Elevating Early Childhood

Hello everyone, Vanessa here!  I'm suuuuper excited to have you over again for another fun episode of Elevating Early Childhood. Today, I'll be discussing calendar time in preschool. As you know, calendar time in the preschool classroom can be challenging (for quite a few reasons).  And the big question about it often is: To do calendar or not to do calendar? And I am here to answer it for you! Ye...

Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new episode of Elevating Early Childhood! Today, I'll be discussing circle time and what to do when it goes awry. No matter how good you are at keeping your students focused and engaged during circle time, you'll find yourself, one day or another, facing issues. Circle time problems are common, but many of us find ourselves panicking when they happen. Ho...

Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new episode of Elevating Early Childhood. Today, we're talking… sensory table activities! Yes friends, it's time to go big or go home. Sensory play isn't just fun or messy, it turns out that it has other benefits too! If you're looking for ways to add interest and boost engagement during center time in your classroom, then you don't want to miss this epi...

Teaching math skills to preschoolers is not always straightforward. Not every child will find it easy to jump into the world of numbers, and some might even find math pretty intimidating. So, how can we, as early childhood teachers, help facilitate this for them? And where do we even start?  These are the questions I ask today's guest, who is none other than the amazing Shannon McCartney. Shannon...

Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new episode of Elevating Early Childhood! Today's episode is one many of you have been asking for. It's part 3 of my circle time series! But before we start, let me ask you a question: Are you searching for ways to make circle time more fun and engaging for your preschool students? If your answer is a resounding "YES!" — and I'm sure it is — then you've...

There are two types of teachers: Those who absolutely love technology and those who don't feel comfortable using it.  But the one thing both types have in common is that they never have enough time in their work day to get everything done. I'm sure you're in the same situation as well. Always running around, feeling like a headless chicken, because you have a million and one things to do and not....

Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new episode of Elevating Early Childhood! Today's episode is suuuuuuper exciting. "Why," you ask? Simply because I'm interviewing the brilliant Dr. Danny Brassell! If you haven't heard of him (although I'm sure many of you have), Dr. Brassell is an internationally-acclaimed speaker, best-selling author of 15 books, and overall funny person — I mean he is...

Friends, before we start, let me ask you a quick question. Do your students love pretend play? I’m pretty sure your answer is a resounding “yes!” because, come on , what child doesn’t like to act out everyday scenarios for fun? Well, you can take your students’ love for dramatic play, and turn it into a learning moment (isn’t that our job after all?) And what better way to do that than by creating...

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...

Do you have kids in your classroom who have strong reactions to things like loud noises or certain smells?  If your answer is "yes", then you may have students with sensory issues! Whether it's the first or the tenth time you've encountered a situation like this, it's important to know what to do, and most importantly, what not to do for your students' wellbeing! So, to discuss this, I've invited...

Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new episode of Elevating Early Childhood. Before we start, let me ask you a question: What's in your block center? If you're looking for ways to spice up your block center or help your kids get the most out of the block center, then this episode is for you! Because, let me tell you, when your block center is well-stocked and organized, student engagement...

What's the secret to making every circle time a smashing success? This is the question I answer in today's episode of Elevating Early Childhood! As you know, circle time is an essential part of every preschool classroom. Done right, it can be super fun and engaging! But, there is one big obstacle between you and a successful circle time... Children's short attention spans! I've talked about this b...

Friends, it's a new year!!  And you know what that means… NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS! Every single December, we all collectively decide the coming year is going to be our best.  But let's be honest, these last two years have been less than stellar, especially for teachers, thanks to a little something called "The Pandemic". However, as they say, third time's the charm, and 2022 is going to be OUR year!...

Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new episode of Elevating Early Childhood. Today, we're talking… organization!  If you're dreaming of a more organized teacher life in 2022, I've got you!  If you want a fresh start to the new year, then kick classroom clutter to curb and organize #allthethings with my very best tips. After all, no one enjoys it when they open a cabinet in their classroom...

I remember the very first time I saw a light table in a classroom, I was mesmerized by the soft glow and the reflecting colors.  There was just something about it that was super soothing and comforting to me. And who doesn't like soothing and comforting? I mean, those words sound like a cozy night in with a good book and a hot cup of tea! Well, after making my discovery, I thought to myself: "My s...

Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new episode of Elevating Early Childhood. Guess what? This week's episode is another amazing interview, with the one and only Dan St. Romain! Dan is a brilliant author and consultant with 30 years of experience in the education field. He has served as an educational diagnostician AND a behavior specialist on an early childhood campus, so, all in all, Dan...

Here is a question I get all the time from my listeners: "Help, my kids are out of control! What can I do?" Now this is something every early childhood teacher has had to deal with in their career.  It's no secret that young children are not all angels. It's normal, they're kids, and they don't have as much impulse control as we do.  Plus, they're at that age when they're starting to feel like the...

Hi everyone, I'm so excited to have you here back again! Today, I pick up right where I left last week in my riveting discussion with Melissa. If you're not sure what I'm talking about, let me refresh your memory a bit! Melissa and I discussed literacy, the importance of understanding the children you're teaching, and how to teach your students the alphabet. And today, we discuss even more fun stu...

Hey friends, welcome back to a brand new episode of Elevating Early Childhood! This one is suuuuuper exciting, but before we start, let me ask you a question! Has anyone ever said to you: "Oh, you teach preschool, it must be so much fun to play all day!"? Pretty frustrating, right?  Many people think teaching early childhood is a walk in the park, even when you and I know the truth: It isn't! Our...

After working with many teachers over the years, I've noticed one thing... "What is it, Vanessa?" you ask? Well, the answer is: The lack of flannel boards! And yes, I can hear you already... "But flannel boards are sooooo old school."  But let me tell you, they aren't! They can actually be used in very smart ways to teach many standards in your early childhood class! What do I mean by that? Tune i...

How can you make small group time work for you? I answer this question in today's episode of Elevating Early Childhood. When it comes to small group time, many preschool professionals find themselves scratching their heads. What is it? How does it work? And is it really that important? Well, let me tell you one thing: If done right, small group time can be highly effective and allow you to target...

The one thing teachers don't have a lot of besides money is time. There's never enough time in the day to finish everything that needs to be done! That's why in this episode, I'll be sharing my 10 favorite classroom must-haves; items that have saved me time or made my teacher life easier. Some of these things I've used for a very long time and I couldn't live without in my classroom, while others...

In last week's episode, I talked about how it can be a real challenge to get young children to listen and pay attention during circle time.  But what if I told you it doesn't have to be that way? What if there was a recipe for a successful circle time that you could follow? Wouldn't that be amazing ?  I know, I know - it sounds too good to be true, doesn't it?  Well, it isn't! In today's episode o...

In this week's episode of Elevating Early Childhood, I discuss something suuuper important: Circle time! As you know, circle time is pretty crucial in pre-k, and having a successful and effective one can be difficult. Why? Simply because most children have short attention spans, which means keeping them focused on circle time can be quite the complex task. But, I'm here to help!  Which is why, fir...

In this week's episode of Elevating Early Childhood, I discuss something super important: How to write lesson plans! This is a question I often get from teachers new to working at the preschool level. So, if you find yourself wondering where to start, or what kind of lesson plan works best for pre-k, don't freak out just yet! I want you to know, you're not alone, and I'm here to help! And today, I...