Clean up time:
Setting the Expectation from Day One
From their very first day in the classroom, Children help clean up! They are joining a community of teachers and children who are active participants in maintaining order in the classroom environment. The expectation, from the beginning, is that they, too, will help keep the classroom clean and tidy. The space is for everyone, and, therefore, so is the responsibility.
They learn early on to:
• push their chair in after they get up from the table
• return their work to the shelf where they first found it
• roll their work rug up and put it away in the rug container
• fold or roll their apron
Use Language that Includes Everyone at Home is very important for children:
Use inclusive language that sets the expectation that EVERYONE in the family participates in cleaning up and EVERYONE benefits. Children want to be recognized as valued members of the family; they don’t want to be singled out as the reason the room is a mess!
Instead of Try :
• “It’s clean up time! We sure had a lot of fun in here!”
• “In this family, we all work together — everyone helps!”
• “Everyone had fun playing, and now everyone can help put things away”
• “This room looks so nice! Now we can see where everything goes!”
• “When the bookshelf is tidy, it makes it so much easier to find the books we want to read”
Remember that children behave differently at school than they do at home. Home is their safe space and where they will be the most relaxed and laid back. Chances are, you’re already dealing with a lot more whining and complaining about cleaning up than your child’s teachers do! Be patient, but persistent! It took three, four, or more years for your current habits to set in — it will take a while to undo them.
Try
• “It’s clean up time! We sure had a lot of fun in here!”
• “In this family, we all work together — everyone helps!”
• “Everyone had fun playing, and now everyone can help put things away”
• “This room looks so nice! Now we can see where everything goes!”
• “When the bookshelf is tidy, it makes it so much easier to find the books we want to read”
Remember that children behave differently at school than they do at home. Home is their safe space and where they will be the most relaxed and laid back. Chances are, you’re already dealing with a lot more whining and complaining about cleaning up than your child’s teachers do! Be patient, but persistent! It took three, four, or more years for your current habits to set in — it will take a while to undo them.
NIRAYA 