One thing I’ve learned in Pre-K is that telling a four-year-old to “calm down” usually isn’t very helpful. They’re still learning what their feelings are, why they’re having them and, probably the biggest piece, what they can actually do when those feelings become overwhelming. That’s why I wanted the calm down corner in my classroom to be more than a cute chair and a basket of fidgets. I wanted it to be a space where my students could begin learning the skills they nee

The first week of preschool can feel overwhelming! We're trying to comfort nervous children, reassure anxious parents, teach classroom routines, learn twenty new names, and somehow squeeze in meaningful learning, too. I've learned over the years that if I spend those first few days building relationships instead of rushing into academics, everything else goes more smoothly. The first week sets the tone for the entire school year, because when children feel safe, welcomed, an

If you've ever heard your director say, "CLASS is coming next week," you've probably felt your stomach drop just a little. You're definitely not alone! For many preschool and VPK teachers, CLASS observations can feel intimidating. Having someone you've never met spend time in your classroom while taking notes can make even experienced teachers second-guess themselves. Understanding CLASS Observations Here's the good news: CLASS isn't measuring how Pinterest-worthy your classr

One of my favorite ways to teach preschool literacy is to extend a great book into a meaningful hands-on activity. Children learn so much more when they have the opportunity to experience a story instead of simply listening to it. That was exactly our goal as we read The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle and created our own collaborative art inspired by his illustrations. This preschool collaborative art project took several days to complete, and that was part of what made it so spe

Pastel Pre-K teacher binder workspace showing organization ideas for preschool teachers. There are a lot of things you can't control as a preschool teacher, like the fire drill that interrupts circle time, the child who suddenly decides today is the day they don't like paint, or the parent who remembers at pickup that they forgot to tell you something important. What you can control is how organized you are. I've learned over the years that having a well-organized teac

Walk into any preschool classroom and you'll probably see signs hanging above each center. Blocks. Art. Dramatic Play. Library. Writing. But have you ever stopped to think about what those signs are really telling families? Most of the time, they simply tell children where to play. I wanted mine to do a little more. As preschool teachers, we know that children aren't "just playing." They're building vocabulary in dramatic play. They're strengthening the muscles they'll

Some of my favorite pieces of artwork hanging around the classroom aren't the ones that every child takes home. They're the giant collaborative projects that we create together. At first glance, they look like fun bulletin boards full of bright colors and adorable artwork. But if you look a little closer, you'll see so much more. You'll see children making decisions, solving problems, practicing patience, sharing materials, encouraging one another, and taking pride in crea

If you've looked through my store, you've probably noticed that many of my resources mention alignment with the Florida VPK Standards. As a Florida VPK teacher, those standards guide my planning every single week, so it only makes sense that they also influence the resources I create. But here's something I think is important to say: standards are not meant to be a script. They aren't a list of worksheets children have to complete, or boxes teachers rush to check off. They