The Daily Schedule

The daily schedule helps provide predictability for young children and for teachers! It is important to have a daily schedule set in place so you are able to plan effectively. The catch is that it needs to be developmentally appropriate for the age group you teach. During this school year, I have had to make several adjustments to make it appropriate and I am sure there are more unseen or new mandates that I will have to include in the future. Since I am in GSRP and use High Scope, I have to mesh both of these things together to have a schedule that is appropriate and reflects what they desire. In addition, there is common language/words used for High Scope to describe parts of the day and the schedule is not meant to be changed (to prove that predictability and stability for children). In my schedule, the time is listed, the High Scope language is used, and there is a description of what goes on during most of these activities (reflective of the GSRP example). Below I have posted my Outdoor Daily Schedule for full-day:

Outdoor Daily Schedule

(Subject to change based on special activities)

8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.               Breakfast (Upon Arrival)

9:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.               Greeting Time

Greeting time provides a smooth transition from home to school. Teachers greet children, connect with parents, and read books in a cozy setting. The message board gives children and teachers a chance to share important information for the day. Parents often join us for this part of our day.

9:15 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.               Large Group

Children and teachers gather together to play games, tell and re-enact stories, sing songs, do finger plays, dance, play musical instruments or re-enact special events. This time is an opportunity for each child to participate in a large group, sharing ideas and learning from the ideas of others.

9:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.               Small Group Time

Each teacher meets with their consistent small group of children to work with materials planned and introduced by the teacher. Although the teacher chooses and introduces the materials, each child has control over what he/she will do with them.

9:45 a.m. - 9:55 a.m.               Planning Time

In their small-groups, children indicate what they choose to do during work time (typically what they will do first). Their teacher will try to understand children’s plans and often try to help children extend their plans.

9:55 a.m. – 10:55 a.m.              Work Time

Children carry out their initial and subsequent plans. Children can work with any of the materials in any of the interest areas. Teachers observe children and look for opportunities to enter into children’s activities to encourage their thinking, extend their play, and help them wrestle with problem-solving situations.

10:55 a.m. – 11:05 a.m.             Clean Up Time

Children and teachers together return materials and equipment to their storage spaces and, when appropriate, put away or find display space for their personal creations.  

11:05 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.             Recall Time

Recall brings closure to the planning–work time–recall sequence. In their small-group, children reflect on, talk about, and/or show what they have done at work time.

11:15 p.m. – 11:25 p.m.             Get Cots Ready/ Prepare for Lunch

11:25 a.m. – 11:35 a.m.             Get Ready for Outside

11:35 a.m. – 12:05 p.m.             Outside Time

Children engage in vigorous, noisy outdoor play. Teachers participate in, and support, children’s play outdoors.

12:05 p.m - 12:10 p.m.             Transition from outside

12:10 p.m. – 12:40 p.m.             Lunch

Children and teachers share nutritious food and interesting conversation together in a relaxed, family-style manner.

12:40 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.              Nap   

2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.               Quiet Play on Cots

2:30 p.m. – 2.40 p.m.               Put Cots Away/Get Ready for Outside

2:40 p.m. – 3:10 p.m.               Outside Time

Children engage in vigorous, noisy outdoor play. Teachers participate in, and support, children’s play outdoors.

3:10 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.               Transition from outside

3:15 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.               Snack/Dismissal

Children and teachers share nutritious food and interesting conversation together in a relaxed, family-style manner.

Of course, like I said, my schedule is not perfect and I have had to adjust it. Now, I did not make HUGE adjustments, but these are things that you should let the children know about before you do it, (especially if they are very different); preferably, your schedule should be set at the beginning of the year but sometimes it just needs to be adjusted anyway. I have had to move my afternoon outside time to make for an easier transition and dismissal, and I have also had to move my outside time in the morning to later because of a GSRP mandate (must not be more than 3 hours apart from afternoon gross-motor/outside). In addition, Work Time must be at least 60 minutes for GSRP, but only at least 45 minutes for High Scope. Overall, I think the schedule works well for my children and it only becomes difficult when it has to be adjusted when the weather is bad or it's too cold. For that, I have two additional schedules because our classroom has to share a gym with a elementary and middle school. It also really stinks that we have to rely on others to deliver our lunch carts because they are generally late, which can make our schedule funky (but only slightly). Luckily we have our daily schedule posted on the board, as it should be [posted]. I personsonally made our schedule cards and attached magnets, so I can easily adjust their spots. You can find a photo of them on the board in the other post I have written: About My Classroom.

For more information about the High Scope Daily Schedule, see: High Scope Daily Routine
For more information about the GSRP Daily Schedule, see: GSRP Sample Schedule