planning
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All of My Calendars
I mentioned in yesterday’s post that I’m a planner – this might be a bit of an understatement. I’m very type A – I enjoy planning and I am meticulous about recording my plans. This means that I spend a lot of time on my calendars, yes calendars plural. I thought I would share my systems with you just in case any of you were striving to be more organized in the new year. I completely understand that my way is not going to work for everyone, but if something sounds helpful feel free to use it as inspiration! Unfortunately I can’t give close up photos of my calendars because…
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Using assessment results for planning
Preschool assessments are becoming the new norm, and there are a couple of reasons for this; Quality rating systems require programs to use them. Parents want to see that their children are learning and that they will be prepared for kindergarten. Beyond these main reasons, assessments can also be valuable tools for teachers to use when planning learning experiences for the children in their classes. Assessments tell you which areas children are excelling in, and where they need continued improvement. You can use this information to select and develop activities that allow children to be successful while still working on necessary skills. For example, if your assessment results indicate…
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Friday Freebie – Teacher Planning Pages
Happy Friday! This summer has flown by! This week is a double freebie week. On Tuesday I shared an awesome list of ideas for your monthly newsletters (download that here) and today I have a freebie for those of you who have started thinking about next year – or for those of you who know you probably should, and will eventually! I love, love, love these teacher planning pages. They have helped me stay organized for years and include 6 different idea trackers and lists to keep you on your toes. Go download your set and have a wonderful weekend!
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Re-establishing Classroom Routines after the Holidays
I may have gone back to work last week, but last week was all about survival. This week, on the other hand, is about getting back into routine and evaluating those routines as I think about the rest of the year. That means making sure that I’m planning ahead, following the schedule, and setting up systems that are helpful – not ones that create more work for myself! If you’re thinking about some of those same goals, here are some of my favorite tools for re-establishing routines and organizing all of my plans: Picture schedule cards are perfect for this time of year. They help the entire class get back…
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Assessment strategies for preschool
My first “real” job was teaching toddlers at a NAEYC accredited child care center, so I jumped right into a position that required teachers to complete assessments for every child, I’ve never NOT done assessment. So over the years I’ve come up with some strategies that have helped me keep track of all of the evidence and data. Within the last couple of years I’ve turned some of those strategies into really great products that you can get from my TPT store, so you don’t have to reinvent the wheel, or use your valuable time developing these things on your own! Here are my favorites: If you’re looking for a complete…
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Friday Freebie – Planning Pages
Happy Friday! This week flew by, and I’m not complaining about that but I would definitely love for summer to slow down just a little! Of course, this next freebie is sure to get you in back-to-school planning mode, so I suggest downloading these free Preschool Teacher Planning pages, storing them somewhere safe, and walking away from the computer before they suck you in. Enjoy your summer weekend and come back to them another day, like maybe when it’s raining!
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Friday Freebie – Summer planning
Happy Friday! It’s definitely summer, the temperatures are rising and I am in a very summer mood! This week I shared some of my favorite summer posts, let you know what I hope to check off my summer bucket list, hunted down some healthy summer snacks, and let you all in on some of my favorite summer outfits for work. Today I’ve found a freebie that will help you map out the rest of your summer. This Summer Planning set is from Proud to be Primary. It includes weekly and monthly calendar pages, along with a page to track what you plan to read, write, and create, plus any fun…
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Finding the motivating factor
I just came home from the dentist, I had to get three cavities filled. Yuck. To be honest, the actual procedure doesn’t bother me, I’ve had enough dental work done in my life that I’m used to the noise and the numbness, it’s the price tag that really hurts. I’ve been told for the last 20 years that I need to be flossing every day, and I finally learned the lesson – because I finally figured out my motivation. The cavities don’t motivate me, but the money definitely does. So what does this have to do with preschool… I promise, it actually flows quite well! This is why it is…
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Make your lesson plans work for you
I’ve always believed that your lesson plan should be more than just activities listed on a piece of paper. Your lesson plan should guide your day and help you feel more organized, confident, and prepared to start the day. To make your lesson plan work for you, it’s helpful to evaluate how it is formatted. Think about how you use your lesson plan. Do you follow it like a schedule? Do you pick and chose activities depending on your students interest levels, moods, and current temperaments? Do you use it like a checklist, ensuring that you complete the activities and meet specific standards? Do you make notes on it so…
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Friday Freebie – New Year Organization
Happy Friday! Happy New Year! I hope that you’ve got big plans for your last weekend before you head back to reality. I’ve had a fun, relaxing little break, but I’ve also done some planning ahead for the coming year. It’s inevitable that I will spend part of any vacation I take planning for what’s coming next, it’s just what I do. I also created some planning pages to help me out a little, so I’m sharing them with you as today’s Friday Freebie! If your resolution is to be more organized next year, then I’ve got you covered. Download these free planning pages from my TPT store, These pages…
