Getting Ready for the New School Year - post

Going back to school is full of emotions, not only for the children and their families but especially so for early childhood educators. There is a lot to plan and set up, and neither time nor money is enough to do it all. Not to mention that it is preschool!  

• Many of the children who are coming into your classroom probably have never had to wait in line, get around a room with other kids, or even go to the bathroom without their parents. There are many things to learn!
• At the beginning of school, the most important thing to remember is that we must teach our children how to do school before we can teach them any skills or content.
• Think about your school day and make a list of all the routines the children will need to know to keep things running smoothly in the classroom.
• Carefully choose what to do during the first weeks of school. We want the children to be able to do things on their own. It's a plus if the activity keeps their attention and gives them something to do that keeps them active. 
• Children do better when they know what to expect in new situations. We recommend creating a daily visual schedule so the children can see what their day is going to look like!
• To make the first weeks more meaningful, take photos of the children engaged in the different activities and use those pictures as part of the visual schedule and jobs chart.

Here are some online courses to help teachers ready to plan for the new year:

• Lesson Planning for Preschoolers
• Meaningful Lesson Planning for Infants/Toddlers
• DAP for Preschool
• Developing Program Tranquility

*Archived from H&H's Constant Contact Newsletter [8.1.2022]