I really like children’s books that honor cultural diversity in meaningful, fun and engaging ways. Another opportunity to compare and contrast book themes with your children would be to choose a couple of books that celebrate similarities and differences between people. Hairs/Pelitos by Sandra Cisneros is a beautiful bilingual book about a family – and their […]
This link will take you to the page on the NAEYC website associated with Curriculum, Assessment and Program Evaluation. Here you will find position statements that outline best practices, current concerns and recent trends in early childhood assessment. I often go to the NAEYC website to see what our national professional association has to say […]
There is a lot of pressure on teachers to account for their time, for what they do, for how they do it, and what results because of it. My friend Cathy quoted her friend Sandy (by all accounts, a spectacular teacher) who recently said, “We used to spend all of our time thinking about what […]
This kit has all sorts creative ways to think about size and comparison. I don’t think everyone has to run out and buy the kit, but you can get some great ideas to create your own materials that support these mathematical concepts. In order for young children to be successful in comparing sizes, they need […]
This 2-page handout might be interesting to share with parents if you are using authentic assessments in your program. Written in easy-to-understand language, it describes how we use authentic assessments in early childhood programs, why we use them, and how parents can benefit from understanding them. Check it out here.
I know that I have written about my love of Eric Carle in the past but this month’s theme of comparing and contrasting using children’s books reminded me of a wonderful interaction I observed last year while visiting one of my practicum students. The children in her classroom had been studying Eric Carle for a […]
I just received this so I haven’t had a chance to read it but I will. Just in case you are interested…. The 2013 State of States’ Early Childhood Data Systems report, released by the Early Childhood Data Collaborative, is based on a survey of 50 states and the District of Columbia, assessing the coordination […]
In The Art of Awareness: How Observation Can Transform Your Teaching, Deb Curtis and Margie Carter have written a wonderfully insightful and really useful book about the value of observation in the early childhood classroom. Today, I want to focus on the idea that good observation is a practiced skill and good observers know that […]
Over the winter break from my teaching job, I spent quite a bit of time cleaning and organizing our Child Development laboratory. We really dug deep, opening boxes that had never been opened and discovering materials that had never been used. In our excavations, I found a brand new set of Cuisenaire® Rods, complete with […]
10. I love you to the moon and back. 9. You are very much loved. 8. You are unique and special. 7. You make me so happy. 6. Thank you for being you. 5. Our classroom would not be the same without you. 4. When I see you, I smile. 3. You are my sunshine. […]