Choice Time in the Mups
Choice time in the Mups is a very special time in our daily schedule. After the rigor of academics during the day, choice time provides an outlet for play in a structured environment. Choice time and woods time go hand-in-hand to provide a period of cool down and fun after a day of academics in a cognitively engaging way. The two choices are complementary to the kind of learning we do during class time, but they provide different, yet equally important, experiences.
During woods time, once the year is in full swing, the content of the period is primarily free play. Kids play, mostly together but sometimes alone, however they would like to. There are all kinds of games that get invented over the course of a year. Here is a chance to let the imagination run wild, to soak up the fresh air and sun, and to release a lot of energy that’s been building up throughout the day.
So while woods time allows for near total autonomy in an expansive outdoor environment, choice time takes place in the classroom and students choose one activity for the entire thirty-five minute period.
To begin, students sit on the rug, noting the four activity options for the given day. The name of each student is pulled from the bucket at random to make their choice. The selections for the day might be Legos, Uno, Free Draw, and Dress Up. Or maybe it’s Collage, Trains, Play-Dough, and Spoons. Each group is limited to four or five spots.
Developing awareness around emotional regulation and tools for working with emotions is an extremely important part of the curriculum at the Center School. Choice serves as an excellent and daily opportunity to practice being flexible and to grapple with the disappointment that can come with not getting your first, second, or even third choice.
It can be momentarily heartbreaking for some of our students to see “Legos” written on the choice board as an option only for all spots to be taken by the time their name is drawn. At this age and developmental stage, this can sometimes be a normal and expected response for some students, even if not a terribly helpful one. It is inspiring to see the ways students get over this built-in hurdle. Sometimes it’s taking a teacher’s encouraging word to heart that there will soon be another chance another day to do the desired activity. Sometimes it’s taking a break in our Sensory Area to have a quick cry and then go on to join the activity after calming down. Sometimes it’s taking a leap of faith that an activity that sounds so boring and not like the awesome activity, could actually be fun. Whatever the tool is, we try to help each student find one that works for them.
It is so encouraging to see a student give a new activity a shot and find that they love it. The chance aspect of choice time also consistently creates varied groups of students. Often kids who do not normally play together as much end up in the same activities and have a blast playing together. As a teacher, when I am able to, I really enjoy leading card games and board games especially. It is wonderful to spend this kind of time with the kids and watch them process intellectually, socially, and emotionally as they craft their own strategies in whatever game we’re playing and interact with their peers.
Lastly, choice time is a great opportunity for connection between the Mups and the Uppers. Students from the Uppers will often come in and lead an activity in choice. This provides the Uppers with an opportunity to practice leading and it gives the Mups, subconsciously or not, an idea of who they could become and how what they are doing now is somehow moving toward that.