Reception teachers......please tell me your morning routines.....

[calzone]

Could you tell me what you do from the time the children come in until playtime, please.

TIA

[Mistoffelees]

8.55 children arrive and look at books on carpet (we used to go straight to activities but this class were v unsettled if we did that)
9.00 I take the register and do a short adult input to introduce the activities/topic based stuff/bit of shared writing
9.20 TA and I do handwriting/dough gym with 10 children each (split into 2 groups of 5) the other children access continuous provision, this now needs reviewing as more children are ready to start handwriting
9.35ish all children at continuous provision, TA or I facilitate and the other does an adult focused task until we tidy up for a quick maths session before lunch.
We have free flow between in and outside so we don't stop for play time.

[Bumbleclat]

I'm a R/yr1/2 teacher with 30 (10 in each year group)
But here's mine.
9-9:10 jolly phonics songs on interactive white board with actions,
910-15 Dough disco
9:15-30 Assembly
9:30-45 phonics
9:45-10:30 literacy (half the group, other half free play)
10:30-45 Play time whole school
10:45-11:30 Numeracy (half the group at a time splitting the session so free play opportunities)
11:30-12:00 Free play, tidy up time before lunch.
12-1:15 lunch and outdoor okay
1:15-3:30 free play indoor and outdoor with one adult led activity.

[Bumbleclat]

Forgot to say guided reading between 9:45 and 10.
Also Friday am HFW practise for 15 mins and handwriting booklets 11:00-11:30

[Jammygal]

Hello please can you explain to me dough gym and dough disco thanks X

[Mistoffelees]

They're basically the same thing. Put a pop song on, each child has a large piece of play dough, standing round a table and the adult leads in doing movements, we do lifting the dough above our heads, in and out from chest, passing from one hand to the other, and others when we put it down on the table like squeezing, pinching, flattening and poking with each finger. Alistair Bryce-Clegg has a blog post on it, he suggestts having a piece the size of their head each so it's heavy and builds there muscles but we can't store that much in our fridge so they have about half thay. There's also a lady on YouTube who does it but can't remember her name.

[Mistoffelees]

Their*

[Mistoffelees]

Sorry, so many typos!!

[Jammygal]

Thanks for this ....I will look into it a bit more ..

[Bumbleclat]

Watch the dough disco video on YouTube the lady is absolutely nuts!
My reception children laugh their heads off when we do it each day.

[southchinasea]

8.50-9.05 Children come in, self register, choose from continuous provision, talk with parents as needed. 9.10- 9.30 register, hello time then phonics as a class with groups going off with other adults as needed. 9.30- 10.30 continuous provision with one adult facilitating/ enhancing, small group teaching with different groups in turn with the other adult (or sometimes 2 other adults). 10.30- 10.45 quick maths input with whole class (extension group going off with TA as needed). 10.45- 11.45 continuous provision/ adult led small groups as before. Snack table open. 11.45 tidy up/ songs/ story/ wash hands. 12 lunchtime

[SheStoodInTheStorm]

Children come in and practise name writing
9:00 register
9:05 Phonics
9:20ish continuous provision
10:15 English or Maths carpet session
10:30 continuous provision
11:40 tidy/story/singing/chat/washing hands
12:00 lunch

[Mistoffelees]

I'd so love to have until 12, feel we'd get so much more done but we have to be in the dinner room at 11.30/11.40 depending on which class is 1st

[calzone]

It all sounds so good......

[Mistoffelees]

What's your routine calzone?

[calzone]

😂 Bean.....


I'm the TA but so frustrated.

Basically, the children come in and sit on the carpet until 9.45!!!!!

I know you won't believe me but it's true.

Self registration ((told to do this 3 weeks ago))
Carpet and register and lunch......
20 minutes phonics
Carpet

No songs
No inputs
No activities
No art
No dough disco
Nothing independent for children to do that has been thought about.

[calzone]

I don't really know what she does.


A hell of a lot of faffing......a lot of chatter about other people in school, easily distracted if someone comes in.....often leaves the children and does a job......

It's horrible.

[Mistoffelees]

Is she quite an inexperienced teacher? And is this your first year with her/the school?

[calzone]

She has been a teacher for 22 years.

I have been a TA for 10 years.

I think as a one form entry school, she hasn't been challenged by other teachers.....no idea how she has got away with it for so long.

I am new to the school but 😱😱😱

[Mistoffelees]

Oh dear! What are you doing in this time? My new (to me) TA asked if I could give her a more structured plan as she wasn't always feeling 'useful', this is despite me thinking she's doing a fantastic job by the way, anyway, I felt mortified and am getting stuff ready for her over half term. Maybe just ask what she'd like you to be doing with the children in this time to encourage her to reflect on the morning? Or you can always tactfully mention it in your appraisal? I've had feedback, positive and negative from the head following previous TAs appraisals and have acted on it to change my practice, would have been stupid not to tbh!

[calzone]

I just feel like we are wasting so much time......she is obsessed with reading books and they are done EVERY SINGLE DAY! However, as she has barely covered phonics, the books going home don't match the phonics they know.

When I asked how children are meant to read when they haven't covered the sounds, she just said, 'I've no idea. I just tell them the word!!'

[Bumbleclat]

Calzone. Is it really your place to intervene? I mean with the best will in the world? she is effectively your manager and should be managed herself by a more senior member of the school staff.
Some settings do give a far less structured day to the EYFS children as long as it's underpinned by sound knowledge of how children learn through play.
You seem a bit critical of her approach e.g the book reading (which is very important)
Do you think she picks up on the fact that you are so critical of her?
It just sounds like she doesn't have many systems in place in order to cover everything.
In the mean find its the head's job to assess how she's doing and the outcomes, you could be spending time with the children extending their learning through questioning them as they play.
As long as their curiosity and inquisitiveness is kept alive, they'll all be okay.

[Bumbleclat]

Also, we send books home before they've covered all of the sounds it's to
A) emphasise the importance of reading with your child to the parents and
B) allow children to use picture cues to tell the story which is a precursor to early reading
C) teaches book handling skills