We have 3 rules in Kindergarten: We always SHARE. We always CARE. We always LEAVE IT THERE. I've been reinforcing the last couple of weeks that everything in kindergarten belongs to everyone. Test your child's knowledge: I told them there is only 1 thing we don't want to share in kindergarten... See if they remember what it is!
Helping Hands: Each week the class has 5 new Helping Hands. By the end of the month, every child should have had at least one job. In kindergarten, we want them to learn independence and responsibility. Having these special jobs help the students take responsibility for their own class.
- Special Helper: This helping hand gets to be charge of calendar in the morning, the clean-up sign, holding open doors for the class and any other special jobs the teacher may need help with.
- Janitor: This helping hand in responsible to put away the toys on the three special shelves after free play and is in charge of making sure people push in their chairs and clean up after eating their snack.
- Hall Monitor: This helping hand is responsible to watch for students who might need help with their backpack, coat or snack as well as making sure their fellow classmates use only bubble voices and bubble feet when walking in the hall.
- Engine: This helping hand is at the front of every line-up for the entire week.
- Caboose: This helping hand is bringing up the rear of every line and makes sure that the train stays together in the hallway.
Kelso the Frog: I told my students that sometimes there are big problems and sometimes there are little problems. We are learning to be good little problem solvers in kindergarten. We have a poster in the classroom of Kelso who reminds the students of ways to solve little problems:
- Make a deal
- Apologize
- Tell them to stop
- Ignore it
- Walk away
- Talk it out
- Share and take turns
- Go to another game
- Wait and cool off
Monkey Money: You probably heard about this system by now! Monkey Money is for students who are caught doing something good. I've reminded the students that it's easier to get caught doing something good if you do it all the time and on your own, rather than just sometimes, or after they see someone else doing it. Each child has a monkey money wallet in their cubby. After they collect 5 coins, they trade in for a $1 which they can use to purchase incentives at the Money Money Store.
