Thoughts on Lining Children Up While Waiting

[JNP]

Hi fellow educators,
I was just wondering how many of you still line the children up to wash their hands, go outside, come inside etc. I recently attended a meeting where we were told that we should not be doing this as it wastes valuable learning time and doesn't support the childrens sense of agency.. What does everyone think? I work at a 4 yr old kindergarten and we still line the children up as we believe they are learning valuable skills such as patience, taking turns, keeping hands to themselves etc. As well as ensuring they are all accounted for. We were told that the assessors do not want to see the children lining up so we should change our practice.
Am I being old fashioned? I like the routine of lining the children up. But I guess it's not about me, it's about the children!
I'm interested in any feedback,

Thanks
Jules.

[Lorina]

Hi Jules,

While I was working as a preschool teacher I use to get the children to line up as they were waiting to transition on to the next thing... While waiting in the line the children sang songs, played "I Spy",had a quick discussion about interests etc. While lining up the children waitied less than 2 minutes before moving on to the next experience... So it's not like they were waiting around forever, standing in a line. I really don't see a problem with it, sometimes I think it is necessary for children to stand in a line especially the preschoolers. This can be included as part of the school readiness program and I also agree that children learn valuable skills like those you mentioned.

Seriously is it really going to harm a child's sense of agency if they stand in a line for a couple of minutes and I don't think it wastes learning time either because they can still be learning while standing in a line.Learning how to be patient, wait for their turn etc.

It seems like there is less and less that they are allowing us educators to do with the children.

,
L.A

[JNP]

Thanks for your feedback L.A. I think that's a great idea, getting the children to sing songs, play "I spy" while waiting. I honestly don't get what the problem is. The children have to line up next year when they go to school, don't they?
Thanks for taking the time to reply, I know you must be very busy at the moment.

Jules

[fchaudari76]

Yep yet another thing frowned upon. I think children need to learn to wait and stand properly. Then we wonder why we hear about so many problem children in schools ...because they are not being taught basic things nowadays 0-5 because of so many restrictions put on us. Nothing is wrong in them lining up for a few minutes, sitting properly and being attentive at group time. At school they have to sit at a desk and be attentive ... some children are not allowed to opt out of classes because they do not feel like doing that at the time.
All these new fangled ideas are making children think they can do whatever they want and it is fine. I have in my 15 years never seen children do & react the way they do nowadays. Kicking, hitting, spitting, answering back etc now is more common than ever. Very sad I say

[JNP]

Hi Fefe,
I totally agree with you. I wonder what this generation of children will be like in 10 years? Can you imagine?

[fchaudari76]

lol makes me feel old sometimes but more and more I find myself saying 'in my days' or 'when I started teaching' etc!

[NorthLight36]

At the ELCs and Preschools I work at, we keep the children on the mat and send them in groups of twos and threes to wash their hands before meals and snack times and after outdoor play. I can't imagine sending a group of 12 to 20 children to the bathroom sinks in a group! Sounds like an accident waiting to happen.

[JNP]

Thanks for your feedback NorthLight36. We also send the chn in groups of twos and threes to wash their hands.
What do you do when you go outside? Do you line the chn up at the door, or do a few go out at a time?
Also after playing outside do you line the chn up to come back inside?

Jules

[dulciean]

Firstly - here,here Fefe!
At the preschool I work at we only line the children up for going outside, coming back inside, or transitioning to the the indoor/ outdoor area. We use the same approach as LA mentioned, keeping them happily engaged and interactive. I read an article somewhere about having them pretend to be animals or other role plays whilst lining up.
The 'professors of teaching 'in their ivory towers sit about hypothesising about best practise and child development- like other policy makers they have lost sight of the reality of working on the front line-in our case with young children!- and therefore their ideas simply do not translate to real life.
Our job is to use all the information we are fed, filter it, adapt it and mix it up to arrive at practises that DO work in the real world, that do benefit children and that allow us to keep a modicum of sanity in our class rooms!!!

[cathiek]

Often with my Kindy kids,they line up but sit down. This saves hassles re pushing, pulling knocking into each other etc. We often do this when it is lunch time and the kids have to get their lunch boxes out of their school bags. When they have got their lunchbox hat etc, they line up at the back door but sit down. When it is only a quick line up though, like if we are all walking out to visit another room in the school we stay standing up.
As an adult you have to line up (bank/post office/ checkouts/bus etc) so good practice for real life i think.

[NorthLight36]

JNP,

Sorry I took so long to get back to you. Been run off my feet between work and my cousin having a newborn baby boy.

Re going outside, we start out with mat time and send the children in pairs to go get their coats/hats on and line up at the door where one of the carers is waiting. Those children who can't wait quietly are sent back to the mat to sit on the mat and continue singing songs until everyone is ready.

I fully agree that lining up is a skill children need to learn, but not all of them are ready for it so we have our mix of mat time and lining up. But twos and threes will remain the best option for hand washing, if only to avoid a water fight!

[JNP]

Thanks for you reply Northlight 36,
It sounds like you have been really busy! I really like your idea of starting out of the mat and those who can't wait quietly go back to the mat and continue singing.
I am going on placement next week for my diploma and am looking forward to seeing what other centres do as I have worked in the same place for 8 years and need some new ideas....
Thanks again
Jules