YOU (Teacher)Create the EnvironmentYou are the important ingredient in teaching a child to love learning. In fact, you are the cornerstone of the classroom environment. No matter if you are in a tiny basement classroom or a huge sunny space, it is your interactions with children that turn any place
Children innately love learning. It is as much a part of their life as breathing. Very early in life children begin exploring their body, their skills and the sensory world around them. They may not think to themselves, “Oh, I am learning” but that is exactly what they are doing as they investig
April 09,2014
“STEM in Preschool”
Advances in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (Based on work from the Boston Children’s Museum) What is STEM- STEM is an acronym.It was used originally by the US government to describe fields of study that helped immigrants get work visas: science, technology, engineering, and math.Today,
April 02,2014
“A Word About Workbooks”
Workbooks and worksheets are showing up more and more in early childhood programs. Not just as additional or enrichment activities, but as an important instructional focus. Of course, the use of worksheets is not new. But what is disturbing is the amount of time children are now being asked to “le
February 17,2014
Science is the Art of Invention
“Equipped with her five senses, child explores the universe around her and we call that adventure Science.” ~Edwin Powell Hubble,1954 In both science and art the “good stuff’ is not necessarily the end product but the learning and fun of the journey. When we provide children with a d
January 31,2014
Early Literacy and language- Why Begin with Infants?
“Babies need social interactions with loving adults who talk with them, listen to their babbling, name objects for them, and give them opportunities to explore their worlds.”– Sandra Scarr (developmental psychologist ) Literacy is a process of adding new skill to the one before and whi
How many times have you heard your child say, “Look what I did…Look what I found” with delightful amazement? The discovery of an interesting flower, rock, or button may seem inconsequential to adults but can become the basis for great opportunities for thinking, problem solving and fun.A walk
December 27,2013
Techniques for Using Art in Science Drawing, Charting and Graphing
There are a many different ways to help children translate what they have learned about a science concept into abstract and artistic representation. This is an important skill because it not only allows children to apply what they have learned (and to demonstrate their understanding) but it also inv
From the moment children arrive to the end-of-day song, two-way communication is crucial for developing language and literacy skills. Greeting Time: Getting to Know One Another Arrival is one of the best times for one-on-one conversations with children. Such talks help to engender a sense of belongi
November 15,2013
The Art of Thinking in Preschool Children
“Imagination is more important than knowledge.”– Albert Einstein Thinking is the magic word in education today. This is as it should be … because it is the lack of curriculum integrated thinking skills activities that has produced a nation of children who can get the “right” an