Davening time- preschool

amother

Cerulean

Thu, May 25 2017, 9:56 pm

Who davens with the class; the main teacher or both teacher and assistant?
I'm an assistant, and I think that when I join to daven with the class my partner doesn't like it. She'd probably like me to work on stuff like the arts n crafts, but I feel like it's better for the kids to see that everyone is davening at davening time, besides for it being distracting.
How does it work in your classroom?

amother

Scarlet

Thu, May 25 2017, 10:44 pm

actually one of the assistants is the person who leads davening in our classroom. The other assistants sometimes join in and other times are busy with other things. It's interesting- I never really thought about it like that though. You're right, it prob. is nice for them to see everyone doing it.

Has she outright said she doesn't like it?

amother

Cerulean

Thu, May 25 2017, 11:41 pm

No, she doesn't say anything, but I get this feeling. Like she'll put her chair in a way that there's no place for me there. So I'll go out and make a phone call or something then.
Sometimes she'll ask me to take over and lead while she takes care of something but if she comes back she expects to take back charge of it right away.
So I'm wondering what the norm is, and really what the ideal setting is for davening time.

imasinger

Fri, May 26 2017, 9:07 am

I work in several preschools as a specialist, and it varies. In some, the moros all participate and in others, the assistant prepares the next activity while the lead morah davens with the kids.

I think the kids generally adapt well to either system, and you should have a direct conversation about it with your lead teacher.

sprayonlove

Fri, May 26 2017, 9:28 am

I think the best thing to do is to ask her directly what she would like you to do during davening. And then do it. A positive work vibe/relationship is more important than the kids seeing both morahs davening imo.

seeker

Fri, May 26 2017, 12:07 pm

As the assistant, your role is mainly to follow the teacher's expectations. If you're not happy with what those are, you can try to have a conversation about it.

But I'm with the teacher on this one. The point of having an assistant is to get more done than one person could handle alone. If the davening circle is going fine with one teacher, then by all means put the other one to work somewhere else. Why should it be distracting? Do your work quietly in another part of the room. The only time I've seen assistants just sit in the group circle rather than prepare other materials or things is when there are kids with behavior difficulties and an extra adult is needed to keep peace in the circle.

Kids are all about themselves, when there's a children's circle time they aren't thinking about whether or not or how many adults in the room are participating, as long as there's someone to lead them.

I do think it's disruptive if the teacher has to go out and then takes over again when she gets back. An assistant is perfectly capable of leading circle time, and once she takes over just let her do the rest.

smss

Fri, May 26 2017, 12:22 pm

sprayonlove wrote:

This.
But ftr, when I worked as a preschool assistant I always did other things while she led davening. I think this is pretty standard.

amother

Cerulean

Fri, May 26 2017, 1:22 pm

Thank you all for replying. I generally have a good relationship with the main teacher.
It is a large class and there are always kids that don't sit still, though I don't know that it helps matters if I'm involved in the davening time.
I was really just looking to hear from other teachers or assistant how it works in other classrooms. It's my second year as an assistant.
(The main teacher is on her second year teaching.)

amother

Ruby

Fri, May 26 2017, 2:47 pm

The main Morah should lead the davening and the assistant Morah should either be working (off to the side or in a corner so it's not distracting) on getting things ready for the day or watching the davening circle and redirecting children as needed. A child who gets fidgety may need the Morah to stand behind him/her as a reminder to stay focused. A hand on the shoulder, a gentle pat on the head, perhaps a reminder to keep hands where they are supposed to be (ex. Not touching their neighbor) are all wonderful things an assistant Morah can do while the main Morah is leading davening. The main Morah can only use eye contact as a way of engaging the students if she wants to remain front and center and this is one way an assistant Morah can help out during davening time.
Just make sure your actions don't cause other students to become distracted. The above needs to be done discreetly.

Rachel Shira

Fri, May 26 2017, 4:52 pm

I'm a preschool teacher along with someone else (we're co-teachers, neither one is the assistant). We split the duties up somewhat officially and I do circle time. She usually prepares snack/cleans up meanwhile. Once in a while she joins us if she has nothing else to do and I don't like it because since it's different than our regular routine, it's distracting for the kids and they all want to move their spot to sit next to her/sit on her lap, etc. So that's my perspective.

amother

Cerulean

Fri, May 26 2017, 5:50 pm

I get that... I find that the kids all want to see what I'm doing meanwhile. I'm going to stop joining for circle time (till now I would join here and there if there was nothing to do.)
Here's another problem, if anyone is still with me.
Sometimes there is lots of work to do, and so both of us need to be busy with it. Meanwhile the class is on wheels. What do other teachers do if there's lots of arts n crafts to finish up or prepare?
(I'm thinking of switching to a different school so that I can work and learn with an experienced teacher...)

Rachel Shira

Fri, May 26 2017, 5:54 pm

Class time can't be for teachers finishing projects. One or both teachers should be present with the kids at all times. Ideally, it would be done before school starts, after the kids go home, or during naptime. If that's not possible, maybe you can say, it you see the class getting riled up and you realize it's because you're both occupied, "They're getting crazy, why don't I go read them a book while you do this?" I'm sure she'd appreciate it.

mango

Fri, May 26 2017, 7:05 pm

I agree ask the teacher everyone does things a little different.
I'm my classroom I lead davening and I need at least one other person in the circle with me usually the assistant. I also have a co teacher who is not Jewish (but knows everything all the songs brochos etc) and she will usually set up for snack and maybe something else that needs doing and then will often join us in the circle too especially if the children are acting more rambunctious (I teach 2 year olds who are just learning to sit in a circle for davening, up until recently we davened while they were eating snack bc they couldn't sit through circle)
When I am not in the room for davening the assistant leads davening.

amother

Cerulean

Sat, May 27 2017, 11:16 pm

I really appreciate all your responses; it's good to hear from other teachers.
Our class is 3-4 year olds.
I've found that even when one kid gets jumpy, the main teacher likes to take care of it. I don't think she'll appreciate my getting involved, as is I think I get in her way too much. I guess I'll try to be more discreet and low profile when redirecting kids... though I'm not sure how.

seeker

Sun, May 28 2017, 12:20 am

amother wrote:

Talk to her! If she is taking care of it effectively herself then maybe she wants to just continue doing so and let you do other things. As the assistant, your main responsibility is to help the teacher, and that means she gets to call the shots as to what kind of help she wants. Ideally she would take your preferences into consideration but she's the bottom line and if you don't recognize and respect that, you're asking for trouble in the relationship dynamic.

amother

Rose

Sun, May 28 2017, 12:36 am

I've never heard of the assistant being off elsewhere during davening and circle time, especially at that age. Usually the lead teacher sits in one spot and davens/teaches, and the assistant helps keep hte other children focused.