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Quality early childcare and education can make a tremendous impact on a child’s life. As teachers, it’s important to create an environment where children can reach their highest learning potential and grow to be strong thinking individuals. As you help prepare your students for kindergarten and beyond, here are 3 ways you can teach your students to love learning: Be a Supporter When you create a classroom tone that welcomes children’s ideas, you’re creating an environment where children can feel…

Preschool — it’s not just about the sandbox anymore. As elementary school becomes more rigorous, so does preschool. Children are expected to learn certain skills in preschool so that they are prepared for elementary school. Considering the limited time in a preschool setting and the pressure for success later on, where does play fit in?Read More: Great Kids! 

In a technology-driven age, infants’ and toddlers’ exposure to “screen time” is a hot topic. As caregivers in the classroom, we may be pressured by parents who use screen media with their children at home—parents who would like us to help their children acquire technology skills they will need to use later on. But we know that not all screen media are healthy for children and that exposing very young children to screen media can have lasting impacts on their…

Every early childhood teacher has heard similar complaints from young children. Many of us move in quickly to insist that the "greedy, selfish" child share some of the coveted item with the newcomer. Refusing to share is often treated as a crime in the eyes of adults. While our intention is good, we may be teaching children that others' rights are more important than their won and that problems should be resolved by adults rather than between the children themselves.…

I still remember the day one of my preschoolers brought in a bird’s nest he found on his way to school. I was a beginning teacher then, and this particular boy was often tearful in the mornings—his dad was away for an extended time and goodbyes with his mom were tough. But that morning he was excited to show the class his find. We put the nest on a shelf for everyone to see and visited our school library to…

One of the biggest transitions for young children is the one from preschool to kindergarten. You can help make this transition easier for children and families by helping children learn what will be expected of them when they enter kindergarten and by incorporating the following suggestions into your daily curriculum.Read more: Early Childhood News 

During the first five years of a child’s life, their brains are rapidly developing. In fact, 90% of a child’s brain develops during this time. As your preschool students are building the skills they’ll need for school and beyond, it’s important to realize how the interactions they have with adults influence how they develop and learn.  Here are 5 ways you can promote the language and communication skills of your students: 1. Be a CommentatorAs your students’ teacher, you can…

Many of our age-related expectations for children, such as when they will read, write, sit at a desk, or even pay attention at circle time, are rather arbitrary. While these things are important, we ought to think of them as branches of a developmental tree and first be sure there's a sturdy trunk providing support.Read More: Scholastic

Circle time, also called group time, refers to any time that a group of children are together for an activity. It’s a special time to share fingerplays, chants, and rhymes; sing songs; play rhythm instruments; read a story; and participate in movement games and relaxation activities. Circle time is also a wonderful time to develop listening skills and attention spans, promote oral communication, teach new concepts and skills, and have FUN. The following tips will help you make your group…

When children join a new class, they may be nervous and unsure about what to expect. Families want to know if they will be welcome and if the teachers will value their suggestions and appreciate their child. Use these tips to help ease transitions year-round and to get a new year off to a great start.Read More: NAEYC