Author name: Vanessa Levin

 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,

 Whether you love pumpkin pie and turkey, or you dread family get-togethers, one thing’s for sure, Thanksgiving is almost here!  What does this mean for early childhood teachers like you and me? Well simply… Thanksgiving activities and the dreaded extra work that comes with them. Being a preschool teacher can be challenging on the

Are you still struggling to get your little ones to stay engaged with you in the classroom? Or maybe you’re wondering how you’re ever going to teach them anything at this pace? Well then, I’ve got the solution for you! Today, I’ll be sharing with you the best preschool activities for a fall theme to

Every pre-k teacher knows it, making art is a big part of preschool. It’s a great way for the children to be creative, enrich their imagination, and develop their fine motor skills in a fun and enjoyable manner. However, making sure your students are creating the right kind of art is important. Because yes, the

 If you’re overwhelmed by the sheer amount of educational preschool centers you’re supposed to have in your preschool classroom, then you’re not alone. Many of us find ourselves facing a dilemma when setting up centers in our classroom: Should we have a separate area for each center? Or can some be combined? Naturally, both

The new school year is here, and this means that, like every year, it’s now time for teaching all those important routines and procedures! You see, the life of a preschool teacher is not easy (no matter what some people might tell you). We have quite a few things to take care of and keep

Want to add more diverse picture books to your classroom this year?  Discover Black Boy, Black Boy, a beautifully illustrated children’s book with an uplifting message for all young children. This is the perfect picture book if you’re looking for inspirational stories that will resonate with all the students in your preschool classroom. Not convinced

It’s no secret that early childhood teachers everywhere have seen changes in their students’ behavior since the pandemic began. And because of that, teaching young children is now more challenging than it ever was.  Kids are bouncing off the walls and full of energy… sometimes, a little bit too much energy if I’m being honest.

As I’ve discussed in the last episode of Elevating Early Childhood, learning how to write your name as a preschooler takes a lot of work and dedication from both the teachers and the students. Continuing on with the theme, today, I’ll be discussing whether you should be teaching your pre-k students to write their names

Teaching math skills to preschoolers is not always straightforward. Not every child will find it easy to jump into the world of numbers, and some might even find math pretty intimidating. So, how can we, as early childhood teachers, help facilitate this for them? And where do we even start?  These are the questions I

Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new episode of Elevating Early Childhood! Today’s episode is one many of you have been asking for. It’s part 3 of my circle time series! But before we start, let me ask you a question: Are you searching for ways to make circle time more fun and

There are two types of teachers: Those who absolutely love technology and those who don’t feel comfortable using it.  But the one thing both types have in common is that they never have enough time in their work day to get everything done. I’m sure you’re in the same situation as well. Always running around,

Hello everyone, and welcome back to a brand new episode of Elevating Early Childhood! Today’s episode is suuuuuuper exciting. “Why,” you ask? Simply because I’m interviewing the brilliant Dr. Danny Brassell! If you haven’t heard of him (although I’m sure many of you have), Dr. Brassell is an internationally-acclaimed speaker, best-selling author of 15 books,

Hello everyone, and welcome back to another episode of Elevating Early Childhood! Before we start, let me ask you a quick question: Do your preschool or pre-k students need help learning how to count and develop number sense? If your answer is “YES!” then you’ve come to the right place, because that’s exactly what I’m

Do you have kids in your classroom who have strong reactions to things like loud noises or certain smells?  If your answer is “yes”, then you’re dealing with a child with a sensory processing disorder! At least once in your career, you will have to deal with a situation like this, and making sure to