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sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

  • 1.  sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 02-15-2018 04:15 PM
    Hi Friends, I am looking for some thoughts on the most developmentally appropriate way to be a part of Circle/Storytime for 4-5 year olds.
    I encourage my students to sit "on their bottoms." Criss cross, legs stretched out or knees bent are all acceptable.  I have a few children who prefer to kneel or lay down on their bellies.  Is it best to allow freedom of position as long as they are engaged or should there be a more specific requirement?
    I am looking forward to your thoughts. Maria

    ------------------------------
    Maria Perillo
    Prescott AZ
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 02-16-2018 02:06 AM
    I think that it is best to allow students to attend in the way that is most comfortable for them.  You can teach them about personal space and how not to invade another person's space.  When I first started teaching I would try to enforce crossed legs, but I found that I spent a lot of time redirecting which was a waste of time.  Also I try to put myself in their place and I would feel awful if someone forced me to sit in a style that was uncomfortable for 10 min. or more.

    --

    Chanel N. Wilson M.Ed
    Early Childhood Education Consultant
    (973) 609-0055






  • 3.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 02-17-2018 11:24 AM
    I found all the comments helpful, I work with special needs 3 year olds and circle time is the hardest. I do find that most of my students want to stand or move to any singing or familiar story. They are more engaged when I am not always telling them to sit down hands in their lap. They do get opportunities to sit at a table to eat and do projects and they do a great job, I am going to relax the circle time and let the students enjoy themselves.

    ------------------------------
    Teresa Fletcher
    Sped Teacher
    Selah School District
    Selah WA
    ------------------------------



  • 4.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 02-16-2018 03:50 AM
    HI-
    For a structured activity like circle, I would probably offer a small chair or cushion if sitting was difficult for the child.  You could also modify the demand by having the child sit for the first few minutes and lay down for just the story or last few minutes of circle.  I would, however not insist on sitting during periods of unstructured times such as free play or gross
    motor play.
    One of the goals of preschool is to prepare for kindergarten where they probably wouldn't be allowed to lay on the floor during circle.
    Good luck! What a great question for the forum!



    ------------------------------
    Monica McDonald, MA
    Cambridge, England
    ------------------------------



  • 5.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 02-16-2018 06:29 PM
    I teach 4K in a Public School.  I place individual carpet squares to the outer edge of my circle carpet. I offer the child who is laying down the opportunity to rest in the Book Area where there are pillows and warm, soft blankets.  But, if they choose to remain on the carpet, they must comply with the carpet rules: Sit Criss Cross Applesauce with your hands on your knees or in your lap.  I have had successful compliance with the non IEP kids.  The IEP kids who are non-compliant are taken out of the room for a sensory break by the CC teacher.

    ------------------------------
    Sonya Lessner
    4K Teacher
    Madison Metropolitan School District
    Madison WI
    ------------------------------



  • 6.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 02-18-2018 08:28 AM
    Sonya:  With all due respect, and as others have noted, young children aren't designed to sit still for any length of time.  Many children need to shift and wiggle a bit in order to focus.  Having only one way to sit means they may be focusing only on doing that and not on the content of the circle time.  Many children--not just the ones on IEPs--don't have the core strength to sit like this for any length of time.  They need to lean on their hand, move a leg out, sit with their back supported by the wall, etc. in order to support themselves.  I'm with those who let kids sit how they want to if it doesn't hurt other children.  In some classrooms in which I consult children are given the choice to sit with their legs criss cross, in a line, or in a mountain (knees up) and some are given the option to sit in a chair for more support.  When there is only one correct way to sit, anything else is wrong, which seems unnecessarily punitive for children who are trying to be comfortable.

    ------------------------------
    Aren Stone
    Child Development Specialist
    The Early Years Project
    Cambridge, MA
    ------------------------------



  • 7.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 03-02-2022 09:11 AM
    I am a home provider with three preschoolers, a toddler and two infants. My issue is that my preschoolers will not sit at all for a story. Two or three pages in they are wandering off. Some providers say I should force them to sit in circle time, but I feel like DAP requires otherwise. I need to figure out what to do, force them or just give up on story time. Our "clrcle time" is usually embedded into other activities. Such as singing ABC song or other songs during art, or counting during play. But the reading is impossible. Which direction should I go?

    ------------------------------
    Scarlett Hilton
    Provider
    Hilton Daycare
    Sabina OH
    ------------------------------



  • 8.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 03-03-2022 10:14 AM
    Scarlett,
    I also run a childcare home, and although the responses were knowledgeable, I don't think they answered your question! DON'T give up on story time! As a home provider we are fortunate to have flexibility in our schedules. I was having the same dilemma. Trying to keep all ages engaged with every story time is impossible. I change it up! This week I served their morning snack, and as the children were finishing up, I started story time at the table. It's working great…for now. I don't know that it's necessary to have a dedicated story time. I often start out reading with 1 child, and the whole group ends up joining in. Also try to pick books that your children will be interested in. Attending trainings on how to be an effective story teller or reader of children's books may also be beneficial,
    Good Luck!


    ------------------------------
    Kristi Grumm
    Lancaster OH
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  • 9.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 03-03-2022 12:29 PM
    I just realized I was looking at previous posts, not responses, so please disregard my first sentence in previous post!

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    Kristi Grumm
    Lancaster OH
    ------------------------------



  • 10.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 03-20-2022 12:10 PM
    Hi! I have a couple of thoughts on this. First, they might just not be interested in whatever story you are reading. Or, in my experience I have noticed that even if they are not sitting with me they are still listening. Some kids just need to move!

    ------------------------------
    Catherine Roach
    Teacher
    Grandma's House
    Milwaukee WI
    ------------------------------



  • 11.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 11-18-2022 03:08 PM
    I love your answer so much I am writing it down to share and discuss with my undergraduate ECE students! Thank you

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    Karen Natoli
    Madison Area Technical College
    Madison WI
    ------------------------------



  • 12.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 03-24-2022 08:21 AM
    However, we are not kindergarten. We are preschool. Kindergarten students should be able to and adopt the position that is most comfortable to them as well. We have all established that kindergarten is no longer developmentally appropriate and we need to strive to keep ECE that way.

    ------------------------------
    Trisha Dart
    Owner/Teacher
    Little Ones Learning Preschool and Childcare
    Comstock Park, MI
    ------------------------------



  • 13.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 02-16-2018 09:26 AM
    Chanel, I love your response. I fully believe that children should be allowed to listen and learn in whatever way is comfortable for them! One of the things I fight against in my work is the notion that sitting = learning. That may have made sense to educators before there was research, but we now know that sitting increases fatigue and reduces concentration. There's also more and more (and more) evidence that physical activity contributes to optimal brain functioning. And, of course, we're all aware that young children have to experience concepts in order to fully grasp them. That's why I also feel it's perfectly fine if a child needs to move to the rhythm of a poem or story, or to act it out!

    One of the purposes of preschool may be to prepare children for kindergarten...but if kindergarten is getting it wrong (forcing kids to sit instead of engaging in active learning), I think it's up to us to fight back. The children are what matter most -- and we have the research on our side!

    I'll close with a statement from pediatric occupational therapist Christy Isbell, who once told me: "Who's to say we have to sit down to learn? Why can't we stand to learn? Why can't we lay on the floor on our tummies to learn? Why can't we sit in the rocking chair to learn? There are lots of other simple movement strategies. Just changing the position can make a big difference."

    ------------------------------
    Rae Pica
    Rae Pica Keynotes & Consulting
    Alexandria VA
    www.raepica.com
    ------------------------------



  • 14.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 02-17-2018 07:21 PM
    I like your response Rae.  It makes sense to me.  I will give it a go.

    ------------------------------
    Sonya Lessner
    4K Teacher
    Madison Metropolitan School District
    Madison WI
    ------------------------------



  • 15.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 02-22-2018 02:51 PM
    My circle times always look like I am leading a can of worms. There are sitters, kneelers, tummy layers, straight keg sitters and those coming and going from the group to meet their own needs, (nose blowing, putting a forgotten toy away, getting a sweater, etc). About the only thing I discourage is W sitting and crawling onto another child. I gage my group time by their interest level, really focused , asking for more songs or stories we keep going. No focus, to much wiggling done really quick. Since I have been doing this I see much more interest in group times and even a willingness to join. Rea Pica made a big impact on how I view movement and learning.

    ------------------------------
    Helen Meissner
    Lead Teacher
    Love To Grow On
    Saint Paul MN
    ------------------------------



  • 16.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 02-23-2018 07:57 AM
    Helen, I was smiling the whole time I was reading your response. But your last line took my breath away! Thank you. You just made my day!

    ------------------------------
    Rae Pica
    Rae Pica Keynotes & Consulting
    Alexandria VA
    www.raepica.com
    ------------------------------



  • 17.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 02-23-2018 03:56 PM
    Helen, That sounds lovely and like a lot of fun!  You probably already know this but when kids W sit it is sometimes because they don't have enough core strength to hold themselves upright comfortably--they're trying to get a larger base to sit on (not that they know this cognitively).  Then it can become a habit.  Those kids might like to sit with their backs against a wall or shelf or in a chair.

    ------------------------------
    Aren Stone
    Child Development Specialist
    The Early Years Project
    Cambridge, MA
    ------------------------------



  • 18.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 02-24-2018 08:59 AM
    Thank you I did know that nut I love your idea of including ways for them to build that balance.  Thank you.

    ------------------------------
    Helen Meissner
    Lead Teacher
    Love To Grow On
    Saint Paul MN
    ------------------------------



  • 19.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 12-17-2022 07:36 PM
    I fully agree with Chantel and Rae.  There is no reason for children to sit for story time other than adult expectation.  My granddaughter, who is a mom now, wouldn't sit for story time in preschool.  The teacher suggested a weighted vest to help her sit.  My daughter asked the teacher if her daughter knew what was going on. Yes, and she asked really good questions, showing she was following the story.  Then what's the problem???  The problem was the teacher's expectations, not the child.
    The more we expect children to do what's not developmentally appropriate for them, the more we will be disappointed and the more the children will come to feel less than.

    And, the point that in K they will do x, so they have to do x now is a waste of their now time.  I taught K back in the day.  We went lots of places, not on line, but holding a partner, in what I affectionately called a "glump".  We took lots of neighborhood walks, knowing not to walk on lawns, to stay on sidewalks and to wait before crossing the road.  The LAST week of school, I told them that in first grade, children walked in a line and we are going to practice.  So I taught them to walk in a line. By day 3, nobody could tell the difference between my class' lines and any other k class lines.  When children are developmentally ready, they don't need years of practice for anything.

    ------------------------------
    Ellen Cogan, MS Ed - Owner, Chief Consultant - HILLTOP Early Childhood SERVICES
    NYS Early Learning Credentialed Trainer
    NYS Master Cadre, Pyramid Model
    Implementation Planner, Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership
    www.earlychildinfo.com
    ------------------------------



  • 20.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 12-19-2022 12:17 AM
    Well said!

    ------------------------------
    Carmen Ellis
    Community Systems Director
    Oregon Department of Education
    Portland OR
    ------------------------------



  • 21.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 02-16-2018 10:31 AM
    Also, when children move to different positions, they are engaging different muscles in their bodies. Laying on their tummies and propping up on their forearms to see a book is engaging the neck, torso, back, and shoulders which all need to be stable and developed for proper arm and hand function. To connect that to school readiness ... it is helping prepare the body for handwriting and keyboarding!

    ------------------------------
    Stacy Benge
    Presenter/ Child Development Specialist
    Coppell TX
    ------------------------------



  • 22.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 02-16-2018 12:45 PM
    I think all responses are valid. In my first year of teaching preschoolers I too was doing more redirecting than circle activity. There were times I would ask the children to lay on their tummies, after a few minutes I would have them lay on their sides and just continuously move them until we were sitting criss cross.

    ------------------------------
    Anna Marie Nip
    Home Base Teacher
    MEO Head Start
    Kaunakakai HI
    ------------------------------



  • 23.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 02-16-2018 09:30 PM
    This is an interesting topic worth pondering. I teach 3-5 year olds and circle time is by far the most challenging part of my day. I agree that children this age were not meant to hold still to learn. I would also agree that as long as they were being respectful of another's  space, body position should not matter. 
    Just because children sit in one position in kindergarten doesn't make it right. Perhaps we all need to rethink what works best for our children and their ability to learn.

    ------------------------------
    Wendy Davis
    Teacher Home Visitor
    Relief Nursery
    North Bend OR
    ------------------------------



  • 24.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 02-19-2018 08:41 AM
    For me, they key is mixing up Gathering Time.  We sit a bit, then do a stand-up or other type of movement activity, sit, then move.  Do some type of movement before sitting down to start with.  Young students, especially 3's, probably shouldn't be sitting criss-cross for more than 5 minutes without some type of movement.  I had some students who just were not comfortable sitting criss-cross.  They were allowed to sit legs out as long as they weren't touching anyone.  Some kids also like to sit on their knees, but they had to sit in back.  One size definitely does not fit all.

    ------------------------------
    Julie Bedard
    Wildwood FL
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  • 25.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 02-20-2018 12:23 AM
    This is something I have had several discussions about, and something that always pops out in the conversation is that it doesn't matter. If they are engaged, it doesn't matter. And sometimes we don't realize a child is engaged. One explain is a teacher had a child who stayed at the door for morning circle. He didn't come in for months, he watched as the children participated, but didn't engage. The teacher responded by moving the circle closer. During a later conversation with the family of the boy, the teacher was surprised to find out he was going home and telling the parents about the stories and songs and other activities. He even asked his parents to buy items used in the arts and crafts activities to do them at home.
    Point is, don't worry about how they are sitting or even where they are sitting. Focus more on how to engage each child, how to encourage each child to engage. Some children won't engage during but take away what was done. As long as how or where they are sitting isn't distracting from others, it shouldn't matter.

    ------------------------------
    Nicole Austin

    AK
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  • 26.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 02-21-2018 09:06 AM
    Thanks for your responses, Julie and Nicole! The purpose of any activity with the children should be engagement, vs. compliance.

    ------------------------------
    Rae Pica
    Rae Pica Keynotes & Consulting
    Alexandria VA
    www.raepica.com
    ------------------------------



  • 27.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 02-24-2018 02:02 PM
    My preK students got very good at sitting cross legged at Meeting time, but I thought I would give them the option to sit in a chair.  We just started last week, but they love it.  After a lesson on how to carry a chair, they've been good at moving them, though it does add a few extra minutes to the transitions. And a few kids still prefer to sit on the rug.  I'm not sure we will continue this, but I felt like mixing things up a bit. Love these kids!

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    Dominic Tejeda
    New Windsor NY
    ------------------------------



  • 28.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 02-24-2018 04:58 PM
    Hello,

    My name is Jacquline and I'm completing my graduate studies in Pre-school Education this month. I read your concerns for pre- K development of sounds and letter identification and the need to ensure children are on task.  I feel your compassion, and desires to help children learn. I believe having a print rich environment that introduces children to letters and sounds will enhance their vocabulary throughout the day from signing in and out, to outdoor creative play classrooms.

    Children learn and develop according to what they have seen and through constant social interactions with their peers and caretakers. Children learn best in an environment that is similar to their upbringing and cultural exchanges.  Ensuring they are safe while engaging with peers and given the ability to acquire learning in a developmentally appropriate classroom, that is enriched with materials and inviting is best practice.

    Having teaching strategies and training in order to assist to every diverse child through social exchanges, will increase their vocabulary and cognitive development I think! good luck and thanks for sharing.

    ------------------------------
    Jacqueline Hatcher
    Miramar FL
    ------------------------------



  • 29.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 03-10-2018 02:00 AM
    Hello everyone, I thoroughly enjoyed reading all of your posts.  I used to work in a child care centre where children were permitted to sit however they wanted during circle time.  I now work as a kindergarten teacher at an internationl school and I feel the pressure of asking my kids to always sit criss cross on the carpet when we are doing circle time.  I struggle with this (as do the children) and I find that I spend a great deal of that time reminding children to sit on their bottoms.   

    There were two comments in previous posts that really stood out for me.

    1. If they are engaged, why does it matter how they sit?
    2. Sitting does not equal learning

    I am going to start allowing my class to sit during circle however they would like. I bet that once they get some practice with not invading someone else's personal space, this is going to be a positive experience for everyone.

    I do have one question though. Do you allow children to sit/kneel/stand anywhere? My concern is that they will block the view of children who choose to sit crosslegged or lay down. How have you all manages this in your classrooms?

    Thank you!

    ------------------------------
    Crystal Cullimore
    Kindergarten Teacher

    ------------------------------



  • 30.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 03-10-2018 09:59 AM
    Freedom of movement is part of the CLASS tool -- and it's one of the areas that teachers frequently score in the mid range or even the low range.  For some reason, I thought we had cleared this up decades ago -- I agree with the contributor who realized she wouldn't want someone telling her how to sit.

    On another note, I'm a bit concerned about the misuse of the word lay/laying.  We are talking about children lying down during circle time.  We need to be grammatically correct in our language if we expect children to learn to speak correctly.

    ------------------------------
    Cathy McAuliffe, PhD
    Early Childhood Coordinator
    NorthWest Arkansas Community College
    Bentonville, Arkansas
    ------------------------------



  • 31.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 08-23-2018 06:23 PM
    As someone who taught for 30 years in a 2.5-5 year old classroom, my students were encouraged to 'get comfortable' so that they were focused on the content and not on their bodies. One child, a boy, who had a difficult time sitting on the floor in one position was quite engaged when allowed to sit on a small sofa and relax.  
    They will have plenty of structure once they enter Kindergarten, and sitting on the floor in a specific position is not one of the requirements of any Kindergarten program I have engaged with.

    ------------------------------
    Barbara McWethy
    Smyrna GA
    ------------------------------



  • 32.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 03-03-2022 12:57 PM
    I wonder if we might reflect on WHY we want children to sit in any particular way.  That is a critical piece of information.  If the answer is that we don't want them bothering others, than THAT is the thing we should be talking about with the children (respecting the space of others and making room for everyone).  At home, many children hear stories read to them while they are in bed, ready for sleep, and they are lying down.  Some are sitting in a family member's lap. I suspect they are not sitting criss-cross-applesauce.  Secondly, If we are thinking that sitting=learning, then I think that has been cleared up by so many who responded (that it doesn't ... quite the contrary). 

    When I was an assistant teacher, I cringed every morning at circle time because 50% of the time was spent with the lead teacher (trying to) get the children to sit a certain way and 50% doing meaningful things.  I was so frustrated and in my head I was wishing she would just get on with it, for gosh sakes. So that we could move on to the fun part of the day!  I can only imagine what the children were feeling.  It is a fine line, this "preparing children for kindergarten."  We also have to make sure that what we ask of them is developmentally appropriate for them today!


    ------------------------------
    Andrea Dekker
    Quality First Technical Assistant
    United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona
    Tucson, AZ
    ------------------------------



  • 33.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 03-04-2022 09:47 AM
    I have really enjoyed reading this thread!  Rae Pica...I'm heading to your website now!  Taking care of one's own personal needs is part of being independent.  And Andrea...I love the question of...Is it appropriate for them today!  Bravo

    ------------------------------
    Kimberly Hodge
    Texas Rising Star Assessor
    BVCOG
    Bryan TX
    ------------------------------



  • 34.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 03-04-2022 10:31 AM

    Years ago I attended a conference session on reading with infants. I had always felt foolish reading to my own infant, so I wanted to learn more. The big takeaway has changed my approach completely. The goal of reading to/with infants (and in my view people of all ages) is to infuse the book object with your love and warmth. With this foundation, children can carry their love of books forward in their own ways. 

    In our quest for professional recognition, we sometimes downplay our caregiver role, however, learning happens for all ages when students feel secure, valued and understood. Whatever it takes to create this warm, kind atmosphere is primary.

    I used to be proud that I got good feedback from K teachers on my students' "readiness." But then I realized that without meaning to, I was working for them. I stopped thinking about kindergarten. My job is to serve the children in front of me, to meet their needs for emotional connection, and intellectual, physical and sensory stimulation. 

    Like previous respondents, I stopped reading books at circle, though sometimes there were reasons to show books and get the children excited about them. I would read to individual children, and often a crowd gathered. I would read while they did activities such as building with blocks. I looked for a topic they liked, such as vehicles, if they were building roads. I would make sure my lap was available, or cushions, and let them all lean on me, if they wanted to. I also began to have faith that those children who seemed too busy or active to come over, still enjoyed the reading because the book topics would come up later in their talk or play.

     

    Reading Picture Books with Children: How to Shake Up Storytime and Get Kids Talking about What They See, by Megan Dowd Lambert is a fun resource with lots of ideas of how to bring the joy of books to children.



    ------------------------------
    Karen Lefkovitz
    Independent Consultant
    Philadelphia PA
    ------------------------------



  • 35.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 03-05-2022 08:55 AM
    That's quality! They can hear you and they are participating in their own way. I like that you noted about your LAP being available! I love this as I think that also make ourselves available to trying different methods vs staying stuck in the "circle-time bubble"! Thanks @Karen
    JewellCmOOre ​​​

    ------------------------------
    Jewell C mOOre
    CEO
    Lighthouse Early Start Academy, Inc
    Vidalia GA
    ------------------------------



  • 36.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 03-04-2022 10:16 AM
    As others have mentioned, I think it is always important to consider our goal - is it compliance or engagement? As a parent of a child with special needs, I also appreciate the comments that provide suggestions for accommodations (allowing movement, leaning on a wall, sitting in a chair etc.). Finally, I would like to remind everyone that, other than family, we are the children's first teachers. By our actions, we can teach all children to accept, and make accommodations for, difference, or we can teach them that there is only one "right" way and if you do not comply, you will not be included. Maria, thank you for getting this important conversation started.

    ------------------------------
    Maura Dunn
    Shaker Hts OH
    ------------------------------



  • 37.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 03-06-2022 08:22 AM
    I think as long as they are engaged and in their personal space, it shouldn't matter. Learning will happen no matter how they are positioned.

    ------------------------------
    Ludia Batad
    Teacher
    Head Start
    Spring Grove VA
    ------------------------------



  • 38.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 03-18-2022 04:53 PM
    I think you can allow them sit or lay in any fashion, as long as no one is getting stepped on or being a distraction. Some of my students say they can't sit on their bottoms, so they sit on their knees or sideways.

    ------------------------------
    Latisha 
    ------



  • 39.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 03-21-2022 09:23 AM

    Great example of how allowing kids to sit comfortably can be more successful.


    ------------------------------
    Katie Lombardi
    Developmental Consultant
    YMCA/ECRN+
    Columbus OH
    ------------------------------



  • 40.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 03-21-2022 09:28 AM
    To me allowing a child to sit comfortably during circle time is mandatory. How do you enjoy story time with your own kids or what do you remember as a child.? We read a book cuddled on a couch or in our bed before we went to sleep. It is not normal/comfortable to sit in a circle looking up at a teacher holding a book. It can be uncomfortable for back, necks, and butts. Trying doing it with each child grabbling their pillow or blanket. Maybe do it right before nap time.

    ------------------------------
    Katie Lombardi
    Developmental Consultant
    YMCA/ECRN+
    Columbus OH
    ------------------------------



  • 41.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 03-22-2022 06:39 AM
    I agree! The struggle I have is that the kindergarten teacher does not offer flexible seating options in her classroom and I am "expected to prepare them for her room." Any suggestions?

    ------------------------------
    [Sheila] [Anderson]
    [Director]
    [St. Mary Catholic ]
    [Traverse City] [MI
    ------------------------------



  • 42.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 03-23-2022 11:55 AM
    I understand where you are coming from I think we all get caught up in the mindset of 'but next year' but what we need to be focused on is what they need this year, this moment, and as they are at this age. I recently heard Lisa Murphy explain it "we aren't the boss of next year and why would we get them ready for bad school" it struck a chord with me. Not to say the next teacher you are referring to is bad but you allowing kids to sit in different ways is how you handle the needs of your students how they handle it next year is on them. We have got to stop thinking in terms of next year and let them enjoy being 3 or 4 or whatever age and give them what they need right now.

    ------------------------------
    Heather Remund
    Beaumont CA
    ------------------------------



  • 43.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 03-23-2022 05:48 PM
    Heather, 

    You make some very valid points! Thank you for sharing. It certainly gave me something to think about. I am going to remember that I am not the boss of next year, haha! Love it!

    ------------------------------
    [Sheila] [Anderson]
    [Director]
    [St. Mary Catholic ]
    [Traverse City] [MI
    ------------------------------



  • 44.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 03-24-2022 09:00 AM
    Heather Remund:
    I agree with you--let them act the age that they are now.  The expectations that we place on children don't need to be based on what the next teacher wants, or the next.  Frankly, I think that Kindergartens and even older grades would serve children well if they adopt the flexibility, creativity, and inclusion that we see in the best Infants-Pre-K classrooms.

    ------------------------------
    Aren Stone
    she/her/hers
    Child Development Specialist
    The Early Years Project
    Cambridge, MA
    ------------------------------



  • 45.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 03-25-2022 01:01 AM
    Aren,
    When you stop to consider how unrealistic the idea of preparing for the next year becomes you realize that we have all bought into a false narrative. I think about the number of different elementary schools in our area each with several kindergarten classrooms and teachers and that doesn't include the 10 plus private schools in our area. Talk about an insurmountable task trying to prepare a group of preschoolers for who knows what expectations, attitudes, and environments. It should be enough to give them what they need this year, this moment for who they are now. Our job is difficult enough without getting caught up in the pressure of what the next year might bring.

    ------------------------------
    Heather Remund
    Beaumont CA
    ------------------------------



  • 46.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 03-23-2022 11:01 PM
    I am working with 3 to 5 years old children. I think the shorter  circle time and if children have more engagement opportunities they will sit on their bottoms. We have several circle times during the day and during the story time they can sit or lay down whichever comfortable for them.


    ------------------------------
    Priyangika Thilakarathna
    Shakopee MN
    ------------------------------



  • 47.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 03-24-2022 08:23 AM
    I have a mixed age group of 2-4 year olds. Home-based ECE program. My students lay, sit on a chair, some don't even sit at circle, some sit on their butt. I allow them to sit what is comfortable for them. My 2s sometimes wander and come back. I know they are listening still when they start singing our new song or finger play within a couple days.  The only thing I don't allow is rolling around on the rug. That becomes a problem with individual space.

    ------------------------------
    Trisha Dart
    Owner/Teacher
    Little Ones Learning Preschool and Childcare
    Comstock Park, MI
    ------------------------------



  • 48.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 03-25-2022 06:48 AM



    When I had a home program, I did exactly as Trisha does. I had a volunteer make us a set of the cloth marble maze fidget tools and that has been a game changer.

    Our large group time is short in duration and has a variety of sitting on individual circle mats and standing up and moving around. I have one child who needs to be a safe distance from the others, so he sits on a circle mat behind a line of tape on the floor. He does all of the activities we do, in his own safe area. Slowly, I am allowing him to sit closer to his peers and noticing aloud when his body was under control. He used to come to a group activity and karate-kick children in the back of their heads or jump on them. 


    I have learned so much from my colleagues in this discussion and I am grateful. 



    ------------------------------
    [Sheila] [Anderson]
    [Director]
    [St. Mary Catholic ]
    [Traverse City] [MI
    ------------------------------



  • 49.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 03-25-2022 08:28 AM

    Good morning!


    This has been such an interesting thread to follow and has meandered into a variety of quality practices related to full group experiences for young children.  You may be interested in a research article by 4 individuals at Temple University titled "CIRCLE TIME REVISITED:  How Do Preschool Classrooms Use This Part of the Day?"  (authors are Andres S. Bustamante, Annemarie H. Hindman,  Carly R. Champagne, Barbara A. Wasik).  I used this research data to prepare a PD session on the topic and found that it confirmed many of my beliefs about the fairly common practices that are out there............. that really work AGAINST what we are intending to happen at that time of day.  Of particular interest was this idea that we might inadvertently be "depleting children's behavioral regulation" by inappropriate expectations.  

    Kristen 



    ------------------------------
    Kristen Kennen
    Early Childhood Education Specialist
    EdAdvance
    Danbury, CT
    ------------------------------



  • 50.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 03-26-2022 10:48 AM
    What an interesting conversation this has been! When the idea of getting ready for next year comes up - as it does in so many areas of preschool teaching - I am reminded of a comment I once heard from Lilian Katz - "If you know there's going to be a famine next year, do you starve them this year so they get used to it?"

    I also consider a goal for kindergarten from my aunt, Betty Kirby, who was a kindergarten teacher in the 1950s in Riverside, Illinois. It's a paraphrase of an idea from John Dewey.
    To live life fully and well because this is a year of his life and not just a time to get ready to live.

    Certainly, no matter what age we teach (for me right now, it's undergrad teacher candidates), we need to be aware of what comes next. At the same time, we also need to value the here and now and support those we teach in living it fully. Here's one final comment from a cooperating teacher to a student teacher who was struggling to transition from a kindergarten placement to a preschool placement - "You need to remember that a three-year-old isn't a broken five-year-old!"


    ------------------------------
    Elizabeth Sherwood
    Professor
    SIUE
    Glen Carbon IL
    ------------------------------



  • 51.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 03-26-2022 05:54 PM
    Elizabeth:  I love how you express this!

    ------------------------------
    Aren Stone
    she/her/hers
    Child Development Specialist
    The Early Years Project
    Cambridge, MA
    ------------------------------



  • 52.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 03-27-2022 01:07 AM

    Thank you Elizabeth for stating it all so well. It moves us from seeing each age as incomplete. 

    I have enjoyed this discussion.



    ------------------------------
    Heather Remund
    Beaumont CA
    ------------------------------



  • 53.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 04-17-2022 10:52 AM
    Thank you! I'm appalled that anyone is still forcing children to sit and listen in 2022 and am so thankful to hear about the different resources and ideas and arguments to do otherwise. I think we must always be asking, why? Why must we direct children to do a particular thing? Is it for them or for their next teacher and is that appropriate? I agree, I think formal school has much to learn from ECE. I've learned so much from the Early Childhood Music and Movement Association that encourages children to do what they are born to do - move as they need to. My mentor always told me, don't worry if they are not sitting and listening - They ARE listening but they are doing it in the way they need to do it. Sure enough, when you ask children or observe them, they will often repeat what you did or said when they "weren't paying atttention". The idea of forcing children to do anything and labeling children as "non-compliant" who are taken out of the classroom are shocking. When something isn't working we must examine our own practices and what WE are doing to reevaluate and make improvements to our own practice. I also acknowledge that this is really difficult given the high rates of trauma and challenges and the number of children we are responsible for, but we need to question the system and what it asks of us, not blame children.

    ------------------------------
    Kate MacCrimmon
    PhD Candidate
    UW-Madison
    Madison WI
    ------------------------------



  • 54.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 12-14-2022 03:52 AM
    Elizabeth, thanks so much for bringing in a message from Lillian Katz, one of my favorite professionals when my kids were little and when I was the director at a church related preschool. She always had a knack for summing up a point so concisely and accurately, I thought.
    My children had very little preschool experience, and my son's kindergarten teacher was definitely dubious about that lack of "learning experience" she thought was essential. A couple months later, she admitted that he was just fine without preschool, and she wanted to chat sometime soon about what I'd been doing at home with him because he was far ahead of most of the other kids. I was flattered by that, but I also thought that too much is wrapped up in getting ready for the next thing when what I'd done was simply provide library books galore, art and craft supplies, sand and water play spaces inside and out, playgrounds around us, a backyard full of natural life to explore as we planted gardens every year and then followed my child's natural interests as we learned and explored the world at their pace, slow or fast, as they were interested.
    I was put off of preschools in general because I arrived early one time with my daughter, Jennifer, an older three-year-old. The teacher was busy carefully cutting out objects for the children to paste onto a large piece of construction paper. I asked about letting the children cut them out instead, even though they might not be as nicely trimmed. She said it took too much time and the mothers preferred something neat and nice for the refrigerator. We didn't stay there much longer after that as I wanted what my child had made herself. I didn't care about the teacher's cutting skills on my fridge! Jennifer had been cutting for several months--not fabulous but proud that she was learning and getting better and better. We kept a big box of all things to cut, paste, color, etc., including junk mail fliers and my magazines to be cut up as she and her friends desired. Back then, many things came in the mail with stamps to tear out and paste to an order form for magazine subscriptions, etc. I'd add the envelopes and the order forms, and the kids loved pretending they were buying things and sending a letter through the mail. So, I am happy to hear the discussions about not worrying about kindergarten next year. And I'm happy to know I am not the only one who finds kindergarten today as entirely inappropriate for five-year-olds! My kids were both reading chapter books before going to kindergarten, but they just evolved into readers because we read aloud so much of the time. But in every other way, they were normal five-year-olds. In fact, my daughter was behind schedule in her ability to separate from me as she began kindergarten. She needed to learn how to do that, and I found a teacher at a private school for that year because I was confident she could help Jenn learn to separate safely and with a supportive caregiver/teacher. Meet the kiddos where they are now; next year will take care of itself without starving them today in preparation for that famine coming in the future
    I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this discussion!
    Peggy O.

    ------------------------------
    Peggy Oliver
    Retired English Professor
    San Jacinto College Retiree, Houston, TX
    Ankeny IA
    ------------------------------



  • 55.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 11-19-2022 01:54 PM
    Hi Maria, as some have expressed on the forum it's okay for children to do all of those things you expressed concern about. I would also add that it would be really helpful if you could find out what play themes the children are interested in and incorporate that into your group time. I would also look at the amount of time it takes to complete circle time and see if it is too long for them. 
    I would get the children involved in the storytime by giving them some way of acting out the story. This can be something as simple as some rhythm sticks to play along as you read.


    ------------------------------
    Kenneth Sherman
    Professional Development Dir
    HighScope
    Richardson TX
    ------------------------------



  • 56.  RE: sitting, kneeling or laying during Circle/Storytime

    Posted 12-23-2022 10:40 AM
    Hi Maria,
    As long as the students are paying attention and not in anyone else's way, I think it's fine for them to sit or kneel. Laying on their bellies for story time or instruction doesn't seem like the best choice but, I could see them working that way on small white boards or clipboards. 
    When I taught preschool, I had a little boy who would bring a chair over to sit on during circle time. He didn't like sitting on the floor-he was extremely concerned about germs and dirt so, the chair was the best choice for him.  
    Another idea is if you have carpet squares or mats, ask the child to stay within their square. That should eliminate them laying down.
    Happy holidays!
    Deb

    ------------------------------
    Deb Martinez
    Clinical Professor, ECE, ELEM, SPED
    Arizona State University
    Phoenix AZ
    ------------------------------