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Know Where You’re Going – Using a Developmental Checklist as a Guide
As you begin to plan out your preschool curriculum for the year, it helps to know where your children are developmentally so that you know where you want to “go”. One way I like to do that is with a...
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A Culture of Literacy: Teaching Preschoolers the ABC’s and More
Ask your average parents what they hope their child will learn in preschool, and most have learning the ABC’s somewhere in their tops 5 goals. Many preschool teachers respond to this by implementing...
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Welcome, Children! Get Your Children Ready by Following the 5 I’s.
Making a strong, positive connection with each child is a fundamental part of preparing for a great new year. When children know first that they are loved by you, it is much easier for them to learn...
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Everybody Does the Monster Boogie!
Laurie Berkner has a great monster song that just compels your little monsters to get up and dance! You can download Monster Boogie on iTunes, and you can listen to it with a little animated video on...
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Eric Carle Author Study: The Very Busy Spider and The Very Lonely Firefly
Eric Carle’s The Very Busy Spider will always be one of my favorites because it was one of the first books I regularly read to my first son. It’s a simple story of a spider slowly building a perfect...
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Butterfly Noodles
Isn’t it funny how children are much more interested in eating something when it’s has a fun name? I have a hard time getting my children to eat Farfalle Alle Erbe Panna Rosa (a tasty little recipe...
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Eric Carle Author Study: The Grouchy Ladybug and The Very Clumsy Click Beetle
The Grouchy Ladybug always catches me off-guard, because it seems to be missing the “Very”. You know, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Very Lonely Firefly, The Very Busy Spider, The Very Clumsy Click...
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Spiders Vs Insects- Breaking it Down for Preschoolers
Spiders and insects are often lumped together, but there are some significant differences that even young children can begin to recognize. Noting the difference between insects and spiders isn’t...
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High Quality Early Education: Dollars and Sense
Let me start off by making one thing clear. Young children deserve a high quality early education because it is our responsibility as adults to care for them and give them what they need. It’s a...
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It’s First Friday!
Well here it is! There were so many great questions and so little time! I’ve supplemented with some links below. Please add your links and input in the comment section as well! (By the way, on my...
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Checking Out Preschools? Here are a Few Things to Look For…
It’s that time of year again. Parents everywhere are standing behind one-way windows or sitting on child-sized chairs, trying to peek in on preschool classrooms and hoping to asertain whether or not...
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Planning a New School Year? 12 Tips to Give You a Head Start
Whether you’re preparing to teach your first preschool year or your 30th, a little planning goes a long way. Here are 12 tips and resources that will help you get started right: I’m a big proponent...
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Why are Preschoolers Being Expelled?
I spoke with a writer recently, who wanted to talk with me about my views on zero tolerance policies as they apply in early childhood settings. As our discussion progressed, she essentially said,...
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Preschool Thematic Unit: Pets
Whether you’re looking for activities as a full-time teacher, a group of co-opting preschool parents, or a parent with curious kids and an afternoon to fill, you’re in the right place! Find more...
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First Friday Q&A: What’s the Deal with Public Preschool?
First Friday Q&A is back! Today’s question actually comes from a recent conversation with my dad, who asked, “What’s the deal with public preschool? Is it really necessary?” So here are some...
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The Powerful Purpose Behind Playing Pretend
One of my favorite moments during my last Powerful Play workshop was talking with the table of teachers who were doing their in-depth study on dramatic play. With wide eyes and excited tones they made...
View ArticleProblem Solving Circle Time
The idea of guiding a large group of children can send some adults into a cold-sweat panic. What they may have envisioned as an idyllic reading of “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” or a thoughtful...
View ArticlePreschool Reading Instruction and Developmentally Appropriate Practice. Can...
What does “teaching reading” look like in a developmentally appropriate early childhood classroom? That’s a question that generates a lot of discussion. To take learning standards appropriate for...
View ArticleIf There Was Just One Thing…
If you could measure the quality of an early childhood setting by only one factor, what would it be? Teachers today feel weighed down by so many things they have to keep in mind. Forms, lesson plans,...
View ArticleCultural Appropriation in Preschool?
I was helping my fifth grader with a history project a few nights ago when we made a fascinating discovery. As we researched the Native American people indigenous to our area for the presentation he...
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