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Imaginations – The Stories We Tell Ourselves
Imaginations. We all have them. But I’m not talking about imaginations in the way you might be thinking. I’m talking about imaginations in terms of
Superhero and Gun Play in the Classroom
Around the age of 4, many children begin to exhibit behaviors, such as gun play or superhero play. These types of play help children feel
Classroom Practices During COVID-19
Note: This is an opinion piece only whose goal is to start a conversation. I am not a medical professional nor a COVID Researcher. Recently
What is my best advice for challenging behaviors?
Check out my newest feature, the 5-Minute Professor, in which I answer questions about teaching and parenting young children. Read the transcript or watch the
To Trace or Not to Trace?
Of all the topics about preschool literacy that I teach, the most hotly debated among teachers is that of tracing. A simple google search on
Language Matters When it Comes to Shame
Recently I’ve joined several parenting (mom) Facebook groups online to get a sense of some of the topics that parents are struggling with. It’s supposed
Spoiling Babies???
A friend of mine has a 7 month old infant in a group care setting. She came over with him the other day and told
The Process of Art: What Do I Say?
Guest Blog by Jacki Leader “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” – Maya Angelou Our field has come
Up or Down the Slide?
Guest Blog by Jacki Leader Every time I am at a playground, whether it be at a school or in a community park, an interesting
Goodness of Fit – Do we practice it?
As I prepare to teach a temperament class today at a conference, I’ve been reflecting on the topic of temperament and goodness of fit. As
Behavior Charts: Good or Bad?
I recently taught a class in which we talked about behavior charts in the classroom. Behavior charts come in all different varieties. They might be
Physical Science Activities for Preschoolers
Physical science is one of the three content items in science. (The other two are life science and earth & space science). Physical science activities
Teaching to the Brain in Early Childhood
We’ve all heard of teaching to the test, and we all know that this strategy has no long-term success for children’s learning. Instead, I suggest
Using Worksheets in Preschool is Problematic
Using worksheets in preschool classrooms is problematic. I was teaching a class recently, and I noticed a common theme. As much as teachers have heard
Number Sense Activities: Math Made Fun
Math, especially number sense, is one of my favorite areas to plan for in the preschool classroom. Sometimes teachers focus so much on the counting
Types of Challenging Behavior
There are so many types of challenging behaviors. We always talk about how important it is to build relationships with children, but let’s be real.
Building Positive Relationships
Building positive relationships is an essential component of an early childhood classroom. One of my favorite quotes is by Jack Shonkoff, editor of the book
Respecting Children’s Social Preferences
Lately, I’ve been thinking about how we may or may not respect children’s social preferences. So often, we forget that children are human too. In
Literacy Activities for Preschool
Creating literacy-rich environments is certainly a buzz phrase in preschool classrooms. It seems that everyone is always looking for new literacy activities to make their
Teaching Another Language
Not all classrooms should try to teach a second language. This article explores the pros and cons of teaching another language in your classroom.