Why Every Classroom Needs A Set of Hourglasses

August 19, 2024

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Hourglasses are magical and versatile tools in my teaching experience. I personally love them and can spend time just watching the tiny sand grains fall, similar to how some people enjoy watching fish in an aquarium. There is something truly magical about them. I always recommend new teachers get a set and have always gifted them or requested more if I lost or broke any. Even though they are small, they play a big part in my classroom.

In this post, I will share with you the main reasons why I love them so much and why I recommend you get a set for your classroom as well.

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Why Hourglasses Work:

Hourglasses are effective with students because their simplicity and visual nature are less intimidating than digital timers. If you can only give students 5 minutes, you can still do that but without that scary rushing feeling, or at least with less of it, when using an hourglass. Providing visual timers has been shown to help with time management and reduce anxiety in both children and adults (Shih, 2014).

Reading and Writing Stamina Tracker For Hourglasses

4 Ways To Use Hourglasses In Your Classroom:

Increase Reading and Writing Stamina:
- Many students struggle with reading and writing stamina. Forcing long periods of focus can create a negative experience. Instead, use hourglasses to gradually build stamina: start with short intervals (1-3 minutes), followed by a 1-minute break. Gradually increase the duration as students build their stamina.
- Click here to check out a blog post where I detail how I did this in the classroom with a free stamina tracker printable.
Quick Independent Work Timer During Small Group:
- During small group sessions, use hourglasses as timers for quick independent work. The gentle flow of sand helps students gauge time without the pressure of numbers, making it less intimidating.
Center Games Timer:
- Replace digital timers with hourglasses during center games to create a calming, visual way for students to manage their time.
Add Into Your Calm Down Corner:
- Visual sensory hourglasses are expensive, but you can just use a normal hourglass instead! When I had both in the Calm Down Corner, my students actually preferred the real hourglass ones.

3 Individual Uses for Hourglasses:

Mindfulness and Relaxation:
- Use hourglasses during mindfulness exercises to help students focus and relax. If you are working with the counselor and students needing more emotional support, having an hourglass in the Calm Down Corner can help them as well.
Classroom Transitions:
- Use an hourglass to signal transitions between activities. The visual cue helps students prepare for the next task without the abruptness of a bell or digital timer.
Time Management Skills:
- Teach students time management by allowing them to use hourglasses to self-monitor the time spent on various tasks.

So, Are You Thinking About Giving Hourglasses A Chance?

Incorporating hourglasses into your classroom can transform how students perceive and manage time. Their visual and calming nature makes them a versatile tool for various activities, from building stamina and independent work to mindfulness exercises. Give hourglasses a try and let me know how they do in your classroom!

Happy teaching!

Prima at LittleYellowStar

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