[bGracie]

Hi, can any of you tell me your procedures for getting ready to dismiss? I am student teaching in kindergarten right now and dismissal is a chaotic time. Please share your ideas. Thanks!

[Socks]

Dismissal is by far the part of the day that I like the least. I have taught K, 1st, and 2nd. It isn't better at any level. The most important part, is to teach dismissal to your kids. What do you want it to look like? Do you pass out homework first? Then have the kids go to their mailboxes? Then get their bags? Whatever the procedure that you want, you need to teach it. This means you have to take the time to do it. This is the procedure that happens in my class:

I pass out homework and important papers. The kids put these in their BEE Books. The kids need to then sit quietly at their seats. Quiet tables are chosen to go to their mailboxes to get their returned work and then go to their cubby to get their book bags and jackets. Then they go back to their table, put their returned work in their BEE Book, and pack their book bag. I do all of this early so that the students have about 15 minutes before announcements once they are finished. During this time, they do their independent reading. I know you teach K so this could be a read aloud time for your class.

This has helped for me especially since we do not have a PA system in our school. We do everything over the telephone system which is much quieter than a PA would be so if the kids are noisy, we can't hear anything.

I hope this helps you out!

[teacherkathy]

I teach a k-1-2 combo. My kinders go home at lunch until after Christmas, and I have them get their backpacks, coats, etc at their tables with all their returned work, papers, etc. zipped into their backpacks. At the end of the day the 1st & 2nd each have jobs to do (stack chairs, erase boards, clean up library, pass out papers, etc) and when everyone has all their things ready on their tables, we sing the Good Bye Song. Kinders obviously do this as well when they stay all day. It's sung to "Ode to Joy".

Our day is through,
Our jobs are done,
We did some work
We had some fun.
We worked real hard,
We played with friends,
And on (Tuesday) we'll be back again.

The song reinforces days of the week and they love singing it. The kids know (because we worked on it) that they must be quiet and watching me to be excused to the bus when we're done.

Hope that helps.

[MsYork]

Does anyone have any tips for the upper grades? Last year was fine once we got into the routine of things, but this year's group isn't acclimating so nicely.