Teachers + parents how would deal with this?

[b1uebells]

Would really appreciate your views on this!

In a reception class with 33 children, how would you deal with a few children who don't come to the carpet and go to a table top activity.

Without any ta support, what would you do to get them to carpet when they refuse when asked? ( about 2-4) children at different times!

If it was one of my dc at home I would just pick them up and move them/ take away what they were playing with but can't do these at school!

How would you deal with this as a teacher and as a parent, how would you want it salt with if it was your child?

[b1uebells]

dealt with not salt!

[Carrotsandcelery]

Oooh! That is a tricky one. Do you have a traffic light system in your school. In DC school they would get a warning then put on the Amber light then get a warning then put on the red light. If they go on the red light they lose 5 mins of golden time at the end of the week (total of 30mins golden time) so would have to watch friends play while they are excluded from play in some way.
You clearly can't manhandle the children to the floor so some sort of encouragement/repercussion seems the way forward.

[mrz]

First I would question the head why a single teacher has 33 children in their care when it is against Class Size Limits

[blametheparents]

Couple of questions, firstly how come the Reception class has 33 children?
Secondly, why no TA support? I was under the impression that in Reception there had to be a teacher and a TA at all times (esp since class seems to be 3 children over the max allowed!)

[blametheparents]

Snap mrz!

[FlorenceAndTheMachine]

Have children been admitted due to an appeal?

[RoadArt]

What is your "unacceptable behaviour policy"? I would implement this, but in the meantime, if they were constantly ignoring me, I would get on with the lesson and deal with them when I had completed the carpet session. You dont have enough time in the day to deal with the interruptions, the majority of the kids should be focussed on.

Once the carpet session had finished I would stop them from using any of the table top activities when the other childen are using them and have discussions about following rules, listening, etc etc.

[b1uebells]

They have Florence yes so have told that it is legal as the LEA have agreed it. There is ta support ( not all the time as apparently we don't need it all time e.g. in pe!! Dont get me started on that one!)

[schoolsecretary]

I am confused by the fact that LEA have agreed the 33 places, we had a similar problem a couple of years ago and yet as soon as we did the census the LEA changed their tune and we suddenly had to have an extra teacher. it will be interesting to see what happens after next Thursdays census.

[mrz]

Q If a class goes over 30 and we put another adult in to support the teacher will we meet the class size duty?
Not necessarily. They must be a ?school teacher? as set out in Annex A.
www.dcsf.gov.uk/sacode/downloads/ManagingComplianceSept08.pdf

[b1uebells]

Might that happen to us too? Don't know where an extra teacher would fit, we don't have any spare space as it is!

[mrz]

How many children in Y1 & 2?

[CaptainNancy]

If my child was in a R class of 33 with no TA I'd be pretty pissed off actually...

[pozzled]

Agree with others about the class side and need for support.

As for the behaviour, are you using loads of positive techniques? I'd start by making it into a game- how quickly can we all be sitting down? Use a big timer or short clip of music, loads of praise for the ones that come quickly. Maybe special carpet spots or a special job for the offenders- can they help to make sure everyone else is sitting down? If none of that worked I'd go with RoadArt's suggestions- don't let them disrupt the session, deal with them afterwards according to the school's behaviour policy.

[pozzled]

*class size, not side

[Dansmommy]

Have you spoken to your union about this?

[Dansmommy]

I'm not buying this actually. What kind of teacher posts on a parenting website for classroom management advice? If you're that inexperienced you certainly shouldn't be teaching an oversized class with no support.

[Woodhen]

Umm are these children not 4 & 5 years old - I'm quite impressed that only 4 out of 33 are refusing to sit down.
How long are they expected to stay there? I also suspect that having 33 children in a class is quite cramped when it comes to carpet time and some kids dont deal with that well.
May I suggest getting to know the repeat offenders and finding out why they dont want to sit down - they are all different and what works for one may not work for all of them.

[Lara2]

I thought it was a legal requirement that all Reception classes, being part of the Early Years Foundation Stage had to have Early Years Assistants? You so need to get some union advice on this, if not advice from your LEA. Surely you have an Early Years advisory team in your county?

As far as sitting down on the carpet is concerned, you need to be very clear about your expectations, make sure they understand and have a consequence EG: thinking time when they miss 4/5 minutes of their free time (we call it discovery time). It basically comes down to doing as you are asked by an adult in school straight away. You could also try lots of praise - saying how pleased you are that everyone is sitting so nicely - deliberately ignoring (what is after all attention seeking behaviour) and they may come and sit quickly. You could try sticker charts. Try counting before everyone has sat down (including the ones who usually do) and being 'amazed' when they all do it.Treats in a jar (picture or marbles in a real jar) and they all get a treat when it's full - one treat every time everyone sits down when you ask. Useful for all sorts if things.

Hope this helps.

[gorionine]

34 children in the reception classher , 2 teachers and a TA (one big reception class though, not two 17 classes)

I am thinking on the same line as Dansmommy.

[seeker]

[gorionine]

sorry, "In the reception class here" not "in the receptionclassher"!

[coccyx]

Bribery then force

[nickschick]

When I worked in schools as a nursery nurse - saying childrens names as they sat down was very effective.

[Lara2]

nickschick - your post reminded me of something that I was told a couple of years ago. Young children often don't think you're talking to them unless you say their name before your request. If it's a general "Will you all please come and sit on the carpet" they don't comply.