Duty is the next form of organizing the work of preschoolers. How is it different from assignments and what is its significance in education?
Duty involves the child performing work aimed at serving the group. It becomes the responsibility of the preschooler, and this is its main meaning and educational capabilities. Despite the seemingly insignificant result, the child begins to understand the meaning of the word “obliged” (that is, “you must do this!”).
How are duty duties introduced? Even in the younger group, in the process of carrying out their first assignments, the kids mastered the skills necessary to set the table. This makes it possible to introduce duty in the dining room at the beginning of the school year in the middle group: every day one of the children sets “his” table, that is, the table at which he sits with 5–6 children, and after eating he clears away the dishes: bread bins, glasses with napkins, fruit bowls, etc. The teacher's assistant removes the stacked plates.
The introduction of duty must be presented to children in such a way as to arouse their interest in the upcoming task and the desire to perform the duties of duty officers. It is advisable to carry out such an explanation in class. For example, the teacher addresses the children: “Guys, it’s good that you learned to set the tables before lunch together with Tatyana Ivanovna. I think that now you can handle this matter yourself without her. And I can instruct you to take care of your friends yourself. Maybe we should do the same as the guys in the older group do? They appoint people on duty: today alone, and tomorrow other guys take turns on duty, taking care of their friends. I see that you have become older and can manage without Tatyana Ivanovna’s help.”
Such an offer, of course, will make the guys want to accept it. Then the teacher explains the essence of duty: “At each table we will assign one person on duty, who will set the table. And tomorrow the one who sits next to this duty officer will be on duty. So that everyone knows who is on duty today, I propose this sign with windows. The attendants will insert pictures into them that they themselves choose. The next day, other people on duty will choose pictures for themselves and place them in the windows instead of the previous ones. So the pictures will change every day. All agree?" After this, the teacher gives the children the opportunity to talk about the upcoming work of the duty officers. Then he continues: “Now I’ll ask you the main question: tell me, have you ever had to wait for lunch? For example, you came from a walk, washed your hands, sat down at the table, but it was not set, lunch was not on Tatyana Ivanovna’s table. No? Why does this always happen?” Children express their guesses. “That’s right, because Tatyana Ivanovna and the cook are very caring, they know their responsibilities and always fulfill them. Therefore, when you are on duty, you must remember that you need to set the table on time so that no one has to wait.”
Then you can invite the children to watch how one of the children sets the table: they will demonstrate knowledge of the sequence of actions, attitude to their work, and the ability not to be distracted from completing the task.
Of course, such a “one-time” explanation is not enough for children to understand the essence of duty. At the beginning of the year, children are attracted by external aspects: a starched white apron with appliqué, a cap. But throughout the school year, the teacher emphasizes the need for work, using specific actions of those on duty.
For example: “Sit down at the table, guys! Our attendants took good care of everyone and didn’t forget anything! Thank you, our helpers!” or: “Natasha, what a mother it will be nice to know that she has such a diligent daughter!”
And taking advantage of the grandmother’s arrival at the moment when her grandson was setting the table, the teacher said: “How deftly and diligently your Kostya sets the table! He can probably help you prepare the table for dinner at home, too? Tell dad about this, I think he will be pleased to know that his son has become his mother’s assistant.”
Supervising the work of those on duty, the teacher teaches them the elements of self-control: while setting the table, they can act inconsistently, without finishing one of the tasks, switch to another. Therefore, children have to be returned to what they started and taught to independently identify shortcomings in their work. To avoid “dry” instructions, you can use literary works. For example, the teacher reads to the children a story about how Sasha and Alyosha were on duty (from the book “Kids” by N.D. Kalinina): “The table was set, but there were no spoons.” The children understand the boys’ mistake, so the teacher’s question: “What would you advise these people on duty?” provokes active discussion. Summarizing their statements, the teacher concludes: “That’s right. It is very important to check that you have done everything correctly.”
When working with those on duty, the teacher uses this story if he notices a child’s mistake: “Check yourself, don’t you look like Alyosha?” – encouraging him to control his actions.
If the teacher addresses those on duty as his assistants, constantly emphasizes the importance of their work for the entire group, and thanks them for the timely completion of the assigned work, the children begin to understand their responsibilities.
In the second half of the year, duties in preparation for classes are introduced in a similar way: you need to transfer individual manuals from the place of storage to the teacher’s desk, pour gouache or glue into sockets, lay out colored paper, lay down oilcloths, etc. After class, the duty officers remove the manuals and wash the sockets from under the glue (it is more advisable to do this after a nap, since after the lesson the children go for a walk and the attendants will be forced to stay to complete this task).
Maintaining the desire of children to fulfill the duties of duty officers is also facilitated by the teacher’s use of encouragement to compare their actions with the actions of their favorite images of works of art: “Our Maksimka is like a Help Boy!” or: “And today Irinka can be called the Needlewoman from the fairy tale “Moroz Ivanovich.” Examples from other fairy tales and stories can be used.
Speaking about the organization of labor activity of children of the middle group, special attention should be paid to the fact that the expansion of its content, the use of general assignments and duties creates sufficient opportunities for the systematic inclusion of each child in the work, conditions for solving an important educational task: the formation of a habit of work effort, the ability to maintain attention on the assigned task, perform it at a fairly brisk pace, and have a good command of the skills. The child shows a desire to work, willingly gets involved in work, while experiencing emotional uplift. He is active, proactive, able to notice and correct a mistake. Forming a habit of work effort becomes a prerequisite for developing such moral qualities as perseverance, responsibility, and a conscious attitude towards responsibilities.
In senior groups, there are three types of duty: in the dining room, in preparation for classes and in a corner of nature. The requirements for children's independence, self-organization, efficiency, and the ability to use more rational work methods are increasing. The teacher continues to develop in them an understanding of responsibility for the assigned task, striving to ensure that this understanding becomes a motive that encourages them to perform their duties well.
It is very important to think through the content of the work of those on duty, so that it is not formal in nature, but is filled with specific tasks necessary for the entire group.
The work of the dining room attendants includes full table setting and cleaning after meals. Those on duty in preparation for classes themselves determine what aids children will need to complete tasks appropriate to the type of class.
When organizing the work of those on duty, the teacher needs to observe the children at the beginning of the year to determine to what extent they have mastered all the necessary work skills, whether they use the equipment correctly, whether they know the sequence of actions, and whether they show proper concentration in the process of actions. And if he is convinced that these skills are sufficiently developed, he can complicate the work.
When organizing duty, the teacher needs to pay attention to the combination of the work of the duty workers with the self-service of children. After eating, should the attendants take all the dishes to the serving table or should each child carry some of it themselves? What should those on duty do in preparation for the lesson, and what should each child prepare for himself? When solving these issues, one should proceed from the appropriateness of the work of both.
So, if each child first brings his own deep plate, then a shallow one, and finally a cup, then there will never be a calm atmosphere in the group during meals. And vice versa, if all the cleaning is done by those on duty, then the duration of their work will increase significantly, and sometimes they will have to wait until one of the children finishes breakfast or lunch.
The most appropriate combination of work between attendants and children seems to be approximately the same. The tables are fully set by the attendants. After eating, each child moves his plate to the middle of the table, stacking it on top of the others, and transfers the cup and saucer to the serving table (you should be careful that the children do not linger near the serving table and create chaos). The attendants clear everything else from the tables.
The work of those on duty in preparation for classes should be thought through in the same way, but here a lot depends on the conditions. If, for example, each child has a permanent place at a double table, in a drawer of which the necessary material for classes is stored, then the children can prepare the workplace themselves, and the attendants can bring that part of the benefits that is stored in the teacher’s closet. This is important, as it accustoms children to future work at school. By organizing the work of the attendants in this way, the teacher saves time, prevents delays in the start of classes, and at the same time teaches children to clean up after themselves and take care of the workplace.
The content of the work of duty officers in preparation for a lesson can be varied. Thus, children can not only select handouts, placing them in envelopes for each child, but also cut out geometric shapes of different sizes and colors, prepare clay by rolling it into equal balls, bring pictures from the teaching room for examination, visual material, etc. In such cases, the work of attendants may be required not only before classes, but also immediately after arriving at kindergarten or the night before.
In older groups, duties in a corner of nature
if it contains objects of wildlife: indoor plants that require care, birds, fish, guinea pig, turtle or other animals. The purpose of duty can be explained as follows. The teacher identifies new objects in the living area and tells how to care for them. He especially emphasizes the need for constant and careful care: “If we want “green friends” to decorate our group, to bloom, delighting with their beauty, if we want to have an animal in the group, then it is only up to us whether they will feel good with us.” The teacher shows how to use a spray bottle, indicates which plants need spraying and which ones will be harmed, how to determine when to plant a new one in place of a cut onion, how and why it is necessary to prepare water in advance for the aquarium and watering the plants.
The work of those on duty will be more successful if the teacher constantly cultivates in all children an interest in the corner of nature. Then its inhabitants become the subject of constant observation. The children note the slightest changes in the growth and development of plants, and more and more accurately convey the color of aquarium fish in their drawings. For this purpose, the teacher himself describes the colors of the fish, shows an album with illustrations from the life of animals, and invites children to sketch changes in plants, the appearance of buds, and new leaves.
In the school preparatory group, the amount of work of those on duty in the nature corner can be increased: children always make sure that green food is always ready for the animals, grow greens for the table in winter (dill, parsley), and seedlings for future replanting in the ground.
In older groups, the workload of those on duty in the dining room increases: there is no longer a need to assign four children (according to the number of tables). Two people can do all the work quite well.
This change in the organization of their activities also has another educational meaning.
If earlier, when setting “their” table, each attendant acted separately “side by side”, now a common one appears: “You will set the tables for dinner together.” The condition “together” makes it necessary to enter into communication with a partner, to agree on who will carry out what part of the common task. And the teacher evaluates the result of the activity as the result of common efforts. This approach to assessing the work of duty officers puts them in conditions of mutual control and mutual assistance.
It should be emphasized that the teacher’s explanations of the norms of treatment, comments, expression of agreement or disagreement are used by children directly in their work.
How does the distribution of work among children occur in kindergarten practice? Let's look at some examples.
Alena and Yulia are cleaning up a corner of nature.
“Girls,” the guest addresses them, “have you agreed who will do what?”
– But we didn’t agree at all. Nina Evgenievna (teacher) told me to water the plants, and Yulia fed the fish and the parrot.
From the answer it becomes clear that the teacher did not use the features of performing the task “together”, which contributes to the development of relationships: he himself distributed the work, thereby placing the children in conditions of activity “nearby”.
Another example.
- Guys, how did you agree on who will do what?
- But we didn’t agree. I saw that Maxim was laying out scissors and plates for scraps of paper. And she began to arrange rosettes with glue and lay out colored paper.
From this answer it becomes clear: despite the fact that the children did not agree, they learned the order of the sequence of actions - Olya was guided by the part of the work that Maxim chose, and began to carry out the rest of the common task.
One more example.
Alyosha and Yura are in the hall preparing the necessary aids for the music lesson.
– Nina Evgenievna (the teacher) told us that we need to arrange the chairs, and then lay out flags for the boys, and wreaths for the girls to dance. Then I suggested to Yura that we arrange the chairs together, because it’s better together. Yura agreed and said that he would then lay out the flags. I also wanted flags, because I am a boy, but I gave in to Yura. After all, girls need wreaths: how will they dance?
How clearly Alyosha’s answer showed his developed ability to coordinate his desires with the desires of his partner, to give in to him, recognizing the need for the proposed work.
Directing the activities of those on duty, the teacher teaches them to pay attention to the work of their partner, help him, and advise him. She explains how to provide help without doing the work for a peer, how to make a remark without offending a partner, for example, as follows: “You agreed that you will water the plants, and Katya will clean the guinea pig’s cage. But now you have already completed your part of your task, and Katya has not done everything yet, because she has more work, so you need to help her. You see, she cleaned the tray, laid out the straw, but hasn’t cut the carrots yet. Offer her your help. In the meantime, she’ll bring you some fresh water.”
Next, the teacher helps to divide the work equally, offers to take into account each other’s wishes, and when the children are working, he controls, sometimes asking the question: “Did they work together? Who helped whom? How did you distribute the work among yourself? How will you work next time?” In this way, the teacher helps children understand the features of teamwork.
When the teacher moves on to organizing the general work of those on duty, you should think about how best to unite children in pairs. If earlier this question did not arise, since each child fulfilled his duties individually, now, having united children in a common cause, it is important to foresee which association would be most appropriate. Children are often paired up on the principle of “skilled with unskilled”, believing that the first will have a positive influence on the second, will help him master the relevant skills, and will take on most of the work. This can lead to the desired result only if the teacher pays special attention to the child who is coping with the task, and at the same time teaches the second child, while remaining friendly, patiently explaining to him the reasons for failures, without doing all the work for him. However, there are often cases when the “skilled” one does the entire job, and the second child is only listed as on duty.
Let's give typical examples.
Dasha and Zhenya are on duty: preparing everything necessary for the lesson. Dasha is an organized, active girl who performs duty duties well. Zhenya is quite passive, he acts in imitation of Dasha: if she lays out the counting material, then Zhenya does the same. Dasha gives him the opportunity to continue this work, and she begins to display small toys. Zhenya leaves the case unfinished and switches to the work that Dasha is doing. Dasha checks whether everything is ready for class and points out to Zhenya what needs to be completed, but Zhenya, although he follows her advice, cannot see his mistakes.
This is a typical example of pairing “skilled” with “unskilled”. Although Dasha is friendly towards Zhenya, she cannot teach him to perform the duties of a duty officer, and her example does not work on Zhenya. In this case, the teacher should draw Zhenya’s attention to Dasha’s work, explaining the essence of her actions and helping the boy complete the work he started, so that Dasha’s example would become clear to Zhenya.
Larisa and Kolya are setting the table. Larisa is a very active girl. She performs her duties well and is very confident in herself. Kolya has sufficient skills, but he acts much slower than Larisa, and this causes dissatisfaction on her part; she always hurries Kolya, sometimes allowing harsh expressions: “Why are you digging? Let's get moving! What a mess!.. Okay, let me help!” - and begins to do the work for Kolya. This behavior offends the boy, and he refuses to continue working. In this case, the teacher should have drawn the girl’s attention to the quality of Kolya’s work and impressed upon her that such words offend the boy.
Tanya and Ira are setting the table for dinner, they are girlfriends. Getting down to business, Tanya suggests laying out the napkins together. Children use individual napkins with different designs. The attendants know well which napkin belongs to which of the guys. Having taken several napkins each, the girls quickly carry them around, placing them on the tables. Then they act in concert, as if without agreeing on who will do what, but observing the sequence: if Tanya began to arrange plates of bread, then Ira goes for paper napkins that are in the napkin holder.
This means that they focus on the established sequence and take into account the actions of their partner. Noticing that there are not enough paper napkins in the napkin holders, Tanya goes to the teacher and asks permission to cut more napkins. Ira also really wants to do this. Tanya pays attention to this and finds an opportunity to satisfy her friend’s desire.
- Ira, let me cut napkins for the guys at this table, and you - for the guys sitting at the other table, while I put them in the napkin holder.
Ira accepts Tanya’s offer and watches her work. Having noticed a deficiency, he gives advice:
– Tanya, these napkins will be inconvenient for children to take. They lie very tightly: the one who pulls the corner of one napkin will pull out several at once. It's better to put it like this.
Tanya accepts Ira’s advice and corrects the mistake. Having finished the work, both satisfied ones approach the teacher and report it.
“What great fellows,” the teacher notes, “they set the tables on time!” Tatyana Ivanovna brought lunch, and the tables were already set. Well, our assistants, invite all the guys to the table.
This example shows how friendships between children help them in their work.
Igor and Anton are on duty in a corner of nature. Igor is a very proactive boy, but he is somewhat hasty and tends to be careless in his work. Anton is very indecisive, but careful and diligent. They are friends. The differences in boys' personalities have a positive effect on them. So, if Igor starts to rush, Anton reminds: “Nina Evgenievna said that there is no need to rush, otherwise you will have to redo it.” If Anton, due to his timidity, does not dare to start work, as if waiting for a hint, Igor encourages him. The teacher will tell the children about friendly work and their attitude towards each other, so that such behavior will serve as an example for other workers on duty.
It is very important that the assistant teacher rely in his work on the help of children, be patient with their uncertain movements, and sometimes with mistakes. He can be of great assistance to the teacher in teaching children the necessary skills, and by his example make them want to imitate.
Here are examples of conversations with children about duty.
- Tell me, do you like to be on duty?
- I love. (This answer was received from all 75 children surveyed.)
– What do you like to do when you’re on duty? What type of duty do you prefer?
Of the 75 respondents, 73 children singled out the work of canteen duty officers, and only two children answered the question with a question: “Where should I be on duty?”
Probably, the children developed an understanding of their duty to be on duty, how to set the table, because this type of work is daily, constant. What about other types? The fact of the matter is that other types of duty are often episodic. Do those on duty have a sufficient amount of work to prepare for classes, if one lesson is looking at a picture, and the second is a musical lesson, for which the children go to the hall? What is left to the duty officers? This means that if a teacher appoints people on duty to prepare for classes, he must provide them with a sufficient amount of work. For example, select individual aids for math classes, arrange chairs in the room for listening to music, bring a stand for a picture and place it in front of the tables, find a pointer. Arrange the chairs in a semicircle near the picture, etc. If people on duty in a corner of nature are appointed, the teacher evaluates what their work will be, especially if there are not enough plants and animals. For example, constantly ensure that dill, parsley, and green onions are grown for the table throughout the winter.
Interesting answers were given by two children (out of 75) who asked where they would be on duty. One of them answered: “If it’s for fish, then I love it, but if it’s for rabbit, then I don’t like it.” The reason for this answer is clear: it is unpleasant for the child to clean the cage. The answer of another was no less curious: “I like to be on duty when I am assigned to call for whom they came for.”
Is this type of duty necessary? What benefits does it bring to the child? What specific tasks does he perform? He just entertains himself by running up and down the stairs. This is hardly advisable.
Sometimes teachers assign washroom duty officers. It is their responsibility to check that children have washed their hands thoroughly. But can a child objectively evaluate this? Why create the potential for unnecessary conflict between children? It is more advisable to explain to children why hands should always be clean - and not only before eating, but throughout the day. In the summer, especially if the kindergarten is located in a dacha area, it is necessary to increase the number of people on duty to care for the flower garden and vegetable garden.
Thus, when deciding on the organization of duty, the teacher considers what content of work he will determine for those on duty, how he will unite them in pairs, and perhaps in triplets, and how he will supplement the volume of their work if it turns out to be insufficient.
Benefits of being on duty
Thanks to duty, the child begins to bear responsibility for the assignment. Even if the task is quite simple, being on duty in a kindergarten will develop a love of work. After all, the baby will be very pleased when, thanks to his own efforts, it becomes, for example, cleaner.
Based on such life experience, the child will subsequently perform duty tasks with greater concentration and dedication.
How to organize a duty schedule?
Whatman paper can serve as the basis for organizing duty in kindergarten, creating a schedule and schedule. It is best to place photographs of the students on the sheet or assign each child his own symbol. This notation will be useful later. The line of duty can be arranged in alphabetical order of the children's surnames, if desired, or according to the principle of desks, the children at the first table are on duty first, and at the end of the month - the children at the last.
For good behavior, help and attentiveness, the child will receive a card at the end of duty. If, for example, the paper is red, it means that the child coped with his duties perfectly. If something didn’t work out during duty, the card may be a different color.
On whatman paper with your own kindergarten duty schedule, you can add small pockets under the photographs of the pupils, in which leaflets indicating the child’s achievements will be stored. Or you can do without photographs of children and put images of special symbols that would characterize the pupil directly into a special handbag.
For example, the duty officer chose a squirrel as his own symbol, and for successfully completed work, red cards with the image of a squirrel will appear in his pocket. This will mean that this particular student copes well with all tasks.
Thus, being on duty develops another trait in children - the ability to fantasize. After all, when creating a duty corner in a kindergarten with their own hands, students will be able to fully demonstrate their creative abilities, as well as when choosing a personal picture that will become a symbol of successful work.
Duty schedule: how to create
To maintain order and discipline, the teacher needs to think about how to introduce a duty schedule in kindergarten. This measure will help to count and take into account all the merits of the student and not get confused in the order. Such a schedule may look different, depending on the creative approach of the teacher. It is desirable that the pupils themselves take part in creating the duty corner. In this case, there will be a feeling of ownership of the innovation. Do-it-yourself work for duty can serve as an excellent start for uniting a children's team. In addition, each child will be able to put his own vision and show imagination, which is so necessary for creating a duty corner in kindergarten with his own hands.
