Scheduling is not only important for you as a teacher, but it is also important for your students. Knowing what to expect throughout the day and, more importantly, when to expect it, can help alleviate a lot of student anxiety. When anxiety goes down, students are able to focus, behavior management issues go down, and the classroom has a much more relaxed feel to it. So, what is the best way to display a schedule in your class? Try the three tips below to find the perfect combination.
Class Schedule Tips
All Eyes Up Front
Without a doubt, most teachers gravitate toward the large schedule display at the front of the classroom. Many opt for a pocket chart where activities and times can be easily swapped out throughout the week to accommodate changing schedules. Others choose to handwrite the daily schedule with dry erase markers on their white boards. The key to a large schedule at the front of the classroom, is to make sure that every student can see it. The type or writing needs to be large enough that even a child sitting in the back of the room can easily see it. Placement is also key. Make sure that the schedule can be seen from every seat without a child having to twist and turn around his neighbor to see it.
Daily Desk Schedules
While a large schedule is good for many students, there are those students who need to see the schedule on their desk. For them, the mere act of trying to distinguish activities in a pocket chart at the front of the room from one another is distracting and frustrating. Instead of forcing a behavioral issue, because the student is anxious about not being able to understand the schedule, have a daily schedule that he can keep at his desk. Create a simply checklist for each day that lists the times and activities. As the day progresses, he can mark off what has been accomplished and know exactly where he is in the daily routine. Have a blank schedule template handy for those special assembly days too!
Countdown Schedule
If you are lucky enough to have an Interactive Board in your classroom, consider typing up a daily schedule and displaying it on the right or left-hand side of the screen. Pull up the clock and set it to countdown for each lesson’s time. For example, if reading is a 90-minute block, set the timer to 90-minutes and encourage students to “beat the clock” throughout the day. Not only does it provide a visual of the schedule, but it also gives students an idea of how much time they have left for each activity.
What are some of your favorite ways to display the class schedule in your classroom? Leave a message and let us know!