9/21/2021

Creating a Readable Schedule

​
​When do we go outside? When do we have snack? When do we go home? These and other schedule related questions provoked an invitation to embark upon creating a readable schedule for the children.
We, the teachers, have a schedule readable to us (our weekly projections) which guides the organization and subsequent flow of the school day in support of the daily work. In the interest of establishing a more self-sustaining and collaborative classroom the children also need visual access to the flow of their day, and who better to participate in the making of a readable schedule for the children than the children?
So we selected the time periods of the day, which best provide the children with the knowledge of what happens throughout each day and when, and ask that they illustrate these five essential blocks of time: inside time; snack; outside time; dismissal; morning meeting.

Not surprisingly the illustration for snack was the first choice to draw. C.C. began to illustrate her idea. Inspired by her work, Lochie and Maxon began drawing a similar depiction of our snack time.

Literacy (letters, symbolic, and visual) are all integrated into the work of illustrating an idea and titling it to add meaning.

The next day, Lochie and C.C. were interested in making illustrations for another period of our day followed by writing the title.

Like Lochie, Sylvie focused on drawing our 'outside time' with more detail but less color, finishing the work by writing the words. Meanwhile C.C. concentrated on creating an 'inside time' image.

The conversation leading up to the Illustrations

How can we know what is happening at school?
"We could draw a picture." - CC
"A symbol." - George
Okay, and what picture or symbol could we draw for snack?
"We draw a picture of all of us eating." -CC
What picture could we draw for our outside time?
Us on the swing. -Sylvie
What picture could we draw for morning meeting?
"Us sitting down. (But without plates)" -CC
​What picture could we draw for when it's time to go home?
"Maybe we could write cat. Because when I go back home I see a little furry cosmo." -Jack

"But then it would just be pictures, and we wouldn’t know what time. I know I know! We can put hooks on all of them and each time it wasn’t that time we could put this green circle (our today is indicator on our calendar) on it." -Jack
"We could put different places so that we would know which one is which time is which." - Lochie
"And put our symbols on it and our names." -George
"I know I know I know. We can get paper and trim it into squares and then write the things and then put them everywhere we want to and then we will know where to…what we’re going to do." -Elle
"Then they would just be at the place. Then we would just know where we would do the stuff." -Jack
"Then on the background … Then on the background… we could draw our classroom, part of our classroom." -CC
"I have a great idea. We make a We make a sign. When it’s time for one thing, we’ll hang it on the door." -Jack

Illustration Gallery

Snack Time by Cecily

Snack Time by Jack

Snack Time by Lochie

"A table for snack." Snack Time by Maxon

Morning Meeting by C.C.

Morning Meeting by Jack

Morning Meeting by Audrey

"It's not about outside time, it's about inside time. I'm making a message and looking out the window." Inside Time by Marley

Outside Time by Sylvie

Outside Time by Maxon

Outside Time by Lochie

"Going Home." Dismissal by Audrey

There is more work ahead to finalize our schedule and we'll be sure to showcase it when the time comes!

"I want to sit next to you!": Making Place Cards

​In addition to the beginnings of creating a readable schedule we have also made place cards which will support diversifying relationships by varying seating arrangements each day. We will use the place cards during our morning meeting and snack time. Making the place cards has also provided another experience to engage in literacy and connect.

"Here Jack, I think you'll like this heart." -Violet
"Thank you."  -Jack
...
"Oh no, I don't have enough room for the 'T'" -Violet
...
"I'm going to wait until Violet is finished." -Jack

​
OUR CALENDAR

What is today?
What days come next?
​What events are happening this month?
We are gradually exploring the passage of time through our calendar as well.
​More developments to come!

What does the mom look like?