Grounded in theory and research, The All-Day Kindergarten and Pre-K Curriculum provides an activity-based and classroom-proven curriculum for educators to consider as they plan and interact with pre-k and kindergarten children. Allowing young children the opportunities to become independent, caring, critical thinkers who feel comfortable asking questions and exploring possible solutions, the Dynamic Themes Curriculum offers children the skills they need for responsible citizenship and academic progress. This book describes a culturally-sensitive pre-k and kindergarten curriculum in the context of literacy, technology, mathematics, social studies, science, the arts, and play, and also discusses: How to use the seven integrated conditions for learning to meet and exceed content learning standards How to organize for differentiated instruction and to integrate multiple forms of assessment How to teach literacy tools and skills in fresh ways How to work with families, colleagues, and community Building off of author Doris Fromberg’s groundbreaking earlier work, The All-Day Kindergarten and Pre-K Curriculum presents a practical curriculum centering on how young children develop meanings. This is a fantastic resource for pre-and in-service early childhood teachers, administrators, and scholars.
Giving your preschooler a great start in math doesn’t have to be complicated. Learn how to use fun but purposeful games and activities to give your young child the best possible foundation. Preschool Math at Home will guide you step-by-step as you introduce your preschooler to the world of numbers. Your child will develop a thorough understanding of the numbers up to ten, including: counting comparing and ordering numbers recognizing written numerals beginning addition and subtraction All of the activities are quick and playful, with lots of movement, manipulatives, and games. Each takes less than five minutes, with no special materials needed other than a few household items. Play each game several times for a full year of preschool math curriculum.
Discover new, practical methods for teaching literacy skills in your early childhood classroom. Has teaching early literacy skills become a stumbling block to getting your preschool students kindergarten ready? Break out of the tired “letter of the week” routine and learn how to transform your lessons with fun and effective techniques. Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers will equip teachers to infuse every aspect of their teaching with exciting hands-on literacy teaching methods that engage students and help them build authentic connections with books, so that 100% of their students will have a strong literacy foundation and will be fully prepared for success in kindergarten and beyond. Respected author Vanessa Levin, veteran early childhood educator and author of the “Pre-K Pages” blog, breaks down the research and translates it into realistic, actionable steps you can take to improve your teaching. Features specific examples of teaching techniques and activities that engage students in hands-on, experiential learning during circle time, centers, and small groups. Offers a simple, four-step system for teaching literacy skills, based on the foundational principles of early literacy teaching Demonstrates how to build your confidence in your ability to get 100% of your students ready for kindergarten, long before the end of the school year Understand the problems with traditional literacy teaching and identify gaps in your current teaching practice with this valuable resource.
The Creative Curriculum comes alive! This videotape-winner of the 1989 Silver Apple Award at the National Educational Film and Video Festival-demonstrates how teachers set the stage for learning by creating a dynamic well-organized environment. It shows children involved in seven of the interest areas in the The Creative Curriculum and explains how they learn in each area. Everyone conducts in-service training workshops for staff and parents or who teaches early childhood education courses will find the video an indispensable tool for explainin appropriate practice.
Play is serious business. Whether it's reenacting a favorite book (comprehension and close reading), negotiating the rules for a game (speaking and listening), or collaborating over building blocks (college and career readiness and STEM), Kristi Mraz, Alison Porcelli, and Cheryl Tyler see every day how play helps students reach standards and goals in ways that in-their-seat instruction alone can't do. And not just during playtimes. "We believe there is play in work and work in play," they write. "It helps to have practical ways to carry that mindset into all aspects of the curriculum." In Purposeful Play, they share ways to: optimize and balance different types of play to deepen regular classroom learning teach into play to foster social-emotional skills and a growth mindset bring the impact of play into all your lessons across the day. "We believe that play is one type of environment where children can be rigorous in their learning," Kristi, Alison, and Cheryl write. So they provide a host of lessons, suggestions for classroom setups, helpful tools and charts, curriculum connections, teaching points, and teaching language to help you foster mature play that makes every moment in your classroom instructional. Play doesn't only happen when work is over. Children show us time and time again that play is the way they work. In Purposeful Play, you'll find research-driven methods for making play an engine for rigorous learning in your classroom.
Now in its third edition, this classic text remains the seminal resource for in-depth information about major concepts and principles of the cultural-historical theory developed by Lev Vygotsky, his students, and colleagues, as well as three generations of neo-Vygotskian scholars in Russia and the West. Featuring two new chapters on brain development and scaffolding in the zone of proximal development, as well as additional content on technology, dual language learners, and students with disabilities, this new edition provides the latest research evidence supporting the basics of the cultural-historical approach alongside Vygotskian-based practical implications. With concrete explanations and strategies on how to scaffold young children’s learning and development, this book is essential reading for students of early childhood theory and development.
Across the curriculum, Teaching in the Digital Age for Preschool and Kindergarten will guide teachers toward integrating technology so it has an authentic, meaningful, and developmentally appropriate impact on children’s exploration and learning. By discipline---including science, math, literacy, art, social studies, health and safety, physical education, and music---it will motivate teachers to dig deeper into each content area to see the various ways technology and digital media can support and strengthen children's learning, as well as documentation and assessment.
If you haven't had the chance yet, go online and search for your state's core curriculum. You'll find it overwhelming. I did. Find the kindergarten section and feel unprepared, as I did, for all that these little children are expected to learn.First of all, remember that these are skills the child needs to know by the end of the school year, not entering kindergarten so it's okay to take it easy and be patient with yourself and your child.Secondly, we are fortunate to have caring, clever kindergarten teachers who will pull out all the stops to ensure that children learn.Over the years, kindergarten classes became common and accepted by the population. Again, it wasn't seen as a very important part of school and so students attended for just a few hours, most of the time only two hours for a half-day. Half-day kindergarten became the norm in the United States. Later, kindergarten began taking on a new importance, which it should have. Educators and parents realized that children were ready to learn and we as a society were holding them back. All day or full day kindergarten came to be. But not without some down and dirty fighting over the concept. There were those who thought it the only intelligent decision to help our students succeed in an ever-complicated world. Others, however, thought a full day just too long for a five year old. School boards complained about the extra cost of teaching staff. In most places, full day kindergarten won out. In the same vein as kindergarten developed, so did pre-school. Way back in my day there was no pre-school; you were lucky if your neighbor could watch you while your parents worked. Pre-school grew out of the need for child care services as more and more women joined the workforce and as families became composed of two working parents. It was more of a playtime, with napping and eating in between. Now, pre-school is practically expected from children entering kindergarten. It is unusual to find children entering kindergarten who have not attended some semblance of a pre-school. Pre-school has picked up a lot of what was considered kindergarten activities. During pre-school, children learn to get along, accept diversity, and practice taking turns and exhibiting good manners. In addition, pre-school has taken over academics that once belonged to kindergarten. Children often learn how to print their name, their numbers 0-10, basic colors and shapes, how to handle a book, listening and responding to stories, and so much more. Now, in addition to finding kindergarten checklists for readiness, there are many pre-school checklists for readiness. Some pre-schools are more difficult to be accepted into than kindergarten.Because learning has been pushed down to pre-school, children who don't attend pre-school are at a definite disadvantage. If you choose to have your child not attend pre-school, I strongly advise that you pick up one of the many books on kindergarten readiness and work with your child to develop some of these skills. Otherwise, your child will have a difficult time, at least initially, which may lead to frustration.So I guess what I'm saying is that, in my opinion, pre-school is a good idea, even if it's for only two days a week. And kindergarten is a necessity.You may notice that I do not mention creating or completing worksheets and I have tried not to include websites or books that are worksheets. Since it is only you and your child working together, I'd prefer that it be as active learning as possible. Let the worksheets for when they're needed. There is a place for them in education, but they're unnecessary when it's just the two of you.I admit: I am an old-fashioned educator. In this handbook I take the new core curriculum and use my tried and true methods to help you encourage your child.
