Flexibility

Imagine creating a lesson plan, even if it is only an idea in your mind. The learning is all mapped out, the resources are ready and you feel incredibly motivated to get started.

And then imagine the children not being interested, or not understanding what you mean.

Still motivated?

Bit deflated?

No one would blame you for feeling down about it, but it is what you do next that is really important. Don’t just push forward because that’s what you planned. How much are they really going to learn when they don’t share your enthusiasm?

You need to be flexible.

You might not need to change everything. Perhaps the children were confused by the way it was introduced, or maybe you need to find something that helps them feel like the topic is more relevant to their lives. It might just need a bit if changing here or there.

Or maybe it just isn’t the right lesson for that class. At this point, you really need to reflect on why you chose it in the first place.

Does this make it a waste of time?

No.

What did you learn from this experience? How can you change your lesson ideas to spark curiosity and exploration? How is this going to change the way you come up with your lesson plans? And, just because this topic was not right for this class, does not mean you won’t be able to use it next year.

Being flexible is one of the most important parts of our jobs as early childhood educators. Let’s be honest, children can be unpredictable. Even their own interests can change day by day. A group time that went amazingly well one day might not work at all the next. We just go with the flow.

Do you find this challenging? That is okay. It takes time to get used to. Here are my tips for getting you through it:

• Take a deep breath. Literally. Stop what you are doing and just focus on breathing. It only takes about 30 seconds and it will do wonders for your thinking abilities.
• Assess the situation. What actually needs changing?
  • Have the children been sitting down for too long and they need to move? Play a movement based game or song before trying the topic again. Children find it hard to concentrate when their bodies are itching to move.
  • Are the friendship groups clashing? Do you need to separate some children or can you ask a child a specific question that gets them more involved? Their friends might follow.
  • Do they need you to change the way you explain the topic? Maybe you have a book you could read or show them images you can find on a tablet.
  • Are the children just not showing any interest in the topic? Change it. Ask them what they want to talk about. Read a different story. Play a group game.
• Once the group time is over, reflect on how you went. You will have more time to think about it while you are not trying to come up with a solution on the spot. Regular reflecting will help you improve your sudden decision making for future group times.

Lesson plans are not the only time we have to be flexible. Our routines could change. Lunch could be late. A sudden storm cancels your outdoor plans. Educators are away. Management want you to make changes.

Having the ability to be flexible will reduce daily stresses. Does it really matter if things do not go the way you thought they would? As long as the children are safe, happy and learning then you are doing an amazing job!

Bubbles

Bubbles are a lot of fun and they can be used in many activities. Here are a few of my favourite experiences.

During group time, blow bubbles for children and tell them they can pop as many as they like. Then tell them you are going to blow them again but they aren’t allowed to pop any of them. It may take a few tries. Then talk about how we really wanted to pop them but we made the decision not to. This is control. You can also control your own reactions and responses.

Children usually love to be given the opportunity to blow the bubbles themselves, but how often does it result in the bubble mix being tipped all over the ground? If you have those long and thin tubes you can sticky tape it to a pole and then the children only hold the wand.

Use bubbles for a breathing exercise. How long can the children continuously blow the bubbles? Having multiple turns creates a deep breathing experience and can support children to relax and calm their bodies.

What are your favourite bubble activities? Please comment below!

Calming a Class

So your children are running around the room, making a mess of the resources but not actually engaging in anything and making a lot of noise. You have toddlers sleeping in the room next door and you are starting to feel stressed and out of control.

Sound familiar?

What do you do?

This is one of my favourite strategies. Call the children to a group time and tell them they are going to play a game. Spread them around the room to lie down on their backs. You might want to give them pillows and I would recommend separating the children so they are not next to someone they usually play with.

Turn on some relaxing music and place a small block on each child’s head. Explain that the block has to stay on their head without touching it. Whoever lasts the longest without it falling off wins.

Except you don’t call them out when it does fall off. Let them put it back on. Comment on those who are doing a great job. If being competitive really works for your children, mention who you think is currently winning. You can even challenge them further by seeing who can take a deep breath without it falling off.

Once you feel as though they are starting to become restless, tell the children they can go back to the group time area if they have had enough. Don’t force them to stop if they aren’t ready. Read a book to the ones that come to the group.

I hope you find this strategy helpful!

What strategies do you have for calming down a class?