trys to accomodate those parents who have a full work day.
I like an early start to the day. Now that I’m a special instructor provider, my schedule changes often. I think children are more alert in the morning hours than in the afternoon. Which made sense why teachers tried to do their math and language arts lessons in the morning.
Our preschool begins at 7:50. 3 and 4 year olds have the option of 3 full days or 5 Full days,
3 half days or 5 half days. The best choice for the child according to my observation is 5 half days. Most parents, however, are not able to do 5 half days because of work. Our half day students dismiss at 11:15. The full day dismiss at 2:30.
My school’s times are similar to Courtney’s. Teacher hours are 9:00-4:15. Official student hours are 9:30-3:45; however, students can be dropped off in the classroom/brought in off buses as early as 9:15, and we’re often still putting children on buses at 4:00. It is a very long day for pre-k children, especially for our bus riders in the winter, who often get home when it’s dark out. Our one break is that every Wednesday is a half day for students with dismissal at 12:30; teachers still stay until 4:15, though.
I have a play school for 2-4 year olds in my home with 45 local families enrolled. We run two sessions. First session: 8:30 - 12. Second session 1 - 4:30. The hour break definitely recharges me and my assistant, but I feel greater energy in the am session. Sticking to a schedule, and keeping with a routine is important to the kids energy level and interest, as some have just stopped napping. The great thing is I just walk upstairs to go home!!!
Any Kindergarten ideas for HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH!???
In my school, the children starts arriving as from 7.10am.Classes starts @ 8.30am so as to complete the day’s activities and we leave by 2.30pm which is indeed a very good arrangements.
I teach pre-K, and our day is 9-2. I think the hours of our school day are ok, but sometimes the scheduling of our specials classes (PE, Music) and playground time wreak havoc with our day. I wish the teachers could have some input!
Our school has an early start time: 7:40am we get out at 3:30pm. Our week is only Mon. to Thurs. however. I do find the days a little to long for my kinders. I am not sure that a 4 day week is the best either. 3 days to “forget” or not practice what we learned. Sure I send homework but I know most of the families do not take the time Fri. Sat. and Sun to do it.
I like the early start but would prefer an earlier dismissal and a 5 day week. Although I must admit I realy like my 3 day weekend.
We just changed our times this year. We have four buildings in our district so each one starts at different times. I teach kindergarten and now they are having our building be the last to get on the school bus. This is NOT FUN!!!! I agree with the rest of you. After 2:30 kindergarten kids are done! They do not want to do any more thinking. Our kids get on at 3:25 and we start at 8:00. This is way too long of a day.
This year I am doing an administrative inturnship at a school where we open at 7:30 and class starts at 8:00 am. We serve breakfast from 7:30 to 7:50. I find that most students start arriving at 7:45 just in time to eat breakfast. today I observed one of our Kinder classes and the little ones were so tired that as the teacher was teaching the students were fidgety and one little boy had his head on the table. However I am not sure if a late start would be any better because students come to school already obsorbed in something else like the T.V. show they were watching or the video game or music they were listening too. In our school MP3 players and cell phones are allowed all over the place. This kids also come from poverty households, we are a 100% title one school, free breakfast and lunch for all, so maybe the economical status plays a part in a childs willingness or capable abilities to learn during the early morning start times.
My school starts at 7:50am but children begin arriving at 7:30. Our day ends at 2:25pm. I think this is the perfect school day. I teach a 1-2 class and have a huge chunk of uninterrupted time in the morning so we can complete most of our literacy and math before lunch. Our related arts classes, recess and snack are all in the afternoon. This schedule works really well with our young students.