The value of a group time

Group time…?

Let’s start with some reflection on our practice, when you consider group time what is the first thing you think of – is it a structured, educator-driven experience, a time where all children must be involved, a space confined to a mat area (so that other educators in the room can reset the space/set up for a part of your daily routine), and a time in which children must conform and listen – because soon, when they go to school they must be skilled in sitting still and listening??

There is value in group times, which I will define as: small and large group experiences that allow children to build upon their social and emotional development, develops literacy and language skills, provides a sense of belonging and creates a sense of community within the centre environment.??

However, it is frequently not what we are observing. We are seeing these “group times” becoming longer, more frequent, used as a tool to stop unwanted behaviour, can be unwieldy as educators use it as a platform to educate young children beyond their capability or interests. Research tells us that young children benefit more through engaging, hands-on, small group activities and extended opportunities to engage in play where they are better able to experiment, explore and learn through doing. It is important to know that these overly structured group times are becoming detrimental when used instead of a more effective hands-on approach. (Meyers, 2021) ?

Group times need to be more than reading a story, singing songs, days of the week, daily calendar, and letter recognition. Group times need to be planned and thought out – how does it link to your group program or a child’s individual learning? Group time should be engaging, the children should feel enthusiastic and want to participate in the experience planned. It isn’t a time for children to “sit and listen”, children should be actively involved. These can be moments of intentional teaching, so will be led by an educator, however it is the delivery of the teachable moments that make the difference in the value of what is being taught. (Lorina, 2015) ?

Age appropriate…?

Did you know that childhood development experts explain that we can expect a child’s attention span to only be two to three minutes per year of their age? That is a total period of time that a child can typically be able to focus on any given task. Average attention spans work out like this:?

• 1-year-olds: typically, 2 – 4 minutes?
• 2-year-olds: typically, 4 – 6 minutes?
• 3-year-olds: typically, 6 – 8 minutes?
• 4-year-olds: typically, 8 – 10 minutes.??

It is worth noting that this is only a guide and there are times that a child will remain engaged longer, but we also need to note that there are times where a child cannot focus even for this amount of time due to external factors we need to consider, such as: are they hungry or tired? Are there any distractions nearby? Are they interested in what is happening? ( Brain Balance Achievement Centers, 2022) .??

Now knowing this consider how long you would tend to see a group time last, is this age appropriate or are our expectations of time too big for these children??

Here are some suggestions for age-appropriate group times:?

• Babies:??
• Blow bubbles for babies to reach and pop?
• Play different types of music, fast, slow, upbeat?
• Sensory group experiences such as goop, finger-painting etc.?
• Use figurines/props to identify common objects, animals etc.?
• Play different animal/transport/everyday sounds for recognition?
• Toddlers:?
• Group games such as parachute games, ball games (kicking, rolling, and bowling), tunnel ball, bean bag toss, red light green light etc.?
• Use felts when telling stories and songs for visual representation?
• Explore concepts using hands on objects (opposites, colours, shapes, animals etc.)?
• Read stories based on interests?
• Music and movement (musical chairs, musical spots, musical freeze,?
• Science experiments (making slime, volcano, melting and freezing etc.)?
• Cooking Experiences?
• Pre-Schoolers:?
• Give opportunities for children to share what is on their minds, what they did on the weekend, what did they do during the morning etc. to start up conversations.?
• Provide interesting items to share based on current interests. For example: if current interests are insect’s items can include magnify glasses, insects in glass, books of insects, fruit, leaves, sticks, etc.??
• Have open discussions with the children. Encourage children to sustain a question, think about their thoughts and those of their peers.?
• Show and tell – promote discussion and sharing.??
• Inform children of the day’s activities and experiences or discuss what they enjoyed the most about the day (write these down as a group reflection which can be used as part of the documentation).?

(Lorina, 2015) ?

Time to reflect…?

Some food for thought, when we let group times become our focus of the children’s day it becomes harmful. However, when we commit to best practices in Early Childhood Education, as educators we can decrease whole group instruction. By doing so, we increase small group activities, open-play periods, and provide more opportunities for one-on-one instruction. Thus, creating a healthier and happier environment that supports a child’s initiative, interests, and independence. (Meyers, 2021) ?

How are you going to redefine “group times” with your team, and ensure that they meet the needs of the children??

References?

Brain Balance Achievement Centers. (2022). NORMAL ATTENTION SPAN EXPECTATIONS BY AGE. Retrieved January 12, 2022, from Brain Balance: https://www.brainbalancecenters.com/blog/normal-attention-span-expectations-by-age?

Lorina. (2015, January 13). Group Time With Children In Childcare. Retrieved January 12, 2022, from Aussie Childcare Network: https://aussiechildcarenetwork.com.au/articles/childcare-articles/group-time-with-children-in-childcare?

Meyers, M. (2021, November 22). Why Preschool Circle Time Is Often a Waste of Time and Detrimental to Kids. Retrieved January 12, 2022, from We Have Kids: https://wehavekids.com/education/-Help-Mommy-Im-Being-Held-Hostage-by-My-Preschool-Teacher-Why-Circle-Time-Is-Detrimental-to-Your-Child?