Great Teaching in Early Childhood

There are many different methods to encourage and enhance learning in the early childhood classroom.  I have the fortunate opportunity to see this learning from a teacher's point of view, and a parent's point of view.  As both of my children are in early childhood classrooms, I watch as they explore and create everyday with their teachers.  In my daughter's preschool class, the children engage in play based learning.  Recently, the children were involved in recreating the outdoor classroom at the school.  The children looked up plants that would survive in Arizona's hot climate, and then took a few days learning how to put this planting plan into action.  The results are astounding!  The children now have first hand experience of how to build a sustainable garden. 

My son's kindergarten classroom is not lacking either in terms of creative approaches to teaching.  This classroom is child-centered.  The teacher determines what the children are interested in and curious about.  Then she creates centers and activities to enhance this learning.  Recently, the children showed an interest in space exploration.  The teacher then created research projects, art activities and found literature to support this creativity.  The classroom is now filled with the research they've done, the art they have made, and looks quite a bit like a space camp for kids!

These teachers have gone above and beyond the call of duty.  Do you feel that these "out of the box" approaches are as valuable as the old school direct instruction methods?  How can teachers enhance their students' learning through these types of approaches to teaching?

Issue: Childhood Obesity

    Over the past decade, I have noticed a terrifying increase of childhood obesity in my students.  This health issue is not just about physical appearance.  I believe that obesity, especially at a young age, can create developmental problems which could be long-term.  New studies are done each year looking into the lifelong effects of obesity on children.  It has been found that there may even be cognitive consequences to obesity.  This was shocking to me.  We are all aware of the emotional, social, and of course physical concerns of children who are severely overweight.  However, there is a study out that has made a link to academic concerns in obese children.
    Children who are obese may have a health concern called metabolic syndrome.  This can produce diabetes as well as other physical conditions.  This syndrome has been linked to children having physical changes in their brain.  These changes are affecting the ability of the child to become proficient in math and reading.  It is unknown whether or not these changes of the brain are reversible or if the child will experience lower achievement for the long run (Gillette, 2012).
     What are your thoughts on this study?  Do you think that there really could be a link between obesity and academic delays or difficulties?




Reference:  http://www.voxxi.com/childhood-obesity-affects-brain-development/

Learning Through Play

Play is an extremely important part of the early childhood curriculum. However, many parents are unaware of the reasons behind structured play in the classroom. Many of these parents may see play as a waste of time in the school setting. As educators, how to you feel about play in the classroom? Do you find that parents are informed on the issues of play in relation to growth and development?

My Memories of Play:
I recall going to preschool and getting so excited about the centers set up in the corners of the room. Not only was I going to get to be a teacher, chef, doctor, actor, and architect, but I was going to get to do these things while playing with the other kids in the room. This role playing built my love for school right away. I knew that I was going to enjoy coming to this place. I learned to take turns, share materials, and found boundaries for my behavior. This important time will never be forgotten.