COMPOSTING WITH WORMS What’s your favorite animal? I love worms. Yes, really. Next to snails, they are my favorite land creature. They’re fascinating and, even with how underappreciated they often are, worms do a lot for us and we can learn so much from them. Worms teach us that no matter how small we may…Read Full Post
As August looms over us and summer comes to an end, teachers from all over the country will enter their classrooms to meet a whole new group of students as they do every year. The beginning of the school year can be an exciting time, however, amongst the excitement, there may be moments where teachers,…Read Full Post
When teachers are presented with the option or requirement to teach summer school, many may automatically think of that sweet, sweet extra paycheck. However, when gearing up to teach a summer session, there are a lot more benefits to the job than just the financial one. I’ve been teaching summer school every summer since I…Read Full Post
Feeling Qualified When someone suggests taking time to introduce yoga into your home, several thoughts may come to mind. You may be thinking: “Great, one more thing I need to plan and schedule into my already hectic day.” “I can’t even touch my toes, I’m supposed to show my child how to do yoga?” “I…Read Full Post
Feeling Qualified Often times we refrain from introducing something new into a child’s play for fear of it being complicated or time consuming. Perhaps we don’t fully understand it ourselves or feel discouraged from others due to cultural and communal expectations. When looking into yoga for children, many parents are interested but shy away from…Read Full Post
The Problem I can remember countless times during my childhood that I just could NOT sit still in school. In Second Grade, I got in trouble for the very first time for my wiggles. We were studying vocabulary words and I’d subconsciously devised a strategy for these simple words. Each time I would spell a…Read Full Post
The Problem Let us imagine for a moment the most incredibly perfect classroom. It has an impeccable layout, space galore, neverending supplies (that you don’t have to pay for), and students who manage stress like meditation gurus. Classroom support runs aplenty and transitions occur without a hitch. This is a classroom that provides students with…Read Full Post
The Problem A student in your class has become extremely agitated. They show the typical symptoms leading to a melt down. Tightened fists, tense facial muscles, perhaps some tears and of course, shallow quick breathing. In this moment, our first words are “Take a deep breath”. Easier said than done. But, we persevere and break…Read Full Post
The Problem Children ages 3-8 receive approximately 15-25 minutes to move during their 6-8 hour school day. Imagine for a moment that you have to sit at your work desk for 6-8 hours without leaving your seat except for 20 minutes to move around (often times in an empty gymnasium) and about 30 minutes to…Read Full Post
It is important that parents and early childhood educators are aware of how multicultural education–or lack of it–can impact a student’s social emotional development. Early childhood educators have many responsibilities throughout the school day and beyond to ensure the success of their students. These responsibilities include morning meeting, assessments, and curriculum planning, development, and changes.…Read Full Post
