The Confident Teacher Blog

  • What Do All Those Letters Mean?

    I’m going to show my age here, but I still have trouble with all the abbreviations used on social media. LOL, BRB, ROFL. While I’ve mastered the most popular ones, I still find myself going to Urban Dictionary to figure out what someone has said.

    I’ve felt that way sitting in a conference training session as well. They use an acronym of which I am not familiar. I look around the room to see if others are maybe in the same place as me.

    But it appears they all know what is being discussed. Am I the only one who doesn’t know what that stands for?

    Probably not. Just as I will pretend to know what they are talking about, so will others in the room with me. I’ll write it down and look it up later or google it right then on my phone (something I couldn’t do years ago at the beginning of my career).

    Abbreviations can be helpful when everyone knows what the mean. It can be frustrating if you don’t know the meaning and can make you feel on the outside. (Obviously the rest know what it means, right?)

    Here are some abbreviations you may or may not already know.  What’s your favorite abbreviation? Or one that stumped you at the time? Do you have any for me to add to my list?

    ACE = Adverse Childhood Experiences

    ASQ-3 = Ages & Stages Questionnaire 3rd Edition

    CDA = Child Development Association’s credential

    CLASS = Classroom Assessment Scoring System

    CPS = Child Protective Services

    DAP = Developmentally Appropriate Practices

    DEI – Diversity, Equity, Inclusion

    DLL = Dual Language Learner

    ECE = Early Childhood Education

    ECERS = Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale

    ESL = English as a Second Language

    FAQ = Frequently Asked Questions

    IDEA = Individuals with Disabilities Act

    IEP = Individual Education Plan/Program

    IFSP = Individual Family Service Plan

    ITERS = Infant Toddler Environmental Rating Scale

    KWL = Know, Want to Know, Learned

    MKO = More Knowledgeable Others

    NAEYC = National Association for the Education of Young Children

    OT = Occupational Therapy

    PD = Professional Development

    PLC = Professional Learning Community

    RTI = Response to Intervention

    STEAM = Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics

    STEM = Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics

    QRIS = Quality Rating and Improvement Systems

    T.E.A.C.H. = Teacher Education And Compensation Helps

  • HELP! This Child Is Running Around The Classroom

    We have all probably experienced the frustration of having a child “act-out” and behave in a way we would prefer not to have to deal with. Children can be challenging.

    Often a child’s behavior is like a window into the needs of that child. When we view behavior as a communication of the child’s needs, we are able to approach the child’s behavior from a problem-solving perspective instead of a behavior that needs to stop or be controlled.

    While each child is unique and each situation is different, there are some basic trends that are seen frequently among young children.u
    Children with special needs, trauma or truly challenging behaviors need more in depth interventions.

    Let’s look at one situation and examine what might be behind the behavior.

    Situation – A child is running around the classroom, seemingly lacking any direction and ability to make a decision as to where to play.

    What is this child’s behavior trying to tell us?

    Possibly there are too many choices for the child and they are having difficulty picking just one. Children can easily become overwhelmed by the number of choices available in a classroom, especially if they are new to the classroom or preschool in general. Try suggesting a 2 or 3 activities so their choices are fewer.

    Maybe the child is bored. The activities may not be engaging for this child; either too easy or too difficult. Suggesting other activities or modifications to some of the available activities might help the child engage.

    Sometimes a child just needs to be re-focused on what they were originally doing. Ask the child where they are playing. When they answer, point out where that area is located and ask if they need any help in that center. Or perhaps they’re ready to move to a new one.

    Children can be easily distracted and unfocused. A planning time right before center time can help to focus the child’s energies. Have the child pick the center they would like to visit first. Maybe even ask if they have a plan for after that center. This helps the child to plan their activities and focus energies in a positive direction.

    Your activity my not be open-ended, allowing a child to extend the learning on their own. Or it may be too easy for the child. Review the activity and center to determine what might be added or changed to make it more engaging for a wider range of abilities. This is one of the hardest parts of curricular planning. Open-ended activities provide the opportunities for children to experience the center at their best learning level.

    Scaffolding frequently needs a little help from the teacher. Sit down with the child at an activity they seem to breeze through and provide provocations to extend the learning. The next time the child is at this center, you may see some extended learning initiated by the child.

    Are there enough choices available for the child to choose their next activity? If there is not room at any of the centers that interest this child, wondering the room may be the only choice they see. Ideally, your classroom should provide 2-3 play spaces per child. A play space is defined as an activity that provides 10-20 minutes of engaged play. For instance, your dramatic play area may comfortably sustain 4 children playing. That would count as 4 play spaces.

    Behaviors can be challenging. Many times, we can mitigate the behaviors by providing an rich, engaging environment for all children. Every group of children is different, so what might be a great environment for one group of children falls short for the next. When challenging behavior disrupts the flow of the classroom, perhaps a few tweaks in the environment can lessen those behaviors.

  • A Lesson My Mentor Shared That Changed My Teaching
    Coaching session

    Early in my career, my Director/mentor mentioned to me during a conversation how she hated hearing people telling children “I don’t care”.  Like, “I don’t care if you were there first, we don’t hit”. She felt the child may only hear the “I don’t care” and not the rest.  Most of the time, the meaning would remain the same if the phrase were removed.

    Her words had a profound impact on how I viewed what I said to children. I’m not sure how often I actually said, “I don’t care”, but I removed it from my vernacular. I’ve removed other phrases such as “I don’t want to hear..”  as I feel they may also convey an unintended meaning.

    Children are literal. And, like most of us, dwell often on only a portion of what was said. Most of the time the focus is on the negative part of the message. The lesson I took away from the conversation with my director was that words matter. Even if the phrase is a well known saying, the children will pick out the literal words and not the more abstract meaning. After all, they only have a few years of experience and their brains just aren’t ready for the more abstract meanings in sayings and colloquialisms. 

    Has a mentor or colleague shared something that made an impact with you that you could share with a newer teacher?

  • For A Predictable Classroom – Routines

    If you’re anything like me, you have your daily ritual or routine for getting ready in the morning. For me, it’s my coffee, watching the news, then shower, dress, etc. And, if anything interrupts my routine, I may forget to do something or leave something (like my phone) at home. We go through these routines without really thinking.

    Routines serve a few purposes in our lives. They create a comfortable structure to our day. They help us complete daily, repeating tasks without much thinking. And they make our day (or at least their portion of it) more efficient. I know in my life, my day runs so much smoother when my routines and rituals have gone smoothly. It’s when something disrupts the routine that things start to fall apart. The phone call right before I get in the shower, the train on my way to work, or the unexpected visitor when I arrive at work. After these disruptions, it takes me a minute to get back on track.

    Children benefit from predictable routines as well. They control so little of their world, that the predictability of the day brings comfort. Some of the ways we can create a predictable world in our classrooms include:

    • A consistent good-bye routine when the parent is dropping off the child
    • A consistent classroom schedule so the child knows what happens first, next, etc.
    • Consistent teachers in the classroom – being greeted by the same people each day
    • Consistent ways of doing things; such as transitions, bathroom, meals, etc.

    There are many things that happen every day in your classroom. Your classroom schedule determines what those things are and when during the day they occur. The schedule guides the teachers throughout the day so all know what is happening when and next. The daily schedule also lets parents know what happens in the classroom while their child is in attendance. And though a child may not be able to read the actual schedule, they become familiar with the routine of the day.

  • Conflict in the Classroom
    upset child

    We know conflict is going to happen. Two children will want the same toy. Children will bump into each other. Someone will say something upsetting to another. There’s another type of conflict as well. The conflict brought on by what the teacher wants and what the child wants.

    Read the following out loud
    What’s the matter?
    Can you use your words?
    Be careful.

    Did you notice anything about them? These examples are frequently heard in the classroom. Now read these out loud.
    Can I help you with that?
    You seem upset. What happened?
    I’m worried you might fall. Let’s keep our feet on the floor.

    Did you notice a difference from the first set?
    We can set up a conflict between ourselves and the children by using commands instead of seeking to understand the child. Most of us (including children) do not like being told what to do. As adults, we have emotional controls so we don’t lash out at someone for issuing a command. Children are still working on those controls.

  • Children as Capable
    Snowman

    If you’re in the Midwest, as I am, winter brings the nightmare of getting dressed for freezing cold weather. There’s not only coats, but boots and snow pants and gloves and scarves and hats. And everything has a specific order of assembly. And you have 15 children to get ready without passing out from overheating.

    As we are focusing on our view of children, let’s go through a few questions to help us see how we are viewing the capabilities of the children in our care.

    Do you plan extra time for getting dressed and undressed for the weather so you are not taking away valuable outdoor time? Winter outerwear just takes longer. By planning extra time, you avoid the need to rush the children. You can allow them the time they need to learn the new skills of getting ready for a cold outdoors. Rushing is stressful and challenges everyone’s patience.

    When a child is struggling with getting dressed, how quickly do you jump in to help? Do you ask first? While we don’t want children to get too frustrated, we do want them to persist and master the skills we are teaching and they are practicing. You show the child respect if, when you see a child struggling, you ask if they need assistance yet. If they say no, then wait and watch. If they are getting more frustrated, ask again. Odds are the child will allow you to help when they reach a level of frustration. Show the child you trust them to let you know when they need help.

    Do the children gather their own coats and winter attire? Sometime children can get distracted from the task at hand. When that happens, how do you get them back on track? Do you hand them their coat or point them in the right direction to get it for themselves? Do you believe they can keep track of their belongings?

    As you are getting your class ready for the cold of winter, I encourage you to step back and check for the messages you are sending the children. Sure, it’s easier and faster to do it for them, but we are teaching them to be independent children and that takes time and a belief that they are capable.

  • How Do You See the Child

    Let’s take a few minutes to examine our beliefs about what children can do and with what we need to help them. If we believe children are capable, we allow them time to figure things out on their own, to put their coats on by themselves, to clean up after themselves and to serve themselves at meal time among all the other things children do throughout the day. Your attitude toward a child’s capability effects your interactions, problem solving, conflict resolution and about everything that happens in your classroom. It recognizes a child’s sovereignty. Treating children with respect shows our trust in the child’s ability. It means we give them the time they need to comply with the demands of the day.

    Our actions throughout the day demonstrate how we see children. Whether we see them as capable or in need of assistance. Take a step back and look at your everyday interactions with children. Are you allowing the child to try and fail and try again, or do you jump in and solve the problem for the child?

    Over the next few posts, we’ll look at some common situations with young children and evaluate our interactions and where we can trust children with more autonomy.

  • 5 Simple Ways to Connect with Children

    All teachers of young children seek to create connections with each of the children in their care. Forming that connection not only makes teaching more enjoyable, but has numerous positive effects. Children learn best when they feel safe and connected with the teacher. Challenging behaviors diminish when children feel a part of the classroom community and feel connected to their teacher.

    Connecting with children start on day one, however, building deeper connections happen every day. Here are 5 simple ways to connect everyday with the children in your care. 

    Greet each child by name

    As children enter your room each day, greet the child by name first, then greet the adult. 

    Invite child into play

    Invite the child into the room and suggest areas of play they may like. 

    Find one thing you have in common with the child 

    Maybe you like the same color, or both have a dog. These are things you can ask or comment on during the day. 

    Ask the child to help you

    Most children love to be helpers. Having a child help gives the child a sense of importance and connection. 

    Read one on one with the child

    Nap time is the perfect time to spend a little one-on-one time reading with the child.  

  • Holidays
    Santa

    Holidays bring a lot of excitement and energy. From the commercials for every toy under the sun to holiday movies and TV shows (I mean Hallmark starts Christmas movies in October), the ramped up energy is everywhere. You can’t go to the mall without being bombarded by Christmas music and decorations. There’s parades and cookie workshops to add to the festive atmosphere. All this stimulus is overwhelming for adults, so just imaging what children might be experiencing.

    Children absorb the energy of the season, and under the best of circumstances, it can be more than they are able to understand and process. For young children, they may not even remember what the holidays are or what they are like. During this time of year, children frequently find it difficult to sleep. They experience emotions stronger than other times of the year, partly from not sleeping well and partly from all the excitement around them. Even if you try to keep your classroom low key, the rest of the world will provide the excitement.

    You may notice that your children are pushing limits more, having more meltdowns and basically, being more emotional. Realizing this is going to happen, you can set up your daily activities to help mitigate the emotional responses.

    Start from the child’s perspective. The child is saying without saying, “I’m feeling so much inside of me I don’t know how to handle it.” How do you feel when you’re excited about something? Have you ever had trouble falling asleep because of excitement or worry? You have developed skills for dealing with those emotions, and yet we still sometimes have difficulty controlling our feelings. Children don’t have years of experience with these emotions and they don’t have the skills to deal with them.

    I’ve heard it said that when children have big feelings, we need to give them our calm. It becomes our role to create an environment that helps with the calm. You can think about the things that help you get through stressful situations and try to create some of those for your children. But since everyone is not alike, here are some things you can do that will help the children in your classroom handle the excitement of the holidays.

    Start your day with a calming or mindful moment.
    How your day starts can affect how your entire day goes. Try a short meditation or mindful moment before you start your day. Then give the children in your classroom the same opportunity. Plan a mindful moment at the beginning of your classroom day to start everyone on a calmer note,

    Keep your classroom schedule as consistent as possible.
    This is the time of year when many distractions and changes to our normal routines happen. Doing your best to keep your consistent schedule and routines help children feel safe and secure. When there are variations to your schedule, such as holidays, visitors, etc., inform the children well in advance (think days) and discuss what the children can expect that day. Keeping families informed of these changes can allow them to help the child with expectations and alleviate some of the fear of the unknown.

    Provide additional movement and emotional release activities.
    Since the children are full of extra energy at this time of the year, give them outlets for that energy. Maybe you can give extra time outside. Add more movement activities to your large group time. Create an obstacle course in one of the centers. Boxes make great additions to the classroom at this time. Playdough, water, and sand are all good emotional release activities,

    Avoid or minimize the holiday related activities and projects.
    Holiday related activities can up the energy and excitement in children. But they can also cause stress or distress to some children in your classroom. Not all children will celebrate the same holidays, if they celebrate at all. Religion, culture, economics, and family value systems all contribute to how families recognize holidays. Be aware of how the families of your children handle the holidays and be respectful of those traditions or values.

    Listen to children and validate their feelings.
    Probably the best and most effective action during this time, and anytime, is to take the time listen to your children. Listen for what they are not telling you. Listen for the emotions behind the stories. A child may be telling you about Santa coming down the chimney, but the child’s house doesn’t have a chimney. You can talk about how that may be confusing or even fearful that Santa just won’t come. Don’t invent feelings for the child, but validate feelings the child expresses.

    Expect big emotions.
    When you expect something, you can plan for it and prepare for it. So if you know this time of year will be more hectic, more trying, and more tiring, you can be prepared as well. Get plenty of sleep, plan something relaxing for after work or the weekend, and be kind to yourself. When you take care of yourself, you will be better prepared to handle those big emotions in children and you will have more calm to share with them,

    I have always enjoyed decorating for the holidays. Some of my best memories are around the holidays. But they can also be hard times for people who have experienced loss. So, enjoy your holidays while you take into consideration how others may experience this time of year.

  • What Drives You Crazy?

    What do the children do in your classroom that drives you crazy? I know for me there is probably a list that could envy a child’s Christmas wish list. It drove me crazy after the hundredth singing of Baby Shark, or Let It Go. I think I was singing them in my sleep. I would find myself humming them while I worked. Crazy!

    children singing

    But, do you know what didn’t drive me crazy? That the teachers allowed and even encouraged the children to sing their favorite songs, to express themselves in dancing to the songs, and to never appear tired of them. They let the children drive the happenings in the classroom even when it derailed an activity they had planned for the day.

    Letting children have control over aspects of the classroom and daily activities builds a sense of community and belonging in the classroom. As humans, we crave connection and acceptance. It also allows children to build leadership qualities; “Hey, let’s sing Baby Shark.” Most importantly, it builds the relationships between children and teachers, and child to child.

    So what’s driving you crazy? Is it something you can embrace instead of squash? Does it actually have an underlying positive effect on your classroom?