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Several research studies have supported a notion that many teachers have had for a long time: that children who have been read to at home come to school with important early literacy skills. They are prepared to learn to read and write. Children who have not had many experiences listening to books read aloud or talking about books typically start school with poor early literacy skills. These children often fall behind early in reading and writing and stay behind.Read More:…

Print awareness is a child's earliest understanding that written language carries meaning. The foundation of all other literacy learning builds upon this knowledge. The following are guidelines for teachers in how to promote print awareness and a sample activity for assessing print awareness in young children.Read more: Reading Rockets

As a preschool educator, you surely delight in your young students’ zest for learning. From the outside, it might seem like your job is all about fun and games, but parents of young children know (and appreciate) how you influence and model positive behaviors, shape instruction, cultivate optimism and positive attitudes about school and learning, boost self-esteem, and provide the foundation for their future in school and in the community.Read more: Get Ready to Read

Effective preschool classrooms are places where children feel well cared for and safe. They are places where children are valued as individuals and where their needs for attention, approval, and affection are supported. They are also places where children can be helped to acquire a strong foundation in the knowledge and skills needed for school success.Read more: US Department of Education 

“Early educators do more than care for young children. We are constantly stimulating children’s brains and children’s thinking in a way that helps build the foundations for what eventually becomes the roots of language, science and technology and mathematics and engineering.”Read more: Eye on Early Education 

So you’re toying with the idea of becoming a preschool teacher. Some people would say you’re crazy for wanting to spend so much time with young ones. You view it as an opportunity to enrich little ones’ lives through education. But you sometimes wonder if they’re right—do you really have what it takes?  You can’t afford to end each day with no energy left for your family and other commitments.More Reading: Rasmussen College

Are You a Leader?You may not think of yourself as a leader, but you probably are. There are all kinds of leaders:  the conventional ones—CEOs, managers, coaches, principals of schools, or directors of centers—and the more subtle, but just as influential, leaders we encounter in daily life.  For example, the first person to push the elevator button, those who wade to the water’s edge first, those who pull off their shoes and socks to feel the grass with their feet…

If you know you love kids, it will probably be a quick and easy decision to pursue a future in early childhood education. Pacifiers, picture books and Cheerios—you’ve got the system down. You know that when babies are crawling around, stairs need gates, outlets need covers and plants … well, plants should probably be moved out of the room altogether.Read more: Rasmussen College

Early childhood—the period from birth through age eight—is the critical stage in development when young children build foundational academic and social skills that affect lifelong learning.1 Research shows teachers can positively influence student achievement when they effectively apply their knowledge of child development in a manner consistent with the developmental period taught. NAEYC Standards for Early Childhood Professional Preparation Programs reflect this specialized knowledge and can be used in a variety of ways to promote the early childhood education profession,…

Effective communication is essential to create strong teacher-parent relationships and parental involvement. Students need the support of both teachers and parents in order to succeed academically, physically, and emotionally. Read on as I provide you with a few tips to help establish a strong relationship with your most powerful ally: parents.Read more: Scholastic