A Weekend in the life. . .
I will now take you through a normal weekend on our unit. We try to keep it structured, although there is more leisure time. We also like to use a little variety, so this is just a basic template. The weekend is my normal shift, so I can describe it better.
I'll begin with Friday night as there is a difference to the routine from the rest of the week.
On Friday nights, we have a party which the children can earn if they earn at least 80% of their points during group time during the week. Those who do not get to go to the party stay on the unit and have their free time there. Bedtimes are the same on Friday nights as the rest of the week.
Weekend mornings are much the same as weekday mornings. Residents do have an extra hour to sleep, however. They are awakened to do their hygiene one or two at a time. After hygiene, they are expected to get dressed for the day. While they can start on their rooms, they are not required to start straightening their rooms until later.
After all children are done with their hygiene, they eat breakfast together at the tables on the unit. When breakfast is done, children go to their rooms for quiet time and to get two important things done. First, they are expected to straighten their rooms. For those few who keep their rooms neat, this is a quick task and affords them more time for recreation in their rooms--so keeping their rooms clean or messy comes with a natural positive or negative consequence. Second, they are expected to set out two sets of clothing--one to sleep in that night and one for the next day. This helps our shower time go smoother later on. Since many of our children do not have a huge supply of clothing, staff often has to find articles of clothing for them from the clothing closet. I and another staff member have taken that on as our usual responsibility.
After quiet time we generally have a short community group. It is usually around 10:00 by this time. After community group, we usually take the children to the gym until around 11:30 or 11:45. At that time, we return to the unit with the children. The children spend a few minutes in quiet time while we set out their plates for lunch. Occasionally a child will volunteer to help with this. The children then come out for lunch at noon.
Here is where we switch things up a bit. Sometimes after lunch we have journal time (other times after dinner--sometimes both). If we do not do journal, the children serve quiet time again. After quiet time, our usual routine is to either watch a movie or go to the game room. We usually do both, so sometimes we do gameroom before the movie while other times we watch a movie first. Within this time, we break for snack around 2:30 or 3:00.
At around 4:30 or 4:45 (depending on how stimulated the children are) the children return to their rooms for quiet time while we set up dinner. At 5:00, the children eat dinner together at the tables. Again, after dinner we either have quiet time with or without doing a journal. (if a child requests to do a journal they are rarely refused, of course)
After quiet time, we usually give the children some free time before showers. On most weekend nights, movie time starts around 7:00 as it provides a good sit down time to send the children to showers from. After a movie ends, most children will have time left for free time (unless it is an unusually long movie). Bedtimes are the same on the weekend. One difference is that children on level three get 30 minutes in their room before lights out on Friday and Saturday nights.
One neat thing about the weekends is that we sometimes get to take the children on outings. This usually works out well, and the children are generally well-behaved on outings. We make it clear before leaving what behavior is expected. If a child acts out on an outing, they may lose the next outing.
In my next entry I will begin to talk about how each of these routines affects children of different temperaments.
I'll begin with Friday night as there is a difference to the routine from the rest of the week.
On Friday nights, we have a party which the children can earn if they earn at least 80% of their points during group time during the week. Those who do not get to go to the party stay on the unit and have their free time there. Bedtimes are the same on Friday nights as the rest of the week.
Weekend mornings are much the same as weekday mornings. Residents do have an extra hour to sleep, however. They are awakened to do their hygiene one or two at a time. After hygiene, they are expected to get dressed for the day. While they can start on their rooms, they are not required to start straightening their rooms until later.
After all children are done with their hygiene, they eat breakfast together at the tables on the unit. When breakfast is done, children go to their rooms for quiet time and to get two important things done. First, they are expected to straighten their rooms. For those few who keep their rooms neat, this is a quick task and affords them more time for recreation in their rooms--so keeping their rooms clean or messy comes with a natural positive or negative consequence. Second, they are expected to set out two sets of clothing--one to sleep in that night and one for the next day. This helps our shower time go smoother later on. Since many of our children do not have a huge supply of clothing, staff often has to find articles of clothing for them from the clothing closet. I and another staff member have taken that on as our usual responsibility.
After quiet time we generally have a short community group. It is usually around 10:00 by this time. After community group, we usually take the children to the gym until around 11:30 or 11:45. At that time, we return to the unit with the children. The children spend a few minutes in quiet time while we set out their plates for lunch. Occasionally a child will volunteer to help with this. The children then come out for lunch at noon.
Here is where we switch things up a bit. Sometimes after lunch we have journal time (other times after dinner--sometimes both). If we do not do journal, the children serve quiet time again. After quiet time, our usual routine is to either watch a movie or go to the game room. We usually do both, so sometimes we do gameroom before the movie while other times we watch a movie first. Within this time, we break for snack around 2:30 or 3:00.
At around 4:30 or 4:45 (depending on how stimulated the children are) the children return to their rooms for quiet time while we set up dinner. At 5:00, the children eat dinner together at the tables. Again, after dinner we either have quiet time with or without doing a journal. (if a child requests to do a journal they are rarely refused, of course)
After quiet time, we usually give the children some free time before showers. On most weekend nights, movie time starts around 7:00 as it provides a good sit down time to send the children to showers from. After a movie ends, most children will have time left for free time (unless it is an unusually long movie). Bedtimes are the same on the weekend. One difference is that children on level three get 30 minutes in their room before lights out on Friday and Saturday nights.
One neat thing about the weekends is that we sometimes get to take the children on outings. This usually works out well, and the children are generally well-behaved on outings. We make it clear before leaving what behavior is expected. If a child acts out on an outing, they may lose the next outing.
In my next entry I will begin to talk about how each of these routines affects children of different temperaments.
posted by Unknown at 12:29 PM
2 Comments:
Hi, I've enjoyed reading your blog, I taught 'problem children' in France for a few years. I really miss them though it was hard work! Unfortunately educational cuts put me out of a job.
Thank you for your kind comments. I'm fighting an uphill battle probably, but I want to bring to light some of the roadblocks we run into and suggest some solutions.
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