How many times have you heard this question when working with young children?
Particularly, if you work in a small group setting like I do as a tutor, this question is quite common. It doesn’t matter how much fun the children are having. Or how much work they are actually doing. It doesn’t even matter if they have just started the session. As soon as you are done one activity this question just flows into their lips and is all you can do not to sigh, lol.
Are we done yet?
No, we still have a few more things to do. And if you are like me, you probably fit several small activities into one session in order to keep the child motivated. So, every time you finish something, the dreaded question comes up!! 🙂
Are we done yet?
Digging into research, you will probably discover that this has mostly to do with the need that children have to manage their time. They don’t necessarily have an idea of how much time has passed. For them, one period of 5 minutes can take just as long as a period of 15 minutes. They know they are supposed to work with you for an hour, but what does that mean exactly?
Taking this into consideration, I decided to come up with an interactive time management resource. Yes, I looked into those fancy timers, full of colours and bells and whistles. But have you seen their prices??? No, not for me 🙂
I created these simple strips with colourful characters that my students absolutely LOVE! They actually look forward to them, lol.
Each strip is divided into a certain number of sections (I have 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8), that correspond to the number of activities that I plan for each session.
The children interact with them by clipping a clothespin into each section, as soon as we complete an activity. I got mine from the local dollar store. It’s fun to hear them saying: “OK, only 6 more to go! I’m almost there!”
The visual aspect of these strips allow them to actually rationalize the amount of time they still have to work. It makes for a much more relaxing atmosphere. Since they usually love the things I prepare for them, it also means that they will still have x number of activities to enjoy! 😀
If you would like a copy of these strips, please feel free to grab them from my TpT store! You can click the image below to go directly to the download page for my “Are We Done Yet?” time management strips!
Please feel free to share in the comments if you ever use these strips with your students. I would love to hear how they have worked for you.
JULY 18, 2016 – This blog post is being featured on the TeachersPayTeachers blog!!! YAY! To check it out, please click here.
Love this resource? You can save it for later by pinning this image:
Take care,
Catia
