Clean Up Carastrophe

I started thinking about some of the practices my students use today when cleaning up after centers. I have a few who wander around the room with basket or container in hand waiting for someone to put something in their basket all the while looking very busy. I have a couple who decide it is time to go to the bathroom. I have a few who just walk around aimlessly and several who really clean. My thoughts immediately think: They have been cleaning up all year, they should know what to do and how to do it. There is no way that child has to go to the bathroom every day at clean up time. Seriously? Carrying a basket is not cleaning!  

Okay now take a breath, reflect, think.  This is not a problem that is these students. This is MY problem. If I really am honest with myself, this shows I did not do a good job of teaching what I expect my students to do during clean up time. I need to go back and simplify my expectations so that my students clearly understand what to do when the clean up song is on and I need to model the behaviors I want to see during this time. Too often as adults we forget what it is like to be new at something or to only understand half of the instructions. Our students are only as good as the instructions we give and some may be excellent at what you are teaching because they have already had instruction somewhere else. For those students that are starting from the beginning, they can only do what they know. Reflection is the key to good teaching practices. Always look at yourself and how you taught whatever it is that your students don't understand, because what you see in them is typically a reflection of you. 

So, back to the drawing board tomorrow of re-teaching how we clean up. One day I will get it right the first time I teach it, until then I will continue to try again. 

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