Teachable Moments will look at various pieces of the vocation of what it means to be a teacher in our school buildings today - through all of the most impactful reforms on the fabric of American education. As administrators, we see the push for the need to create data tables and pie charts in an attempt to make conclusions about improving instructional practices to encourage student performance. Some things - many moments - cannot be quantified, however. So, where do we begin? There is abs...

Use loose parts to spark children's creativity and innovationLoose parts are natural or synthetic found, bought, or upcycled materials that children can move, manipulate, control, and change within their play. Alluring and captivating, they capture children's curiosity, give free reign to their imagination, and motivate learning.The hundreds of inspiring photographs showcase an array of loose parts in real early childhood settings. And the overviews of concepts children can...

Written by a teacher with more than 25 years of experience, this book offers a jargon-free view of Waldorf education and its philosophy of the importance of a three-dimensional education. Whether you're a Waldorf parent or teacher, or you just want to learn more about these innovative educational concepts, this book contains important ideas on learning that you can apply today.

Loose parts capture children's curiosity, give free reign to their imagination, and encourage creativity. This form of play allows infants to be in control and recognize the power of their bodies and actions. A variety of new and innovative loose parts ideas are paired with beautiful photography to inspire safe loose parts play in your infant and toddler environments. Captivating classroom stories and proven science provide the context for how this style of play supports children's develop...

A unique and practical text written specifically for those embarking on a post-primary teaching career in Ireland. Details comprehensive treatment of the issues facing pre-service teachers, along with guidance for those in the early years of a teaching career. It provides practical guidance on many areas: classroom management; planning for lessons; time management; evaluating learning; motivating pupils; dealing with conflict; and managing stress. It assesses teaching methodology in light ...

Beginning a new business venture can be a daunting task, and setting up an in-home child care program can be especially challenging. After the licenses have been applied for and acquired, what comes next? Now an expert on the subject provides advice, tips, information, and activities for setting up a child care program and running it smoothly. From creating a healthy, safe environment for children to engaging activities that can be used to develop daily plans, Family Child Care Basics is t...

Emphasizing essential interpersonal skills that should be developed in early childhood, this guide offers a holistic approach to developing classroom communities in which each child feels recognized, appreciated, and able to contribute. Taking into account a teacher’s goals, values, strengths, and weaknesses, guidance is offered for adjusting and planning for developmentally appropriate expectations, classroom organization, and communication with families. Filled with concrete examples and...

Have you ever wondered what year round schooling was? If so, then this book is for you. 2,000+ words about all you need to know about year round schooling.But what is it?What does it cost?What are the pro's and con's of it?This questions are the things that this book will address. If you're trying to find the answer to those, then you'll find them inside these pages.

This anthology presents the recommendations of education leaders, and each chapter contributes to a sound conceptual framework and offers specific strategies for developing PLCs. These leaders have found common ground in expressing their belief in the power of PLCs although clear differences emerge regarding their perspectives on the most effective strategy for making PLCs the norm in North America.

The first authoritative survey of the changing politics of the classroom since the Second World War. It charts the process by which society moved away from being one in which teachers decided both the content of the school curriculum and how it would be taught towards the present situation in which a host of external influences dictate the nature of the educational experience.The book identifies the key social and political developments which made this transformation inevitable and...

In this provocative book, David McNamara argues that a `teacher-centred' approch to teaching in the primary school, especially in the later years is actually in the best interests of the children - that the teacher must be seen to have ultimate responsibility for what and how children learn. He attempts to define the distinctive professional expertise of the primary teacher - the application of subject knowledge within the special circumstances of the classroom - and to show how this exper...

This book draws on the experience of award-winning university teachers to identify approaches and strategies that lead to exemplary teaching practice.