Blog

As an educator or soon-to-be educator, there are resources out there for you to tap into in order to keep learning. One of those resources is internet blogs. There are thousands of education blogs out there that can give you new ideas for the classroom in decorating, teaching, and much more. Blogs can help you  understand the world of education a little bit more and maybe they will encourage you to become an early childhood education blogger yourself.Read more: Rasmussen College 

Music helps young children’s development in countless ways including improving brain function, boosting language skills and brightening moods. In honor of NAEYC’s Week of the Young Child and Music Monday, here are three things you can do with your preschool students to get them singing, dancing and learning! Make Music Together As A Class When young children make music in a group setting, they learn how to work together as a team while each contributing to the song in their…

One of the best parts of teaching pre-K is that we’re not always bound by the rigid assessment requirements that teachers in the older grades must adhere to. We’re free to assess our kids when and how we like. Still, when kids are this young and have such tiny attention spans, getting a good read on what they know can be tough. Here are six easy ways to assess pre-reading skills in an early childhood classroom.Additional Reading: We Are Teachers 

It’s no secret—kids can be incredibly fun to work with! This is one of the reasons why teaching preschool is an exceptionally rewarding career. Children’s energy and enthusiasm is infectious and there’s a sense of pride knowing you’ve nurtured the development of a young person.Read more: Rasmussen College

As a teacher and as a parent, I have discovered this magic:  When the kids are sad or too loud or when fights break out, taking the kids outside seems to fix everything, especially if running water, sand or soil is involved.  At our school when the children spill out into the yard and garden, a sudden calm descends.  At home, in the evening “arsenic hour,” playing on the grass erases our daughter’s distress.  Though parking kids in front of…

The best part about the concept of loose parts play is that it is so simple. It doesn’t take much to invite and sustain creative, focused play—sometimes just offering a different combination of everyday materials will open up unexpected levels of exploration and fun.Read more: Community Play Things

Young children are naturally curious about the world around them. Through play, preschoolers can explore the mysteries of their surroundings while learning key language, social, math, science and thinking skills. As their teacher, it’s important you foster an environment where preschoolers can develop and learn as they participate in activities around the classroom. Here are tips for supporting your student’s learning through play: 1. Encourage Pretend Play One of the ways a child learns is by imagining and doing.  When…

Children go through phases of reading development from preschool through third grade — from exploration of books to independent reading. In preschool, children explore their environment and build the foundations for learning to read and write. Find out what parents and teachers can do to support preschool literacy skills.Read more: Reading Rockets

Guiding children’s behavior is something done throughout the day, not just when a child acts in a way that is unsafe or unacceptable. You guide behavior by establishing predictable routines, setting clear rules with children, and modeling kindness and respect. You are also attentive and aware of what is going on. Together, these actions help children feel noticed, confident, and secure. Children experience your attention and guidance as a caring embrace holding everything together. They know you’re on their team.Read more: NAEYC 

Jessica, age four, enters her new preschool classroom for the very first time. She looks around and tries to determine what happens in this space? Does she belong here? Will it be an interesting place to spend her days? Will she be supported as she grows and develops?Jessica will discover the answers through her interactions with the physical environment of her classroom. If she spends her day in an effectively designed environment, Jessica will be physically, emotionally, aesthetically, and intellectually…