teacher
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Back to school already?!
Now that all of my July materials are officially available, it can only mean one thing – it’s time to think about August, you know… back to school season! I might not be ready, but I will definitely take advantage of Amazon Prime day to help me get in the mood. Prime day is July 11th and 12th, so I’m making my list now, here’s what I’m buying on Prime Day for the classroom (all links are affiliate links and I may receive a portion of the proceeds): First things, first – my Prime membership always renews in August, which seems appropriate as we gear up to head back to…
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Preschool Teacher Wardrobe – Summer Edition
*This post contains affiliate links It can be really hard to find those outfits that are the perfect balance of professional, comfortable, and meet all of the needs of a preschool teacher (getting messy, sitting on the floor, lots of movement – you know what I mean). This is especially true in the summer. Summer means even more time outside, higher temperatures, and often running to other activities at the end of your work day. Every program is different, and that will of course mean you may have restrictions related to things like shorts, sleeveless tops, and dresses – but hopefully the items that I’ve been loving will give you…
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Building a Positive Mindset
I consider myself a naturally positive person, but the classroom can be a hard place to keep that going. Someone is always upset with someone else, there is always a mess somewhere, and I’m constantly having to change my plans. It takes a toll! When positivity doesn’t come naturally, there are some things that help me keep that positive mindset in the classroom. First and foremost, when I recognize that I’m struggling I make a conscious effort to find something (anything) positive that I can acknowledge. Sometimes this is as small as a child nicely walking across the classroom, or offering to share with another child. I’ll spend the next…
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Topics to Explore in Spring
Spring offers so many relevant topics to explore, so I wanted to put together a list with some old favorites and some new ideas – we all need to shake things up every now and then. Doesn’t looking at this graphic just give you ALL the spring feels?! This also gave me a ton of new ideas, I’ve got some work to do! Here’s the full list of 30 different themes, the ones that I currently have resources available for are linked. 1. Rain 2. Gardening 3. Seeds 4. Flowers 5. St. Patricks day 6. Easter 7. Weather gear 8. Bugs 9. Wind 10. Plants 11. Water cycle 12. Recycling…
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Holidays in the classroom; What to do when you can’t celebrate
I’m the first person to say that I love celebrating holidays – in my personal life that’s definitely something that I’m known for, and it feels natural for me to incorporate that into the classroom. While it is something that I love, there are a variety of reasons that holidays might not be appropriate for the preschool classroom. Some programs don’t allow teachers and students to celebrate in order to create a space where all of the families that they serve feel welcome. Others have specific funding streams that require no holidays be acknowledged, and still others will eliminate these to support specific families and staff. These are all completely…
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Dealing with Hard Days in the Classroom
We all have tough days in the classroom – but what about when those hard days start happening regularly, or even every day? How can you turn things around and get more of the days that you really enjoy? Let’s talk about this, what can help when you’re dealing with never-ending classroom challenges? I’m big on reflection, taking time to dig deep and think through what’s really behind what’s happening in the classroom. This can be hard when you’re right in the middle of it. If you’re in a place where it feels like nothing is going right and there’s nothing you can do about it, then we need to…
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Managing Challenging Behaviors
I promised you some real solutions to the tough stuff that you have to deal with everyday, and the number one thing on that list is challenging behaviors. These are the kinds of things that can derail the entire class and make you feel like nothing you do will make a difference – I’ve been there. I’ve put together a resource that will help you understand, manage, and change these difficult preschool behaviors step by step. I’m also giving you a FREEBIE so you can try it out right away! Behaviors are so tough because we aren’t always able to understand exactly where there coming from, and even if we…
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A Blog Post about Blog Posts
I know that’s quite the title for a post, but it’s the best way I can think to describe what I want to share here! I’ve been thinking a lot about how I can use this space to support those of you are serving so many different roles in the early care and education field – especially those of you who are childcare professionals. I love sharing fun posts about activities, projects, and printables – but these are the easy things. There are so many great ideas already available, and to be honest I know that coming up with things to do with children isn’t the hardest part of the…
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Using Amazon Idea Lists for the Classroom
It’s safe to say that online shopping is one of my favorite past times – I’m sure that says A LOT about me! There’s a tool that I’ve been using recently to help organize my wish lists and favorite purchases and it can be used in so many different ways. I’ve got to share what I’ve been doing with Amazon Idea Lists for the classroom. An idea list is an excellent place to keep all of those items that you’re thinking about, looking for, or really loving. These lists are easy to share with others so that you can collaborate. This makes planning classroom or school events something that can…
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Leaning into what brings me joy
I got a little vulnerable with you on Monday – this time of year is tough. The pressure to jump back into a routine after the holidays, when I’m not really ready for that, causes some friction. Add the dreary weather and joy can be a little hard for me to come by. I’m working through it by leaning into the things that I know bring me joy – a “Joy List” if you will! Whenever I’m feeling a little down – whether it’s because I’m burnt out at work, clouds and cold are impacting my mood, or I’m just in need of a pick me up – I like…
