I am so frustrated and it is only the first day of school; please help!

[TeachMe]

Today was the first day of school and I am already frustrated. I teach pre-kindergarten and I have 21 students without a teacher assistant. It is a bit challenging because I am used to having a teacher assistant. This is my first year teaching pre-kindergarten in the public school system and it is so different than in the private setting. In the private setting, I had a full-time teacher assistant and I was able to do so much with them, but now it seems as if it is going to be sort of hard to do everything that I want to do because of the lack of help.

Also I want to know how to handle 3-4 students who like to participate in their own activities while we are doing circle time. I was always trained as an early childhood professional that you do not force a child to do something and I believe in that; however, in the public school system, they do not believe that. If I am doing circle time/whole group, they want to see all of the children doing that activity and I have some students who do not want to sit down in whole group (they are at the table doing another activity). If anyone can offer any suggestions, I would truly appreciate it! Thanks a million in advance.:)

[Jennifercwe]

I hope I can at least offer you some encouragement! I too taught at a school...it was private...that required all students to sit at circle time. These were 3 year olds so it was quite a challenge. To solve this problem I started the year with very short circle times. Literally, they didn't go longer than 5 minutes. I would just happily explain to the ones who had their own agenda that it was circle time and we all sit pretzel legs, and look...a carpet square with your name on it...how exciting! I made it quick and routine...opening song, calendar, weather, talk about the activities they could do, transitional song, done. By the end of the year our circle times were 20 minutes or more and the kiddos did great. Hope that helps!

[TeachMe]

Thanks a million! That is what I was thinking I should do; however, I am in the public school system and they expect them to all sit in circle, sit at the table, walk in a straight line and many other things that or not yet developmentally possible. I understand child development and the maturational process, I just wish the administration would. Once again, thanks a million!

[Ms.Bunny]

Ok first off im soooo sorry, it is not wise to have you without an assistant and that anount f children, the ratio in prek is supposed to be 10:1. Did you know you were not going to have an assistant?. Ok I think Jennifer had an amazing idea. start off really short then extend it as time go by. Reward the children that are doing the right thing is great also with praise and/or stickers. I hope things work out.

[barnume]

If you make it clear to the students that they are required to sit in circle time and maybe sit the students who don't like to participate as much in the front and do things, like the songs or finger plays, and get them involved. Do things that they will not be able to resist doing. If you do books, give them a puppet that goes with the story and give them something to do at a certain time in the story. Also, I agree with going from shorter time and gradually extending it.

It does not help that you don't have an assistant! Let the principal or the school board know that it would help you get and keep the children involved if you had one. Then they could sit behind the group and keep children focused while you do group activities.

[Roswenth]

If it's possible, I found that seating kids where their back is to a wall, whether in a corner or along one wall, really helps to keep them together, and they like having something to lean against.

[tamara]

I live in georgia- does your state have a teacher ratio standard being alone with that many children is not safe!

[TeachMe]

To Tamara,

Yes, we do have a ratio, but it is apparent that the public school system, in which I work, doesn't honor the teacher/pupil ratio. All they are concerned about is exemplary status.

It has been truly frustrating, but I decided to just the best that I can with what I have/or don't have.

[Starr2020]

I work in Florida at a private school and I have 20 students with no help. I have worked there for 5 years and never had help, so I feel your pain! I have had to make everything into a game with my class, each table earns points when I catch them being good, and then at the end of the day that table gets something special. Otherwise it is mass chaos. All I can say is try everything once to get them to do what you need to do, games, incentives, anything! Eventually something works.

[TeachMe]

To Starr2020,

I was thinking about a point system for prizes. I have my students divided up by teams (tables). I have five tables and I called them teams, so I think that I could utilize the point system in order to get them to follow the rules.

Not only do I have 20 students without an assistant, I have one child, who has been diagnosed as having autism and two other children who have emotional disabilities. I have to deal with each of these students with these issues on top of the other students who display your typical inappropriate behavior. The other day, I had to physically use a therapeutic hold on one of my students. It is really starting to become a hassle and I don't think that the administration gives a care. I know that it is my job to demonstrate effective classroom management, but it is hard to do so when I have this many students without help and especially when I have three students with special issues. Sometimes, I wonder why I even wanted to teach in the public school system.

[mopar]

For a student with autism, remember to keep a routine and give him/her prewarning before changing the routine. Also, use as many picture cues as possible. This may also help with your students with emotional disorders.

One option for more help you may try is parent volunteers. Parents love to help and the more you ask, the more they will do. If you can't find any parents, hit up the local senior citizen home for an adopted grandparent. My second grade teacher found one and we loved her.

[TeachMe]

To Mopar,

I do give prewarnings before the class transitions to another activity. In regard to the picture cues, how do I implement them?