What makes this routine challenging is the following:
- Children trickle in from either 8 or 8:30-8:50ish. So you really can't get a good count until 8:50.
- Several mornings students don't arrive on time due to a number of issues such as meetings with teachers, chorus, an early morning hallway discussion or conflict, and attention to other matters. These same interruptions often lead to students forgetting to sign in.
- Then when a teacher is ready to check the attendance and lunch count, sometimes it's time to say the pledge or take part in the morning minute. Other times she is responding to a student need or collegial question. Any number of unexpected events can get in the way.
- If not done by 9 on most days, the students have transitioned so there's no going back to the list.
What will help?
- Practice the routine again and again--hang up your items, take in what you need, sign in, sit at your desk and start morning work. Teacher positioned in similar place near the sign in every morning--monitors who signs in, the lunch count, and completes slips/form on her own or with students' help and that's done. This simple routine takes lots of practice to get it right, and to get it right means a lot less stress related to reminders and follow-up comments/angst.
I'll talk to the students about this on Monday. Over the years this hasn't been my strong suit--I tend to get caught up in the lesson or students' needs, comments, and events first thing int he morning rather than staying focused on lunch count and attendance, but I'll make a shift here. Some might say that it's crazy to put so much focus on two simple to complete tasks, but sometimes it's these simple tasks that are the most difficult in a busy classroom with many students. Onward.
