Teacher Discussion Forums

What do you do when there are 2-3 that finish uber-quickly then the other 15 are not yet half way through the activity or assignment?

My kids are just out of phonics.

One activity I did with my reading group was squiggle stories. A squiggle story is where the student gets a blank piece of paper with a squiggly line on it. He or she has to finish the picture and write what they can about it. One squiggle I had looked like a wave. One student made a fish, and another made a red tsumami. (It was about a month and a half after the Tsunami in Southeast Asia. I couldn't believe what the kids could remember. These were 5-6 year olds.)

I imagine that these students will finish quickly most of the time. You could give the students a special notebook that they can draw and write in when they are finished their work. Then they can develop continuing stories and spend a lot of time on careful drawings. You can collect and read these from time to time just for interest, not for correction and perhaps include some of the stories in future class activities or allow them to show off their drawings in a special frame.

Thank you for both of your responses.

The first is a good idea but will not help with this particular situation.

The second idea I think may help. I will try it out starting in today's class.

I just saw in a classroom a student with an "Ask me" crown. A student who finishes quickly and is willing to help others can wear it and help other students so everyone isn't running to the teacher. You could also have some books and magazines available to look at quietly.