When it comes to teaching kindergarten the days are BUSY and it's easy to get swept up spending every second of your weekend planning and prepping for the week ahead. I'm letting you in on a little secret that with time and practice will decrease your workload AND increase student engagement - a total win win.

The secret is that your greatest planning partner is right under your nose and keen to jump in!

All you have to do decrease your workload and increase student engagement is embrace co-creating and co-planning with your littles.

So... what does that mean??

This is all centred around my motto: Never do something a student could do

Co-creating is whatever you want it to be. This might mean:

• Working with an individual, a small group or your entire class to decide what learning is going on in the room
• CAN be but not necessarily part of an inquiry
• Can be a one off of interest and a completely random activity
• You can planning for what goes on the tables (materials, focus, intention), what whole group lessons are happening and how to decorate the classroom etc.

But why is co-creating such an effective way to decrease your workload and increase student engagement?

1. Increases engagement (they had a clear idea and excitement built up while prepping it)
2. Increases investment and ownership of their own learning
3. Helps keep the classroom clean and the materials properly cared for (it becomes THEIR space not yours that they are using)
4. Creates community and builds relationships
5. Makes a major buzz around learning
6. Creates a sense of accomplishment and pride for our students (ex: parent interviews with co-created books)
7. Honestly: way less work for you and uses up a significant portion of the day to execute (sometimes this is a huge win)

Listen to this episode of Kindergarten Kept Simple to hear more about all this PLUS when to fit co-creating into your day and how to make this process as successful as possible so you can truly decrease your workload and increase student engagement at the same time.

Love this episode? You'll also love:

• Stop Over-Planning Your Kindergarten Lessons!
• Outdoor Learning Made Easy: How To Create Learning Activities That Interest Kids
• Systems and Routines to Decrease Burnout

Check in with me on instagram @aplayfulpurpose or send me an email mariah@aplayfulpurpose.com so we can chat!