Starting 2 yr old class need help

cbg

Sun, Dec 21 2014, 1:07 am

I've never taught this age.
Can someone here help me with daily schedule, 9-2
TIA

Also, unit ideas, and how long to teach.
For example colors, shapes, I don't know what else for pre nursery

5*Mom

Sun, Dec 21 2014, 1:13 am

I'd strongly recommend reading up on child development and what children need at that age. Focus on lots of sensory and gross motor play, less on *teaching*.

Shopmiami49

Sun, Dec 21 2014, 1:54 am

I teach whatever I feel is age appropriate, like colors, shapes, chagim, etc., but the focus is much stronger on the actual projects we do and skills, like a previous poster mentioned. For example, instead of just handing out markers to color a parsha paper, I'll hand out funky shaped crayons that they have to hold well and use pressure to color. Or, instead of just gluing papers to a collage, I'll work with them to crumple up little tissue paper squares - great for fine motor.

This age is also great for working on social skills, such as sharing, using words, routines, etc.

IMHO, the most important thing, even before their skills and definitely before teaching, is lots of love and hugs and kisses. Remember, they are only 2 after all...

cbg

Sun, Dec 21 2014, 9:53 am

cbg wrote:

I've never taught this age.
Can someone here help me with daily schedule, 9-2
TIA

Also, unit ideas, and how long to teach.
For example colors, shapes, I don't know what else for pre nursery

If it's not too much trouble can someone share with me their daily schedule?

What are kids expected to know before they enter nursery at 3yrs old.

How long do I let them nap/eat/play outdoors.

My degree and experience is with sped k-12, which is quite different.

amother

Sun, Dec 21 2014, 12:15 pm

I'm also interested
BUMP

Shopmiami49

Sun, Dec 21 2014, 1:40 pm

cbg wrote:

I am in Israel, so since I do not know where you live, I can not help you with preparing for nursery.

In terms of scheduling, this is what I did, from 8:30 - 1:30:

8:30 - 9:30 - Free play (In the years that I ran a gan, most kids only came closer to 8:45/9, so the amount of free play wasn't actually a full hour. I also used this time to work one on one with kids on different things, or just spending a few minutes with each one individually, or actually playing with them on the floor.)

9:30 - 9:45 - Clean up. Make it into a routine, have a clean up song.

9:45 - 10:00 - Daven. Very, very basic: I open one eye, Modeh Ani, Torah tziva, al netilas yadayim, shema, mashiv haruach (when applicable), ani maamin.

10:00 - 10:10 - very short teaching time about the parsha or introducing a new concept. Don't try for longer if you are following this schedule because it is hard for them to sit for longer.

10:10 - 10:30 - Eat either snack or sandwich (In Israel we do sandwiches.)

10:30 - 10:45 - Clean up, include them in wiping down tables, washing hands, etc.

10:45 - 11:15/30 - Play outside. (I base the time on what we are doing outside, whether we have any structured activities outside or not, on the weather, how much they are enjoying, how much energy they have, etc.)

11:30 - 11:45 - diaper changing time. (I usually take out a bunch of wooden puzzles to keep everyone entertained while I change diapers one by one.)

At this point, anyone in my gan who was still napping in the morning would go down around now, usually in their strollers, occasionally I would have a child who needed a crib. But just know that most kids at this age are napping right after they get home, or their morning naps usually peter out as the year goes on.

11:45 - 12:15 - second circle time, more teaching, interactive learning.

12:15 - 12:45 - project

12:45 - 1:00 - snack time

1:00 - 1:20 - exercise, usually Mendy Music

1:20 - 1:30 - Get on coats and backpacks and have storytime until parents come to pick up.

*Honestly, most of my effective teaching was done while I sat on the floor with the kids and really interacted with them on a personal level rather than a group setting.

cbg

Sun, Dec 21 2014, 8:54 pm

Thanks shopmiami49 for sharing with me.
Greatly appreciated

What is Mendy Music?

Also, if I give them nap time at around 12:30, after lunch, how long should I let them nap?
Do I wake them up?

Our shul is opening this pre nursery class, with the idea that the school will grow year to year, and eventually, I will be placed in older grades and an administrative position.

MaBelleVie

Sun, Dec 21 2014, 9:33 pm

5*Mom wrote:

I'd strongly recommend reading up on child development and what children need at that age. Focus on lots of sensory and gross motor play, less on *teaching*.

This- two year olds have very different needs than elementary or even preschool age children. You won't be doing the same thing just on a more basic level- it will be a totally different focus with different goals.

QUEENY

Sun, Dec 21 2014, 9:49 pm

When I taught the 2s, I never davened and taught at the same time...it would of been too long for them to sit.
When they came in the room, they began with table toys, puzzles..chunky ones, pegs, lego. Afterwards I did a very simple davening...weather...song about the week, rainbow song, holiday songs..I sang a lot. THen While kids were involved in pretend play, kitchen area, dress up toys, I usually did arts and crafts with a few kids at a time or if it was something we can do together I did it. I did a short circle time, holidays, colors , shapes, seasons, farm animals, I did not do parsha at this age. Afterwards we had either indoor gym or outdoor gym, riding toys, balls etc. Lunch and rest time ( I forgot to include clean up after each activity)

cbg

Sun, Dec 21 2014, 10:45 pm

Thanks queeny. That was more or less what I had in mind.
How long do you let 2 year olds nap for?
do I wake them up past a certain amount of time?
I'm planning to do 1 nap time after lunch.
The little ones that don't want to nap can play in another room, supervised of course.

cbg

Mon, Dec 22 2014, 8:41 am

BUMP

5*Mom

Mon, Dec 22 2014, 8:47 am

Do you know anyone in your neighborhood who runs an excellent gan for 2-yr-olds who will let you come and observe for a few days?

cbg

Wed, Dec 24 2014, 7:28 am

How long do I let them nap for.
When my kids were little I let them nap at home for however long they wanted. It never interfered with their bedtime.
But today mom's are too scheduled.
Is an hour ok
Will moms be annoyed that they are paying for nap time

bnm

Wed, Dec 24 2014, 8:41 pm

cbg wrote:

depends on the mother. My kid stopped napping at home but would nap at the babysitter so if I knew we have a 1pm apointment I would take her to the babysitter anyway even if I knew she is just going to nap most of the time, it was so worth it for me.

MaBelleVie

Wed, Dec 24 2014, 8:58 pm

Kids who still nap probably sleep for longer than an hour. You can give parents the option of picking up right after lunch, which would be before nap time, or later in the day.

bnm

Wed, Dec 24 2014, 9:00 pm

my kid's babysitter does dropins 18 months and up. she naps them at 10:30/11 ish so they are up by lunch already. when my son was in a 2 hour program transporation each way took an hour so kids napped on the bus going, that was also before lunch.

cbg

Wed, Dec 24 2014, 9:19 pm

The program is not going to be a daycare, or babysitting service. Parents will not be able to choose hours to drop off for babysitting.
The program will be from 9-2, pick-up will start from 1:45.
We want to build a real school from year to year.
Do I need a nap time in the morning and the afternoon?
I can understand doing this if it was a full day program from 8-4 or5, for full time working moms.
This program is more a group to teach kids social skills and to get them use to the idea of going to school and separating from mom for a little bit.

bnm

Wed, Dec 24 2014, 9:29 pm

so maybe nap them from 11-12:30 and then serve lunch.

cbg

Wed, Dec 24 2014, 9:40 pm

bnm wrote:

so maybe nap them from 11-12:30 and then serve lunch.

Is waiting till 12:30 too long for a 2-21/2 yr old to be up?

I rather be sure they ate lunch, then trying to wake them for lunch.

Do I wake them or let them sleep.

oliveoil

Wed, Dec 24 2014, 10:09 pm

If you've never taught that age before, I strongly recommend you spend a couple of weeks observing a few good teachers.