Elevating Early Childhood

Do you ever feel like you just don’t have enough center materials in your classroom? Are you wondering if what you have is enough? And how do you know? You see, setting-up and stocking your classroom centers can be very tricky.  Every good teacher knows that centers are essential for a high-quality early childhood experience.  The issue is that no one ever gives you an actual roadmap to follow whe...

Do transitions in your classroom have you at the end of your rope? Does it feel like you’re trying to herd kittens during arrival, dismissal, or cleanup time? Then I have two things to tell you: You’re not alone. I can help! You see, transitions are something that all early childhood teachers struggle with. Yes, even the most experienced ones. The issue is that even though everyone says transition...

Do your students struggle to write the letters of the alphabet? If so, I’ve got some good news for you: You’re not alone!  In fact, most preschool teachers have to deal with this issue every single year (if not several times a year). And because I have dealt with it too, I’ve ended up coming up with a few solutions to this pesky problem. Improving your preschool students' handwriting can be a diff...

Friends, I have a question for you: Are the students in your classroom too loud? If so, then welcome to the club no one wants to join (yes, I have jokes). I can relate to students who have trouble keeping their outside voices where they belong, outside.  And principals who complain about noisy classrooms. No matter what has brought you here, you and I both know there is no magic fix for this littl...

Friends, I have a question for you: Could your students use a little extra help paying attention during circle time? Are they constantly interrupting you? Or maybe they're struggling to learn important academic skills?  All right, that was more than one question, but you get the gist! Children have short attention spans, and that can mean constant interruptions in the early childhood classroom. Bu...

Do your students love playing with playdough in your classroom or at home? I know mine do! Playdough is not only super fun for children to play with, it’s also a great tool for them. It can help them develop stronger hand muscles and better hand-eye coordination. It’s also a great way for them to develop their fine motor skills. Plus, let’s be honest: It’s the one thing you can offer preschoolers...

Nothing strikes fear in the heart of a teacher more than a formal observation.  You’re exhausted from all the hours you spent creating the perfect lesson plans.  You’re waiting anxiously with a dry mouth and sweaty palms for your principal to walk through the door. And there’s this sound of a clock ticking inside your head that you just can’t get rid of, no matter how hard you try. Are you stresse...

Our morning routine sets the tone for our whole day. And the same can be said for your students. You see, what young children do from the minute they walk into your classroom each morning will affect the rest of their day. And this is why choosing the right morning activities for your classroom is a must! So, here are a few questions you should ask yourself:  How do I handle arrival time in my pre...

Friends, I have a question for you: Have you ever had a parent request that their child not participate in holiday activities in your classroom?  If you've taught for any length of time, chances are you've encountered this issue before.  But what can you do about it? And how do you deal with it in a respectful and inclusive way? In today’s episode, I’ll be answering these exact questions and shari...

In the last two episodes, Dan St. Romain and I sat down and discussed everything from how to teach your students to become more independent to how to get them not to interrupt you during small group time. Today, he and I will be tackling another hot topic: What to do when a parent tells you their child is being bullied.  Nothing strikes fear in a teacher's heart more than hearing from a parent who...

In last week’s episode, Dan St. Romain and I discussed how to teach children not to interrupt you during small group time. Something Dan and I really focused on during that conversation was the importance of teaching preschool-aged children to be independent the right way. Well, today, Dan and I will dive deeper into that, so I hope you’re just as excited as I am! Listen in as he and I discuss the...

It’s no secret that small group time can be challenging, even for the most seasoned early childhood teachers. Why is that? Simply because it’s not always easy to manage the other students while working with small groups, which means the possibilities for interruption can be… infinite.  But what can you do if you're struggling with constant interruptions during small group instruction? To answer th...

Many early childhood teachers feel like a broken record. They’re always saying “no” and “no hitting” and “use your words,” etc… If you’ve been teaching preschool for a while, then you know that every day can be like a battlefield (full of cute children, yes, but a battlefield nonetheless).  Our job consists of putting out a hundred fires at once while teaching children skills they will need in lif...

Friends, I have a question for you: Do you ever dread saying no to your students because you’re worried they might have a full on meltdown? I get you, I’ve been there too.  Trying to say “no” to a child without having them throw a temper tantrum is a whoooole lot of work. In simpler words, it’s hard.  But as you know if you’ve been listening to the podcast for a while, it’s not impossible! Every p...

If you’ve ever wondered why your students wander around the classroom and just… dump their toys on the floor, then you’re not alone! Let's face it, we've all had children in our classrooms wandering aimlessly from center to center pulling tubs of toys off the shelves without ever playing with them. The truth is, this is a fairly typical scenario in the early childhood classroom. The question then...

If you’ve ever taught young children (and my bet is you have, since you’re listening to this podcast) then you’ve probably had your fair share of daily fires to put out. I feel you, I’ve been there too.  It’s no secret that the daily life of an early childhood educator isn’t always sunshine and roses. And sometimes, it’s just really, really hard. One of the issues many pre-k teachers struggle with...

Teaching young children literacy skills can be tricky. They’re such an important skill that it can become downright intimidating to teach them to your students. Which one do you even start with? Letters? Letter names? Or letter sounds? Sometimes, the answer to that question seems obvious. But, most of the time, it’s truly not. And so, deciding which skill to start with can give even the most seaso...

Hello everyone, and welcome back to another episode of Elevating Early Childhood! Before we start, let me ask you a quick question: Do your preschool or pre-k students need help learning how to count and develop number sense? If your answer is "YES!" then you've come to the right place, because that's exactly what I'm discussing today. As you know, math doesn't come easily to everyone. Some childr...

Does this sound familiar to you?  While everyone else is out singing carols and decking the halls, you are barely keeping your head above water, because you're trying to do all that plus prep all of your lessons and activities for the first week back after winter break. Just thinking about this makes me shudder. The struggle is real, am I right? But, no need to panic, because today, I’ll be helpin...

Let me ask you this question. Have you ever had a child in your classroom get upset when they didn't get their own way?  If your answer is “yes” (and I’m sure it is), then this episode is for you! Why is that? Simply because in it, I’ll be discussing why kids may throw fits when they don't get what they want, how to respond appropriately, and why “You get what you get and you don't throw a fit” is...

If you’re anything like me, then you love a good deal (and truth is, who doesn’t?) Which is why this is such an exciting time of the year. As someone who looooves a good deal, Cyber Monday is one of my favorite ways to find good deals on new materials for my classroom centers. Even the ones that are too spendy may be affordable today, so I thought I would share some deeply discounted fun finds I r...

I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty certain hearing a student say “I’m boooooored!!” is every preschool teacher’s nightmare. I’ve been through this before, as have you, I’m sure. And, because of that, I know you can imagine the panic in every teacher’s head when those cursed words are uttered. But, have you ever stopped to ask yourself why your students are saying this? You see, it’s not always...

Imagine with me: You’ve got your preschool classroom all set up. The centers are stocked and ready to be used, full of materials you’ve purchased or made yourself.  Everything is the best it could be, and you just can’t wait for your students to use and enjoy every single center in the classroom. However, somehow, your kids just avoid certain centers. They don’t like them, don’t want to go near th...

Are you looking for ways to make things more fun and engaging in your classroom this November? If so, you're in luck because in today's episode of Elevating Early Childhood, I'll be sharing 12 fun, exciting, engaging, and developmentally appropriate ways to spice things up this Thanksgiving. From sensory bins to pumpkin pie scented playdough, these creative ideas are a fantastic way for your child...

Whether you love pumpkin pie and turkey, or you dread family get-togethers, one thing's for sure, Thanksgiving is almost here!  What does this mean for early childhood teachers like you and me? Well simply… the dreaded extra work . Being a preschool teacher can be challenging on the best of days, but, during times like Christmas and Thanksgiving, the work can downright be impossible ! However, thi...