Bringing literacy experiences such as interactive read alouds, shared reading or shared writing and interactive writing doesn't have to add more direct instruction time to your day. In fact, adding more direct instruction time would not be the goal when working with little learners!
So the...
Have you heard of play schemes before? If you’ve ever wondered why young children play certain ways and repeat those actions over and over again - play schemes might be the culprit.
Understanding play schemes not only helps us understand the development of our young children, but it also...
Let's see if you can relate to me on this one, creating centers that draw children in and keep them engaged and make them want to go there, as well as helping them learn important skills that we've got to meet isn't as easy as it sounds. And that isn't even to mention handling the sometimes...
Have you ever heard of tray tasking? If not, don't worry, it is not as fancy as it sounds, but it does hold some serious magic when paired with centers. So, we're going to talk about the what, why, where and how of using tray tasking.
What Is Tray Tasking?
For me, tray tasking is placing an...
Center time is a major staple of a preschool program. And if you are running a play-based classroom like I am... free-play centers is the key ingredient!
But have you ever wondered.... how long should I schedule time in centers?
If you are half day program vs. a whole day program your center...
When you are running a play-based preschool classroom, centers are the core of the program. Carefully planned centers create an environment for learning through play because play is not a break from hard work, play is a child's work!
But sometimes, as the teacher, wrapping your head...
Last week I shared the plan I use for changing out my preschool centers. Go and check it out if you haven't: When Center Time Gets Overwhelming. There are some good tips to lessening the overwhelm of changing out centers.
And keeping with that theme - today I want to share some tips and tricks to...
Do you want to keep your preschool center time fresh and engaging, but get overwhelmed at the thought of actually doing it?
I hear ya.... it's work! But, what you need is a plan!
There are so many moving parts to center time that it can easily leave you feeling defeated before you even...