“Carpe Diem” is a Latin term that means “seize the day”. Teachers seize the day, moment by moment. A “teachable moment” is an unplanned opportunity that arises during the day that affords a teacher an opportunity to offer his/her insight or support to children as they explore the world. Teachers and parents identify “teachable moments” […]
Next week, we say goodbye to our dear old Governor Quinn and usher in a new Governor by the name of Rauner (in case you hadn’t heard). I think things may get interesting in the State of Illinois. However, this new Governor has a reputation for caring deeply about young children and education, so I […]
Last week I visited the Victoria and Albert Museum of Childhood in London, England. We were on vacation visiting my family in Jolly Olde England and I made it a point to get over to this museum since I knew it would provide inspiration for this blog and it would fill my heart with images […]
Happy New Year Early Math Counts Readers! How are you explaining the “New Year” to the children in your care? How do you explain a really big number like “2015” to young children? I would love to hear some of your ideas and classroom practices that support calendar concepts. Let us know.
I hope you all have a wonderful and restorative break, if you are fortunate enough to have one. I will be taking 2 weeks off, but will return refreshed and reinvigorated on January 5th for another year of math blogging. Happy New Year! Be Safe and Enjoy Your Families!
This is the time of the year when very young children are reminded that something special is coming (Santa Claus, presents, time off, a vacation, grandparents) but they aren’t quite sure when these things are going to happen. They often say,”Santa is coming tomorrow,” much in the same way they say, ‘My birthday is tomorrow,” even […]
Last week was BIG for ECE. President Obama released the 2015 federal budget which outlined a continued and broadened commitment to Early Childhood Education. The State of Illinois also received an additional $80 million, in Race to The Top money/Early Learning Challenge, to be distributed and matched by the state over the next 4 years. What this […]
When my husband was a child living in Laramie, Wyoming he befriended a boy from Japan who was spending a year in the US with his family. His father was a visiting scholar at the University of Wyoming. Although they only spent one year playing together, this friendship held something special for both of them. […]
After writing about a Three Dog Night, I got to thinking about other common and not-so-common expressions that might have a place in the early childhood classroom. Who remembers this campaign? According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, to Give a Hoot is to call or shout in disapproval or scorn,” c.1600, probably related to or […]
Unless you work in a faith-based program, the holiday season should be almost nonexistent in your classroom. Some of the December holidays are rooted firmly in religious teachings and others are celebrated by specific cultures. None of them have a place in diverse and publically-funded programs. That does not mean we should ignore them altogether. Children […]