Magical Moments

Happy 2012! I wish each and every one of you a year of peace, good health, prosperity, joy, laughter, compassion, serenity and inspiration. After the hustle and bustle of December, January is the perfect time to slow down and rededicate yourself to creating a stimulating, developmental, and joyous environment for your students. It seems amazing to note how the children change over the holidays; some appear to make developmental leaps while others appear to require more attention and reminders about proper behavior. Please join me in creating Magical “New Year’s” Moments for your preschoolers by introducing activities from my . . . → Read More: Happy New Year 2012

If you are teaching young children at this time of year, I feel that it is imperative to be aware and sensitive to the customs, rituals, and traditions that your students and their families adhere to. It is also very important to be knowledgeable about your individual school’s rules that govern holidays and celebrations.

To me, the month’s goals should include holiday traditions, non-religious, yet festive, songs of the season, and stories, both fictional and real that reflect joy, love, and the beauty of giving. It is a wonderful time of the year to invite families into the classroom . . . → Read More: Holidays

Discussions about our precious earth, water, and animals should not be limited to a particular day or week, but rather, should be integrated into each and every day of your children’s education. However, it is fun and educationally sound to devote time to honor the official Earth Day, April 22nd. Unfortunately, this year’s 41st Earth Day Celebration fell on Good Friday and thus, many students were not in school and so, the full celebration of the day may not have been experienced. I encourage teachers to begin or continue a unit on this poignant topic, even if the official . . . → Read More: Earth Day

If you are teaching young children at this time of year, I feel that it is imperative to be aware and sensitive to the customs, rituals, and traditions that your students and their families adhere to.� It is also very important to be knowledgeable about your individual school’s rules that govern holidays and celebrations.

To me, the month’s goals should include holiday traditions, non-religious, yet festive, songs of the season, and stories, both fictional and real that reflect joy, love, and the beauty of giving.� It is a wonderful time of the year to invite families into the classroom . . . → Read More: Teaching About the Winter Holidays

It seems unbelievable that Thanksgiving, 2010, will be here next week! As I prepare my “to do” list, I cannot help thinking about the people in my life, my happiness, fears, disappointments, and pleasures as well as those loved ones who are missed each and every day since their passing.

To my family, friends, coworkers, and fellow zumba dancers, I thank you for the � joy that you bring to my life, to the help that you have offered when I am in need,� for the laughter� and for the empathy that you have shared . . . → Read More: Giving Thanks

Happy October to everyone!� School has been in session for a month or two, the air outdoors, even in Florida, is cooling off, thoughts of costumes for Halloween are surfacing, and preparations for parent/teachers conferences are being scheduled. For both the teacher and parent, these initial talks are important for setting the stage for future collaboration and team effort in assuring that the school experience be successful for each and every child.

Conferences will be most effective if teachers follow these guidelines:

A teacher will communicate that he/she knows the child by sharing accurate information and anecdotes with the . . . → Read More: Happy October