Our school does a staggered dismissal. First the daycare kids who ride buses to their centers are called. Next go the carpoolers and walkers. Finally the regular bus riders leave. The whole process takes about 15 minutes, and it drives me nuts. What can I do with that 15 minutes? I've tried reading aloud but those who miss parts of the story are unhappy. I've made it silent reading time but everyone has their coat and backpack at their desk, so no valuable reading is happening. I've tried allowing "quiet socializing" but it just ends up being loud and rowdy. How does your school do this and how do you handle it in your room?
Our dismissal starts at 3:05 with the first 5 shuttle bus riders, then the walkers and kids who get picked up. Then over the next half hour the rest of the kids who ride buses leave in staggered intervals as their buses arrive. The last ones leave about 3:30. My class can't get up until the first 5 shuttles and walkers, etc leave. Then they may get up and visit, play with the indoor recess stuff, help me, or work on their work. They know if they get too noisy, or run around that they will have to sit until their bus comes. I can get a lot of stuff done while we wait and they are good helpers! They love to take down bulletin boards!
That is one of my dreaded parts of the day. Our dismissal is like yours. I try to make it reading time, and when 1/2 the class is gone the rest pick up and stack chairs.
The bus & van riders leave at 1:50 and the rest get walked up at 2:00. Sometimes if we are all ready early then I'll play Spelling hangman with the kids on the front board. Its fun, they like it, and its working on spelling words!
although our process is much quicker. Our walkers/car riders leave at 3:05 along with all kindergarteners, and then the bus students leave the building by grade level in 1 minute intervalsafter that. My students leave at 3:08 (3rd grade).
To avoide the loud noise, I read poetry during this time. I try to choose funny ones that hold their attention. My rule is that no one is aloud to talk, during this time so that they do not intrude on another student's right to listen. It works out well, but it is only for 3 minutes. Some of you have such long periods of time in between - I can't believe some dismissals take 25 minutes. Is it due to busing issues?
I sometimes allow the kids to play silent ball since we have already stacked the chairs for the day. The kids sit on top of their desks.
I often let the helper of the day read BrainQuest questions to the class, and pass out small treats/stickers for correct answers. I like the idea of reading poetry. I am going to try that.
What about plugging in a book on tape or reading aloud some of those 1 minute mysteries? Do your kids like Sudoko puzzles or word finds they could complete using a class set of highliters? Maybe the kids could play "I Spy" using your classroom word wall.
Our school has different times that the students dismiss as well. However we split up the duties between all 8 teachers on our team. We disignate 3 teachers for bus duty in the hall. Students go to the hall and sit against the wall right after the announcements until they are called and the 3 teachers walk the line down to the buses. One teacher will hold the car riders in her room and take them down when they are called (which isn't very long). One teacher is the ASP teacher, After School Program, and she takes the kids to their spot and waits on their official ASP teacher to come. That leaves 2 teachers with no duty for the week. We rotate weeks so no one is stuck with the same duty every week. It has worked well and we have used it for the 10 years I've taught at my school. Another grade level I taught on did this but rotated the duties every month. We kept it posted on our door. The kids knew exactly where to go.
I let kids share something at that time of day. If the Top Banana (our student of the week) has something to share they get to go first then I pull sticks and let the kids share something they'd like to.....However, this year I am really discouraging bringing items to share...I had a couple items disappear last year. I am going to encourage them to draw pics or bring in photos of things they'd like to tell us about.
I have the car riders get ready to go home first, then they line up. I am usually reading aloud during this time. When their bell rings at 3:10, I stop reading and dismiss them. Then the bus riders get ready to go. When they are ready I usually start a line up game, calling out attributes they must have in order to line up--like wearing a red shirt and have a sister, etc. By the time everybody gets to line up it's usually bell time-3:20. We are fortunate not to have staggered bus time--everybody loads at once.
I too have staggered dismissal times...I read aloud until the first group leaves...then
I have a dish pan full of baggies with index cards inside. They are sets of addition facts, subtraction facts, reading etc. The remaining students grab a pack and a buddy and practice...it is fun as they do it quickly and quietly. (or they would lose the buddy) Then they put them back in the baggie. Hope this helps...
I found the game Silent Ball (I think posted on ProTeacher!) and we play that. I use an small beach ball and the kids form a circle around a desk area. They already have their things together and by the door. The kids can't talk, point, make any noise at all! They love it!! If they make noise, drop the ball, throw it wrong (too hard, uncatchable), hit the ceiling (or anything hanging from it) with the ball, or hit furniture, they are out of the game and sit down somewhere. If they try to argue or blame someone, then they are out since they talked. It really works on sportsmanship too.
Sometimes, I play Music ball. I play it the same way but it throws in a tiwst like musical chairs. When the music is off, whoever holds the ball is out. You can have them pass the ball in a circle (Music Ball) or throw it to whomever they want (Silent Ball).
I loved silent ball when I was in elementary school! We used to always play it when we had inside recess.
Our dismissal lasts 15 minutes. We have to be able to hear who is being called, so I have my students read silently during that time. I used to let them talk a little and do things quietly at their desks, but they got out of hand.
07-11-2006, 06:50 PM
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