My Classroom Schedule

I really don't know where to start with this blog, so I thought I would begin by giving you an overview of how my class is ran. This will be my 10th year of teaching and I have tried different schedules but this is what works for me. I usually have anywhere from 20-25 students in my classroom (this year I only have 17...Woo Woo) and I have a full-time assistant. I have to say I could not do it without her. This is an overview of an average day:

7:30- Pick up students from gym and bring to classroom. Students get all things out of their backpack and begin morning work/daily journal. During this time, I (and my assistant) call students up to get folders, hang up backpacks, take attendance/lunch count.
7:50 - Monitor students in morning work/daily journal.
8:00 - Students come to carpet for whole group reading/writing. (I will explain my reading program in a later post).
8:40 - Small reading group time. At this time we divide students up among the 3 K classroom/assistant/and a few extra assistants we are given for our small reading group time. In all, my students are usually divided into 5 different groups ranging from low to high. If students are way above grade level - they go to 1st grade during this time. During this time, no "work" is given to students. It is all hands on, eye ball to eye ball instruction. (More later).
9:30 - Students come back for math instruction and or social studies/science. We recently began Math In Focus and this is taught during this time. If we have social studies/science (which is very rare - we REALLY focus on math, writing, and reading in K) we do it at this time too.
10:15 - Students break into 4 different groups. (This is where my schedule really differs from most). I have 4 different tables - Red, Blue, Green, and Yellow.
Red Table is my math table, Blue is Headsprout (or Social Studies/Science), Yellow is writing, and Green is Reading. The students are shown their assignment for each table. They then go to "their seat" and begin work. I am usually at the math table and my assistant is at reading or writing. The Headsprout table is independent. All students must "work" for 15 minutes. As they finish we grade their work and assist where needed. After 15 minutes of work time they get centers. Each table has an assigned center. (Red - blocks, Yellow - Home Living, Green - Listening, Blue - Headsprout). If they are finished they may play in centers for 15 minutes. This is time for my assistant and I to pull students 1-on-1 or work with those not finished. After 15 minutes students rotate to the next table. This is done throughout the rest of the day until all students have completed all tables.
11:00 - Lunch
11:30-12:10 - Specials (P.E., Library, Music, Enrichment, or Guidance)
12:10-1:30 - Complete Groups
1:30-1:45 - Recess
1:45-2:00 - Snack Time
2:00-2:30 - AR reading, Daily Review, Spelling Practice, Etc.
2:30 - Dismissal

So...are you confused? Do you have questions? It seems different than most other schedules but it works for me! I'll go more into my reading instruction, reading groups, and math instruction later!