This right here is the calendar that I use to teach children the date. I am an advocate of of simplicity and effectiveness. I might be a little bit of the teacher's Grinch right here but when I see all those none readable font, colorful and huge calendars that teachers love all I can think of is how are children going to transfer that knowledge into the real world. They clutter space and just provide a visual distraction to children, actually I don’t even think children go back to them at all after circle time.
By using a simple calendar children will develop the same skills that we wanted to achieve, will actually learn how to use an actual calendar and they won’t have to transfer their knowledge anywhere.
My question to teachers here is do you use the calendar because it makes your classroom look pretty? Or is it because that’s what you are used to?
Have you ever thought what is the real purpose of teaching date and the calendar? Of course it involves a lot of mathematical skills that we want to teach children but aside from that what is your real purpose?
In other words, I want to invite you to rethink your learning space and think about those walls in your classroom.
Are your students actually looking into the things that you have on the wall or is it just because you like them or you want them there so that you make sure that they learn the facts and information that’s there?
Could there be any other ways of doing so?
Think about the child first and the needs that they have.
I was once that teacher with borders around the board, a full circle time cluttered wall, with the weather, calendar, number charts, ABC lines. I did it because that was what was expected... I realized children don’t need any of that to learn. I needed it to “feel” like a teacher.
A lovely and good quality environment only needs you and the children. Here is mine.
Mariana
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