Elevating Early Childhood

Unpopular opinion alert! Today I'm taking on fine motor journals. Let's talk about the developmental stages of writing, proper letter formation, and authentic opportunities for developing fine motor skills - without fine motor journals! Teaching Trailblazers Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers   

Check out my latest circle time area makeover, 2023 edition! Have you ever wondered what you should have in your circle time area? Or maybe you're wondering what's really necessary, and what's not. In this episode of Elevating Early Childhood I'll be unveiling my new circle time board for 2023-2024. You'll learn the must-haves, as well as the "don't bothers" so you can set yourself, and your students up for success all year long.

Welcome to another episode of "Elevating Early Childhood!" In this episode, we unravel the secrets to creating a successful preschool writing center from Day 1.

Today we're diving deep into setting up the perfect Circle Time Area for your little learners. Discover how to create a space that inspires, educates, and brings everyone together!

Does setting up your centers stress you out? Are you looking for ways to make your sensory table center more fun and engaging for your students? In this episode of Elevating Early Childhood we'll be looking at the best sensory bin tools to enhance sensory play and fine motor skills. We'll also discuss sensory bin fillers and there's even a free printable included to make setting up, planning for, and managing your sensory table a breeze!

Do you have questions about setting up the dramatic play center in your classroom? Are you looking for ways to make your dramatic play center more engaging and deepen the play and learning? Or maybe you just LOVE peeking into other teacher's classrooms. If any of these describe you, then you're in the right place. This episode of elevating early childhood is part of a series I'm doing called Learning Center Tours where I draw back the curtains on each center, so stick around until the very end so you won't miss a thing!

In this impactful episode of Elevating Early Childhood with Vanessa Levin, we dive into the heart of the early childhood classroom with a focus on blocks – the cornerstone of creativity and cognitive development. Discover the intricacies of setting up your block center for unparalleled success in this center tour. Answering burning questions from my e-mail inbox, I'll will guide you through the crucial components of an effective block center set-up. Join me for this in-depth tour, showcasing real-life examples and the best tips and tricks to avoid catastrophe, before it strikes! I'll provide detailed insights on what to put on the shelves in your block center for the first day(s) of school, and expert troubleshooting tips to set yourself and your kids up for success in the block center. Tune in and empower your teaching journey with my comprehensive guide to creating a thriving block center. This episode is an absolute must for any educator looking to refine their approach and set up their block center for success. Let's leverage the power of blocks and shape our future one block at a time!

Teachers, do you want the upcoming school year to be your best year ever? What if I told you that you can start laying the foundation for a successful school year BEFORE your kids ever walk through your classroom door? Yes, you heard me right! You can get a jump start on things during the summer that are going to ease your "schoolmares." In this episode of EEC I'll be sharing my secret weapon to combat your schoolmares head-on, right now, before the first day of school.

Teachers, are you overwhelmed by all the “non-teaching” responsibilities you have at school? I'm talking about the things not related to when the students are in the classroom, like labeling the tubs in your centers, communicating with parents, planning events like meet the teacher etc. I could go on because the list is endless, but you know what I'm talking about. All these things can add up quickly and lead to feeling completely overwhelmed. In this episode I'll be sharing ways to make all the "non-teaching" related tasks you have just a little bit easier and less overwhelming.

Teachers, have you ever felt like a failure? Of course you have, and so have I! Every teacher out there feels like a failure some, or even all of the time. And that feeling of failure, it can really drag you down if you let it, am I right? That's exactly why #teacher quittok exists. But before you throw in the towel and turn in your resignation, I encourage you to watch/listen to this episode until the very end because I'm going to share my #1 method to help you STOP feeling like a failure, and start experiencing that sweet success you deserve.

Listen, it's no secret that teaching preschoolers isn't easy peasy. It's full of ups and downs with lots of bumps along the way, which leaves you exhausted from trying to find a balance between work and life. You just wish somebody would tell you what to teach and when to teach it, so you can find time to do the endless mounds of laundry or cook the occasional meal for your family. If any of this sounds familiar to you, I want you to know that you're not alone. In this episode of Elevating Early Childhood I'm sharing my top 3 tips for knowing what to teach and when to teach it in your pre-K classroom.

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by all the behaviors in your preschool classroom? That's a trick question because every teacher feels like that sometimes. And those behaviors, do they seem like they're getting worse each year? If any of this sounds familiar, then you're in the right place because this week's episode of Elevating Early Childhood has the answers you've been looking for. But those answers might surprise you, so be sure to stick around until the very end so you don't miss a thing.

Let me ask you a question, how is teaching Pre-K different from, let's say, 4th grade? Or even first, second, or third grade? It's an entirely different animal, isn't it? So, if you've you been moved down to Pre-K from a higher grade, OR you're brand new to teaching Pre-K, Then this episode of elevating early childhood is for you! And if you're an administrator, instructional coach, or a classroom teacher who works with teachers new to Pre-K – you'll find this episode useful too!

Are you looking for ways to incorporate more nature into your classroom? Bringing the outdoors into your classroom can provide a calmer and more soothing environment for young children. Who doesn't want more calm and less chaos in their classroom, am I right? In today's episode of elevating early childhood I'm going to share easy and inexpensive ways to build a more natural math center in your preschool or pre-k classroom.

Teachers, let's be honest, the end of the school year is almost as stressful as the beginning of the year, am I right? If you're not rehearsing for the end of the year “program,” you're assessing your students, doing report cards, planning Mother's Day and Father's Day events, field trips, and much more! The very last thing teachers need at the end of the school year is more “stuff to do” piled on their already overflowing plates. In today's episode of elevating early childhood, I'm going to share 5 easy hacks preschool and even kinder teachers can use to lighten the load during this busy time.

What does it really mean to be “kindergarten ready?” Should we be teaching kids to read before they enter kindergarten? Are you worried that your preschool or Pre-K kids won't have all the skills they need to excel in today's kindergarten classrooms? In this episode I'm going to break it all down for you so your kids will be well-prepared for kindergarten - and beyond.

Do puzzles cause headaches in your classroom? Are your kids uninterested in puzzles? Or maybe they're frustrated because they can't put them together? If you think puzzles are too much of a hassle, or they're too old school for today's kids – think again! In today's episode I'll be sharing my best tips and tricks for teaching smarter, not harder when it comes to puzzles in the classroom, AND how to set your kids up for success with puzzles by following the developmental sequence that nobody taught you in college.

Teachers, have you ever been told by an administrator that centers are “just playing?” Maybe you're even one of the unlucky ones who have been told by an administrator that you can't have centers in your classroom because they're “just for fun” and not enough academic learning is taking place. Or even worse, maybe even thought about throwing in the towel on centers because they're just too darn hard to manage! Today I'm going to help dispel the 6 myths that preschool teachers should never fall for when it comes to learning centers.

Do you ever feel like you just don't have enough center materials in your classroom?Are you wondering if what you have is enough? And how do you know?You see, setting-up and stocking your classroom centers can be very tricky. Every good teacher knows that centers are essential for a high-quality early childhood experience. The issue is that no one ever gives you an actual roadmap to follow when it comes to setting-up or stocking your centers.And that can leave teachers like you and me struggling to figure it out on our own.But today's your lucky day! I'm going to share my Ultimate Center Essentials Guide with you that will lay it all out for you in a very easy-to-follow format. So if centers are getting you down, this episode is for you!

Do transitions in your classroom have you at the end of your rope? Does it feel like you're trying to herd kittens during arrival, dismissal, or cleanup time?Then I have two things to tell you:You're not alone.I can help!You see, transitions are something that all early childhood teachers struggle with. Yes, even the most experienced ones.The issue is that even though everyone says transitions are important, no one ever gives you an actual roadmap to follow.And that can leave teachers like you and me feeling a bit… all over the place.Lucky for you, because I've been through this more than enough times, I've come up with a foolproof formula to easy transitions in the preschool classroom; specifically, cleanup transitions.So if getting your preschool students to clean up seems like an impossible task, this episode is for you!Well then, what are you waiting for?Tune in now. Key Takeaways:Are cleanup transitions a nightmare for you? (00:00)The four building blocks of cleanup time (03:05)An easy step-by-step process you can follow (06:07)Some troubleshooting tips (21:13) Additional Resources:- Got a burning question for Vanessa? Get your answer on the Elevating Early Childhood podcast here.- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “Teaching Trailblazers”.- Watch my previous transition video here.- Get my Visual Routine Bundle here.- Get my Back to School Bundle here. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward & Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

Do your students struggle to write the letters of the alphabet?If so, I've got some good news for you: You're not alone! In fact, most preschool teachers have to deal with this issue every single year (if not several times a year).And because I have dealt with it too, I've ended up coming up with a few solutions to this pesky problem.Improving your preschool students' handwriting can be a difficult task (even daunting for some of us), but it's not impossible.Don't believe me?Then listen to this episode where I share my top three steps to improve your preschoolers' handwriting, try those tips, and let me know how it goes. I promise, they work!All right, are you ready to learn more?Let's dive in. Key Takeaways:How to help your preschool students improve their handwriting (00:00)Understand the importance of fine motor skills (03:56)Set developmentally appropriate expectations (06:13)Use the right tools at the right time (10:30)Let's discuss some conflicts (24:27) Additional Resources:- Got a burning question for Vanessa? Get your answer on the Elevating Early Childhood podcast here.- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “Teaching Trailblazers”.- Watch my episode about playdough tools here.- Discover more handwriting tips here.- Check out my favorite fine motor tools here.- Get our Farm Fine Motor Printables here.- Get your pre-writing cards here.- Grab your FREE Fine Motor Parent Handout here.- Get your FREE printable playdough recipe here. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward & Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

Friends, I have a question for you: Are the students in your classroom too loud?If so, then welcome to the club no one wants to join (yes, I have jokes).I can relate to students who have trouble keeping their outside voices where they belong, outside. And principals who complain about noisy classrooms.No matter what has brought you here, you and I both know there is no magic fix for this little (but very loud) problem. Yes, we all wish we had a magic wand sometimes. Alas, no one has discovered that yet. So, we'll have to go with the next best thing…What's that?Tune in to this week's episode to find out.Are you ready?Let's dive in! Key Takeaways:Is your classroom too loud? (00:00)Story time! (02:37)My 5-step solution to a loud classroom (03:26)A few pitfalls you need to avoid (12:44)How about troubleshooting? (18:35) Additional Resources:- Got a burning question for Vanessa? Get your answer on the Elevating Early Childhood podcast here.- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “Teaching Trailblazers”. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward & Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

Friends, I have a question for you: Could your students use a little extra help paying attention during circle time? Are they constantly interrupting you? Or maybe they're struggling to learn important academic skills? All right, that was more than one question, but you get the gist!Children have short attention spans, and that can mean constant interruptions in the early childhood classroom.But what if I told you that there's one thing that you could do in the classroom to help with all of that and more?And the good news is you don't need any extra tools for it!That one thing, my friends, is American Sign Language (ASL for short), and I'll be discussing how you can incorporate it in your preschool classroom with today's guest, an expert in ASL and a nationally-certified ASL interpreter, the brilliant Cynthia Long.Are you ready to learn more?Let's dive in! Key Takeaways:Let's talk about ASL (00:00)Is ASL only for people with hearing challenges? (02:54)The benefits of using ASL in the classroom (06:15)Is ASL difficult to learn? (16:40)Parting thoughts from Cynthia (24:35) Additional Resources:- Got a burning question for Vanessa? Get your answer on the Elevating Early Childhood podcast here.- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “Teaching Trailblazers”.- Discover our ASL alphabet posters here.- More ASL FREE teaching resources here.- Use code FREEFC to get your ASL flash cards freebie here.- Learn more about Cynthia's work here.- Follow ASL Teaching Resources on Instagram here.- Follow ASL Teaching Resources on Facebook here. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward & Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

Do your students love playing with playdough in your classroom or at home? I know mine do!Playdough is not only super fun for children to play with, it's also a great tool for them. It can help them develop stronger hand muscles and better hand-eye coordination. It's also a great way for them to develop their fine motor skills.Plus, let's be honest: It's the one thing you can offer preschoolers and know it'll keep them engaged and on task for waaaay longer than a few minutes.This is why having a playdough center in your preschool classroom is a must! Wondering how to make yours as interesting as possible?Listen to this episode where I share my best tips for setting up and organizing your playdough center PLUS my favorite play dough recipe and dough tools to increase student engagement in the center.Are you ready?Let's dive in! Key Takeaways:Let's talk about playdough! (00:00)How to organize your playdough area (02:41)What type of playdough should you use? (05:49)My top playdough accessories (07:38)How to make your playdough super colorful (17:23)Some troubleshooting tips for you (19:02) Additional Resources:- Got a burning question for Vanessa? Get your answer on the Elevating Early Childhood podcast here.- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “Teaching Trailblazers”.- Get your FREE printable playdough recipe here.- Discover more playdough ideas here.- Get playdough task cards here.- Get textured rolling pins here.- Get dough extruders here.- Get plastic dough scissors here.- Get cookie cutters here.- Get alphabet dough stampers here.- Get liquid watercolors here. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward & Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

Nothing strikes fear in the heart of a teacher more than a formal observation. You're exhausted from all the hours you spent creating the perfect lesson plans. You're waiting anxiously with a dry mouth and sweaty palms for your principal to walk through the door.And there's this sound of a clock ticking inside your head that you just can't get rid of, no matter how hard you try.Are you stressed out yet? Because I sure am!But no need to panic, because, as always, I'm here to help!It doesn't matter if you're a new teacher or a seasoned veteran, formal observations will always get those butterflies in your stomach going.But that doesn't mean you should let those butterflies ruin your day.Instead, listen to this episode, and discover my top tips for a stress-free observation, as well as all the pitfalls to avoid.Are you ready?Let's dive in! Key Takeaways:Discover my tips for a stress-free observations (00:00)Let's go back to the nineties! (02:34)The pitfalls you need to avoid (03:02)What you should do (05:47)Three things you need to focus on (07:45)An example of a successful lesson (10:00)Let's focus on the things that are out of our control (14:49)What to do if your observer is inexperienced (19:23) Additional Resources:- Got a burning question for Vanessa? Get your answer on the Elevating Early Childhood podcast here.- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “Teaching Trailblazers”.- Get the Complete Fairy Tale bundle here.- Get the 3 Little Pigs lesson plan here.- Get the Picture Schedule Cards and Classroom Rules here.- Get the 3 Little Pigs book list here. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward & Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

Our morning routine sets the tone for our whole day. And the same can be said for your students.You see, what young children do from the minute they walk into your classroom each morning will affect the rest of their day. And this is why choosing the right morning activities for your classroom is a must!So, here are a few questions you should ask yourself: How do I handle arrival time in my preschool classroom? Are my students practicing independence skills during this time?And the most important question of all: What do my students do when they arrive?Sure, these may seem like little things at first glance. But the way your students arrive in your classroom and what they do when they get there will set the tone for the rest of the day.And if you want to set your students up for success, then it's time to integrate free choice fine motor activities into your classroom's morning routine.Are you ready to learn more?Let's dive in! Key Takeaways:Morning routine: Yay or nay? (00:00)Quick story time! (02:36)Three things that will help you improve your arrival routine (04:21)What to use in your fine motor morning tubs (10:29) Additional Resources:- Got a burning question for Vanessa? Get your answer on the Elevating Early Childhood podcast here.- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “Teaching Trailblazers”.- Learn more about morning work here.- Get the arrival routine picture cues here.- Get the spring fine motor printables here.- Find the nail art tools for the poke activities here. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward & Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

Friends, I have a question for you: Have you ever had a parent request that their child not participate in holiday activities in your classroom? If you've taught for any length of time, chances are you've encountered this issue before. But what can you do about it? And how do you deal with it in a respectful and inclusive way?In today's episode, I'll be answering these exact questions and sharing a few dos and don'ts of dealing with these situations.Are you ready?Tune in now! Key Takeaways:Dealing with preschool holiday party pitfalls (00:00)You've got mail! (02:18)What to do instead of a Halloween party (04:21)How to have celebrations that are respectful and inclusive (07:44)What about Valentine's Day? (10:40) Additional Resources:- Got a burning question for Vanessa? Get your answer on the Elevating Early Childhood podcast here.- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “Teaching Trailblazers”. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward & Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

In the last two episodes, Dan St. Romain and I sat down and discussed everything from how to teach your students to become more independent to how to get them not to interrupt you during small group time.Today, he and I will be tackling another hot topic: What to do when a parent tells you their child is being bullied. Nothing strikes fear in a teacher's heart more than hearing from a parent who says their child has been bullied. As a teacher, hearing those words makes us feel like we've let our students down. Bullying should never happen in the preschool classroom, that's a given. But once a parent mentions it, there's no going back.What's the first thing you should do? And what words should you use to discuss it with your young students' parents? These are a few of the questions Dan and I discuss and answer in today's episode.Are you ready?Let's dive in! Key Takeaways:What to do when one of your students is getting bullied (00:00)Has bullying increased? (01:52)The importance of building a positive relationship with parents (07:11)What if you haven't had time to develop the relationship? (13:28)Is it bullying or normal early childhood behavior? (20:28) Additional Resources:- Got a burning question for Vanessa? Get your answer on the Elevating Early Childhood podcast here.- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “Teaching Trailblazers”.- Learn more about Dan St. Romain here.- Get Dan's book here. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward & Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

In last week's episode, Dan St. Romain and I discussed how to teach children not to interrupt you during small group time.Something Dan and I really focused on during that conversation was the importance of teaching preschool-aged children to be independent the right way.Well, today, Dan and I will dive deeper into that, so I hope you're just as excited as I am!Listen in as he and I discuss the best ways to teach your preschool students to become independent and how to ​​avoid the pitfalls many teachers make when it comes to fostering independence in the early childhood classroom.Are you ready?Let's dive in! Key Takeaways:Why teaching your students to be independent is a must! (00:00)How teachers can encourage independence in the classroom (01:44)Why going back to a place of joy is important (06:25)Why we have to break our own habits (11:17)Story time (16:56)Don't always solve your students' problems (23:05) Additional Resources:- Got a burning question for Vanessa? Get your answer on the Elevating Early Childhood podcast here.- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “Teaching Trailblazers”.- Learn more about Dan St. Romain here.- Get Dan's book here. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward & Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

It's no secret that small group time can be challenging, even for the most seasoned early childhood teachers.Why is that?Simply because it's not always easy to manage the other students while working with small groups, which means the possibilities for interruption can be… infinite. But what can you do if you're struggling with constant interruptions during small group instruction?To answer this question, I've invited the amazing Dan St. Romain to join me in this week's episode, which is part of my Behavior Bites series.Dan is a nationally recognized behavior specialist, and today, he shares his best tips for reducing interruptions so you can get through your small groups. Are you ready?Let's dive in! Key Takeaways:How to troubleshoot small group interruptions (00:00)Meet Dan! (02:05)Some strategies for you (05:48)How to help your students become more independent (12:28)Quick story time! (20:13)A recap of everything we discussed (24:03) Additional Resources:- Got a burning question for Vanessa? Get your answer on the Elevating Early Childhood podcast here.- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “Teaching Trailblazers”. - Find all of our visual cues here. - Learn more about Dan St. Romain here.- Get Dan's book here. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward & Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

Many early childhood teachers feel like a broken record. They're always saying “no” and “no hitting” and “use your words,” etc…If you've been teaching preschool for a while, then you know that every day can be like a battlefield (full of cute children, yes, but a battlefield nonetheless). Our job consists of putting out a hundred fires at once while teaching children skills they will need in life and making sure they're in one piece at the end of the day.This is exactly why we need to learn how to redirect behaviors. Because it's not always enough to say “no” or “don't do that,” most of the time, you have to present children with another option.How does that work?To discuss this, I have over the brilliant Dr. Carolyn Bobb-Green for a third episode of my Behavior Bites series. Curious about what she has to say?Tune in now! Key Takeaways:How to redirect behavior in the preschool classroom (00:00)What is redirection? (02:29)The power of redirection (07:33)How to redirect children in the preschool classroom (11:35)It's time for some detective work! (15:00)Where to connect with Carolyn (28:56) Additional Resources:- Got a burning question for Vanessa? Get your answer on the Elevating Early Childhood podcast here.- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “Teaching Trailblazers”.- Learn more about Dr. Carolyn Bobb-Green's work here.- Follow Training U To Succeed on Instagram here.- Follow Training U To Succeed on Facebook here. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward & Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

Friends, I have a question for you: Do you ever dread saying no to your students because you're worried they might have a full on meltdown?I get you, I've been there too. Trying to say “no” to a child without having them throw a temper tantrum is a whoooole lot of work.In simpler words, it's hard. But as you know if you've been listening to the podcast for a while, it's not impossible!Every preschool classroom problem has a solution. Yes, even this one.And to discuss this, the brilliant Dr. Carolyn Bobb-Green is back on the podcast for a second episode of the Behavior Bites series.Today, she'll be sharing with us why those meltdowns happen, how to prevent them, and what to do in case one of your students decides to go full Hulk anyway.Are you ready?Let's dive in! Key Takeaways:How to say “no” to your students without meltdowns (00:00)Why children hate being told the word “No” (02:52)Why we need to teach children to deal with their emotions (07:48)How to say “no” without saying “no” (11:38)A real life example (17:13)The tools you can use to avoid meltdowns (24:09)A quick review (29:22) Additional Resources:- Got a burning question for Vanessa? Get your answer on the Elevating Early Childhood podcast here.- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “Teaching Trailblazers”.- Learn more about Dr. Carolyn Bobb-Green's work here.- Follow Training U To Succeed on Instagram here.- Follow Training U To Succeed on Facebook here. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward & Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

If you've ever wondered why your students wander around the classroom and just… dump their toys on the floor, then you're not alone!Let's face it, we've all had children in our classrooms wandering aimlessly from center to center pulling tubs of toys off the shelves without ever playing with them.The truth is, this is a fairly typical scenario in the early childhood classroom.The question then is: Why oh why do toddlers (and preschoolers) do that? And most importantly, how can you teach them not to do it?To answer this question, I've invited the brilliant Dr. Carolyn Bobb-Green.If you've been listening to the podcast for a while (thank you for that), then you know this isn't the first time I've had Carolyn over.And this won't be the last either!Listen in as she and I try to answer the age old question: Why do toddlers do what they do?Are you ready?Let's dive in! Key Takeaways:Why do toddlers wander around the classroom and dump toys? (00:00)Dumping is a milestone (06:33)This behavior is totally… okay! (09:36)How to support your students through this stage (11:37)Advice from Carolyn (17:02)How Carolyn introduces centers to her students (20:54)  Additional Resources:- Got a burning question for Vanessa? Get your answer on the Elevating Early Childhood podcast here.- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “Teaching Trailblazers”.- Learn more about Dr. Carolyn Bobb-Green's work here.- Follow Training U To Succeed on Instagram here.- Follow Training U To Succeed on Facebook here. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward & Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

If you've ever taught young children (and my bet is you have, since you're listening to this podcast) then you've probably had your fair share of daily fires to put out.I feel you, I've been there too. It's no secret that the daily life of an early childhood educator isn't always sunshine and roses. And sometimes, it's just really, really hard.One of the issues many pre-k teachers struggle with is what to do when all their students want to go to the same center at the same time!As you know already, some centers are simply more popular than others (like the dramatic play center, for example), so it makes sense that everyone wants to participate in it.When that's not possible, you may have to limit the number of students in a center.How do you do that?Tune in now to find out! Key Takeaways:What to do when your students want to go to the same center (00:00)How I manage my classroom (00:56)How to get students interested in other centers (03:22)What if your class only meets a few days a week? (08:10)What to do when there are too many kids in one center (10:09)A few practical tips for you (14:23) Additional Resources:- Got a burning question for Vanessa? Get your answer on the Elevating Early Childhood podcast here.- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “Teaching Trailblazers”. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward & Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

Teaching young children literacy skills can be tricky. They're such an important skill that it can become downright intimidating to teach them to your students.Which one do you even start with? Letters? Letter names? Or letter sounds?Sometimes, the answer to that question seems obvious. But, most of the time, it's truly not. And so, deciding which skill to start with can give even the most seasoned preschool educators a headache.But, lucky for you, this is exactly what I'll be discussing in this week's episode of Elevating Early Childhood.Tune in now and learn all you need to know about teaching literacy skills in preschool and which one to start with.Are you ready?Let's dive in! Key Takeaways:Letters, names, and sounds: Which comes first? (00:00)Learning the alphabet is not a linear process (03:48)One recommendation you need to follow (06:46)Answering the second part of the question (08:04) Additional Resources:- Got a burning question for Vanessa? Get your answer on the Elevating Early Childhood podcast here.- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “Teaching Trailblazers”. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward & Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

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 children have real difficulties with it, while others find it super fun and easy, almost like solving a puzzle game.However, the math activities I'm sharing with you today are an exception, because all your preschool students will love them. They're fun and engaging, and they make math as simple as it can be!So, are you ready?Let's dive in! Key Takeaways:Fun math activities for your preschool classroom (00:00)Has this ever happened to you? (02:17)Target finds always help! (04:04)"No prep, please," you said? (09:28)Ice-cube trays for the rescue (13:07)Make it super fun! (17:55)Keep it simple (21:48)The magic number (24:58) Additional Resources:- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “Teaching Trailblazers”.- For bear caves, click here.- Want to buy colorful lunch trays? Click here.- Get foam dice here.- Click here for gator grabbers.- In need of a pocket cube? Click here.- Grab some mini-erasers here.- Listen to episode 24 here. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward & Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

Does this sound familiar to you? While everyone else is out singing carols and decking the halls, you are barely keeping your head above water, because you're trying to do all that plus prep all of your lessons and activities for the first week back after winter break.Just thinking about this makes me shudder. The struggle is real, am I right?But, no need to panic, because today, I'll be helping you get a jumpstart on your planning for the new year!In this episode, I'll be sharing with you aaaaaall my favorite preschool winter activities plus everything you need to start the new year on the right foot.Are you ready?Let's dive in! Key Takeaways:Here's how to prep for the new year (00:00The best read-alouds for winter (02:00)Circle time games are a must (05:22)Make your centers memorable (06:08)Crazy fun counting games! (09:13)Time to get dramatic (10:12)Do your students need fine motor practice? (11:13)Winter science activities (14:49)These small group activities will make learning fun! (15:41)Pattern blocks are perfect! (16:45)It's game on with geoboards! (18:18) Additional Resources:- Got a burning question for Vanessa? Get your answer on the Elevating Early Childhood podcast here.- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “Teaching Trailblazers”.- Get your Winter Bundle here.- Discover my Winter Book List here.- Discover my Winter Song List here.- Discover more winter activities here. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward & Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

Let me ask you this question. Have you ever had a child in your classroom get upset when they didn't get their own way? If your answer is “yes” (and I'm sure it is), then this episode is for you!Why is that?Simply because in it, I'll be discussing why kids may throw fits when they don't get what they want, how to respond appropriately, and why “You get what you get and you don't throw a fit” is never the right answer.And to make this even more interesting, I've invited a guest! His name is Ron Shuali, and he is simply brilliant. Ron is a speaker and the bestselling author of Breaking the Bullying Circle. He has expertise in the preschool through middle school arena, which is why he's the perfect person to discuss this week's subject with.Are you ready?Let's dive in! Key Takeaways:Meet Ron! (00:00)Where does the disappointment come from? (07:40)Time to reframe your thinking (11:12)How to get started (16:18)Remember to take a breath (21:34)How to connect with Ron (28:00) Additional Resources:- Got a burning question for Vanessa? Get your answer on the Elevating Early Childhood podcast here.- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “Teaching Trailblazers”.- Learn more about Ron's work here.- Follow Ron on YouTube here. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward & Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

If you're anything like me, then you love a good deal (and truth is, who doesn't?)Which is why this is such an exciting time of the year.As someone who looooves a good deal, Cyber Monday is one of my favorite ways to find good deals on new materials for my classroom centers.Even the ones that are too spendy may be affordable today, so I thought I would share some deeply discounted fun finds I recently discovered with you.If you're always on the hunt for the best materials for your preschool learning centers, then I've got some good news for you: You've come to the right place.Why?Simply because today I'll be sharing with you my most recent budget-friendly Amazon finds that your students will absolutely love.Are you ready for the fun?Let's dive in! Key Takeaways:It's Cyber Monday! (00:00)The perfect materials for a sensory bin (02:41)Alphabet acorn sensory play (07:59)How many birds are in the nest? (13:05)More must-haves for your centers (16:26)Last but not least… (20:49) Additional Resources:- Got a burning question for Vanessa? Get your answer on the Elevating Early Childhood podcast here.- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “Teaching Trailblazers”.- Check out my Amazon shop here.- Get Number Locks here.- Learn how to dye rice here- Want more sensory bin ideas? Grab my free Sensory Bin Essentials guide here.- Want to see all my classroom learning centers? Get my free Center Essentials Guide here. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward & Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

I don't know about you, but I'm pretty certain hearing a student say “I'm boooooored!!” is every preschool teacher's nightmare.I've been through this before, as have you, I'm sure.And, because of that, I know you can imagine the panic in every teacher's head when those cursed words are uttered.But, have you ever stopped to ask yourself why your students are saying this?You see, it's not always boredom, but something else.What is it?Well, you'll have to listen to this episode to learn the answer to that question!Are you ready?Let's dive in! Key Takeaways:“I'm SOOOOO booooooored!” (00:00)Why children get bored easily (03:05)How to help your students combat boredom (06:04)Plan - Do - Review (07:15) Additional Resources:- Got a burning question for Vanessa? Get your answer on the Elevating Early Childhood podcast here.- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “Teaching Trailblazers”.- Get your center rotation cards here.- Discover the “I Can” center task cards here.- Get your Visual Routines Classroom Management Bundle here.- Get your Clean-Up Visual Routines Classroom Management Bundle here.- Get your Back-To-School Classroom Bundle here. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward & Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

Imagine with me: You've got your preschool classroom all set up. The centers are stocked and ready to be used, full of materials you've purchased or made yourself. Everything is the best it could be, and you just can't wait for your students to use and enjoy every single center in the classroom.However, somehow, your kids just avoid certain centers. They don't like them, don't want to go near them, don't even look at them…Uh oh, Houston, we have a problem.Does this sound familiar to you?If so, this episode is for you, because in it, I'll be discussing how to use one set of manipulatives (in this case, Learning Resources People Counters) throughout the year to teach different skills and keep interest high in the classroom.Are you ready?Let's dive in! Key Takeaways:My students HATE the math and literacy centers… WHY?! (00:00)A familiar feeling (02:00)One big difference to keep in mind (07:35)Switching out your center materials: Yay or nay? (10:56)A few more ideas for you (15:58)Let's make a pattern! (20:59) Additional Resources:- Got a burning question for Vanessa? Get your answer on the Elevating Early Childhood podcast here.- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “Teaching Trailblazers”.- Get my FREE Center Essentials Guide here.- More about preschool classroom centers here.- Get Do-A-Dot Markers here.- Get Learning Resources People Counters here. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward & Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

Are you looking for ways to make things more fun and engaging in your classroom this November?If so, you're in luck because in today's episode of Elevating Early Childhood, I'll be sharing 12 fun, exciting, engaging, and developmentally appropriate ways to spice things up this Thanksgiving.From sensory bins to pumpkin pie scented playdough, these creative ideas are a fantastic way for your children to develop their fine motor skills - all while having a blast!Tune in to learn how to spice up your center activities and discover awesome Thanksgiving teacher resources and ideas such as songs and books, and more - everything you need for a perfect fall or harvest celebration!Are you ready?Let's dive in! Key Takeaways:Best Thanksgiving ideas for preschoolers (00:00)How to make your own turkey playdough (02:20)Making turkeys with biggie beads (05:00)Friendship salad (13:14)Popcorn turkeys and pumpkin-scented playdough (20:00) Additional Resources:- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book "Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers".- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, "Teaching Trailblazers".- Get your FREE Circle Time Guide here.- Discover 15 fingerplays and facts here.- Discover fingerplays from A to Z here.- Get Your Thanksgiving Activity Bundle here- Non Food Sensory Bin Filler Ideas1. Turkey playdough2. Corn in sensory bin 3. Cranberries in sensory bin 4. Dramatic play thanksgiving dinner5. Coffee filter turkeys 6. Friendship Salad 7. Pumpkin Pie in a Cup Freebie8. Popcorn Turkeys9. Thanksgiving Treat Bag Topper Freebie 10. Thanksgiving book list at PKP  11. Thanksgiving song list at PKP12. Pumpkin Playdough Recipe  Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward & Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word "affiliate" means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

Whether you love pumpkin pie and turkey, or you dread family get-togethers, one thing's for sure, Thanksgiving is almost here! What does this mean for early childhood teachers like you and me?Well simply… the dreaded extra work.Being a preschool teacher can be challenging on the best of days, but, during times like Christmas and Thanksgiving, the work can downright be impossible!However, this year it's going to be different.Because, this year, I'll be sharing with you four easy steps to help you keep things fun and developmentally appropriate in the classroom during these festive times.Ready to learn?Let's dive in! Key Takeaways:It's Thanksgiving time! (00:00)Time for a quick story (04:19)Remember the research (08:07)Embrace the position statement (09:05)Engage with meaning (10:47)Let go of your old mindset (15:09) Additional Resources:- Got a burning question for Vanessa? Get your answer on the Elevating Early Childhood podcast here.- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “Teaching Trailblazers”.- Check out my Thanksgiving book list here.- More Thanksgiving activities here.- Get the Thanksgiving Bundle here.- More about the Friendship Fruit Salad here.- Learn how to teach about Thanksgiving in a socially responsible way here.- Learn how to teach about Native Americans in preschool here.- Read the NAEYC Position Statement on Equity and Diversity here. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward & Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

Are you still struggling to get your little ones to sit still and pay attention? Or maybe you're wondering how you're ever going to teach them anything at this pace?Well then, I've got the solution for you!Today, I'll be sharing with you the best preschool activities for a fall theme to keep your students interested in the classroom.You see, it's not always easy to get young children to pay attention. In fact, it's sometimes downright hard, so a little help every once in a while doesn't hurt, am I right?And this is exactly what these activities are; things that will help you increase engagement in your preschool classroom.I hope you're ready to learn.All right, let's dive in! Key Takeaways:Are you ready for fall? (00:00)Focus on music and movement (05:49)Select the right books (18:25)What activities do you offer in your classroom? (23:46) Additional Resources:- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “Teaching Trailblazers”.- Get your FREE Circle Time Guide here.- Discover 15 fingerplays and facts here.- Discover fingerplays from A to Z here.- Discover fall songs here.- Get the Pumpkin Bundle here.- Get the Fall Bundle here.- Discover fall books here.- Check out fall leaf activities here.- More fall theme preschool activities here. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward & Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

If you're a preschool teacher, chances are you probably have an art center in your classroom.After all, art is a quintessential part of the preschool curriculum. It's a great way to help children develop their imagination and creativity and work on their fine motor skills.And in order to do that, an art center is a must.However, not all preschool art centers are equal. Some are better than others.Why is that?Simply because they have everything a young child needs to develop their art skills, have fun, and strengthen their little hand muscles.How do you know if your center needs some sprucing up?Well, this is the exact question I answer today.In this episode of Elevating Early Childhood, I'll be sharing with you all the materials you need for a, not good, but great preschool art center!Are you ready?Let's dive in! Key Takeaways:Time to spruce up your art center! (00:00)Let's talk art materials (03:00)Your 10 art center essentials (03:42)Some art center protips for you (23:54)Quick Q&A (25:57) Additional Resources:- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “Teaching Trailblazers”.- Get your Free Center Essentials Guide here.- More about editable center labels here.- Find all the products mentioned in this episode here. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward & Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

Every pre-k teacher knows it, making art is a big part of preschool.It's a great way for the children to be creative, enrich their imagination, and develop their fine motor skills in a fun and enjoyable manner.However, making sure your students are creating the right kind of art is important.Because yes, the kind of art your kids are making does matter.Process art and product art are two types of activities that usually happen in the preschool classroom. The difference between them is that the former focuses more on the process and is more about seeing art as a form of creative expression, while the latter focuses more on the end result.Which one is better for your students' development?Tune in to today's episode to find out!All right, let's dive in! Key Takeaways:Process art vs. product art (00:00)Story time (02:01)What is product art? (03:35)What about process art? (07:42)Which one is better? (08:47) Additional Resources:- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “Teaching Trailblazers”.- Learn how to set up an art center for your classroom here. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward & Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

Hello everyone and welcome back to a brand new episode of Elevating Early Childhood.Now, a quick warning before you start listening, this episode's got a bit of a bite to it (pun intended)!This, friends, is because today, we're discussing children who bite.Most younger preschool classrooms have at least one bitey kid, and it can be pretty difficult for teachers to deal with those types of situations.Why is the child biting? How can you deal with their behavior? And most importantly, how can you handle the child bitten (or, yourself, if you've been the victim…)?To answer these questions, I've invited an early childhood expert!Her name is Dr. Carolyn Bobb-Green, she is the founder of Training U To Succeed, and today, she's here to teach us how we can deal with bitey kids (and all the consequences that come with their sharp teeth).Are you ready?Let's dive in! Key Takeaways:Preventing biting in your classroom 101 (00:00)Meet Carolyn (02:03)Why do children bite? (05:21)What to do if a kid has been bitten (08:08)How to prevent biting (14:31)How to connect with Carolyn (25:35) Additional Resources:- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “Teaching Trailblazers”.- Learn more about how to prevent biting here.- Learn more about Training U To Succeed here.- Follow Training U To Succeed on Instagram here. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward & Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

If you're overwhelmed by the sheer amount of educational centers you're supposed to have in your preschool classroom, then you're not alone.Many of us find ourselves facing a dilemma when setting up centers in our classroom: Should we have a separate area for each center? Or can some be combined?Naturally, both options have their pros and cons, and because of that, it can be difficult to decide which way is best for you.Lucky for you, I'm here to help you make that decision.In today's episode, I'll be discussing how and when you can combine your preschool centers for maximum success.Are you ready?Let's dive in! Key Takeaways:Combining centers: Yay or nay? (00:00)You've got mail! (03:15)Why having the right tools is more important (04:58)Fewer transitions = More learning (06:31)I've got a freebie for you (07:48) Additional Resources:- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “Teaching Trailblazers”.- Get my FREE Center Essentials guide here. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward & Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

The beginning of the year is tricky, there is so much to take care of, things to set up, new students to meet, parents to get to know, etc...All of this stuff can be pretty stressful, but I'm here to make it just a little bit easier on you.Friends, today, we're talking about how to set your kids up for success when it comes to learning the alphabet.It's no secret that teaching the alphabet at the beginning of the year can be challenging - for even the most seasoned teacher.However, with the tips and tricks I'll be sharing with you today, your kids will fall in love with the alphabet in no time!Are you ready?Tune in now for all my alphabet favs and fails! I promise, you won't regret it. Key Takeaways:How to teach the alphabet in the beginning of the year (00:00)The best alphabet center materials (02:52)Alphabet fails to avoid (27:43)How to introduce new activities to your children (33:54) Additional Resources:- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “Teaching Trailblazers”.- Get the Ultimate Alphabet Freebie Bundle here.- Learn how to set up your ABC center here.- Discover the Fishing for Letters game here.- More about the alphabet matching mat here.- Learn how to make your own Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Tree here. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward & Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

There are some things that will make or break you as a teacher, and transitions are right there at the top of the list for early childhood teachers.Every single day is full of transitions in preschool, so having a surefire list of tips that'll help you make them as easy as possible is crucial.Lucky for you, I'm about to share those tips with you.So, if you're struggling with transitioning from one activity (or place) to another in your preschool classroom, this episode is for you!Want to learn more?Tune in now! Key Takeaways:The best transition tips for preschool (00:00)Create a daily schedule (05:43)Reduce the number of transitions in your day (07:38)Keep your transitions short (10:02)Set clear expectations (12:00)What winning looks like (15:03) Additional Resources:- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “Teaching Trailblazers”.- Grab our FREE Printable Daily Schedule here.- Get the Visual Routines Bundle here.- Get Printable Visual Schedule Cards here. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward & Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.