December 2009

Are your preschoolers loving the process?

I spend a great deal of time researching activities and ideas for the classroom and often come across the cutest ideas but then I try to visualize how much of the activity my preschool age students would actually be able to do. Sometimes, the way an art activity looks online isn’t exactly how they turn [...]

Preschool Teacher Blunders

If you tell your parents the following… “I have had the worst week ever, my car broke down and I don’t have enough money to get it fixed!” “I am really tired today – stayed out too late partying with the other teachers.” ”The other teachers don’t really know what they are doing, thank goodness [...]

Preschoolers: they do grow up!

My preschool students get into my heart from the day they walk into the classroom until the day that they leave my care. It is always so hard for me to let go and I often wonder what will become of them. But the next class comes along and my attention is quickly drawn to [...]

Teaching English language learners in preschool

A guest post by Karen Nemeth http://www.languagecastle.com/ Excellence in early childhood education is a wonderful goal that we’d like to achieve for all young children. As the population changes, that means all early childhood teachers should be prepared to teach children who speak different languages. Right now as many as 20%-25% of the children in [...]

Guest post: setting up your preschool classroom

4 Easy Steps to setting up your classroom By: Mrs. Myra of Centers and Circle Time (guest blogger) Dear Teacher, are you starting a new job? Have you just been given a new classroom? Have you moved to a new age group? Are you worried about setting up you new space? No fear, help is [...]

Preschool activity: Reindeer Art

Make this simple Reindeer with your preschoolers! Three strips of brown construction paper A large sheet of paper for the background Glue Two sticker dots for eyes Red glitter for the nose Let your preschooler spread glue on the three brown construction paper strips then attach them in a triangle shape on the sheet of paper. [...]

The Glue Table

Today, the post you will read is about glue but as you read it, there is much more meaning than just the use of glue in the classroom. However, I don’t want to tell you what to get out of this post when it comes to teaching in the early childhood classroom, I want you [...]

Preschoolers need time for block play

Blocks promote creativity A block center promotes a unique opportuntiy for preschoolers to be creative. Instead of creating with paint or paper, preschoolers use blocks to engage in the construction or creation of buildings, roads, farms, houses, towers, and walls. Blocks allow preschoolers to create in more than one dimension and the creativity is open-ended [...]

Playdough in the preschool classroom

Discover why playdough is such a valuable part of the preschool experience and LOTS of play dough Recipes too!…

Reading aloud to Preschoolers

When reading aloud to a group of students, be sure to hold the book up where all of the children can see it as you read. This will help eliminate some of the complaining during story time and allow the preschoolers to stay engaged. They do want to see the pictures – so make sure [...]

Extending music in the preschool classroom

Music and fingerplays are a wonderful tool for teaching in the preschool classroom. Do you have a favorite song or fingerplay that you sing or say often with your preschool students? Print the words Choose a favorite song or fingerplay that your students know well and print the words out on a large sheet of chart [...]