Sunday, January 8, 2012

Preschool Daze-----Classroom Structure


Project Time: this is the time of day when we create something. We ask for children to come in clothes that they can get messy in believing it is important there to be freedom to participate fully. We use lots of paint and lots of glue during the year!



Story Time: this is the time of day when the teacher is reading to the children. Through our stories we are able to introduce new concepts while having children experience the security of being read to. Our books are chosen based on the Letter of the Week and are connected to the other activities of the day.


Music Time: this is the time of day when we sing songs, play instruments, recite poems and act out fingerplays and rhymes. We enjoy making up new songs for the week’s theme as well as finding old nursery rhymes that many of our parents and grandparents know.  Ms. Kristin has fun learning practicing chords on her ukulele.


Snack Time: this is the time of day we get our trays and eat together…there is always a fresh fruit or vegetable for us to try. Families are invited to sign up to bring snack for their preschooler’s class each month.


Clean Up Time: this is the time of day we help put things away in the classroom. There are several songs we sing to keep this time fun and remind preschoolers that we aren’t cleaning up just what we played with, but whatever our classroom needs!


Group Time: this is the time of day when a teacher guides an activity for the whole class or small groups…science experiments, alphabet work, math readiness, and more!



Show and Tell Time: this is the time of day we look at what preschoolers brought to show and tell us about. Our Show and Tell time is based on our Letter of the Week…families will know what to bring from our newsletter.


Outside Time: this is the time of day we explore on the playground and the wide open green space around the church. We have our own play strucutres within a large fenced yard with sidewalks perfect for trikes and chalk!






























The Preschool Professor----Activities

Safety First


Since we are working with young children, we need to keep safety in the forefront of our minds for these preschool activities. Here are some reminders:

  • SUPERVISION is key!!! Stay close to your child(ren) while they are working.
  • Small objects, like dry beans, marbles, etc. are a choking hazard.
  • Even if you are only using a small container of water, remember it only takes a few inches of water for a child to drown.
  • Teach and model safe behaviors with scissors.
  • Some things must ONLY be done by an adult – like hot glue guns, using hot water, cutting objects, etc.
  • Plastic grocery bags and Ziploc-type bags are a suffocation risk – monitor their use carefully.
These may seem like common sense tips, but one can never be too careful with preschoolers.

General Preschool Activities


Below you will find some general preschool activities. These do not necessarily fit into a specific category.

  • Fill a bucket full of water and let children use paintbrushes to paint outside
  • Use rollers, toothpicks, and cookie cutters to make fun shapes out of Play-doh
  • Give children a large cardboard box and let them use their imaginations to decide how to play with it (train car, airplane, fort, etc.)
  • Make a necklace with string and an assortment of materials: beads, cereal, dry noodles, etc.
  • Create an indoor sandbox by filling a shoebox with sand and have child play with spoons, cups, and small cars (alternate fun is to fill with rice!)
  • 2 words: Sidewalk. Chalk.
  • Cover the dining room chairs with blankets, secure with clothespins, and voila - a tent! Complete the experience with pillows, a flashlight, and s'mores
  • Build a tower with all the plastic Tupperware and mixing bowls from the cupboards
  • Give kids your "button box" and let them sort according to attributes - color, size, number of holes
  • Let children practice lacing and tying knots with old sneakers
  • Fill a shallow pan or bowl with water and set on a towel. Allow children to sail boats, let their toys go "swimming", or use measuring cups
  • Find a cloth measuring tape or plastic ruler and have children measure objects around the house
  • Stickers + blank paper = busy children
  • Give children a damp washcloth and let them "help" you clean the house!
  • Put a small amount of whipped or shaving cream in a pie pan or cookie sheet and watch as children "write" and draw
  • What to do with all those old magazines? Give them to the kids with a pair of safety scissors! They love cutting out pictures and it's great practice for their fine motor skills
  • Use a magnifying glass to go on a "Looking Adventure"
  • Create a scavenger hunt for your kids to follow 

Mrs. Walker's Frog-Tastic--Organization

Fame Our Expectations
Our tortoise Esio Trot The Computers in our room

Teach Preschool---Classroom Management

The Indoor Classroom
With its large windows and simple design, the indoor classroom is where the children explore core concepts in the areas of art, math, music, language, and literacy…

The Outdoor Classroom
The outdoor classroom provides a terrific view of the surrounding woods and a wonderful environment for the discovery and exploration of our natural environment. The children explore core concepts in the areas of science and nature through sensory play and exploration.

Deborah uses the studio to teach young children, observe their learning, and then draw upon these experiences to write about the latest trends, activities, philosophies, and teaching practices she applies in her own early childhood educational practices.

At the Studio, your child will receive a quality, fun, hands-on, child-centered, educational and creative preschool experience. Your child will become a part of a rich learning community. Play is an important aspect of early learning and at the studio, intentional play is integrated throughout the learning experience. Intentional play allows your child to build his/her confidence and develop each of the core developmental skills necessary for future academic success.

The Teach Preschool Children’s Studio environment is set up to explore the great outdoors as well as enjoy the traditional indoor classroom hands-on experiences. Your child will rotate to both an indoor and outdoor environment each day and receive quality, age appropriate instruction and guidance as he or she explores each learning area. Growth and development takes place through these uniquely designed learning areas including a circletime area for large group games, stories, and discussion – as well as reading, writing, creative art, math, science, dramatic play, sensory play, water play, cooking, nature and discovery.

Analysis of the Websites


                

   

Preschool
Daze      
                        

Basic information on the New Creation Preschool and its’ history.

Information targeted: parents of the students, teachers and other parents
 The website is precise and to the point.
 Ideas on classroom arrangement in small spaces. Great organization ideas.

The Preschool

Professor
Excellent source of information about every aspect of preschool. 
 Parents, teachers and future teachers will benefit most from the website.
 The website was easy to explore.
 Various resources pertaining strategies on classroom arrangements.

Mrs. Walker’s

Frog-Tastic

Website
Excellent source of classroom structure and behavior management ideas.
Website is very well organized and suited for: teachers, students and parents. An abundance of creative ideas to spark all who visits.
Website is full of creative resources and photographs of actual projects.
Various ideas of classroom management, structure and activities. Easy classroom organizational ideas are exhibited.

Teach Preschool
Full of creative age appropriate activities to incorporate at home and in class.
Consists of informative and creative ways to get the students going.
Website will benefit parents, teachers and future teachers.
 Offers great age-appropriate home and class activities.





  

Preschool Daze

This website was straight to the point. It was knowledgeable about what New Creation Preschool has to offer and how it was developed. It had a vibrant border and photographs of the preschool and the students. The website had great ideas and information on how to develop a preschool. The New Creation Preschool handbook was also included on the website. The website had an area for questions and answers from the followers and the instructor. I will definitely be revisiting this website due to its' informative content and creative ideas. http://preschool-daze.com/about/

Saturday, January 7, 2012

The Preschool Professor

This website was contained so much information pertaining to preschool. It had information about the avenues that one could take if wanting to become a preschool teacher. This website had a number of fresh ideas for those stale stand-by year after year activities that are a little ho-hum. It offered advice on parental concerns and issues, it also had information if parents needed more resources. All I can say is that this is definitely the go to website for those whom are interested in everything preschool; parents, teachers and future teachers.---http://www.the-preschool-professor.com/preschool-teaching-ideas.html