Tag Archives: emergent curriculum

Life and Emergent Adventures

Posted on June 8, 2024 by Jennie

It is difficult to explain emergent curriculum to people.  For teachers it means paying attention to children, seizing the moment that ‘something happens’, and letting the moment be the guide for teaching. Picture this: walking along a path in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Expressing words and feelings, Giving thanks, Imagination, Inspiration, Quotes, Teaching young children, wonder | Tagged , , , | 68 Comments

Robot Finale and Real Learning

Posted on March 4, 2024 by Jennie

My classroom, the Aqua Room, is ‘crushing’ robots this year.  Every day a child talks about Curiosity on Mars.  Every day we watch the Boston Dynamics robots.  Back in December we wrote a giant letter to NASA, and to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Early Education, Inspiration, robots, School, Teaching young children | Tagged , , , , , | 81 Comments

God Bless America – Twelve Years Later

Posted on July 18, 2023 by Jennie

I stopped by school last week, which is currently in Summer Camp mode.  High school volunteers are a welcome and fun part of the group.  What happened was delightful: First I was mobbed by children (always wonderful), then Jess, a … Continue reading →

Posted in America, Expressing words and feelings, history, Inspiration, museums, music, patriotism, quilting, School, Student alumni, summer camp, Teaching young children, The Arts, wonder | Tagged , , , , , | 50 Comments

Early Childhood Literacy & Purple Prose

Posted on March 26, 2023 by Jennie

Originally posted on Elizabeth Gauffreau:
Image: greenmountainwriting.com *Shaggy Dog Story Alert* A Confession I must confess that I have a fondness for purple prose–although not, of course, in contemporary writing. Perish the thought! Writing of the florid persuasion must stay…

Posted in children's books, Early Education, Inspiration, literacy | Tagged , , , , | 12 Comments

From Dinosaurs to the Stop Game

Posted on May 11, 2022 by Jennie

Today was one of those ‘moments’ in teaching, the ones that turn something small into something big.  It was a simple question, yet it opened a whole new world for children. It happened like this… Every day we have the … Continue reading →

Posted in Early Education, Inspiration, Learning About the World, School, Teaching young children | Tagged , , , , , | 86 Comments

Dolls, Love, and Lucy School

Posted on February 17, 2022 by Jennie

My beloved childhood dolls It started last week.  Dolls.  It is growing in ways teachers hadn’t imagined.  We rotate our dramatic play area frequently, and it’s been a while since it was our traditional housekeeping area with a play kitchen … Continue reading →

Posted in Expressing words and feelings, Family, Gloria, Inspiration, Teaching young children | Tagged , , , , , | 73 Comments

India

Posted on February 11, 2022 by Jennie

Whenever my preschool curriculum is focused on a country, it always explodes in the best of ways.  Children are captivated as soon as we open our Big Book Atlas and view our satellite map.  We sing the ‘Days of the … Continue reading →

Posted in children's books, Diversity, Early Education, geography, Inspiration, Learning About the World, picture books, play performances, preschool, self esteem, Teaching young children | Tagged , , , , , , | 70 Comments

The Morning After the Snow- Memories of “Katy and the Big Snow”, a Classic Children’s Book

Posted on January 8, 2022 by Jennie

At last the sun appeared, shining brightly. Yesterday’s first snow was in full glory. The first thing that popped into my head was, of course, a children’s book.  I wrote this post years ago, and it is as poignant today … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Review, books, children's books, Early Education, geography, Inspiration, Math, Nature, picture books, preschool, reading, Teaching young children | Tagged , , , | 101 Comments

The End of the Day at School

Posted on November 12, 2021 by Jennie

It’s Friday, and the day has been blustery.  We watched the wind and rain blow leaves off the trees.  We’re learning about Russia, and we’re planning a Zoom play performance next week of ‘Peter and the Wolf’.  We listened to … Continue reading →

Posted in Early Education, Expressing words and feelings, Inspiration, preschool, School, Teaching young children | Tagged , , , , | 50 Comments

Moments #2

Posted on August 6, 2021 by Jennie

Moments #1 happened in my backyard on a beautiful day.  I paid attention to the world around me, up high and down low.  Moments #2 (below) goes far deeper into the importance of little things, and how they really become … Continue reading →

Posted in Diversity, Early Education, Expressing words and feelings, geography, Inspiration, joy, Learning About the World, Nature, patriotism, picture books, play performances, preschool, quilting, summer camp, Teaching young children, The Arts, wonder | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 87 Comments