Direction Giving

At the 1st grade level, there has to be a lot of directions.  We are learning lots of new things and getting to explore lots of things that they haven't done before.  I am good at giving very explicit instructions when I know it is a new thing.  I am not good at doing this when I think they probably know how to do it!  PROBLEM!!!!

I am sure you have all heard the saying that goes along with the word ass-u-me!

I have done this several times in the 7-8 weeks we have been in school.  Many of the things have been regular routine things that I figure should be pretty easy to accomplish.  I have been proven wrong several times, and it always results in chaos!  Take note that I do not have any technology in my room yet so showing them small details is almost impossible unless I take lots of time to draw it out on the board. I have been notified that the school now has all of this new stuff but it now needs to be installed.

Here is a list of things that you must explain to 1st graders at the beginning of the year.

--Please line up! ----------->Please WALK to the door and stand behind the person in front of you with your hands to yourself and your voice off.  Stay out of the other person's personal bubble and stand still!

--Split your paper in half with your pencil! -------------> Draw a line down the middle of your paper.  Do not put a hole through your paper and use your pencil like scissors.

--Cut on the thick black line! ------------>The thick black line runs around the outside of your paper.  You should not be cutting into the picture at all.

--Please shut your voice off! ------------> Please shut all noises off.  Humming, whistling, clucking like a chicken, and singing are all things that make noise and I am asking you to be silent

--Please be quiet! -------------> Please be SILENT!  Silent means no noise, not turn your voice to a whisper.

--Please walk in the hallway! -------------> Please use your walking feet and walking pace, not walking feet at a running pace!

--Will you take this to the office for me? ----------------> Will you please take this to the office for me?  Come straight back to the room, not visit with lunch ladies, use the restroom and/or hang out in the bathroom.

--(While doing a word sort) If it is a short vowel, place it in the short a column.  If not, place it in the trash column. -------------> If it is a short vowel, place it in the short column on your paper.  If not, place it in the trash column on your paper, not our actual classroom trash can!

I'm sure I will have more of these.  I just wanted to let you in on some of the comedy that takes place in my classroom.  While these things can be somewhat frustrating at the time, at the end of the day I always get a laugh and realize that I should have been more direct.

Hope you have had a great start to your week!  More fun things from our week to come!

~Toodles