Author name: Vanessa Levin

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,

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 a loud classroom.

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

 Nothing strikes fear in the heart of a teacher more than a formal observation.  You’re exhausted from all the hours you spent creating the perfect lesson plans.  You’re waiting anxiously with a dry mouth and sweaty palms for your principal to walk through the door. And there’s this sound of a clock ticking inside

 Friends, I have a question for you: Have you ever had a parent request that their child not participate in holiday activities in your classroom?  If you’ve taught for any length of time, chances are you’ve encountered this issue before.  But what can you do about it? And how do you deal with it

 In the last two episodes, Dan St. Romain and I sat down and discussed everything from how to teach your students to become more independent to how to get them not to interrupt you during small group time. Today, he and I will be tackling another hot topic: What to do when a parent

 Let’s face it, teaching young children to be more independent isn’t easy. In fact, it’s one of those tasks that takes a lot of patience, hard work, and intention planning. But today’s your lucky day, because the brilliant Dan St. Romain is here to help break it all down for you. In last week’s

 It’s no secret that small group time can be challenging, even for the most seasoned early childhood teachers. Why is that? Simply because it’s not always easy to manage the other students while working with small groups, which means the possibilities for interruption can be… infinite.  But what can you do if you’re struggling

Many early childhood teachers feel like a broken record. They’re always saying “no” and “no hitting” and “use your words,” etc… If you’ve been teaching preschool for a while, then you know that every day can be like a battlefield (full of cute children, yes, but a battlefield nonetheless).  Our job consists of putting out

  Friends, I have a question for you: Do you ever dread saying no to your students because you’re worried they might have a full on meltdown? I get you, I’ve been there too.  Trying to say no to a child without having them throw a temper tantrum is a whoooole lot of work. In

 If you’ve ever wondered why your students wander around the classroom and just… dump their toys on the floor, then you’re not alone! Let’s face it, we’ve all had children in our classrooms wandering aimlessly from center to center pulling tubs of toys off the shelves without ever playing with them. The truth is,

 If you’ve ever taught young children (and my bet is you have, since you’re listening to this podcast) then you’ve probably had your fair share of daily fires to put out. I feel you, I’ve been there too.  It’s no secret that the daily life of an early childhood educator isn’t always sunshine and

 Teaching young children literacy skills can be tricky. They’re such an important skill that it can become downright intimidating to teach them to your students. Which comes first? Letter names? Or letter sounds? The answers to those questions are tricky. Figuring out where to start can give even the most seasoned preschool educators a

Does this sound familiar to you?  While everyone else is out singing carols and decking the halls, you are barely keeping your head above water, because you’re trying to do all that plus prep all of your lessons and activities for the first week back after winter break. Just thinking about this makes me shudder.

Let me ask you this question. Have you ever had a child in your classroom get upset when they didn’t get their own way?  If your answer is “yes” (and I’m sure it is), then this episode is for you! Why is that? Simply because in it, I’ll be discussing why kids may throw fits

If you’re anything like me, then you love a good deal (and truth is, who doesn’t?) Which is why this is such an exciting time of the year. As someone who looooves a good deal, Cyber Monday is one of my favorite ways to find good deals on new materials for my classroom centers. Even

 I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty certain hearing a student say “I’m boooooored!!” is every preschool teacher’s nightmare. I’ve been through this before, as have you, I’m sure. And, because of that, I know you can imagine the panic in every teacher’s head when those cursed words are uttered. But, have you

 Imagine with me: You’ve got your preschool classroom all set up. The centers are stocked and ready to be used, full of materials you’ve purchased or made yourself.  Everything is the best it could be, and you just can’t wait for your students to use and enjoy every single center in the classroom. However,