End of the Day in a Kindergarten Classroom

Are you stressed out with the end of the school day craziness in Kindergarten?

What's happening at the end of the day in Kindergarten? Why does it always end up a little chaotic?

Here are just a few of the reasons...

• Last minute after-school transportation changes
• Getting folders ready to go home
• Someone needs to go to the bathroom....the milk they drank at lunch has finally caught up with them. :)
• Someone is being picked up early from school (doctor, dentist, etc.)
• Last minute notes need to be written to parents
• Tired kids
• Tired teacher
• And, that's just a few!

So, is that enough to make a Kindergarten classroom a little CRAZY?  Absolutely! 

You are not ALONE!

Are you looking for a solution to help the end of the day run a little smoother?

Here are some suggestions!  No, these will not work for every teacher in every classroom.  The most critical rule when being a teacher is to be FLEXIBLE right? Nothing works all the time, every time.  If you are a first year teachers, remember FLEXIBILITY!! If you have been teaching for awhile, I'm sure you have already realized this, but a reminder always helps! :) You have to allow you, your classroom and your plans to be flexible to keep up with the ever changing needs of you kiddos.

So, although all of the details may not work for everyone, here are some ideas that have worked in my classroom and I hope they might work for you.  I hope they at least lead you on a path to find what works for you to create an end of the day atmosphere that allows each day to end on a happy note!

TOP THREE TIPS FOR THE END OF THE DAY IN KINDERGARTEN:

1.) HAVE A KINDERGARTEN PLAN:

It is so important to anticipate that things will most likely get a little chaotic at the end of the day.  Be ready for it and make a plan.

2.) CREATE AN END OF THE DAY ROUTINE:

Routine, routine routine...your five year olds  like to always know what is coming next. So, most importantly, by the end of the day, when their listening ears are a little worn out, it is important to have a routine that is the same EVERY day for the last thirty minutes.  This allows the expectations to already be in place and you are not having to give directions to a rowdy and energetic class of 24 Kindergarteners! AHHH!

If you already have a set routine in place, students know what to do without you having to tell them.  Will they need some reminders?  Sure, but a gentle reminder of the daily routine usually works and they are back on track.

3.) MAKE IT SIMPLE:

Do not plan a complicated craft, project or activity at the end of the day.  There have been years and days that I have saved my theme activities until the end of the day and we would end the day with a craft or project.  Some years, this works okay.  However, other years, this leaves things a little hectic!

Students have glue, paper, and scissors out, making it difficult to clean up quickly.  If there is a last minute problem or something comes up, then it is more difficult to handle it with all of the supplies out everywhere.  Also, students have to be on task to listen to step by step directions for the always changing activity.  For some students, this is TOO much at the end of the day, and it leads to frustration for the teacher and the student.  Completing complicated tasks at the end of the day also does not allow any time for uncompleted tasks to be finished.  For students that are working at a different level than their peers, they may need more time to finish.  Often it is hard to pick up where you left off when you have to start over the following day.  Instead, move these multi-step tasks and projects to an earlier time in the day.

So, how do you have a plan, create a routine and make it simple?  Well, here is what works for me.  It might work for you, or you might need to adjust it to fit your classroom needs.  This is just one suggestion to adapt to your classroom.

MY SCHEDULE:

• 1:45 - 2:15 - My students have quiet time or rest time from 1:45 - 2:15 each day.  This is my time to prepare folders, complete individual assessments,  or work with a small group or an individual student.

• 2:15 - By 2:15, I make sure that I have all of the take home folders, and all of the behavior calendars prepared for the day as well (behavior calendars go home each day with students in their take home folders).

• 2:15 - 2:45 - Students use this last 30 minutes of the day to work in their LEARNING CENTER.  I have six centers that change throughout the year.  I change both the centers and what is in the centers based on the time of the year and what the students need to work on. While students are at centers, I call students to the prize box (Students receive a prize for every five green days they earn, so not every student earns a prize on the same day). Also, while students are at centers, I put all of their folders at their tables.  This way, when they return from centers, their folders are waiting for them.  It saves A LOT of time!

• 2:45 - I signal the students to clean up.  Once their center is cleaned up, they know to return to their table and wait for everyone in the class to be cleaned up.  Once all students have returned to their tables, I do a quick center check.  As I check each center, the students that worked at that particular center for the day are dismissed from their table to get packed up (just putting their folder in their backpack) and have a seat in their carpet square.  

• 2:50 - Carpet Time - By now, all centers are cleaned up, students are packed up and the class is sitting on the carpet in their assigned carpet square.  We wrap up the last five minutes of class with a Go Noodle activity.  I use the energy of the class to determine the GoNoodle activity that I select for the day.  For example, if the class has a lot of energy and is having a hard time using self-control, we complete a FLOW activity to try and calm down a little.  This really allows me to get the students back on track for the last 5 minutes of class. While students are engaged with GoNoodle, I quietly put up the chairs on the tables for the evening.

• 2:55- Our first group of bus riders are dismissed at 2:55.  We say a quick good-bye using one of our rhyming good-bye phrases and they head to their bus. Next, my car riders line up, and the second group of bus riders.  The students are usually calmed down or have gotten some energy out during GoNoodle, so this really helps them wait in line patiently.  My car riders are dismissed after a quick good-bye, and then I walk my bus riders to their bus lines, give them a quick good-bye and the day is COMPLETE!

So, is this a FOOL PROOF, WORKS EVERY TIME method?  Well, no, not exactly.  If you're a teacher, you know that nothing ever is!  However, I hope this might help give you some ideas about how to rearrange your end of the day in Kindergarten to make it a little calmer, easier to manage and happier for you and your amazing Kinders!