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Crayon Storage
I’m starting something new for my little blog; the last week of each month I’m going to focus on a different art supply, and how you can use that supply with your kiddos. This week will be all about crayons, which seems really simple, but I have a promise I have a lot to say about crayons! First and foremost, it’s important to recognize that you don’t have to use a specific type of crayon when you’re working with little ones. While it may be easier for your youngest students, or those with fine motor delays, to hold on to chubby crayons we also want to make sure that we…
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Friday Freebie – Weather I Spy
Happy Friday! This week kind of got away from me, there was just a little too much going on! I haven’t posted as much this week, but I have been working on big things with some of my favorite products. Tons of them are getting updates, so If you’ve purchased any from my TPT store make sure you take a minute to see if any of your purchases have updates! Today’s freebie is an activity that I could see myself sitting down to enjoy with the kiddos, its a Weather I Spy Counting set from Life Over C’s. There are so many different ways that you could use this fun,…
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Teachers Pay Teachers SALE!
Yup, you read that right, TPT is having a sale! It’s happening today and tomorrow and it’s the perfect time to stock up on everything that you’ll need for the rest of the school year, so start planning ahead and get your shopping done now! It’s a tradition here at Preschool Ponderings for me to share my own wish list when there’s a sale, so take a few minutes to see what I’ve got my eye on, and then go pick out some fun stuff of your own. Remember to use the code START16 for extra savings. Here’s my wish list: This adorable Sharing is Caring poster set from…
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3 Things that have changed the way I teach preschool
After teaching toddlers and preschoolers for nearly 10 years, I finally took the time to put all of the things I had learned into 3 different products. These products incorporate all that I have learned from great mentors, as well as lessons that I had to learn myself. Teaching is a journey, and all of us who’ve experienced it have something to share. That’s why it was so important for me to share my insights with all of you. Here are the three products that have given my teaching purpose and direction: Preschool Portfolio Pack: I’ve used similar portfolios and checklists for years, but they’ve never been designed to work…
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Routines and behaviors
Everyone says that routines are important. When you complain about behavior issues the first suggestion is always to implement a routine or schedule. But the real question is why? What do routines have to do with behaviors? In one word; Everything. Routines help children know what to expect and prepare for changes. Understanding the daily routine lets the child feel like they are in control because, instead of like they are being shuffled around by adults. When children have a routine to follow they are better able to focus on the work they are doing. They can immerse themselves in an activity because they know that they have time to…
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A flexible schedule in the preschool classroom
The words flexible and schedule don’t really seem like they should go together. Schedules aren’t generally flexible, but in preschool they should be. So what exactly is a flexible schedule? It’s a daily routine that has a some wiggle room. This lets the teacher follow the needs and interests of the children so that the entire group gets the opportunity to take advantage of teachable moments. Have you ever had an entire group of children working together to build a magnificent city in the block area, and you had to tell them that it was time to put it all away so that they could come to circle time? As…
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Preschool transitions – signals and warnings
Coming back to school after a holiday break is the perfect time to tweak and reinforce you daily schedule. One technique that can really help your schedule flow smoothly is is to employ warnings and signals that will let children know a transition is coming so that they are prepared to finish what they are working on. Having time to finish a project makes moving on a lot easier. Here are some ideas for warning signals that will catch their attention: Flip the lights off: Teach the children that they should freeze and listen for your message when the lights go off. Use a chime: Ring one note as…
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Friday Freebie – Martin Luther King Jr.
Happy Friday! Is it just me, or did this week last forever? I think that’s what happens after a nice long break, luckily this time of the year has plenty or great teaching days to look forward to, and that helps move things along a little. Today’s freebie is for one of those great days – MLK day. This can be difficult to help preschoolers understand because many of them have not faced bias, or even started to recognize differences like skin color. There are definitely conversations that we can have with preschoolers, and this I have a Dream freebie from Cara’s Creative Playground would be a perfect little activity…
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Lesson planning tips and tricks
This week has been all about lesson plans, because going back to school after winter break is hard enough without putting this particular task off any longer! Here are some other great Preschool Ponderings posts about lesson plans: Using a web to lesson plan Lesson plans for the first week of preschool Free planning pages E-Resources to use when you’re planning If you’re looking for more inspiration make sure to check out the other planning posts from this week; Thoughts for lesson planning when you use an emergent curriculum Ideas for organizing the materials you need for lesson activities Free lesson plan templates
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Lesson planning with an emergent curriculum
Earlier this week I posted free lesson plan templates. One of the questions that I used to ask the most was “How are you supposed to plan ahead when you are implementing an emergent curriculum?!” I like to think of my lesson plan as a flexible outline. When I sit down to write my lesson plan, I start with the activities that I know the children want to explore – these are the experiences that support what I’ve been observing in the classroom. They’re related to the conversations I’ve heard and the questions that the children have been asking. They may use materials that the children have shown a particular…
