Be in the moment!
Do Your Own Thing- Each class is different and unique. Get to know your kids and adapt activities to stimulate them and create interest.
Intentional Teaching– What’s the point? Think of your goals and objectives and then make a plan. What age do you teach? What is their skill level?
Balance – Integrate activities where children sit and then let them stand and wiggle. Sometimes they need to be quiet and listen, and sometimes they can be encouraged to talk.
Hands-on– Try to provide multi-sensory experiences to activate different pathways to the brain. Finger plays, movement songs, handshakes, and real objects will engage children more than watching a video.
Vary the Stimulus– Yes, you want to have a basic routine to give children security and help them feel comfortable, but you need a little spark each day to keep them focused and curious.
Model, Model, Model! Children learn more from your actions than your words. Model sitting quietly, listening attentively when a child is talking, being enthusiastic with your facial expressions, and making the motions for the songs and finger plays.
Quit while you are ahead! Don’t make circle time too long! Start with 10-15 minutes and then extend it as the year goes along. They will let you know by their body language when they’ve had enough!
Follow a basic routine:
Good Morning Song
Handshake
Morning Message/Review Schedule
Calendar and Weather
Pledge, Rules & Mantra
Active - Skill Songs
Concept Lesson – Theme
You might also want to highlight a different area of the curriculum each day of the week.
Marvelous Monday– Teach a new nursery rhyme or finger play. Practice it each day at circle time.
Terrific Tuesday– What’s in the news? Introduce social studies concepts of interest to the children. Discuss friendship and showing kindness. Brainstorm what to do about classroom behavior issues.
Wonderful Wednesday– Focus on oral language with show and tell, echo chants, and phonological awareness games.
Thrilling Thursday– There’s always something interesting outside your classroom door that your children will be interested in. Each season brings new experiences and objects to observe.
Fabulous Friday– Just for fun! Play a silly game, have a dress up day (silly socks, shirt of favorite sports team, etc.), be DJ and play favorite songs, etc.
Intentional Teaching– What’s the point? Think of your goals and objectives and then make a plan. What age do you teach? What is their skill level?
Balance – Integrate activities where children sit and then let them stand and wiggle. Sometimes they need to be quiet and listen, and sometimes they can be encouraged to talk.
Hands-on– Try to provide multi-sensory experiences to activate different pathways to the brain. Finger plays, movement songs, handshakes, and real objects will engage children more than watching a video.
Vary the Stimulus– Yes, you want to have a basic routine to give children security and help them feel comfortable, but you need a little spark each day to keep them focused and curious.
Model, Model, Model! Children learn more from your actions than your words. Model sitting quietly, listening attentively when a child is talking, being enthusiastic with your facial expressions, and making the motions for the songs and finger plays.
Quit while you are ahead! Don’t make circle time too long! Start with 10-15 minutes and then extend it as the year goes along. They will let you know by their body language when they’ve had enough!
Follow a basic routine:
Good Morning Song
Handshake
Morning Message/Review Schedule
Calendar and Weather
Pledge, Rules & Mantra
Active - Skill Songs
Concept Lesson – Theme
You might also want to highlight a different area of the curriculum each day of the week.
Marvelous Monday– Teach a new nursery rhyme or finger play. Practice it each day at circle time.
Terrific Tuesday– What’s in the news? Introduce social studies concepts of interest to the children. Discuss friendship and showing kindness. Brainstorm what to do about classroom behavior issues.
Wonderful Wednesday– Focus on oral language with show and tell, echo chants, and phonological awareness games.
Thrilling Thursday– There’s always something interesting outside your classroom door that your children will be interested in. Each season brings new experiences and objects to observe.
Fabulous Friday– Just for fun! Play a silly game, have a dress up day (silly socks, shirt of favorite sports team, etc.), be DJ and play favorite songs, etc.
My hope is that you’ll be a little more excited to start the new school year and have some fun as you make plans so EVERY DAY WILL BE THE BEST DAY EVER!
