BACKGROUND: Classroom transitions occur at drop-off and several times each day, and are often challenging for young children, caregivers, and educators. These transitions can often be stressful and create anxiety, particularly for infants and toddlers. To ease this anxiety, educators and caregivers can establish routines involving positive interactions and a …
[Read more...]Practitioner Notes
Our Practitioner Note series serves to improve classroom practice, inform the teaching profession and enable teachers to have a voice in policy decisions that impact their professional lives.
Embedding Literacy Learning Opportunities in Play: Part 2 Implementation
BACKGROUND: In part one of this two-part series, we discussed planning intentional and differentiated language and literacy learning opportunities based on children’s needs. In this second part, we focus on ways to implement these teaching goals by embedding them within naturally occurring play (e.g., Myck-Wayne, 2010). This requires that educators …
[Read more...]Embedding Literacy-Learning Opportunities in Play: Part 1
BACKGROUND: Play and literacy-learning opportunities are often viewed as conflicting instructional times. However, research from the early childhood special education field highlights the way in which literacy learning opportunities can be intentionally embedded within play to support all children (e.g., Justice & Kaderavek, 2004). To be most effective, these literacy-learning …
[Read more...]Biting in early Childhood Classrooms
Biting is a common early childhood behavior that often occurs between 4 months and three years of age. Young babies and toddlers may bite as a method of exploration or oral stimulation, to alleviate teething issues, or to explore cause and effect; older toddlers may bite out of frustration or stress. Although biting is normal, young children require support to find alternative, safe behaviors to replace biting (Ireland & Stein, 2008; Ramming, Kyger, & Thompson, 2006). We present three approaches for helping prevent and respond to biting, and provide an example involving Deon, a typically-developing two year old, who is sometimes prone to biting when frustrated.
[Read more...]De-escalating Tantrums in Early Childhood Classrooms
De escalating tantrums in early childhood classrooms Authors: Emily Manahan, Early Childhood Specialist, Sophie Rogers School for Early Learning; Caitlin F. Spear, Postdoctoral Researcher, Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and Policy. BACKGROUND: Tantrums are episodes of crying, hitting, kicking, throwing objects, or falling to the floor. Tantrums are common, …
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