Is it a myth that people are auditory, visual, or kinesthetic learners? Listen to this episode to learn about the origins of the concept of learning styles and what the research does and does not say. Join Cindy and Alison to think about this construct and its impact on young children.
How do we effectively individualize our teaching based on the brain development and needs of each learner if so many of our tools and traditional ways of walking through an early childhood day are based on averages? Cindy and Alison discuss how to rethink schedules and interactions.
Do you know the difference between impulsivity and spontaneity? Do we do too much of one and not enough of the other with early learners? Cindy and Alison talk about experiencing impulsivity and spontaneity with young children, which one should be embraced, and why.
Thank you to everyone who voted for which episode would be our July 4 Holiday Rewind. It was a landslide! Enjoy this new introduction with updated info. and our rewind of 77: Put Down The Flashcards!
Children have been screened for vision and hearing for years. Cindy and Alison discuss other screenings that we should consider conducting and why.
Professional development is essential; yet, it feels like a chore based on achieving hours instead of knowledge. Join Cindy and Alison for a discussion about their perspectives on professional development, why it matters, and how it could be.
When we look for trouble, we find trouble. Many of us know that but don't realize we are doing it. Join Cindy and Alison for an honest conversation about how our actions may be contributing to the ongoing struggles of students and to the preschool to prison pipeline.
How should we handle young children's expressions of confusion and fear about the horrific school shooting that took place at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas? Does the ongoing lack of legislation that would help ensure our children's safety and the pandemic both teach us that the current educational system of everyone in large, crowded buildings does not work in this era? Cindy and Alison address these questions and more.
Prepare to have your mind blown as Cindy and Alison discuss the meaning of the word "suspension" as it applies to early childhood settings. How will this definition change how you view your response to children's challenging behavior?
What happened to us as children that made us so hesitant about change? Cindy and Alison discuss how we can do better with young children as we teach them about how to handle change in their lives.
In a recent blog article on https://howpreschoolteachersdoit.com , a question was posed about how we involve families in their child's early education during this new normal. Cindy and Alison discuss strategies for family involvement now that the new normal seems to be here.
When children are playing, adults should be asking questions and having conversations to extend their thinking. Many adults enter play spaces to do that, but do you know when to get out? Cindy and Alison discuss how you can support the thinking routines of young children and know when to exit so they can take it from there.
It seems that the "new normal" may have arrived. It's time to stop waiting and start re-establishing high-quality practices. Documentation of children's learning and progress should be one of the first practices we ensure is in place, but how do we do that in this short-staffed world where time seems to fly by? Join Cindy and Alison for a lively discussion!
What are we teaching children when we use fear as a motivation for behaving? Join Cindy and Alison for a discussion about teaching children about behavior and the impact of fear tactics that were a part of many of our childhoods.
Why are tabloids upset that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge may have rehearsed their children for a public appearance? Could we all learn from that and spend more time preparing children for new experiences? Cindy and Alison discuss how to practice new situations with young children.
Learning begins well before children enter an early childhood program at 3-5 years old. Cindy and Alison discuss the starting point for learning skills and how to build from the start through early childhood. That's right - we see you infant, mobile infant, and toddler teachers!
Join Cindy and Alison in declaring your classroom, program, and/or home a "judge-free zone." Listen to learn why and how we should work to raise a generation that judges less and accepts more.
What do children think when adults jump in and answer questions for them? Why do so many adults do that? Join Cindy and Alison for a discussion about letting the children speak!
Ever have a bad experience that you realize has stayed with you and impacted your anxiety level and behavior? Do you avoid anything because of something that happened when you were young? Cindy and Alison discuss the impact of situations on children and how we can help them.
In a world where we have to discourage sharing because of the pandemic, how can we still teach sharing? What can we do when we have to say, "The puppets are sharing, but you cannot?" Cindy and Alison tackle this topic and start the conversation about teaching young children to share in 2022.
Masking mandates are changing, but the children are used to masks in early childhood programs and public schools. How might they react? What might they need us to do? Join Cindy and Alison for a discussion about the impact of unmasking.
We often talk to children about what they want to be when they grow up, but are we focusing them on goals that will last through their lives? Cindy and Alison discuss why who we want to be should be more than an occupation.
Ever have one of those weeks when everything you do seems to go wrong? Children have those weeks, too. Cindy and Alison discuss how to help them express that and move forward from it. You also won't want to miss the Feedback 5 at the end!
At long last, Cindy and Alison talk about their take on homework. Should it be assigned? What should we think about? What would actually be a way to partner with families about what their children are learning? Listen to find out!
Cindy and Alison reminisce about the many lessons they learned by having PenPals and why we need to bring them back. Be part of the movement to bring PenPals to early childhood classrooms.
Do all those stories, television shows, and movies give children a false impression of life and happiness? Join Cindy and Alison for a discussion about how children internalize what they see and the conversations we can have with them about fairy tales, tv shows, movies, and more.
Our words matter when addressing adults as much as they do when talking to children. Being welcoming and inclusive means providing children and adults with a sense of belonging. Cindy and Alison discuss how we name or label people who are raising children and if there is even a word that includes all possibilities.
Learn about another cognitive bias sometimes called the Ikea Effect. Intrigued? Listen to find out what Ikea has to do with teaching and raising young children.
Cindy and Alison discuss a cognitive bias - sometimes called the digital effect, digital amnesia, or the Google Effect - and how that should help us think about priorities for children's learning. Don't miss learning about how our brains are sorting information in our highly digital world!
One trip to a small group breakout room made us think about the activities we don't want to do that we ask children to participate in. Should participation be voluntary or is it important to make children try? Cindy and Alison discuss the things we don't even like to do and that fine line.
