Those with Staff, Input Needed

[daycare]

Hello everyone.

i need to pick all of your brains. I don't care if you work with staff or not, I know a lot of you have amazing ideas.

I have an issue with our supplies getting put away. I have had the same staff for awhile now, most of them have been here a year or more, but this issue always seems to be there.

our preschool program runs in the morning, I teach with another staff preschool teacher. We use lots of supplies throughout the morning and try our best to put things away, clean, wash them when possible before the shift change takes place. Shift change is right at nap time. It's not always possible for us to 100% put everything back, we focus more on the wipe up tpye of things, spills, paint, slipping hazards, etc.

My morning teacher usually ends their shift by completing any necessary observations from the day and making sure that their curriculum is set for the next day. If they have time, they will clean up as much as they can.

SO WHATS THE ISSUE.
the issue is that no one seems to know where anything goes back. We have a great organized set up in one half of my garage and everything is labeled by areas, like water table, sensory bins, science and so on.

I am thinking about creating a spread sheet list of our items, (which are a lot) with where they are supposed to go back. I need some form of system that will help resolve this issue.

like we have a bag of wine corks, they belong in the water table area, or can be used in open art.

when no one knows where things go back, they either leave them there and pile builds up until I say something or they take it upon themselves to just put it where they "THINK" it goes. this results into we never find it when we need it.

any ideas? what do you do in your center or FCC??

sorry this got so long and wordy, I started typing this earlier this morning and just now got time to finish tying it.

[CalCare]

They did a treasure hunt when I started at a center. There was a long list (ex: finger paint, smocks, chunky puzzles, floor puzzles, magnifying glasses...) And we had to write down where we found each item (ex: Chunky puzzles are in the entry way, in the corner shelving, bottom shelf - super detailed). The staff would learn where everything was by going through the list. Also, of course, labels help! Treasure hunt would take some time one day, but may be worth it to really drive home the point that everything has a place and it is all organized a certain way, and please learn it! Haha

[CalCare]

I mean, not every item is on the list, but items from each area. So they see, oh this is where water toys are, becasue on the list they had to find the corks and write it down. So, they also realize, oh, I see the little squirters are here and the little cloths and empty shampoos, etc.

[daycare]

hmm that is an idea, but I don' t know how long that would take us. Sounds like fun too

We did have a counter that we were required to put items on that people don't know where they go. Then by the end of their shift, they had to ask me where it went and I would tell them. That fizzled quickly.

[Controlled Chaos]

I think the spreadsheet would be handy also for the purposes of grants and QRIS - whenever you need a list of all your supplies. I always mean to update mine monthly...and then don't

[daycare]

I think the spreadsheet would be handy also for the purposes of grants and QRIS - whenever you need a list of all your supplies. I always mean to update mine monthly...and then don't

hmmm I didn't think of that.....that is true....but oh boy would this be the list from you know where....

[daycare]

ok....so I am starting a list

so far I have the following: (tell me what I am missing)

art
history, geography
math
science
fine motor
large motor, health and safety
dramatic play
sensory nins
books
music, dance

[CalCare]

Cooking?

[jenboo]

I vote that instead of it being grouped by subject (since people can group things differently), i would just put it in alphabetical order. That way there is no excuse and everyone will know exactly where to find things and put them away.

[daycare]

I vote that instead of it being grouped by subject (since people can group things differently), i would just put it in alphabetical order. That way there is no excuse and everyone will know exactly where to find things and put them away.

I like that idea too.

so it would look like this:

apples- sensory bin
balloons- birthday box and music play- 10 in each section
corks- art bin and senxory bin 15in each section
ducks- water table

[jenboo]

I like that idea too.

so it would look like this:

apples- sensory bin
balloons- birthday box and music play- 10 in each section
corks- art bin and senxory bin 15in each section
ducks- water table

Yup. That way if someone is looking for corks, they can just look at the c's instead of looking through all the categories trying to think which one they might be in.

[daycare]

Yup. That way if someone is looking for corks, they can just look at the c's instead of looking through all the categories trying to think which one they might be in.

I was thinking about putting it in excel so that way they would just have to do a control find and would be able to type in what they are looking to put back and they could search it that way??

I don't know...
BUT I love all of your ideas.....
I think that would really work well.

[kendallina]

I would ask your staff what will work best for them. Tell them that you notice it doesn't seem to be working now and they plus you need to come up with a way for things to be put away. It might be something as simple as needing an extra 10 minutes at the end of their shift. It may be as simple as just bringing it up, that they never realized it was an expectation...

[daycare]

I would ask your staff what will work best for them. Tell them that you notice it doesn't seem to be working now and they plus you need to come up with a way for things to be put away. It might be something as simple as needing an extra 10 minutes at the end of their shift. It may be as simple as just bringing it up, that they never realized it was an expectation...

we talk about it almost daily... last week someone decided to put one of my very important files that I had out in the kitchen in the garage with the books. It was pure laziness. I looked for that file for 3 days before I found it. I was looking for a book and there it was shoved in between all of them. I did not get to file the papers I needed within the time frame that I needed to do it. I was boiling mad. I did not get upset with my staff., but I have been talking to them every day about making certain that if they don't know where something goes, they need to ask me.

my afternoon staff has from 12:30 to 3:30 to put stuff away, so there is NO reason why this is happening other than being lazy or just wanting to be on-top of stuff and putting it where they think it should go.

Without fail at least once or twice a week I spend an hour or more looking for something, I am SO over having to do that.