Does setting up your centers stress you out?Are you looking for ways to make your sensory table center more fun and engaging for your students?In this episode of Elevating Early Childhood we'll be looking at the best sensory bin tools to enhance sensory play and fine motor skills. We'll also discuss sensory bin fillers and there's even a free printable included to make setting up, planning for, and managing your sensory table a breeze!

Does setting up your centers stress you out? Are you looking for ways to make your sensory table center more fun and engaging for your students? In this episode of Elevating Early Childhood we'll be looking at the best sensory bin tools to enhance sensory play and fine motor skills. We'll also discuss sensory bin fillers and there's even a free printable included to make setting up, planning for, and managing your sensory table a breeze!

Must-Have Sensory Table Tools

Do you have questions about setting up the dramatic play center in your classroom?Are you looking for ways to make your dramatic play center more engaging and deepen the play and learning?Or maybe you just LOVE peeking into other teacher’s classrooms.If any of these describe you, then you’re in the right place. This episode of elevating early childhood is part of a series I’m doing called Learning Center Tours where I draw back the curtains on each center, so stick around until the very end so you won’t miss a thing!

Do you have questions about setting up the dramatic play center in your classroom? Are you looking for ways to make your dramatic play center more engaging and deepen the play and learning? Or maybe you just LOVE peeking into other teacher’s classrooms. If any of these describe you, then you’re in the right place. This episode of elevating early childhood is part of a series I’m doing called Learning Center Tours where I draw back the curtains on each center, so stick around until the very end so you won’t miss a thing!

Dramatic Play Center Tour

In this impactful episode of Elevating Early Childhood with Vanessa Levin, we dive into the heart of the early childhood classroom with a focus on blocks – the cornerstone of creativity and cognitive development. Discover the intricacies of setting up your block center for unparalleled success in this center tour. Answering burning questions from my e-mail inbox, I'll will guide you through the crucial components of an effective block center set-up. Join me for this in-depth tour, showcasing real-life examples and the best tips and tricks to avoid catastrophe, before it strikes! I'll provide detailed insights on what to put on the shelves in your block center for the first day(s) of school, and expert troubleshooting tips to set yourself and your kids up for success in the block center.  Tune in and empower your teaching journey with my comprehensive guide to creating a thriving block center. This episode is an absolute must for any educator looking to refine their approach and set up their block center for success. Let's leverage the power of blocks and shape our future one block at a time!

In this impactful episode of Elevating Early Childhood with Vanessa Levin, we dive into the heart of the early childhood classroom with a focus on blocks – the cornerstone of creativity and cognitive development. Discover the intricacies of setting up your block center for unparalleled success in this center tour. Answering burning questions from my e-mail inbox, I'll will guide you through the crucial components of an effective block center set-up. Join me for this in-depth tour, showcasing real-life examples and the best tips and tricks to avoid catastrophe, before it strikes! I'll provide detailed insights on what to put on the shelves in your block center for the first day(s) of school, and expert troubleshooting tips to set yourself and your kids up for success in the block center. Tune in and empower your teaching journey with my comprehensive guide to creating a thriving block center. This episode is an absolute must for any educator looking to refine their approach and set up their block center for success. Let's leverage the power of blocks and shape our future one block at a time!

Preschool Power-Up: Setting Up Your Block Center for Success

Teachers, do you want the upcoming school year to be your best year ever? What if I told you that you can start laying the foundation for a successful school year BEFORE your kids ever walk through your classroom door?Yes, you heard me right! You can get a jump start on things during the summer that are going to ease your "schoolmares." In this episode of EEC I’ll be sharing my secret weapon to combat your schoolmares head-on, right now, before the first day of school.

Teachers, do you want the upcoming school year to be your best year ever? What if I told you that you can start laying the foundation for a successful school year BEFORE your kids ever walk through your classroom door? Yes, you heard me right! You can get a jump start on things during the summer that are going to ease your "schoolmares." In this episode of EEC I’ll be sharing my secret weapon to combat your schoolmares head-on, right now, before the first day of school.

Mastering Meet the Teacher Night

Teachers, are you overwhelmed by all the “non-teaching” responsibilities you have at school?I’m talking about the things not related to when the students are in the classroom, like labeling the tubs in your centers, communicating with parents, planning events like meet the teacher etc. I could go on because the list is endless, but you know what I’m talking about. All these things can add up quickly and lead to feeling completely overwhelmed.In this episode I'll be sharing ways to make all the "non-teaching" related tasks you have just a little bit easier and less overwhelming.

Teachers, are you overwhelmed by all the “non-teaching” responsibilities you have at school? I’m talking about the things not related to when the students are in the classroom, like labeling the tubs in your centers, communicating with parents, planning events like meet the teacher etc. I could go on because the list is endless, but you know what I’m talking about. All these things can add up quickly and lead to feeling completely overwhelmed. In this episode I'll be sharing ways to make all the "non-teaching" related tasks you have just a little bit easier and less overwhelming.

Feeling Overwhelmed by All the "Non-Teaching" Things?

Teachers, have you ever felt like a failure? Of course you have, and so have I! Every teacher out there feels like a failure some, or even all of the time. And that feeling of failure, it can really drag you down if you let it, am I right? That’s exactly why #teacher quittok exists.But before you throw in the towel and turn in your resignation, I encourage you to watch/listen to this episode until the very end because I’m going to share my #1 method to help you STOP feeling like a failure, and start experiencing that sweet success you deserve.

Teachers, have you ever felt like a failure? Of course you have, and so have I! Every teacher out there feels like a failure some, or even all of the time. And that feeling of failure, it can really drag you down if you let it, am I right? That’s exactly why #teacher quittok exists. But before you throw in the towel and turn in your resignation, I encourage you to watch/listen to this episode until the very end because I’m going to share my #1 method to help you STOP feeling like a failure, and start experiencing that sweet success you deserve.

Do You Feel Like a Failure as a Teacher?

Listen, it's no secret that teaching preschoolers isn't easy peasy. It's full of ups and downs with lots of bumps along the way, which leaves you exhausted from trying to find a balance between work and life. You just wish somebody would tell you what to teach and when to teach it, so you can find time to do the endless mounds of laundry or cook the occasional meal for your family.If any of this sounds familiar to you, I want you to know that you're not alone. In this episode of Elevating Early Childhood I'm sharing my top 3 tips for knowing what to teach and when to teach it in your pre-K classroom.

Listen, it's no secret that teaching preschoolers isn't easy peasy. It's full of ups and downs with lots of bumps along the way, which leaves you exhausted from trying to find a balance between work and life. You just wish somebody would tell you what to teach and when to teach it, so you can find time to do the endless mounds of laundry or cook the occasional meal for your family. If any of this sounds familiar to you, I want you to know that you're not alone. In this episode of Elevating Early Childhood I'm sharing my top 3 tips for knowing what to teach and when to teach it in your pre-K classroom.

Pre-K Edition: What to Teach and When to Teach it?

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by all the behaviors in your preschool classroom? That’s a trick question because every teacher feels like that sometimes. And those behaviors, do they seem like they’re getting worse each year?If any of this sounds familiar, then you’re in the right place because this week’s episode of Elevating Early Childhood has the answers you’ve been looking for. But those answers might surprise you, so be sure to stick around until the very end so you don’t miss a thing.

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by all the behaviors in your preschool classroom? That’s a trick question because every teacher feels like that sometimes. And those behaviors, do they seem like they’re getting worse each year? If any of this sounds familiar, then you’re in the right place because this week’s episode of Elevating Early Childhood has the answers you’ve been looking for. But those answers might surprise you, so be sure to stick around until the very end so you don’t miss a thing.

Overwhelmed by student behaviors?

Let me ask you a question, how is teaching Pre-K different from, let’s say, 4th grade? Or even first, second, or third grade?It’s an entirely different animal, isn’t it?So, if you’ve you been moved down to Pre-K from a higher grade,OR you’re brand new to teaching Pre-K,Then this episode of elevating early childhood is for you!And if you’re an administrator, instructional coach, or a classroom teacher who works with teachers new to Pre-K – you’ll find this episode useful too!

Let me ask you a question, how is teaching Pre-K different from, let’s say, 4th grade? Or even first, second, or third grade? It’s an entirely different animal, isn’t it? So, if you’ve you been moved down to Pre-K from a higher grade, OR you’re brand new to teaching Pre-K, Then this episode of elevating early childhood is for you! And if you’re an administrator, instructional coach, or a classroom teacher who works with teachers new to Pre-K – you’ll find this episode useful too!

Are You New to Teaching Pre-K?

Are you looking for ways to incorporate more nature into your classroom? Bringing the outdoors into your classroom can provide a calmer and more soothing environment for young children. Who doesn’t want more calm and less chaos in their classroom, am I right?In today’s episode of elevating early childhood I’m going to share easy and inexpensive ways to build a more natural math center in your preschool or pre-k classroom.

Are you looking for ways to incorporate more nature into your classroom? Bringing the outdoors into your classroom can provide a calmer and more soothing environment for young children. Who doesn’t want more calm and less chaos in their classroom, am I right? In today’s episode of elevating early childhood I’m going to share easy and inexpensive ways to build a more natural math center in your preschool or pre-k classroom.

Building a Natural Preschool Math Center

Are you ready to teach better, save time, and live more? Learn more about my membership program “Teaching Trailblazers” here: https://teachingtrailblazers.com/I'm Vanessa Levin and here on Elevating Early Childhood, we believe in leveling the playing field and bridging the gap between the world of preschool, pre-k, and K-12 education.

Teachers, let’s be honest, the end of the school year is almost as stressful as the beginning of the year, am I right?If you’re not rehearsing for the end of the year “program,” you’re assessing your students, doing report cards, planning Mother’s Day and Father’s Day events, field trips, and much more! The very last thing teachers need at the end of the school year is more “stuff to do” piled on their already overflowing plates. In today’s episode of elevating early childhood, I’m going to share 5 easy hacks preschool and even kinder teachers can use to lighten the load during this busy time.

Teachers, let’s be honest, the end of the school year is almost as stressful as the beginning of the year, am I right? If you’re not rehearsing for the end of the year “program,” you’re assessing your students, doing report cards, planning Mother’s Day and Father’s Day events, field trips, and much more! The very last thing teachers need at the end of the school year is more “stuff to do” piled on their already overflowing plates. In today’s episode of elevating early childhood, I’m going to share 5 easy hacks preschool and even kinder teachers can use to lighten the load during this busy time.

End-of-the-School Year: 5 Easy and Stress-Free Hacks for Preschool Teachers

What does it really mean to be “kindergarten ready?”Should we be teaching kids to read before they enter kindergarten?Are you worried that your preschool or Pre-K kids won’t have all the skills they need to excel in today’s kindergarten classrooms?In this episode I'm going to break it all down for you so your kids will be well-prepared for kindergarten - and beyond.

What does it really mean to be “kindergarten ready?” Should we be teaching kids to read before they enter kindergarten? Are you worried that your preschool or Pre-K kids won’t have all the skills they need to excel in today’s kindergarten classrooms? In this episode I'm going to break it all down for you so your kids will be well-prepared for kindergarten - and beyond.

Kindergarten Readiness, Should Preschoolers Read Before Kindergarten?

Do puzzles cause headaches in your classroom? Are your kids uninterested in puzzles? Or maybe they’re frustrated because they can’t put them together? If you think puzzles are too much of a hassle, or they’re too old school for today’s kids – think again! In today’s episode I’ll be sharing my best tips and tricks for teaching smarter, not harder when it comes to puzzles in the classroom, AND how to set your kids up for success with puzzles by following the developmental sequence that nobody taught you in college.

Do puzzles cause headaches in your classroom? Are your kids uninterested in puzzles? Or maybe they’re frustrated because they can’t put them together? If you think puzzles are too much of a hassle, or they’re too old school for today’s kids – think again! In today’s episode I’ll be sharing my best tips and tricks for teaching smarter, not harder when it comes to puzzles in the classroom, AND how to set your kids up for success with puzzles by following the developmental sequence that nobody taught you in college.

Preschool Centers: Puzzle Tips & Tricks

Teachers, have you ever been told by an administrator that centers are “just playing?”Maybe you’re even one of the unlucky ones who have been told by an administrator that you can’t have centers in your classroom because they’re “just for fun” and not enough academic learning is taking place.Or even worse, maybe even thought about throwing in the towel on centers because they’re just too darn hard to manage!Today I’m going to help dispel the 6 myths that preschool teachers should never fall for when it comes to learning centers.

Teachers, have you ever been told by an administrator that centers are “just playing?” Maybe you’re even one of the unlucky ones who have been told by an administrator that you can’t have centers in your classroom because they’re “just for fun” and not enough academic learning is taking place. Or even worse, maybe even thought about throwing in the towel on centers because they’re just too darn hard to manage! Today I’m going to help dispel the 6 myths that preschool teachers should never fall for when it comes to learning centers.

6 Learning Center Myths Preschool Teachers Should Stop Falling For

Do you ever feel like you just don’t have enough center materials in your classroom?Are you wondering if what you have is enough? And how do you know?You see, setting-up and stocking your classroom centers can be very tricky. Every good teacher knows that centers are essential for a high-quality early childhood experience. The issue is that no one ever gives you an actual roadmap to follow when it comes to setting-up or stocking your centers.And that can leave teachers like you and me struggling to figure it out on our own.But today's your lucky day! I'm going to share my Ultimate Center Essentials Guide with you that will lay it all out for you in a very easy-to-follow format. So if centers are getting you down, this episode is for you!

Do you ever feel like you just don’t have enough center materials in your classroom?Are you wondering if what you have is enough? And how do you know?You see, setting-up and stocking your classroom centers can be very tricky. Every good teacher knows that centers are essential for a high-quality early childhood experience. The issue is that no one ever gives you an actual roadmap to follow when it comes to setting-up or stocking your centers.And that can leave teachers like you and me struggling to figure it out on our own.But today's your lucky day! I'm going to share my Ultimate Center Essentials Guide with you that will lay it all out for you in a very easy-to-follow format. So if centers are getting you down, this episode is for you!

My Ultimate Guide for Setting-Up and Stocking Your Classroom Centers

Do transitions in your classroom have you at the end of your rope? Does it feel like you’re trying to herd kittens during arrival, dismissal, or cleanup time?Then I have two things to tell you:You’re not alone.I can help!You see, transitions are something that all early childhood teachers struggle with. Yes, even the most experienced ones.The issue is that even though everyone says transitions are important, no one ever gives you an actual roadmap to follow.And that can leave teachers like you and me feeling a bit… all over the place.Lucky for you, because I’ve been through this more than enough times, I’ve come up with a foolproof formula to easy transitions in the preschool classroom; specifically, cleanup transitions.So if getting your preschool students to clean up seems like an impossible task, this episode is for you!Well then, what are you waiting for?Tune in now. Key Takeaways:Are cleanup transitions a nightmare for you? (00:00)The four building blocks of cleanup time (03:05)An easy step-by-step process you can follow (06:07)Some troubleshooting tips (21:13) Additional Resources:- Got a burning question for Vanessa? Get your answer on the Elevating Early Childhood podcast here.- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “Teaching Trailblazers”.- Watch my previous transition video here.- Get my Visual Routine Bundle here.- Get my Back to School Bundle here. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward &amp; Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

Do transitions in your classroom have you at the end of your rope? Does it feel like you’re trying to herd kittens during arrival, dismissal, or cleanup time?Then I have two things to tell you:<ol><li>You’re not alone.</li><li>I can help!</li></ol>You see, transitions are something that all early childhood teachers struggle with. Yes, even the most experienced ones.The issue is that even though everyone says transitions are important, no one ever gives you an actual roadmap to follow.And that can leave teachers like you and me feeling a bit… all over the place.Lucky for you, because I’ve been through this more than enough times, I’ve come up with a foolproof formula to easy transitions in the preschool classroom; specifically, cleanup transitions.So if getting your preschool students to clean up seems like an impossible task, this episode is for you!Well then, what are you waiting for?Tune in now. Key Takeaways:Are cleanup transitions a nightmare for you? (00:00)The four building blocks of cleanup time (03:05)An easy step-by-step process you can follow (06:07)Some troubleshooting tips (21:13) Additional Resources:- Got a burning question for Vanessa? Get your answer on the Elevating Early Childhood podcast <a href="https://www.pre-kpages.com/listen/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources <a href="https://www.pre-kpages.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.- Get my book “<a href="https://www.pre-kpages.com/teach-smarter-book/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers</a>”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “<a href="https://bit.ly/join-teaching-trailblazers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Teaching Trailblazers</a>”.- Watch my previous transition video <a href="https://youtu.be/1i1NnzPo7Xs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.- Get my Visual Routine Bundle <a href="https://www.pre-kpages.com/products/character-education-visual-routine-bundle/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.- Get my Back to School Bundle <a href="https://www.pre-kpages.com/products/back-to-school-bundle/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your <a href="https://www.pre-kpages.com/listen/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">favorite podcast platform</a>.--Onward &amp; Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

My Foolproof Formula to Improve Cleanup Transitions

Do your students struggle to write the letters of the alphabet?If so, I’ve got some good news for you: You’re not alone! In fact, most preschool teachers have to deal with this issue every single year (if not several times a year).And because I have dealt with it too, I’ve ended up coming up with a few solutions to this pesky problem.Improving your preschool students' handwriting can be a difficult task (even daunting for some of us), but it’s not impossible.Don’t believe me?Then listen to this episode where I share my top three steps to improve your preschoolers’ handwriting, try those tips, and let me know how it goes. I promise, they work!All right, are you ready to learn more?Let’s dive in. Key Takeaways:How to help your preschool students improve their handwriting (00:00)Understand the importance of fine motor skills (03:56)Set developmentally appropriate expectations (06:13)Use the right tools at the right time (10:30)Let’s discuss some conflicts (24:27) Additional Resources:- Got a burning question for Vanessa? Get your answer on the Elevating Early Childhood podcast here.- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “Teaching Trailblazers”.- Watch my episode about playdough tools here.- Discover more handwriting tips here.- Check out my favorite fine motor tools here.- Get our Farm Fine Motor Printables here.- Get your pre-writing cards here.- Grab your FREE Fine Motor Parent Handout here.- Get your FREE printable playdough recipe here. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward &amp; Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

Do your students struggle to write the letters of the alphabet?If so, I’ve got some good news for you: You’re not alone! In fact, most preschool teachers have to deal with this issue every single year (if not several times a year).And because I have dealt with it too, I’ve ended up coming up with a few solutions to this pesky problem.Improving your preschool students' handwriting can be a difficult task (even daunting for some of us), but it’s not impossible.Don’t believe me?Then listen to this episode where I share my top three steps to improve your preschoolers’ handwriting, try those tips, and let me know how it goes. I promise, they work!All right, are you ready to learn more?Let’s dive in. Key Takeaways:How to help your preschool students improve their handwriting (00:00)Understand the importance of fine motor skills (03:56)Set developmentally appropriate expectations (06:13)Use the right tools at the right time (10:30)Let’s discuss some conflicts (24:27) Additional Resources:- Got a burning question for Vanessa? Get your answer on the Elevating Early Childhood podcast <a href="https://www.pre-kpages.com/listen/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources <a href="https://www.pre-kpages.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.- Get my book “<a href="https://www.pre-kpages.com/teach-smarter-book/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers</a>”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “<a href="https://bit.ly/join-teaching-trailblazers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Teaching Trailblazers</a>”.- Watch my episode about playdough tools <a href="https://youtu.be/W28h5NMz_nw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.- Discover more handwriting tips <a href="https://www.pre-kpages.com/handwriting/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.- Check out my favorite fine motor tools <a href="https://www.amazon.com/shop/prekpages/list/D1JWWTT2ETQC?linkCode=spc&amp;tag=wwwprekpagesc08-20&amp;domainId=influencer&amp;asc_contentid=amzn1.ideas.D1JWWTT2ETQC" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.- Get our Farm Fine Motor Printables <a href="https://www.pre-kpages.com/products/farm-activity-bundle-preschool-and-pre-k/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.- Get your pre-writing cards <a href="https://www.pre-kpages.com/products/pre-writing-cards/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.- Grab your FREE Fine Motor Parent Handout <a href="https://www.pre-kpages.com/products/fine-motor-skills-parent-handout/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.- Get your FREE printable playdough recipe <a href="https://www.pre-kpages.com/homemade-playdough-recipe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your <a href="https://www.pre-kpages.com/listen/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">favorite podcast platform</a>.--Onward &amp; Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

3 Steps to Improve Handwriting Skills in Preschool

Friends, I have a question for you: Are the students in your classroom too loud?If so, then welcome to the club no one wants to join (yes, I have jokes).I can relate to students who have trouble keeping their outside voices where they belong, outside. And principals who complain about noisy classrooms.No matter what has brought you here, you and I both know there is no magic fix for this little (but very loud) problem. Yes, we all wish we had a magic wand sometimes. Alas, no one has discovered that yet. So, we’ll have to go with the next best thing…What’s that?Tune in to this week’s episode to find out.Are you ready?Let’s dive in! Key Takeaways:Is your classroom too loud? (00:00)Story time! (02:37)My 5-step solution to a loud classroom (03:26)A few pitfalls you need to avoid (12:44)How about troubleshooting? (18:35) Additional Resources:- Got a burning question for Vanessa? Get your answer on the Elevating Early Childhood podcast here.- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “Teaching Trailblazers”. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward &amp; Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

Friends, I have a question for you: Are the students in your classroom too loud?If so, then welcome to the club no one wants to join (yes, I have jokes).I can relate to students who have trouble keeping their outside voices where they belong, outside. And principals who complain about noisy classrooms.No matter what has brought you here, you and I both know there is no magic fix for this little (but very loud) problem. Yes, we all wish we had a magic wand sometimes. Alas, no one has discovered that yet. So, we’ll have to go with the next best thing…What’s that?Tune in to this week’s episode to find out.Are you ready?Let’s dive in! Key Takeaways:Is your classroom too loud? (00:00)Story time! (02:37)My 5-step solution to a loud classroom (03:26)A few pitfalls you need to avoid (12:44)How about troubleshooting? (18:35) Additional Resources:- Got a burning question for Vanessa? Get your answer on the Elevating Early Childhood podcast <a href="https://www.pre-kpages.com/listen/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources <a href="https://www.pre-kpages.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.- Get my book “<a href="https://www.pre-kpages.com/teach-smarter-book/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers</a>”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “<a href="https://bit.ly/join-teaching-trailblazers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Teaching Trailblazers</a>”. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your <a href="https://www.pre-kpages.com/listen/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">favorite podcast platform</a>.--Onward &amp; Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

Is Your Classroom Too Loud?

Friends, I have a question for you: Could your students use a little extra help paying attention during circle time? Are they constantly interrupting you? Or maybe they're struggling to learn important academic skills? All right, that was more than one question, but you get the gist!Children have short attention spans, and that can mean constant interruptions in the early childhood classroom.But what if I told you that there's one thing that you could do in the classroom to help with all of that and more?And the good news is you don’t need any extra tools for it!That one thing, my friends, is American Sign Language (ASL for short), and I’ll be discussing how you can incorporate it in your preschool classroom with today’s guest, an expert in ASL and a nationally-certified ASL interpreter, the brilliant Cynthia Long.Are you ready to learn more?Let’s dive in! Key Takeaways:Let’s talk about ASL (00:00)Is ASL only for people with hearing challenges? (02:54)The benefits of using ASL in the classroom (06:15)Is ASL difficult to learn? (16:40)Parting thoughts from Cynthia (24:35) Additional Resources:- Got a burning question for Vanessa? Get your answer on the Elevating Early Childhood podcast here.- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “Teaching Trailblazers”.- Discover our ASL alphabet posters here.- More ASL FREE teaching resources here.- Use code FREEFC to get your ASL flash cards freebie here.- Learn more about Cynthia’s work here.- Follow ASL Teaching Resources on Instagram here.- Follow ASL Teaching Resources on Facebook here. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward &amp; Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

Friends, I have a question for you: Could your students use a little extra help paying attention during circle time? Are they constantly interrupting you? Or maybe they're struggling to learn important academic skills? All right, that was more than one question, but you get the gist!Children have short attention spans, and that can mean constant interruptions in the early childhood classroom.But what if I told you that there's one thing that you could do in the classroom to help with all of that and more?And the good news is you don’t need any extra tools for it!That one thing, my friends, is American Sign Language (ASL for short), and I’ll be discussing how you can incorporate it in your preschool classroom with today’s guest, an expert in ASL and a nationally-certified ASL interpreter, the brilliant Cynthia Long.Are you ready to learn more?Let’s dive in! Key Takeaways:Let’s talk about ASL (00:00)Is ASL only for people with hearing challenges? (02:54)The benefits of using ASL in the classroom (06:15)Is ASL difficult to learn? (16:40)Parting thoughts from Cynthia (24:35) Additional Resources:- Got a burning question for Vanessa? Get your answer on the Elevating Early Childhood podcast <a href="https://www.pre-kpages.com/listen/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources <a href="https://www.pre-kpages.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.- Get my book “<a href="https://www.pre-kpages.com/teach-smarter-book/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers</a>”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “<a href="https://bit.ly/join-teaching-trailblazers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Teaching Trailblazers</a>”.- Discover our ASL alphabet posters <a href="https://www.pre-kpages.com/products/asl-alphabet-posters/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.- More ASL FREE teaching resources <a href="https://bit.ly/MoreASL" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.- Use code FREEFC to get your ASL flash cards freebie <a href="https://bit.ly/aslflashcards" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.- Learn more about Cynthia’s work <a href="http://www.aslteachingresources.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.- Follow ASL Teaching Resources on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aslteachingresources/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.- Follow ASL Teaching Resources on Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aslteachingresources" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your <a href="https://www.pre-kpages.com/listen/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">favorite podcast platform</a>.--Onward &amp; Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

Using ASL in the Early Childhood Classroom

Do your students love playing with playdough in your classroom or at home? I know mine do!Playdough is not only super fun for children to play with, it’s also a great tool for them. It can help them develop stronger hand muscles and better hand-eye coordination. It’s also a great way for them to develop their fine motor skills.Plus, let’s be honest: It’s the one thing you can offer preschoolers and know it’ll keep them engaged and on task for waaaay longer than a few minutes.This is why having a playdough center in your preschool classroom is a must! Wondering how to make yours as interesting as possible?Listen to this episode where I share my best tips for setting up and organizing your playdough center PLUS my favorite play dough recipe and dough tools to increase student engagement in the center.Are you ready?Let’s dive in! Key Takeaways:Let’s talk about playdough! (00:00)How to organize your playdough area (02:41)What type of playdough should you use? (05:49)My top playdough accessories (07:38)How to make your playdough super colorful (17:23)Some troubleshooting tips for you (19:02) Additional Resources:- Got a burning question for Vanessa? Get your answer on the Elevating Early Childhood podcast here.- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here.- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “Teaching Trailblazers”.- Get your FREE printable playdough recipe here.- Discover more playdough ideas here.- Get playdough task cards here.- Get textured rolling pins here.- Get dough extruders here.- Get plastic dough scissors here.- Get cookie cutters here.- Get alphabet dough stampers here.- Get liquid watercolors here. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward &amp; Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

Do your students love playing with playdough in your classroom or at home? I know mine do!Playdough is not only super fun for children to play with, it’s also a great tool for them. It can help them develop stronger hand muscles and better hand-eye coordination. It’s also a great way for them to develop their fine motor skills.Plus, let’s be honest: It’s the one thing you can offer preschoolers and know it’ll keep them engaged and on task for waaaay longer than a few minutes.This is why having a playdough center in your preschool classroom is a must! Wondering how to make yours as interesting as possible?Listen to this episode where I share my best tips for setting up and organizing your playdough center PLUS my favorite play dough recipe and dough tools to increase student engagement in the center.Are you ready?Let’s dive in! Key Takeaways:Let’s talk about playdough! (00:00)How to organize your playdough area (02:41)What type of playdough should you use? (05:49)My top playdough accessories (07:38)How to make your playdough super colorful (17:23)Some troubleshooting tips for you (19:02) Additional Resources:- Got a burning question for Vanessa? Get your answer on the Elevating Early Childhood podcast <a href="https://www.pre-kpages.com/listen/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources <a href="https://www.pre-kpages.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.- Get my book “<a href="https://www.pre-kpages.com/teach-smarter-book/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers</a>”.- Learn more about my exclusive mentorship program, “<a href="https://bit.ly/join-teaching-trailblazers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Teaching Trailblazers</a>”.- Get your FREE printable playdough recipe <a href="https://www.pre-kpages.com/homemade-playdough-recipe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.- Discover more playdough ideas <a href="https://www.pre-kpages.com/category/play-dough/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.- Get playdough task cards <a href="https://www.pre-kpages.com/products/the-ultimate-play-dough-big-bundle/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.- Get textured rolling pins <a href="https://amzn.to/3mqgyVJ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.- Get dough extruders <a href="https://amzn.to/3ZOLfCz" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.- Get plastic dough scissors <a href="https://amzn.to/3SWz30p" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.- Get cookie cutters <a href="https://amzn.to/3Yvlnuj" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.- Get alphabet dough stampers <a href="https://amzn.to/3ZNXjE2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.- Get liquid watercolors <a href="https://amzn.to/3yr48zO" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your <a href="https://www.pre-kpages.com/listen/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">favorite podcast platform</a>.--Onward &amp; Upward!--Disclaimer:Pre-K Pages is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The word “affiliate” means that we may earn a small commission if/when you click on or make purchases via these links at no additional cost to you.As a policy, the Company will only affiliate with products, services, consultants or experts that we believe will provide value to our customers and followers.You recognize that it remains your personal responsibility to investigate whether any affiliate offers are right for you and will benefit you. You will not rely on any recommendation, reference, or information provided by the Company but will instead conduct your own investigation and will rely upon your investigation to decide whether to purchase the affiliate product or service.

The Top 5 Playdough Must-Haves for Preschool

Are you ready to teach better, save time, and live more? Learn more about my membership program “Teaching Trailblazers” here: <a href="https://teachingtrailblazers.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://teachingtrailblazers.com/</a> I'm Vanessa Levin and here on Elevating Early Childhood, we believe in leveling the playing field and bridging the gap between the world of preschool, pre-k, and K-12 education.

Elevating Early Childhood

The best episodes for anyone looking to learn more about topics such as happiness, fulfillment, depression and psychology/mental health in general. With interviews with industry experts, personal stories of individuals, this topic has lessons applicable to everyone. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!

Best Episodes on Mental Health, Emotions & Thoughts

The best podcast episodes about true crime. For any thrill seeking podcast listeners who just can't get enough of the captivating stories of murderers and criminals. This topic has all the best episodes from many different true crime podcasts.  Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!