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Tested in classrooms by Instructor readers, these activities include hosting a math-and-science pumpkin party, creating masks from around the world, and keeping a tree journal.Read full story here.  

At times, getting a hold of my students' parents becomes quite challenging. My phone calls go unanswered. Any correspondence I send in the mail gets returned. Notes that are sent home with Junior do not make it into the hands of his mom or dad. This is why I recommend sending postcards. Most major bookstore chains have free postcards available near the exit doors. Here are some advantages for using postcards as a way to communicate with parents.Read full story…

Three-year-old Klaire called me on the telephone. “Grandma, look what I got!”  Amy, age five, was painting her original wood sculpture. The teacher passed by and commented, “Amy, I think you might like that better if you put on another coat.”  Accepting the teacher’s suggestion, Amy went to the lockers, selected a coat, and put it on as she returned to the painting area to find out if the teacher was right.Read full story here.

Many approaches to early childhood education don't place a major importance on learning outdoors, but nature is an important learning environment for children.

Valerie has been teaching three year olds for the last fifteen years. Many of the children in her classroom live in single parent homes or alternate caregiving situations (like children living with grandparents). Families cope with unpredictable schedules, multiple jobs, and sometimes unstable housing situations, along with high crime rates in their neighborhoods.Read full story here

How do you feel about your classroom design? Is there something you could change or tweak that would provide a better learning experience for the children in your care?

An early childhood environment is many things: It's a safe place where children are protected from the elements and are easily supervised, and it's where the important activities of the day take place, such as playing, eating, sleeping, washing hands, and going to the bathroom. Beyond the basics, however, an environment for young children implements and supports a program's philosophy and curriculum.Read full story here.  

Preschool teachers know that when you’re faced with a room full of three- and four-year-olds, clear expectations and routines are vital if teaching and learning are going to happen. Implementing classroom management techniques can be a challenge, however, when you’re dealing with 30 high-energy kiddos.Read full story here. 

Did you know 90 percent of a child's brain develops before the age of 5?

As a teacher, and now as an administrator, I work hard to honor that parental promise by helping preschoolers build a sense of comfort and trust from the minute they enter the room.