Question:

How to gain control of a class of 16 2-year-olds?

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I just started a new job at a prsechool as the Lead Teacher in a 2-year-old room. Unfortunatley there has not been a lead teacher in over a month and the assistant let the place get crazy. They have no toys on the shelves except for big legos and some stuffed animals, because they destoyed everything else. Right now they basically just run wild and climb all over the empty shelves. It's almost impossible to get all of them to sit down at the same time for even 10 seconds. I practically have to bring each child over for circle time and by the time I come back over with another child their back up running around. I've been getting them to dance in between attempted activities to try and calm them down, but that isn't helping too much. I'm really at a loss here, my goal is just to calm them down, get them to listen, and to sit still. The weight has been placed upon me to straighten this room up. I really need some serious help, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

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  1. oh no!! i feel the stress and im not even there. dont me a mr. nice guy- be a little tough once in a while. :]


  2. Hey...nice name!

    I used to be a lead teacher for 2 year olds also.  I find that kids really respond to singing.  Sit down and sing "Come on everybody it's circle time, let's all sit down together".  Pat your hands on your knees for rhythm.  Also, give out stickers as rewards.

    I also think that kids (even at 2) like to have a schedule.  Once you're there a little longer, it will all start to fall into place.  They will start to know what they need to do next.

    Talk to your directors.  They really need to get more toys in there also.

    Good luck!

  3. First of all when they are out of control flick the lights on & off, say "oh, oh, oh, oh!! "STOP, LISTEN TO MY VOICE!"

    "By the time I count to 10 I want everyone sitting on the carpet!" Don't scream, say it firmly, you can even try "oh, no the Dragons coming quick everyone sit down at cirlce."

    You need to go out and buy some toys for this class: Puzzles, dolls, blocks, peg boards, lace cards, make file folder games (you can goggle it online & it shows you how to make them.)

    At cirlce while the lights are off, say I am so sad, you don't have youre listening ears on, so sad. How can we have fun if no one is listening? Look at so and so's face, she looks so sad, etc.. Now go over the rules, feet are for walking (have them repeat everyday), hands are for hugging, teeth are not for biting and inside we use our "inside voice" (show them how.) Get some kids CD's, do dancing, singing with them on the carpet, dancing on the carpet only, ex: Head, shoulder, Knees and toes." "Going on a Bear hunt." "Going on a picknick." Etc. They need movement (their bored-bored kids are out of control.) Here's a great schedule to follow:

    6:00-8:00-Meet & Greet (circle), Breakfast, small groups (while half the kids are playing the other you do any art project with), keep them busy!

    9:00-9:30-Circle time (calender, months, numbers, abc's, weather, colors, etc. Do dancing and exercising before you start, that when you calm them down to get ready to sit for half an hour. (When they get fidgety, do stretching with them and jumping.) Curriculum time

    9:30-10:00-Music time (circle still-yes it can be done.)

    10:00-10:30-Outside time (have them run as much as possible outside-races.)

    10:30-11:00-Get ready for lunch (even if this is not lunch time you need to get them prepared that lunch in coming.) Have them jump and hop after coming in for 15 minutes, than sit them down, and start one by one hand washing (read a story to them now, embellish the story with sound effects.)

    11:00-11:30/12:00-Lunch time (if they throw the food on the floor make them pick it up-they may be two but two year olds are not babies, they can learn.) -while they eat, set cots out on the floor with thei sheet and blanket.) When their down make them sit on the carpet and look at a book (if they rip it up, tell them eveytime you rip up a book, your Mommy will have to pay for it-it works!)

    12:00-12:30-Wash hands/bathroom time (obviously throw bathroom time in above when needed)

    12:30-Turn quite music on, not loud, low (who can sleep with loud music on?) Not classical, it makes gets want to dance, quiet lullabye's music. Turn lights off.

    12:30-2:30ish-Make them lay on their cots, one by one, only rub the backs of kids who are listening, if they want to get up to get water and bathroom, okay 1 times, after that they will only test you. No books on cots, than they won't sleep, no toys, only stuffed animals. Rub their spines up and down, it helps kids relax, for some reason. If they take their shoes off, say "the shoe poilce is coming, so you better keep your shoes on," if they take them off, even if they cry, put their shoes outside the door, and say "Oh, too bad the shoe police took your shoes." If they cry, well that tells you they are listening, it may sound mean, but it works, but the third week all kids will keep their shoes on, or you can say, "Oh, no the dragons coming, better go to sleep." they must stay on their cots till rest time is over, eventaully they will develop a rountine of sleeping.

    2:30-3:00-Snack time/bathroom

    3:00-3:30-Outside time/running

    3:30-4:00-centers, small groups/art project

    4:00-5:00-finish curriculum/ centers/ small groups

    5:00-6:00-Circle time-Dancing/singing. runing in place,

    stretching

    6:00-6:30-Carpet time only-books, small toys, puzzles. make them stay on the carpet while you clean up, that way at 6:30 you can leave too and you're class will be clean.

    CONSISTENCY/ ROUTINE/ STIMULATION.

  4. Get everything out of the room.  Just have mats (or preferably one big mat).  Sit on the mat and read a book outloud.  they might all venture over to see what it's about.  Maybe music.  Everyone sit and we'll have music.  Maybe exercise time on the mat. stretches, whatever.

  5. start a reward system and give them stickers or something for being good on a chart but if they are bad they get one taken off and if they get to say 20 they get a little party

  6. What state allows 16 twos in one class ? Don't even try to do whole group activities. Do things like water play or drawing with markers with no more than2 kids at a time. Keep the lights off, play soft music. Make sure there are things for them to play with, including quiet things like dolls and stuffed animals. It's natural for kids this age to want to climb, and unreasonable to expect them to participate in group activities. Turn those shelving units on their backs and let them climb in and out. Go with what they seem capable of doing, not your agenda.

  7. You don't.  That is why "preschool" starts at 3.  At 2 - it's still really just daycare.  So your first step is to lower your expectations.  Notice there is very little on 2 year old discipline.  It generally is not that effective.  

    But...2 year olds aren't stupid - and they can begin to understand rules.  

    Start by trying to get the toys restocked.  But don't have everything out everyday.  Rotate them every few days so every few days there is something "new."  And make a big deal out of revealing the days toys.  Call them over and pull them out of a tub one at a time.  They will ooh and ahh and clamor for them.

    Start first with rewards.  When you call them for story time, have a spot on the floor for each kid - use their picture and clear contact paper - and that is where they sit.  When you call them over, give a sticker to those kids that comply.  As you read the story, have the assistant SILENTLY carry the non-complient children to their spot.  When the get up, don't yell, don't talk, just carry them over.  You may need to choose your battle one kid at a time.  Eventually they will get that when you say sit, that is what they are doing.  When they do comply - give them a sticker - even if it is 2 seconds before the story is over.

    And if you don't have an assistant that is probably a violation of daycare laws for the ration of 2 year olds:adults.  Raise a stink because if a child gets hurt you could be held partially liable.

    Build from that.

  8. well i have a lot of younger siblings and to get them to listen to me at that age it actually works for me to say please and thank you they seem to respond to it more than to yelling and try to make everything seem important and fun for them like having days with themes maybe they really like stuff like that like fairytale day or something maybe wear a fairytale hat and read a story about princesses or dragons whatever

  9. If you get sterner and yell more, that will make them listen to you.  Good luck! ♥

  10. being tough desnt really work so well with 2 year olds. give them food or prizes for good behavior

  11. Think silly and fun...bubbles get their attention, singing, tihngs like that. At 2 though, if you get their attention for more that 1 minute, they are not normal 2's =) Playdough is great and trays with a little water or finger paint or shave cream is always good too!

    Forcus on keeping them safe first, then move on to figuring them out and letting them know you more...

  12. You really cant with a 2 year old...but try to play with them and keep them busy...then theyll just kind of forget bout it...unless if there attached. Maybe you can try to take them outside and let them play around in a sandbox...or somthing...

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