Being a Social Teacher

Caring, sensitive adults are ideal social teachers. Unlike preschool peers, parents and teachers draw on extensive emotional resources when they interact with children.

Being a social teacher means we:
* Help describe emotions verbally
* Understand the causes and effects of emotions and help regulate them
* See things from a child’s perspective
*  Assist in interpreting the emotions of others
* Match social interactions to a child’s developmental level
* Regulate their own emotions and understand teachable opportunities
* Appreciate the long-term consequences of social acts

No wonder the core preschool social skills such as empathy, emotional self-control, and communication are best nurtured by parents and families. As teachers we support the development of each child by making sure we connect with parents. For more ways to foster preschool social skills visit us at, ALL TOGETHER WE'RE BETTER.

Lost In The Translation

Thank goodness I speak 'Preschooler'. Sometimes what little ones do and say don't quite match. Getting to truly know each child is the main goal of mine whenever they are with me.
Of course yelling and throwing slobbery fits is not an effective way of communication. But being angry or sad because you miss a parent is understandable.
I do a lot of dictation with little ones. When emotions get lost in the translation I'll ask them when they are calm if we can write a story or a letter about what they are feeling. In every case the children prefer to hold their special letter throughout the day. They play, laugh, join circle times and then happily deliver the letter to the family member.
I guess sometimes having someone to listen to your feelings really does validate them. Sometimes all we need is to know someone cares.

success lifestyle

"Success comes in cans, not cant's."
  

Milestones of children's development are wonderful opportunities to cheer them on through life. A baby's first step, their first tooth, and what's even better is when they begin to have an awareness of how their brain works in connection with their body. Although we cannot see the mind like the brain kids are learning how it works as well. How they view their successes, their failures, and how we react to them really shape the mind.

When we teach them that a failure or a mistake is merely a stepping stone in life experience for success we give them a mindset for a success lifestyle.

Taking a chance or trying something new is no longer so scary, but an opportunity to do great things.

Skip!

Skipping is just jumping for joy, step after step."

~Jessi Lane Adams

It's impossible to skip and not smile at yourself. It seems like it's a built in reflex or something. Kids are naturally wiggly, fidgety, and a bit bouncy. I suppose we all can feel that way at times; you know, that nervous energy that makes the mind refuse to sit still.
When I see kids skipping I love to join in.
Skipping for me is a lot like life. You go up, down, even bounce around.
But through it all I can't help but smile....

Teaching Accountability in Early Childhood Education

EVERYBODY, SOMEBODY, ANYBODY AND NOBODY

There were four people - Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody.
There was an important job to be done and Everybody was asked to do it.
Everybody was sure Somebody would do it.
Anybody could have done it but Nobody did.
Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody’s job.
Everybody thought Anybody could do it but Nobody realized that Everybody would not do it.
It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when actually Nobody asked Anybody.

Sigh.
I remember reading this little story along time ago. When I became a director I made a copy and posted in the staff room. Humor always was a handy rubber sword to get a point across.
Teaching young children accountability really requires personal awareness on my part. When I am organized and aware of what my values are for the classroom and the children the preschool curriculum not only falls into place but everything seems to run much smoother. Like a well oiled machine.
Who would have thought children so young could care, work together, and take incentive to be accountable just because they were shown how?
We all have our moments of course, but the Somebody that could have been Anybody definitely has an opportunity to take part in what Everybody once thought Nobody was capable of.
Teamwork.

Will Work For Somersaults

"The end of childhood is when things cease to astonish us. When the world seems familiar, when one has got used to existence, one has become an adult."

~Eugene Ionesco

I noticed the preschoolers all sitting at circle time without me. Every now and then they hold their own class time routines and prove to be quite proficient at it.

"Okay, who here is grow-ed up?" The "teacher-child' asked leading the circle.
Everyone raised their hands.
"Good!" She clucked.
She quickly turned her attention to me as did the other children.
"Ms. Barbra?"
"Yes, Teacher?"
"Will you join us, please?"
"Thank you, I would love to come." I squeezed in on a carpet square.
"Now, that we are all here grow-ed children let's practice our somersaults!"

Bellybuttons

“A fool-proof method for sculpting an elephant: first, get a huge block of marble; then you chip away everything that doesn't look like an elephant.”
~Anonymous

We had made a fresh hot batch to play dough and after it cooled the children began working, pinching and poking it with their fingers. There is nothing like warm play dough, I tell you. We never even bothered with the play dough toys, we were just enjoying the warm soft texture.
I noticed Bell had gotten out a small sheet of paper and systematically began placing mini dough balls gingerly in rows on the crisp white sheet. She would stand back every now and then and seemed so be inspecting her work from every angle.
When she finished she began yelling across the table.
“Get it while it’s hot! Get it while it’s hot!”
Of course a small group gathered and I moved in.
“So Bell, what have you got that’s so hot?”
“They’re hot and fresh.” She said.
Preschoolers were reaching for them, little hands were waving in all directions across the table. I couldn't really hear what they were saying with all the high pitched chatter but Bell's items were clearly a hot ticket.
“I think I might need one or two, Bell.” I said holding out my hand.
“You sure you need two?” She laughed.
“I’m sure.” I said.
“Okay, two bellybuttons coming up!”

The Honorable Mention: Successful Clean Up Times with Kids

 “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”
~Henry Ford

Kids look up all the time. Why? They’re little doesn't mean "small"...just ask a Hersey's Kiss.
How do I know this?
I, myself…am vertically challenged. Petite…...ahem. But, I am a giant among the wee ones so please don’t break the news to them.
There are so many things I could be doing in the room that would be quicker, more convenient, and more efficiently done if I had done them all by myself….but I have a certain culture I wish to create in my classroom.
Teamwork.
Culture is like a seed. You must be take care in what you plant…because it can take over, like beautiful flowers or like thorny thistles.
We have small wash cloths, squirt bottles, and brooms for clean up times. The children use them often and were shown with care how to use them properly.
Parents were surprises when they first saw a clean up station set up in a preschool class. They initially thought the children weren’t allowed to touch it. When they saw children working with the materials they said.....
“Wow, so how do they know which of the clean up materials to choose? Option A, B, C or D?” They joked.
“As long as they use the materials together with purpose, they can choose all of the above” I laughed.

The Thank You Song

“I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.”
~G.K. Chesterton

Children are so precious…words just can’t tell you how my heart goes out to them and their families. I know the choices I have made within the classroom setting will impact the future generations. I am not one to cut corners, take the easy route…I take education seriously, in the sense that I am about focus. Am I perfect?…PPPPht, no…but I sure try.
What good is learning and creativity without depth?
Depth=Volume /(length x width).
A child can develop creatively “long”, and not be wide enough.
A child can be very “wide” in their learning but, still- not be long enough…something is lacking.
I added an ingredient to my preschool curriculum long ago that I found can only work through constant repetition. It must be put in the forefront of their mind, and mine…sometimes; I suppose…it’s easy to forget. Something so very needful-is so easy to forget…what is it?
Thankfulness.
That missing piece gives us volume...and gratitude mixed with joy gives us depth.
Here is a song we sing before snacks and lunch-
It’s to the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.

The Thank You Song

Thanks for the snack (Lunch) I like it fine,
Thanks for the drink it’s a favorite of mine.
Thanks for the things we share today,
Thanks for the wonderful chance to play.

Modeling in the Preschool Environment in Early Childhood Education

  
"The older I get the less I listen to what people say and the more I look at what they do."
~Andrew Carnegie

Modeling and the Early Childhood Educator

"The conscious awareness the early childhood educators have that his/her body language communicates to young children while moving about in the 'learning environment'. It is, in fact, the tone of voice, gestures, facial expressions etc. that one deliberately demonstrates for children to provide 'teachable moments' that we desire children to imitate and learn."~ Barbra Stephens

How do you model within your preschool environment?