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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

Early childhood educators are poised at an exciting threshold of professionalism. The current focus on care and education for young children, along with the increased emphasis on accountability for PreK–12 educators, is shining a bright spotlight on the qualifications of those of us who work in this vitally important field. By taking the necessary steps to advance their knowledge and skills, early childhood educators can advance professional development, enhance the profile of the entire profession, and improve public perceptions of…

There are many ways to help children express their feelings about separation and cope with their emotions. The key to working with young children and babies as they enter early care and education is to communicate that it is OK to feel sad, frightened, or angry. In legitimizing these feelings, you build self-confidence and trust. This is just the opposite of conventional wisdom that dictates “don’t talk about it.”Read more: Community Play Things

While new kindergartners are worrying about whether or not anyone will be their friend and if they’ll be able to find the bathroom, their preschool teachers are wondering if they’ve succeeded at preparing their small students for this big transition. In recent years the role of kindergarten has changed from an extension of preschool to a much more academic environment because of new standards in the public schools that “push back” academic skills to earlier grades. Read more: Early Childhood News