A Preschool Teacher's Blog

“I don't like that man. I must get to know him better.”
-Abraham Lincoln

Challenging ourselves outside our comfort zone. Isn't that how discoveries are made? Making new friends, meeting new people, becoming successful in life.
I suppose for some people it's easier than others to meet people..
or to do math...
to sew, or shoot hoops, or do 3 point turns...
But I am talking about having to press past your mind when every thing in your being is telling you you simply don't want to do something...like what Mr. Lincoln was saying...
Him and the first person that ate the oyster....
These are thing kids can do...what do you think?

The Honorable Mention: The Early Childhood Education Blog

“Avoid popularity if you would have peace.”
-Abraham Lincoln

Does it still go on in classrooms-teacher’s pets in early childhood education? When I was a young child the teacher used to have what was called a “teacher’s pet”. He or she is usually the class nerd..uh, I mean, a poor unsuspecting smart kid that was always made an ‘example of’ by the teacher. Our teacher usually riddled them with compliments and goodies in front of everyone. I guess this was supposed to encourage good behavior…but sometimes it did the opposite. In one class member’s case-she had to take boxing lessons. After about 3 months everyone left her alone because she had gotten really good…and our teacher created a monster! By the seventh grade she was known as that ‘Angry-Heavy-Metal Girl-Who-Beats-Everyone-Up’. Quite a handle for a twelve-year-old. Funny…….huh, I really didn’t feel THAT angry….ahem...
Kids exaggerate SO much....

The Honorable Mention: A Preschool Teachers Blog

A hug is a great gift. One size fits all, it can be given for any occasion and it's easy to exchange.
~ Anonymous

The Heckman Equation-Ground Breaking Work for Our Kids

The price of ignorance is far greater than cost of an education.
~ Anonymous

Professor James J. Heckman is the Henry Schultz Distinguished Service Professor of Economics at The University of Chicago, a Nobel Memorial Prize winner in Economics, and an expert in the economics of human development. Professor Heckman has proven through his equation that quality early childhood programs (birth-five) heavily influence social and economic outcomes. By investing early in our children…economic outcomes will flourish. I have been seeing more bills passed in favor of children because of this work and the dedication of those that love and care for children.
Invest+Develop+Sustain=Gain

INVEST in educational & developmental resources for disadvantaged families to provide access to successful early human development

DEVELOP cognitive skills, social skills, & physical well being in children early-from birth to five when it matters most

SUSTAIN with early development with effective education through adulthood

GAIN a more capable, productive and valuable workforce that pays dividends to America for generations to come

It is exciting to see quality programs come into fruition, especially quality programs for young adults like those at Lifeskills 411. Isn’t it wonderful, when bad news refuses to leave, good news comes right on time?

*The Heckman Equation is a formula for success for policymakers and advocates in the field of childhood development, education, workforce development, social equity and economics.

Professor James Heckman and America's Children

Look up, for your redemption drawth neigh
~Luke 21: 28

In the course of history, there comes a time when humanity is called to shift to a new level of consciousness, to reach a higher moral ground. A time when we have to shed our fear and give hope to each other. That time is now."
~Wangari Maathai
Lecture upon receiving the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize

After winning the Noble Peace Prize in Economics, Professor Heckman was determined to find out why the American workforce was falling behind other countries- thus jeopardizing the present and future economic security. He had a heart for, and always believed in America’s most precious resource…so that is what he set out to tap into-the people. What Professor Heckman found should forever change the way Americans looks at children, their potential, and power of the human heart. Here is what he found, and what many of us know to be true.
*Intelligence & social skills are developed at an early age-both are essential for success.
*Early investment produces the greatest returns in human capital
*Americas advantage will come from helping the disadvantaged
*Quality economic returns come from quality investments in early childhood programs
By giving young children the right start in life, many of the problems we have now will be prevented. Crime will drop, test scores will increase, teen pregnancy will diminish…Is the answer that simple? Professor Heckman cared enough about people to ask the right questions to find the right answers. Perhaps it’s time to find the right people to implement the right answers. We will all benefit from these people… but, how do you even identify them? They must have a large heart for people and are not easily put down…Defying gravity, perhaps,…because everything they do is ‘UP’ and never down. Hmmmm-mm, count me in….

The Honorable Mention: Poetry About Children

Of all the needs (there are none imaginary) a lonely child has, the one that must be satisfied, if there is going to be hope and a hope of wholeness, is the unshaken need for an unshakable God.
~ Maya Angelou

Analysis Paralysis

Some problems are so complex that you have to be highly intelligent and well-informed just to be undecided about them.
~ Laurence J. Peter

What to do…what to do…everyday is a new day with a shining new beginning. Bright smiling little faces may be looking at you for fun, excitement, learning and you’ve got……nothing. I am speaking of myself, of course. Some days I will admit, I feel like everything I have done with the children had gone wrong-or that I have simply sputtered out like a firecracker. In actuality, it couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s just a bad case of analysis paralysis. It’s very catchy…so be careful. Unlike the common cold or virus it only spreads when you over think or analyze-pouring... over a situation or subject far too long. When I first began teaching my first case of AP came with my preschool curriculum. Then I realized all the curriculum I will ever need comes from the children themselves….To this day, I have never run out of curriculum that has been engaging and exciting for both the families and the children. What we see in this life depends a lot on what we are mainly looking for. My friend, Morgane is an artist…she sees art everywhere, even in a hardware store. I have never known her to limit herself to canvas and paint. What I love about her and children is that everything about their creative mind says, “GO!”. So if you ever feel a case of AP coming on, you might need to get creative.

Be a Well of Affection...

"The hardest of all is learning to be a well of affection, and not a fountain, to show them that we love them, not when we feel like it, but when they do."
~ Nan Fairbrother

Do I have a personal closet for my own hangups and attitudes? Can someone that doesn't even know me look at my face and know I am having a bad day?
If they do then kids surely do.
I would like to start each day fresh and polished....They deserve the best in me, so does everyone.....so do I.

Primary Caregiving

It takes a village to raise a child.
-African Proverb

I know it’s out there. I learned about the effects of primary care giving on young children. Marked differences in receptiveness in learning, socialization and self control in preschool aged children can carry over into Kindergarten and yet….it is not always enforced. At a few centers and preschool I went to many directors and teachers didn’t even know what primary care giving was. It there some new word for it now? Or…am I just, O-L-D? Well, If this is the case, allow me to tell you what worked a long time ago.

Primary Caregivers were usually assigned children at the beginning of the year (if they worked in teams). As the children began to bond with the teachers and vise versa, the children were reassigned in “groups”. As a primary the teacher made a special effort to get to know the group. These are some of the situations or activities that may be directed to her for the special attention.

*emotional/physical availability
*conflict resolution
*avocation/ parent conferencing
*diapering/toileting
*noticing & understanding the child & children
*caring for the child to grow as a positive & well rounded individual

If the teacher works in a team with others, it is of course, everyone’s responsibility to care for, manage, motivate and encourage all the children. We care for all of them- as primary caregivers it takes lots of communication and teamwork. These skills develop over time. I have found that there is much more attention given to the children and the parents as a result. As a primary care giver one has to have to ability to work within a team. This takes cooperation, patience, and a positive attitude- and that is what we are teaching our children anyway… I really hope I see more primary caregiving out there!

A Higher Standard

"Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody else expects of you. Never excuse yourself. Never pity yourself. Be a hard master to yourself-and be lenient to everybody else."
— Henry Ward Beecher

A Pastor once said that his beloved mother said to him...."I simply won't trust you with these people (the parishioners) unless I see a random child run up and hug your legs."
So true, isn't it.
I hold myself to the same standard....and strive to remain worthy of those hugs.
By the way....
She trusts her son....

The Honorable Mention: A Preschool Teachers Blog

I recall being very young and finding a dead humming bird with my young sister and our next door neighbor, Angie. I insisted on holding a funeral a ceremony and I hummed the eulogy. I intermittently hushed two girls giggling like cartoon mice as I hummed solemnly with my eyes closed. They were age three and I was five-years-old. All I really knew was that you were 'supposed to do something for something that died’. After that, I went off and played but I remember wondering about the bird...where did he go from there? My Mom sent me an E-mail the other day and I remembered the bird, again.Everyone and every culture deals with death differently. Some cultures celebrate it-and in others, it’s taboo. Young children may not understand the complexities of a lifespan or cycle. But they have a strong sense of what is going on around them in their environment. Here is the post my Mom sent…Thanks Mom, I love you!

While walking along the sidewalk in front of his church, our minister heard the intoning of a prayer that nearly made his collar wilt. Apparently, his 5-year-old son and his playmates had found a dead robin. Feeling that proper burial should be performed, they had secured a small box and cotton batting, then dug a hole and made ready for the disposal of the deceased. The minister's son was chosen to say the appropriate prayers and with sonorous dignity intoned his version of what he thought his father always said: 'Glory be unto the Faaather, and unto the Sonnn, and into the hole he goooes.'

Art and Creativity

"Nothing grows well without space and air."
~Patricia Monaghan

Regarding the creative process, art that is truly art happens instantly. If children are waiting for you to cut, punch out, stamp, staple or draw something…chances are it’s not art. Sometimes there is a specific project or craft you have in mind-and the children have another idea. Crafts limit the creative process because mistakes are so visible and upsetting to children. Art…true art, allows the child to simply create and enjoy the process while socializing, using their senses, telling a story, or even while working through emotions.....sounds a little Andy Warholish- but,it's about the kids.

An Organized Mind

"Loyalty cannot be blueprinted. It cannot be produced on an assembly line. In fact, it cannot be manufactured at all, for its origin is the human heart-the center of self-respect and human dignity. It is a force which leaps into being only when conditions are exactly right for it-and it is a force very sensitive to betrayal
~Maurice R. Franks

As a preschool teacher-when I am with the children I am focused on them. When I am working as a team teacher I am conscious that their eyes and ears are on me….I and careful about the things I say and do. I don’t spend time yakking on my cell phone, text messaging, I spend time with the kids…I devote the time to the children and unless there is a pressing emergency-everything else can wait. During naptime or specific times of the day is playing catch up with “big people” stuff. Your mind has to be organized and you must make a decision every day to do it or it will never happen. A lot of these skills I learned through cutting edge programs called Life Skills 4ll and youareaceo.com.
The children bounce off the teachers’ vibe…there is nothing like feeling calm, organized and focused…then your classroom will begin to fall in line.

The Teacher's Reward

Mental toughness is many things and rather difficult to explain. Its qualities are sacrifice and self-denial. Also, most importantly, it is combined with a perfectly disciplined will that refuses to give in. It's a state of mind-you could call it character in action."
~Vince Lombardi

Making conscious decisions everyday to put the children first speaks volumes as to what we as educators value. Creating variety in the learning environment is completely up to you…but that is the key to holding the children’s interest, sense of exploration, and enthusiasm about the classroom and how they feel about school. Our own mental energy is what will limit our children. Being the consistent person in the classroom is needful as well. You are the one person that holds the program together in that sense…providing consistency. Being the shoulder to cry on, the ear that will listen, and the cheerful face that provides a ready approving smile of encouragement. Yes, it’s difficult at times…and our payment is not visible on a paycheck. The reward is on the inward part of the heart….It’s just what good teachers do.

The Honorable Mention: The Early Childhood Education Blog

“Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding ‘danger’ is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.”
~Helen Keller

Helen Keller was, for a time, the most famous person with a disability in the world. A severe fever at age 19 months left Keller blind and deaf and barely able to communicate. At age six Keller met Anne Sullivan, her beloved tutor, who taught her the alphabet and opened up a whole world of education to her. She went on to college. Why am I telling you this…Well, aside from Ms. Keller being an amazing person- many young    children simply don’t know how to communicate to us adults that every time we leap, hover, huff & puff over spilled paint, spots on the floor or drippy dribbles of glue on their clothes…well, that becomes their focus rather than a beautiful painting, collage, or clay sculpture. Sometimes, our well meant intentions to help have hindered or scared or children into second guessing themselves. Now…I am in now way implying children should have a free-for-all throwing wads of clay at one another…but how do we as parents, and teachers of our children feel about allowing them to really “dig into materials” ( with adult supervision-of course) and see where it takes them…..?

                                                                                                                                                   

Why I Love Teaching Young Children

 “Working with young children is like having a job description carelessly scribbled out for you in a box of bold colored crayons-you’re free to explore, create, think outside the box….you just don’t always have to ‘stay within the lines’.”
-Barbra Stephens

Create and Explore with Preschoolers

 “There is no doubt that creativity is the most important human resource of all. Without creativity, there would be no progress, and we would be forever repeating the same patterns”
~Edward de Bono

I enjoy the fact that I can create a setting where children are free to create and explore. There are plenty of good hearty “raw” materials to work with that the children can freely explore at certain times of the day. ‘Green materials’; like card board boxes, newspaper, bits of twine, leaves, masking tape, scissors, glue, etc. are regular staples in the art area during free time. The children love to discover and make wonderful creations with these materials. The parents have become so excited about the intensity at which their children are working on their ‘masterpieces’ that they have decided to contribute to our ‘Green Materials’ art box-at times these materials can spill over into other areas of our classroom environment. These project have become short or long term projects, thematic projects, or take home projects…all prompted by the preschool children. I often think back in my early years of teaching preschool children where I had the tendency to want to entertain the kids. Those poor three year-olds…looking back at me like the all just got a shot of Novocain while I lip sank to “You’re a Shining Star” by Earth Wind & Fire. Sad..........I was just a nubie and age 17, what did I know. But now that I know this much is true, when children know they are the ‘Shining Stars’ and as their smiles brighten up the room- how could you not feel like a Shining Star, yourself !

Teachers Create the Weather

 "I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It's my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher I possess a tremendous power to make a child's life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or dehumanized"
-Dr. Haim Ginott

Often times early childhood educators set themselves up for a response from a child. How would you react as a if you were in this situation?
These happened quite sometime ago.....
A Kindergarten teacher argued she could teach a very effective lesson on the circulatory system to her class of four and five-year-olds. Being a former nurse, she maintained that she could use her old medical posters along with the preschool curriculum. Reluctantly, the director approved her ideas but questioned how she would make the lessons all work for so young a group of children. The teacher invited her to sit in on the circle time lesson.

Here is how it went;

 "Now class," she explained to further, "if I stood on my head all the blood would run into it and my whole head would turn red, right?"
"Right!" The children nodded in unison like a line of bobble heads.
"Good, so tell me...why do you think when I am standing upright that the blood doesn't run all into my feet."
Silence.
"I know," blurted one little girl finally, "because cause your feet ain't empty!"

 This happened in my first grade class when I was a little girl; 
The principal walked into the room and my teacher stopped the lesson and asked all of us what we liked best about school. After about two minutes of us all staring at each other I could see little beads of sweat forming on her upper lip...she began to plead with us.
"Come on class there must be something you like about school....anything?"
Finally, Ernesto raised his hand.
"What I like best about school is that we have so many days off."

I heard about this one....
A note was written beside a big basket of juicy red apples at a Catholic School in lunch line at the grade school cafeteria. It read;
Take only ONE, God is watching!
At the end of the cafeteria line was a large plate of assorted cookies. Beside the plate a child had written a note in crayon. It read;
Take all you want, God is watching the apples!

Appreciating Teachers

"One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings. The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child."
~Carl Jung

Why do children want to hear that story again?

 “If you've heard this story before, don't stop me, because I'd like to hear it again.”
-Groucho Markx

Preschoolers and toddlers absolutely love repetition. Children master skills though constant repetition, while we-as adults simply look for the quickest way to do things.
In early childhood education there is a balance with this, of course. Finding more ways to incorporate literate as well as social skills is part of setting up a creative environment in the classroom.

What the children are asking for is to be swept away into a book or a story….this is a love for the written word; literature, books, a foundation for a love of reading, writing, language arts…and not to mention the intricacies of the characters, and a really good plot! Thinking of it that way, it I would hope anyone would think twice before refusing to read or simply read a child a story…..again….and again……

How do you get preschoolers to be quiet?

 "Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding."
-Albert Einstein

Shhhhhhhh! Shhhhhhhhh! Are you shuuushing the children? When I was a director I had my staff do lot’s of role playing. The teachers got to be the children to see how it felt. One staff member began talking and  another adult got in her personal space and went, “SHHHHHHH!” Then, she was asked how she felt. She said she felt humiliated and almost like crying from the embarrassment.
Well…how do you get preschoolers to be quiet? You must ask yourself what is most important…the quietness, the language rich environment, the enthusiasm of the children, your control over of the children? What may really rock your noodle is that the real question boils down to your own personal values. Your true values will manifest themselves through everyday decisions you make with the children and through behavior you display around the children. I used to throw hissy fits in the most inconvenient places…oh, I knew what I was doing, and mind you…I was three going on thirty and very much a middle child. My mother had her hands full. I used to scream, probably for candy. My mother used to whisper in my ear- I would stop screaming and lean in so I could hear her. My mother was very smart. I used the same tactics if I need to get a group of children’s attention: whisper, do something unexpected and draw in their attention. More noise doesn’t always call for more noise…then everyone has a headache.

Parents as Partners in Early Childhood Education

"When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but creatures of emotion."
~Dale Carnegie

"Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless."
~Mother Teresa

How well rounded a teacher are we, really? At one point in my teaching career I was allergic to parents in the early childhood setting. I said nothing more than a cheerful ‘hello’ and ran the other way or became engrossed in something…anything. I eventually got the hang of it-how? I pushed myself, and I saw the how it benefited the not only the child but the parent. Another hidden bonus was I was less likely to have misunderstandings between myself and the parents if a situation happened. We had already established a relationship and invested time in one another. I never took it lightly that a parent or guardian entrusted a small child’s life and well being in my care. To me, it is no small thing. Parents working with teachers as partners in a child’s education makes a very big impression on a child-no matter how young they are. They have a sense something very important and wonderful is happening to, for and about them. They may not understand it fully- but as it comes to fruition; coupled with foundations of success and love- adults in their lives can assist them with a love of learning and success skills that can carry them well beyond the after years.

teacher's tips to helping the new kid in class

"Come to the edge, He said.
They said: We are afraid.
Come to the edge, He said.
They came. He pushed them,
And they flew . . ."
-Guillaume Apollinaire-French poet

Okay…no one likes to see a child cry. I breaks my heart, I never just get ‘used to it’. But I do understand separation anxiety and have been through the process enough to know the outcome of consistency, love and understanding. Children and have different temperaments, comfort levels and paces at which they learn and grow. It would be silly to expect all preschool children to be pleased as punch; happily starting a new preschool without a fuss. Starting a whole now routine is a very big deal for a child; for some, it would be the equivalence of an adult waking up one morning and starting a whole new job without interviewing for the position-you are just expected to learn as you go. When I had new children we make sure they were shown a proper welcome. This is a list of what we did as a class.

Teachers Tips to Helping the New Kid In Class:
*The children made a welcome banner with the child’s name
*We had the cubby ready and a signed card
*As a class we showed him/her all the areas of the room including the bathroom
*We played name games and “get to know you games” over and over again
*The teachers make sure we find out what the child likes and dislikes-We want him/her to be comfortable!

The resilience of children amazes me. As a child I loved daycare. I loved kindergarten, too. I remember the teachers I liked and the ones I didn’t. It was the same through high school and college. I looked for the teachers that encouraged me and gave me a small push-just like the poem. Perhaps, that’s why in my dreams I can always fly.

Successful Circle Time Techniques for Teachers

 "How can you have charisma? Be more concerned about making others feel good about themselves than you are making them feel good about you"- Dan Reiland

You may have heard the term,” make an exciting exit’. The same goes with ending a successful circle time. I never paid much attention to how I ended my own circle times before…but you do enough of them, and you pay attention with careful detail, and come to find out, there is more an 'ending' than just saying, “Hey kids, when you see me getting smaller, I’m walking away, this is not an illusion”. I have had the opportunity to go to many workshops and see many talented teachers at work. Charismatic preschool teachers that have captured the children’s attention; took them on wild adventures all over the room and brought them back to the group gathering again. At the end of the circle time the teacher and the children recalled the adventures they had done. They would think of things they could do for the next circle time-the teacher would even write down some of their ideas and read it back to them. At the end they clapped and cheered for all their efforts. The only way to get comfortable with new and exciting things is to do it. If it doesn’t work-do it again. Change is like pizza to a child, even if it’s bad it’s still pretty good.

Successful Circle Time Teaching Techniques

 Children love to actively participate and interact at group times. At times I will personally narrate what will happen and model for them how you wish for them to participate, if that is what the activity calls for. Being animated and excited about what is being taught comes in many forms. Not all circle times will feel loud with everyone rolling in belly laughter. I mean, let's be real, there can be just as much fun and excitement in learning in a quiet atmosphere as there is in a noisy one. Here are some tips of the trade to keep in mind.

Circle Time Teaching 
Techniques for Teachers:
*Keep the circle time VERY visual and interactive
(Talking puppets kids can touch, large picture books, flannel stories, etc.)
*The children are your dashboard, when they are fidgety and bored-start to end your circle time.
*TRY to have enough supplies for all the children if possible, unless the activity specifically calls for otherwise. Sharing supplies and waiting for turns work best in small groups rather than large ones.
* Speak clearly and in a peasant joyful tone to the children-look them in the eyes and encourage questions.
*Enthusiasm is your first, middle and last name! And smile and make it fun for yourself as well!

“Don't limit a child to your own learning, for he was born in another time.”
-Rabbinical Saying

Successful Circle Time Tips &Techniques

 en⋅thu⋅si⋅asm –noun. Absorbing or controlling possession of the mind by any interest or pursuit; lively interest: eagerness, warmth, fervor, zeal, ardor, passion, devotion.


For me as a preschool teacher main focus of a successful circle time is the enthusiasm I into it. All the props, puppets and wonderful story books will not hold the children’s attention if I am not likable and enthusiastic. Before starting any gathering or circle time, it is important to prepare and have ‘back up materials” in case your original plans fall flat. Children usually have requests for songs, flannel stories or special books. These will most likely be successful. Every circle time is broken down into three distinct parts; the beginning, the middle and the end: sort of like how a good book is written.  It is the teachers job know when or when not to transition the children as a group into each phase. Before you start your circle time, ask yourself these questions.

Successful Circle Time Tips &Techniques:
*How is this grabbing young children’s attention?
*Is this start the circle time engaging and fun for children?
*Will I spend most of my time telling children to be quite or will I encourage participation?
*Will the children “want” to come to this circle time?

I must admit some days, I have never gotten to transition my group of children past “the beginning” of the circle time. To have pushed it would have been to have lost the whole group. Some days…ah yes, everyone just needs to go outside and play. Some groups as a whole will be better than others as far as engaging in circle time, but I encourage you to gather then at least twice a day as a group. Learning what technique to use with kids can even very from day to day, but I never gave up on kids as a group. I like to to always look at kids at the finish line on success.
If children are unruly as a group, I address them as a group and express dissatisfaction in a firm but pleasant voice and with overwhelming amounts of love and understanding. Young children do wish to please adults, and they flourish when they have strong support beneath them.