Question of the Day

     ? ? ? Question of the Day? ? ?

     I use to work with a teacher who asked a question of the day during snack time and posted the answers the kids gave outside the classroom for the parents to read while they waited to pick up their children.  When I first started teaching young three year olds, just getting them to sit down and eat, getting them more juice, and cleaning up messes were challenging enough for me.  I was not ready to add something like asking a question during this time.  I still feel modeling behavior and creating discussion during meal times is more important than asking a question.  But, now I have worked questions into my daily routine, why not write down some answers.  It is a great shared writing opportunity and a way to create community among the class.  Children also love reading the questions and answers throughout the day.

What do you put on first?

     I do not ask and record a question everyday.  Creative Curriculum offers a question of the day, if I wanted to use them, but they aren't exactly little kid friendly.  Some of the questions I use because the usually deal with the theme we are doing, but others are related to a specific skill we might be working on or something special about the child. 

  
It really doesn't matter what question you ask.  It is how you record it that is important.

Children should be able to reread and interpret the questions and answers.

Parents should be able to understand the question and answers.  This gives them some insight of what is going on in the classroom.

     I've always wanted to make a permanent reusable picture solution to child graphing, like using magnets on the back of juice lids with their pictures on them.  I've seen it done with cloths pins But, then the kids and parents could only read the answers or results once.  I think it is a good opportunity to encourage children to write their names, but with three year olds,  it is hard for others to read their names.

I've have decided to use computer printed names and pictures for the children to glue onto the graph or question page.  Just use your computers program that makes labels or business cards to print out a sheet of each child and you have a set that will last you through 9 or 12 questions.

You can put your questions on a flip chart or any paper.  I like to hang the questions or graphs up by the door so the parents can see them when they come in and pick up their child.  When I take one down, I put another one up.  I then add the previous chart to a class book of questions which I keep in the library for the kids to look through.

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