Notes
Slide Show
Outline
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Flexibility in the Classroom
  • By:  Alice Esther Kitchen Ballard
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Children need schedules:
  • A predictable schedule helps children feel safe and confident.
  • Gives children a sense of order, especially special education and ADHD students
  • BUT, a good schedule is flexible.
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There are times in a day when we have little or no choice to be flexible.
  • Arrival and departure times
  • Lunch
  • Specials
  • Individual children’s schedules
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Don’t clock watch!
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Instead, gauge children’s involvement or restlessness to decide whether to shorten or lengthen a time block
  • Shorten when:
  • Children not involved in play
  • They are unusually active
  • Field trips/visitors planned for later in the day


  • Lengthen when:
  • Children are deeply involved in play
  • Bad Weather
  • Projects on playground bring extra interest
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Teachable Moments
  • Unplanned time when learning potential is high because student motivation and interest are high.
  • Example:  student brings in buckeyes from his tree at home
  • Moments crop up often, especially if the teacher stays alert for ways to build on students’ interests, needs, and moods.
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Taxonomy of
Teachable Moments
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Actively Ignore or Suppress
(Required Curriculum)
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Opportunely Use
(Hidden Curriculum)
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Sustainably Poised
(Transformative Curriculum)
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The moral of this presentation is:
  • if you are not willing to be flexible as a teacher you shouldn’t be a teacher.
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"Works citied"
  • Works citied:
  • Danielson, Charlotte. Enhancing Professional Practice. Alexandria: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1996.


  • Gestwicki, Carol.  Developmentally Appropriate Practice.  Albany: International Thomson, 1999.


  • “Sustaining Teachable Moments on the Complex Edge of Chaos.” Dan Rea. 30 Mar. 2006 <http://ccaerasig.com/papers/03/SubstainingTeach-
  • able.htm