| Who needs a schedule? What's childhood for if it | | | | activities are balanced with opportunities for |
| isn't to laze away the days in idleness? | | | | individual activities. It indicates how very active |
| There are many reasons to create a reasonable | | | | periods of time are balanced with quieter activities. |
| schedule for young children enrolled in early | | | | It indicates when the mandated times such as |
| childhood programs. There are very few things in | | | | snack, lunch, and rest time will take place. It |
| their world that young children can control or | | | | reflects the teacher's understanding of childhood |
| even predict, but a good the schedule can be one | | | | developmental needs. |
| of those things. | | | | The schedule is also a tool to help teachers work |
| When you are 3-years-old, being able to predict | | | | within the larger school program. It isn't always |
| what's coming next and how your day will be | | | | possible to have the rooftop play area when you |
| structured is a very powerful tool. It's a tool that | | | | want it...you may to share time with another |
| children can use to manage their time. It's | | | | classroom or you may at least have to think |
| practicing order and discipline, both necessary | | | | about that possibility. You may have to figure out |
| tools for academic success. | | | | how to have a required rest time even though |
| Most regulatory agencies require schools to | | | | you are taking a trip away from the center. |
| develop an age appropriate classroom schedule. | | | | Compliance with the schedule forces a teacher to |
| You've probably seen it posted in the classroom | | | | carefully consider the who, what, where, and |
| along with other classroom documents. The | | | | when of each day. |
| schedule contains a lot of valuable information for | | | | The classroom schedule also helps parents |
| administrators and parents alike and the schedule | | | | understand how their child functions within the |
| is reviewed by regulatory agencies in two ways. | | | | academic setting. It shows parents that as |
| First, is the time apportionment indicated on paper | | | | children mature they are able to focus attention in |
| appropriate for the age of the children? If not, | | | | group activities longer. It shows them that |
| what needs to be changed. Second, is the time | | | | although we can't force anyone to sleep, learning |
| apportionment actually taking place in practice, in | | | | to rest is itself a valuable skills for their child to |
| real time, as seen by the monitor? If not, what | | | | learn. In fact, using the classroom schedule during |
| are the reasons for the discrepancies? While | | | | parent conference times can help parents visualize |
| anyone working with small children knows, there is | | | | their child's day and help them understand after |
| a need for flexibility. But, there should be an | | | | school behavior. |
| excellent and easily explainable reason when the | | | | Classroom schedules are constructed by teachers |
| schedule is dramatically altered. | | | | using regulatory guidelines and their knowledge of |
| A classroom schedule includes all the disciplines | | | | early childhood development. As children mature |
| visited throughout the day, the week, and the | | | | throughout the school year, teachers will alter |
| month. It indicates how opportunities for group | | | | their schedules to reflect their students' abilities. |