Morning

My church doesn't do rotation, but I love and adapt the ideas on this board Do you think simple word searches are too advanced for new kindergartners?

My coteacher, Frank, and I definitely need some ideas for openers. There are only two of us, with varying morning schedules, and we have two boys, from different families, who invariably come before or around 9. Occasionally they get fostered into another class until one of us can get there. Sunday School is supposed to start at 9:30.

The kids and parents come down to the room, but we have to do the checking in, getting the security bracelet to the parents, the name tags and the kids' tag (which matches the parent's bracelet), etc., lots of interruptions. Our kids are in various stages of being reading ready, I think a couple can read a bit, so crosswords are out. I haven't tried simple word searches yet. No puzzles, that's reserved for transition time between hours (towel, a book or a puzzle).

We've been doing coloring pages about the story and free playtime, but the church frowns on the coloring pages, and I'm not thrilled with them either.

We are starting to get more well known stories. The past few weeks have been chaotic - he's been gone a couple of times, the lessons have been difficult to find things for, the ideas given in our material are not what we can do. It's hard to find a time when we can get together - he prefers face to face meetings instead of over the phone.

I was really disappointed on how yesterday's (Sunday morning) lesson went. What I had planned for a "take home/in case we need it" idea ended up being the main activity. It didn't make sense because the kids had not had story yet. I lost track of time and we started the together activity way late, and that led off a downward spiral. Not what I wanted at all.

I like Lisa's agenda for opening. I would love to incorporate that into our class, haven't figured out exactly how yet. I would also love to have ideas that aren't coloring pages, but that they can do mostly unsupervised, due to interruptions.

Thanks,
Theresa

quote:

Originally posted by Lisa M.:
Our opening time is really simple. I figure it's main purpose is to accommodate latecomers so that everyone arrives to class around the same time -- not to be a lesson in itself.

.....

General format is this:
1 - Greet, ask for joys and concerns
2 - Memory verse on overhead projector
3 - Song on overhead projector
4 - Offering & Prayer
5 - Dismiss to classes

Lisa