These are suggestions and guidelines for planning a class - by Kirsten Dean
Teacher: plans lessons and makes arrangements for any needed materials, leads lesson.
Assistant: brings any extra breakfast items needed, such as baked goods (6 adult sized bagels or muffins are plenty), and/or fruit (1 bunch bananas, 1 bag of grapes, etc). We will try to keep the refrigerator stocked with coffee & milk or cream, Juice, GF bread and granola, butter and jam, cheese sticks and/or yogurt cups. Please let me (Kirsten) or other FDS committee member know if/when these items are running low.
We suggest that each session follow a similar schedule:
9:45--Teacher and Assistant arrive, make coffee, set up for breakfast.
10:00--Welcome parents as they arrive, have them sign their children into Garden House sign-in sheets (for when the children are walked over after lesson);
10:00-10:20/30--everyone eats and talks/visits informally
10:20/30-11:10/15—First Day School Lesson
Suggested Lesson Plan (not a strict format, just a guideline):
- Teacher invites the children to get carpet squares and sit with their parents in a circle on the rug; Assistant continues welcoming in newcomers, helping them settle in
- Teacher introduces her/himself and has all introduce themselves, perhaps using that time to say something about yourself or other get to know you activity
- a song is sung (suggested – The More We Get Together – which has names and could replace the introductions – or other song)
- main theme, story, activity, discussion done with all
- At 10:55 close main activity and invite parents to go to meeting for worship; can have children sing them out the door (The Trees of the Field, #335 in Worship In Song, sheets on the bookcase in the Sunshine Cottage.)
- Children led in short activity, such as an arts & crafts or other hands-on
- At 11:15 teacher and assistant walk children to Garden House with sign-in sheet, check that there are 8 children or fewer left with sitters, one person stays if there are over 8
- At 11:45/50 Teacher goes back to Garden House and along with childcare workers brings children to parents in meeting (babysitters will wait and can take any children back at rise of meeting)