Are you ready to commit to early literacy in your classroom but don't know where to start? We've got your covered with this literacy-focused preschool teacher checklist! Here we are again, ready to embark on another amazing year as preschool teachers! The beginning of the school year is always a blend of excitement and anticipation . I love the feeling of a fresh start, but I know the prospect of a new group of students can bring a mix of excitement and stress. As you set u

Learn how to best teach the alphabet using letter cycling in preschool. No more one letter per week!

As a former kindergarten teacher, I share a heavy heart with many educators. The statistic is alarming: 66% of fourth graders in the US aren't reading proficiently. There are a lot of factors that lead to this alarmingly high number, but one sticks out above the rest...teachers in the past were not taught the proper way to teach children to read. And...I was one of them!   Just like countless other teachers across the nation, I wasn't equipped with the research and best pract

Let's LEARN in Nature! Unstructured outdoor play remains an absolute cornerstone of a healthy preschool experience. There's nothing quite like the freedom of fresh air and open space to nurture a child's development.   Beyond the obvious physical benefits of sunshine and exercise (increasing activity levels, boosting your immune system, and improving sleep), unstructured play allows preschoolers to explore their world at their own pace. They can climb, run, jump, and build fo

I’ll never forget the first time that I took my baby girl to story time at the library. She was a fresh four months old, and there I was…a new mama ready to give my daughter the world!   I remember the librarian gathering all the parents on the floor in a circle, babies on the ground between our legs.  We would gently roll a ball back and forth around the circle singing, “I roll the ball to you.  You roll the ball to me.  I roll the ball to you, and you roll the ball to me.” 

Pres Assessment . As a teacher, when you hear this word, you often cringe. Assessment takes brain power, people power, and a significant amount of time! There is no doubt that some schools go overboard with assessment. Over assessment is an ineffective use of time and resources. However, when used strategically, it offers incredible benefits. Preschool assessment helps you understand your students on a deeper level, uncovering their strengths, weaknesses, and learning style

The preschool years are a critical time for brain development and growth. Children’s minds are like sponges, soaking up information and experiences that lay the foundation for future learning. One crucial area is literacy development, and within that realm lies a hidden gem called phonological awareness. Imagine a young boy struggling to read, his frustration mounting with each stumbled word. We, as teachers, might search for solutions in phonics instruction or sight word re

Picture your classroom – a symphony of activity! Little ones are building block towers, creating masterpieces with crayons, or giggling with friends. Suddenly, you need their attention. Do you yell? Wander the room tapping shoulders? Turn off the lights? While these methods might work, there's a more engaging option at your fingertips – music!   Unlike our adult world of constant talking, children thrive on sensory experiences. That's where music comes in – a powerful tool th

Playdough has been a fan favorite among toddlers and preschoolers for years.   It is one toy that keeps on giving…my children have played with playdough for years!  When my children were little, we would roll and practice cutting the playdough.  We would play restaurant with our delicious creations and practice our shapes and colors.  Even at the ages of 8 and 10, my children still enjoy a good playdough session.  My son grabbed toothpicks and created three-dimensional shapes

From vibrant-colored sensory rice to textured squishy toys, the stores are stocked with items designed to engage young minds in multisensory exploration. These products aren't just about keeping little ones entertained, but they are tapping into a fundamental aspect of early childhood development...sensory learning.   Multisensory learning is a way to teach our children that engages multiple senses at the same time.  For example, when we are learning letter sounds, we stand u

Is there a “right” time to teach a child to read?  As I hit that time of year in the preschool classroom where many of those reading readiness skills are truly starting to “click” for many of our four-year-old students, I have been pondering this question.  When do kids learn to read? I have searched the internet for research related to the “right” time to learn to read and have come up empty handed.   Similar to potty training opinions, the opinions on when it is development

Learn about the latest research related to preschool and its' effectiveness.

New Year, New Routines!  If you are around young children, you understand the struggles that come along with change.  I, for one, had a toddler son that despised transition.  Nothing displayed this more than the time that we moved across country when my son was 20 months.  My husband had begun his new job, and I was at home managing the moving company.  My son SCREAMED…and I mean SCREAMED, the entire time the truck was unloaded.  To say I was exhausted from holding a screamin

It's time to stop cringing when we hear the word "teach in preschool. America is facing a pressing literacy crisis, with a staggering 68% of fourth graders not reading proficiently, (The Nation's Report Card, 2022). The struggle with reading proficiency isn't limited to low-income or minority students; it affects all children. The fact that families invest substantial sums in private schools and tutors highlights the systemic issue at hand. While strides are being made to

Learning the alphabet is an essential milestone in a child's journey towards reading and writing. However, some children may struggle with simultaneously learning letter names and sounds. If your child is facing difficulties, don't fret! In this blog post, we'll explore a helpful intervention: focusing on lowercase letter sounds. We'll discuss why lowercase letter sounds are crucial, the importance of phonemic awareness, and scientific insights into why some children struggle

Letter Sounds are a Critical Early Literacy Skill Letter sounds. They are quite possibly the single most important academic skill that children must learn to be well-prepared to read. Letter sounds are the backbone of phonics instruction…children can begin to decode words and understand how written language works with a strong letter sound foundation. This knowledge is critical for reading comprehension, and it lays the foundation for success in all aspects of education.

We all know that letters are a critical part of early literacy. In fact, studies show that alphabetic knowledge in preschool and kindergarten is one of the strongest predictors of reading success in later elementary years. There is a clear connection between difficulty learning letter names and future challenges with reading. We know this is important, but how are we supposed to tackle teaching letters in the first place? Should we teach a letter a week? Go in ABC order? Star

We send our children to preschool. They sing songs, learn nursery rhymes, and start recognizing letters and sounds. We hear them proudly chant rhymes from the backseat and cheer when they point out the letter “M” on a sign. That was me in 2020. My son was in the 3-year-old preschool class. My daughter was in kindergarten. We were living in Rogers, Arkansas, loving our preschool and all the joy it brought into our home. Then COVID hit. Suddenly, we were all in the dining room.