Look into specific teaching methods. Montessori, Waldorf, Reggio Emilia, and High/Scope are useful places to start your research. These frameworks provide details about early childhood experiences, teaching methods, and curriculum design. [4] X Research source
You can also ask your supervisor to pair you with a teacher that works with the same age group or an experienced teacher to mentor you.
Ask an experienced coworker to help you. Approach a friendly veteran teacher, and ask for some tips. Most teachers are busy, especially in the beginning of the year, so it may help to come to them with specific questions. You could also pair up with a teacher that works with the same age group. Sharing themes, lesson plans, and curriculum materials can benefit both experienced and inexperienced teachers. Not only will it split the workload, but the less experienced teacher might be able to contribute new ideas to an existing curriculum.
Play-based settings are more student centered, allowing children to choose most of the activities they do throughout the day. Classrooms are usually divided into sections such as a kitchen, a reading area, dramatic play, and so on. The teacher encourages the students to learn through play. Academic settings are more teacher directed, and tend to prepare students for specific skills that they will need to learn in kindergarten. Teachers prepare students to recognize numbers, letters, and sounds.
Possible unit topics include animals, community, plants, or family. Units generally last from one to five weeks, depending on the amount of material that needs to be covered. [5] X Research source
For example, a possible learning standard is “Recognizing rhythm and rhyme. ” A learning experience for a unit about planets could have students create nonsense words for Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. This learning experience fits the topic of the unit and also meets the learning standard. [7] X Research source
If you have a science area, bring physical materials to the science center based on the current area of study. Plan outdoor discovery times to expand upon classroom learning. For example, try an insect hunt during a unit on insects. [10] X Research source
Promote literacy by decorating the classroom labels, magazines, and letters. Make lists of age-appropriate books to read aloud, and give students time to engage with books individually. Be sure to also allow students plenty of time to develop writing skills through the use of tools like paintbrushes and crayons. [11] X Research source Include pre-writing activities. These activities promote strength in children’s hands and help them develop the fine-motor skills necessary for writing. Good activities allow children to manipulate small objects with their hands. Try having them cut playdough with child-safe scissors, finger paint, and use crayons to color shapes on graphic organizers. [12] X Research source
Encourage dramatic play. The benefits of dramatic play range from social-emotional to cognitive and academic. In their make believe sessions, children learn about verbal communication, teamwork, abstract thinking, and more. [13] X Research source Create a dramatic play area equipped with props like dolls, clothes, and other household items. [14] X Research source Sing songs. Songs, especially rhyming songs, help children get sense of the structure of a language. Through singing, they gain phonemic awareness, vocabulary, and rhythm. [15] X Research source
Encourage socialization and social awareness by teaching about members in the community. Allow students to dress as different community members and act out roles. Plan for the children to meet adults in their community via trips and classroom visits.
You can adjust the structure based on the current unit you are teaching as well. Add play materials, pictures, and informational texts that relate to the learning concept to each part of your classroom.
Avoid spending too much time on one activity. Most children cannot pay attention to one activity for more than the number of their age plus 1 minute (meaning a 4-year-old has a 5-minute attention span).
