Have you heard this reason for using product art? I heard it all the time in the teacher-directed program I used to work in: "Art is such a great way to teach children to follow directions!". But is it? Do children need art to learn to follow directions? Consider taking this challenge: The next time you are with your class, grab a notebook and pencil and make a tally mark each time you give the children a direction. My guess it that they'll have no shortage ...
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Child-led Classrooms
Classrooms that are child-led have long been seen as the gold standard in preschool education. However, as I've interacted with loads of educators over the years, I've learned that the term "child-led" can mean very different things to different people. For some, it means the teacher chooses the activities and provides the materials, but allows the children to complete those activities independently. For others, it means children are allowed and encouraged to do ...
3 Things that *DO* Prepare Kids for Kindergarten
It's only fair if I share 3 things that won't prepare kids for kindergarten that I have a companion piece to counter it with 3 things that WILL prepare kids for kindergarten: #1 Movement Kids learn with their bodies before they learn with their brains and preschoolers need to be on the move! When they are moving their bodies, numerous physical and cognitive skills are being developed. We sometimes thing that sitting still will help children focus, but ...
3 Things that *DO NOT* Prepare Kids for Kindergarten
The age-old question that preschool teachers are asked over and over: "How do you prepare kids for kindergarten?". Sometimes it is asked by parents, other times administrators or other teachers. When kids are young, people get very caught up in making sure they are working toward more advanced skills rather than appreciating and enjoying the stage the child is at right now. If we are appropriately supporting children in their development, they will be ready for ...
3 Ways To Teach Content Playfully in Early Childhood Classrooms
While play-based and child-led are ideals to strive for in early childhood education, they aren't always the reality in the classrooms we work in. If this is the case for you, don't lose hope--there are still ways to teach playfully even when you're working off of a more rigid lesson plan. #1 Puppets Puppets have a wide range of uses in preschool classrooms. If you don' have one, get one! For teaching content playfully, puppets can take the role of the ...
Themes: Necessary or Not?
Themes are a staple for most early child education centers. When I was a new teacher, I relied heavily on themes for lesson planning. On the surface, themes might seem like a simple foundation to then teach academic concepts in a fun and engaging way, but have you ever considered that they might actually be limiting what your students are capable of learning? Let's take a look: In most classrooms, themes are teacher chosen and teacher directed. They are often ...