Today starts the kick-off to another Week of the Young Child! While I, and I know others at Teachstone, feel strongly that young children, their educators, and their families deserve to be celebrated every day, we’re excited to have an opportunity to intentionally highlight the impact you have on young children, celebrate the rapidly developing brains of young children, and recognize that each day, even beyond this week, offers ample opportunities for meaningful interactions.
As a former early childhood educator, and now a mom to a rambunctious 2.5 year old, I find myself pausing and finding even more to celebrate this week. Through the eyes of my daughter, I get to experience the world again as an innocent, joyful, and curious young child.
And, if it’s been awhile since you’ve paused to smell the flowers, to laugh at a silly sound your shoe made, or had an epiphany that your outfit matches someone else's, I hope this week affords you the opportunity to experience that joy, that wonder, and that excitement.
Week of the Young Child offers a time we all can be intentional in setting up a fun and playful activity to engage with the children in our care. And, we know that play = learning! Continue on reading below for some ideas to help you celebrate each day, and for even more activity ideas, visit NAEYC’s Week of the Young Child webpage.
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Exploring music offers a magnitude of learning opportunities. From language development, to critical thinking skills, to fine motor skills, the potential for fun, and for learning, is endless. |
For infants and toddlers, consider planning for or trying the following.
For preschool and older children, consider planning for or trying the following.
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From language modeling and development, to math, to literacy, and even science, being intentional around the questions asked and the structure of meals can extend a favorite time of day, to a learning time of day! |
For infants and toddlers, consider planning for or trying the following.
For preschool and older children, consider planning for or trying the following.
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Intentional activities in which children can think critically, collaborate, and work together can drive their social and emotional learning and development. |
For infants and toddlers, consider planning for or trying the following.
For preschool and older children, consider planning for or trying the following.
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Inside each individual is a creative spark waiting to be lit. Celebrate and promote creativity, which also offers a plethora of learning opportunities, by expanding beyond your standard or go-to art activities. |
For infants and toddlers, consider planning for or trying the following.
For preschool and older children, consider planning for or trying the following.
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Families are children’s first teachers. And, they play an important role in the child’s development and learning. Today is a day to celebrate them, recognize their impact, and continue to support them in the important work they do. |
For your families, consider planning for or trying the following:
Again, this week gives us an opportunity to not only have fun but to pause and say thank you. Thank you for the dedication you have to supporting young children.
Thank you for the impact you make on the future generations. And thank you, for seeing us as your partner in this important work.
We hope this week brings you joy, laughter, and lots of warm interactions. We cannot wait to see how you’re celebrating. Share your fun, your activities, your reflections and your ideas with us in this community post, or tweet us @teachstone.
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Teachstone recently hosted the What Is “Quality” Teaching Anyway? webinar with Laura Iannazzo, Professional Services Manager at Teachstone, and Gena Puckett, Education and Training Specialist from the University of Mississippi School of Education. Together, they talked about the significance of quality interactions between early childhood educators and infants or toddlers in their care.
IIn our recent webinar, Making the Move to CLASS® 2nd Edition, we shared how programs and individuals can begin to experience and use the enhanced Pre-K–3rd CLASS tool. Certified CLASS observers play a critical role in helping every child reach their full potential.
Without reliable and valid data on the quality of educator-child interactions, programs and educators would not have the actionable insights they need to make continuous quality improvements in the areas that matter the most for children.
I moved to the United States years ago when I was a teenager. I felt confused, scared, and out of place in my new school. As soon as I learned English, I decided to stop speaking my native language to hide who I was. I thought that by hiding my identity people would not notice I was different, and accept me.
Last week marked Teachstone's annual user conference, InterAct NOW: CLASS® Summit, where hundreds of education leaders, coaches, and teachers from around the country came together to network and learn from each other. The event kicked off on Tuesday, March 15 with a special announcement from Teachstone CEO, Dr. Bridget Hamre.