Helper Charts

It is raining today which puts me in the mood to make bright, cheery kindergarten things!  I just finished making what I have calculated to be my 33rd Helpers' Chart.  I made two each year that I taught half-day kindergarten (2 x 10= 20) and one each year of full day kindergarten (13) and 20 + 13 = 33. 

My helper chart is a simple foam board upon which I've drawn enough lines for 24 students. I am being optimistic that I will have no more than 24 kindergarteners in my class this year! I like to make the chart on foam board and set it on the old chalkboard ledge in front of the class.  In this way, it can be removed on substitute days when no single student is the helper. I want everyone to be helpful on substitute days and a container of popsicle sticks with everyone's names on them is provided instead.

On the first day of school, I show the children the lined helper chart.  I tell them that each day, one of them will get to be my helper all day long! Whatever the job-- taking attendance or the lunch count, delivering notes or sick classmates to the office, being the line leader--the helper does it all.  The helper also has a special chair which matches mine to sit upon in front of the others who are seated on mats.

I always try to have an adult helper on the first day of school: a former parent volunteer, a college student, even my grown daughter has been known to spend the first day of kindergarten with me. So, on Day 1, an adult models all the helper jobs.

On the second day of school, I pull a student's name from my magician's hat.  I've written everyone's name on sentence strips, having carefully measured the varying lengths of names.  For example, "Maria," with just 5 letters is just a little longer than "Josh" with 4 letters.  I have laminated all of the names and put them in the hat.

No- not a rabbit!  A student's name!!

After I pull out the helper's name, this kindergartner comes up to sit on the helper chair with the name card.  He or she reads the letters in his/her name and I write the name on the helper chart next to the number 1.  I write in pencil and trace it over in marker later--for obvious reasons.  Then we post the name on a pocket chart.  Each day, we compare the new name to the names already on the chart.  Is today's helper's name longer or shorter than another one?  How is today's helper's name the same as another name? The pocket chart can become a great literacy center activity, too.

       

Then, the helper and I proceed to the word wall with another copy of her name(in pink) or his name (in blue.)  After tacking the name to the word wall, the helper sits back down on the helper chair and holds up the Super Great sign.  We sing a little song:

And that is how I have celebrated one student each day for 23 years!  When everyone's name has been added to the helper chart, I clip a clothespin to the side of the chart by the first name.  Each day, it moves down to the next helper's name.  In this way, everyone takes turns being the helper for the rest of the year.

MY REFLECTIONS:
My kindies have always loved this simple helper celebration and all of the responsibilities of being helper.  I've had parents tell me that their children NEVER want to miss their helper days: they get up early, dress for success, and take it all very seriously.  As they should!