A Look at Undervalued Classroom Materials
About two weeks ago my school went through a big change as we had to completely pack up everything and move to a new building on very short notice. Over the course of two days, my small, non-profit Preschool – 7th grade school completely evacuated and relocated to a new facility. And in the process, I learned a lot about a school’s environment and atmosphere. I have long believed in the environment as the third teacher. Because of that belief, I have spent much of the past tw
Your Voice Matters: Intro to Advocacy
What does it mean to advocate or to be an advocate? Can anyone participate in the advocacy process? Do you want to participate in creating social change but are not sure where to begin? Read on and begin to make your choice about how you want to engage in the vital part of the public policy process called advocacy! Advocacy is a word that is applied to many different types of activities. A broad definition of advocacy is “the attempt to influence public policy, either dire
Exploring Natural Art with Preschoolers: Focus on Andy Goldsworthy
Andy Goldsworthy Artist Study One way to interest children in nature is to do an artist study, or a study of an artist who works with natural materials. An artist study is similar to an author study, where a whole class does a deep dive into the books of one author, learning their methods and common themes and emulating their art and literary styles. Going deep into the work of one artist can help children understand the planning, compositional choices and decision making tha
Professional Coaching in the Early Learning Workplace
When you think of the word “coach,” what comes to mind? Many of you might think of sports teams while others might think of trending occupations like life coaching. Regardless of what category you put this word in, a coach is probably someone who you link with ideas such as leadership, growth, and encouragement. In early childhood education, professional coaching is becoming more and more visible; especially in Head Start programs. The difference between professional coachin
