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Additional resource column of books that relate to topics.

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This is a list of resources available for teachers that align with what I have learned and my future goals.

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This column is filled with meaningful and inspirational words to keep a positive and passionate attitude towards our work and our responsibility to the families we serve.

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This is a list of goals that I've created for myself as a preservice teacher along with sources and information to get started.

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Here is a list of topics that I've learned a lot about during this semester and real sources from the course that I've constructed meaning about these topics with.

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Program Standards

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NAEYC has set 10 standards for early childhood programs that can help families make the right choice when they are looking for a child care center, preschool, or kindergarten. The standards and criteria are also the foundation of the NAEYC Accreditation system for early childhood programs. To earn accreditation, programs must meet all 10 standards.

Based on research on the development and education of young children, the standards were created with input from experts and educators from around the country. The standards define what NAEYC-the world's largest organization of early childhood professionals-believes all early childhood programs should provide.

Review this guide to help identify programs that meet NAEYC standards for high-quality programs.

The Standards

The program promotes positive relationships among all children and adults. It encourages each child's sense of individual worth and belonging as part of a community and fosters each child's ability to
contribute as a responsible community member.

Warm, sensitive, and responsive relationships help children feel secure. The safe and secure environments built by positive relationships help children thrive physically, benefit from learning experiences, and cooperate and get along with others.

What to look for in a program:

Children and adults feel welcome when they visit the program. Teachers help new children adjust to the program environment and make friends with other children.

Teaching staff engage in warm, friendly conversations with the children and encourage and recognize children's work and accomplishments.

Children are encouraged to play and work together.

Teachers help children resolve conflicts by identifying feelings, describing problems, and trying alternative solutions. Teaching staff never physically punish children.

The program implements a curriculum that is consistent with its goals for children and promotes learning and development in each of the following areas: social, emotional, physical, language, and cognitive.

A well-planned written curriculum provides a guide for teachers and administrators. It helps them work together and balance different activities and approaches to maximize children's learning and development. The curriculum includes goals for the content that children are learning, planned activities linked to these goals, daily schedules and routines, and materials to be used.

NAEYC and the NAEYC Accreditation system do not prescribe a specific curriculum; programs can design their own or choose a commercially available curriculum that meets NAEYC's guidelines.

What to look for in a program:

Ask about the program's curriculum and how it addresses all aspects of child development. The curriculum should not focus on just one area of development.

Children are given opportunities to learn and develop through exploration and play, and teachers have opportunities to work with individual children and small groups on specific skills.

Materials and equipment spark children's interest and encourage them to experiment and learn.

Activities are designed to help children get better at reasoning, solving problems, getting along with others, using language, and developing other skills.

Infants and toddlers play with toys and art materials that "do something" based on children's actions, such as jack-in-the-box, cups that fit inside one another, and playdough.

The program uses developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate and effective teaching approaches that enhance each child's learning and development in the context of the curriculum goals.

Children have different learning styles, needs, capacities, interests, and backgrounds. By recognizing these differences and using instructional approaches that are appropriate for each child, teachers and staff help all children learn.

What to look for in a program:

Teachers carefully supervise all children.

Teachers provide time each day for indoor and outdoor activities (weather permitting) and organize time and space so that children have opportunities to work or play individually and in groups.

Children's recent work (for example, art and emergent writing) is displayed in the classroom to help children reflect on and extend their learning.

Teachers modify strategies and materials to respond to the needs and interests of individual children, engaging each child and enhancing learning.

The program is informed by ongoing systematic, formal, and informal assessment approaches to provide information on children's learning and development. These assessments occur within the context of reciprocal communications with families and with sensitivity to the cultural contexts in which children develop.

Assessment results benefit children by informing sound decisions, teaching, and program improvement.

Assessments help teachers plan appropriately challenging curriculum and tailor instruction that responds to each child's strengths and needs. Assessments can also help teachers identify children with disabilities and ensuring that they receive needed services.

What to look for in a program:

The program supports children's learning using a variety of assessment methods, such as observations, checklists, and rating scales.

Assessment methods are appropriate for each child's age and level of development and encompass all areas of development, including math, science, and other cognitive skills; language; social-emotional; and physical.

Teachers use assessment methods and information to design goals for individual children and monitor their progress, as well as to improve the program and its teaching strategies.

Families receive information about their child's development and learning on a regular basis, including through meetings or conferences.

The program promotes the nutrition and health of children and protects children and staff from illness and injury. Children must be healthy and safe in order to learn and grow. Programs must be healthy and safe to support children's healthy development.

What to look for in a program:

Teaching staff have training in pediatric first aid.

Infants are placed on their backs to sleep.

The program has policies regarding regular hand washing and routinely cleans and sanitizes all surfaces in the facility.

There is a clear plan for responding to illness, including how to decide whether a child needs to go home and how families will be notified.

Snacks and meals are nutritious, and food is prepared and stored safely.

The program employs and supports a teaching staff with the educational qualifications, knowledge, and professional commitment necessary to promote children's learning and development and to support families' diverse needs and interests.

Teachers who have specific preparation, knowledge, and skills in child development and early childhood education are more likely to provide positive interactions, richer language experiences, and quality learning environments.

What to look for in a program:

Teaching staff have educational qualifications and specialized knowledge about young children and early childhood development. Ask, for example, how many teachers have Child Development Associate (CDA) credentials, associate's degrees, or higher degrees.

The program makes provisions for ongoing staff development, including orientations for new staff and opportunities for continuing education.

Teaching staff have training in the program's curriculum and work as a teaching team.

The program establishes and maintains collaborative relationships with each child's family to foster children's development in all settings. These relationships are sensitive to family composition, language, and culture. To support children's optimal learning and development, programs need to establish relationships with families based on mutual trust and respect, involve families in their children's educational growth, and encourage families to fully participate in the program.

What to look for in a program:

All families are welcome and encouraged to be involved in all aspects of the program.

Teachers and staff talk with families about their family structure and their views on childrearing and use that information to adapt the curriculum and teaching methods to the families served.

The program uses a variety of strategies to communicate with families, including family conferences, new family orientations, and individual conversations.

Program information-including policies and operating procedures-is provided in a language that families can understand.

The program establishes relationships with and uses the resources of the children's communities to support the achievement of program goals. Relationships with agencies and institutions in the community can help a program achieve its goals and connect families with resources that support children's healthy development and learning.

What to look for in a program:

The program connects with and uses museums, parks, libraries, zoos, and other resources in the community.

Representatives from community programs, such as musical performers and local artists, are invited to share their interests and talents with the children.

The staff develop professional relationships with community agencies and organizations that further the program's capacity to meet the needs and interests of children and families.

The program has a safe and healthful environment that provides appropriate and well-maintained indoor and outdoor physical environments. The environment includes facilities, equipment, and materials to facilitate child and staff learning and development.

An organized, properly equipped, and well-maintained program environment facilitates the learning, comfort, health, and safety of the children and adults who use the program.

What to look for in a program:

The facility is designed so that staff can supervise all children by sight and sound.

The program has necessary furnishings, such as hand-washing sinks, child-size chairs and tables, and cots, cribs, beds, or sleeping pads.

A variety of materials and equipment appropriate for children's ages, skills and abilities is available and kept clean, safe, and in good repair.

Outdoor play areas have fences or natural barriers that prevent access to streets and other hazards.

First-aid kits, fire extinguishers, fire alarms, and other safety equipment are installed and available.

The program effectively implements policies, procedures, and systems that support stable staff and strong personnel, and fiscal, and program management so all children, families, and staff have high-quality experiences.

Effective management and operations, knowledgeable leaders, and sensible policies and procedures are essential to building a quality program and maintaining the quality over time.

What to look for in a program:

The program administrator has the necessary educational qualifications, including a degree from a four-year college and specialized courses in early childhood education, child development, or related fields.

The program is licensed and/or regulated by the applicable state agency.

The program's written policies and procedures are shared with families and address issues such as the program's philosophy and curriculum goals, policies on guidance and discipline, and health and safety procedures.

Appropriate group sizes and ratios of teaching staff to children are maintained (for example, infants-no more than 8 children in a group, with 2 teaching staff; toddlers-no more than 12 children in a group, with 2 teaching staff; and 4-year-olds-no more than 20 children in a group, with 2 teaching staff).

Families on NAEYC-Accredited programs

"Valued teachers lead to valued children ... Accredited programs tend to attract employees who not only view themselves as educators, they consider themselves child advocates."
- Kate in San Antonio, Texas. Her child attends an NAEYC-Accredited program.

"Choosing a preschool for my first child was somewhat overwhelming, so when you find a program accredited by NAEYC, it adds peace of mind that you're making a good choice for your child."
- Jen in Torrance, California. Her child attends an NAEYC-Accredited program.

"NAEYC is an organization that can be trusted with the future of my child's education ... That is why I chose an NAEYC-Accredited center-nothing but the best."
- Jennifer in Newark, New Jersey. Her child attends an NAEYC-Accredited program.

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NAEYC has set 10 standards for early childhood programs that can help families make the right choice when they are looking for a child care center, preschool, or kindergarten. The standards and criteria are also the foundation of the NAEYC Accreditation system for early childhood programs. To earn accreditation, programs must meet all 10 standards.

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As art teachers, we can make meaningful connections with students and create safe spaces for important conversations. Of course, we teach our students how to be great artists, but we also need to teach them how to be amazing humans.

Part of practicing how to be a good human is to learn about all types of people and their experiences. This list of 100 children's books is only a start. There are thousands of resources available for teaching an empathetic and inclusive classroom and inclusivity for all learners in the art room. Having open conversations, sharing stories, and creating diverse art projects will allow students to have more meaningful connections with art, their individual experiences, and their world.

Take the time to have a conversation with your students before and after reading a book together.

Begin the conversation by asking questions such as:

What qualities make you unique? What qualities make other people unique?

What can we learn from stories different than our own?

What will you do to spread love and acceptance?

What do your actions say about what kind of person you are?

What did you do when you saw someone being hurt?

100 Children's Books about Diversity and Inclusion

A Big Mooncake for Little Star by Grace Lin
A Boy Like You by Frank Murphy
A is for Activist by Innosanto Nagara
A Chair For My Mother by Vera B Williams
A Paintbrush for Paco by Tracey Kyle
Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty
All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold
All Because You Matter by Tami Charles
All Equal: A Ballad of Lemon Grove by Christy Hale
Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal
Antiracist Baby by Ibram X. Kendi
Be The Difference by Jayneen Sanders
Black is a Rainbow Color by Angela Joy
Brick by Brick by Heidi Woodward Sheffield
Chocolate Me by Taye Diggs
by Miguel Tanco
Different: A Story About Loving Your Neighbor by Chris Singleton
Don't Touch My Hair by Sharee Miller
Dream Builder: The Story of Architect Philip Freelon by KellyStarling Lyons and Laura Freeman
Except When They Don't by Laura Gehl
Families, Families, Families by Suzanne Lang
Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Noble Maillard
Full, Full, Full of Love by Trish Cooke
by Matthew A. Cherry
Happy in Our Skin by Fran Manushkin
Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly
I Am Human: A Book fo Empathy by Peter H. Reynolds
by Grace Byers
I Am Perfectly Designed by Karamo Brown
I Can Do Hard Things by Gabi Garcia
I Love My Hair! by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley
I Will Be Fierce by Bea Birdsong
Intersection Allies by Chelsea Johnson
Island Born by Junot Díaz
It Feels Good to Be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity by Theresa Thorn
Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall
Julian is a Mermaid by Jessica Love
Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You by Sonia Sotomayor
Just Like Me by Vanessa Brantley-Newton
Kindness Rocks by Sonica Ellis
Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña
Let The Children March by Monica Clark-Robinson
Let's Celebrate Diwali by Anjali Joshi
Let's Talk About Race by Julius Lester
Like the Moon Loves the Sky by Hena Khan
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison
Loretta's Gift by Pat Zietlow
Love Makes a Family by Sophie Beer
M is for Melanin: A Celebration of the Black Child by Tiffany Rose
Mae Among the Stars by Roda Ahmed
Magic Trash: A Story of Tyree Guyton and His Art by J.H. Shapiro
Mama's Nightingale: A Story of Immigration and Separation by Edwidge Danticat
Maybe Something Beautiful: How Art Transformed a Neighborhood by F. Isabel Campoy
Melanin Poppin': Mommy, Why is My Skin Tone Different Than Yours? by CJ Johnson
Mommy's Khimar by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow
Most People by Michael Leannah
My Hand's Sing the Blues: Romare Bearden's Childhood Journey by Jeanne Walker
My Nana and Me by Irene Smalls
My New Mom & Me by Renata Galindo
Nana Akua Goes to School by Tricia Elam Walker
No!: My First Book of Protest by Julie Merberg
Not Quite Snow White by Ashley Franklin
'Ohana Means Family by Ilima Loomis
by Cedella Marley
Our Class Is A Family by Shannon Olsen
Parker Looks Up: An Extraordinary Moment by Parker Curry
Pies from Nowhere by Dee Romito
Pink Is For Boys by Robb Pearlman
Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré by Anika Aldamuy Denise
Say Something by Peter H. Reynolds
Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library by Carole Boston Weatherford
Seeds of Freedom: The Peaceful Integration of Huntsville, Alabama by Hester Bass
Simone Visits the Museum by Dr. Kelsi Bracmort
Skin Like Mine by LaTashia M. Perry
by Miranda Paul
by Lupita Nyong'o
Thank You, Omu by Oge Mora
The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson
The Colors of Us by Karen Katz
The Girl with a Mind for Math: The Story of Raye Montague by Julia Finley Mosca
The King of Kindergarten by Derrick Barnes
The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi
The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read by Rita Lorraine Hubbard
The Piñata That the Farm Maiden Hung by Samantha R. Vamos
The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family by Ibtihaj Muhammad
The Skin You Live In by Michael Tyler
The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander
The World Needs More Purple People by Kristen Bell and Benjamin Hart
Two Problems for Sophia by Jim Averbeck
Under My Hijab by Hena Khan
We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorell
We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom
Welcome to the Party by Gabrielle Union
We're Different, We're the Same by Bobbi Kates
What Is Given from the Heart by Patricia C. McKissack
When Aidan Became a Brother by Kyle Lukoff
When You Are Brave by Pat Zietlow Miller
Where Are You From? by Yamile Saied Méndez
by Mahogany L. Browne
by Christian Robinson
Download the whole list.
Books are powerful tools to use with students of all ages. Often, they provide the perfect jumping-off point for meaningful conversations. As art teachers, it is our job to share these tools to help students grow and stretch-not only as artists but as human beings, too.
Why are books such powerful conversation starters? What other books would you include on this list? Why is it important to share stories of hardships and growth and also stories of positive experiences?
Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.

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100 Children's Books About Diversity and Inclusion

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As art teachers, we can make meaningful connections with students and create safe spaces for important conversations. Of course, we teach our students how to be great artists, but we also need to teach them how to be amazing humans. Part of practicing how to be a good human is to learn about all types of people and their experiences.

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When our little ones head off for school, they take their first steps in a lifelong journey of learning. Not only will they begin to build foundational skills that will pave the way for academic success, but they'll also learn social-emotional skills like kindness, sharing, empathy, and many more that will contribute to their overall success in life. Some research suggests that social-emotional activities might be the most important work children can do in their early years. In fact, one study found that social-emotional wellness in kindergarten correlated with success up until age 25. Here are some of our favorite social-emotional activities to use with your preschool and kindergarten students.

Teach students to identify their emotions

Identifying and labeling feelings (your own and others') is a valuable life skill that takes lots of practice. These social-emotional activities are not only fun and engaging for little ones, they spark essential conversations that lead to deeper understanding.

1. Read, read, read!

There are TONS of children's books featuring interesting main characters and story lines that teach social-emotional skills. Reading about characters they can relate to, in situations they can relate to, helps young children learn valuable lessons. Here are two book lists to get you started: Picture Books To Teach Students About Kindness and Children's Books for Teaching Social Skills.

2. Sing

Different emotions evoke different feelings in our bodies. Teach your students this song to help them learn to identify what is really going on. Also, find role-play scenarios and reflection questions.

3. Practice with emotions play-dough mats

Learning to read others' emotions is a valuable SEL tool. Children can explore and identify nuances of facial features that are paired with emotions by using play dough to draw faces on these free emotions play-dough mats from The OT Toolbox.

4. Play a monster-emotions match game

Download the free game cards here. This fun and engaging game helps kids learn how to identify emotions in other people. The game begins as students walk around the room making the feeling face that matches their card. As they walk, they look for another student who seems to be demonstrating the same feeling. Once everyone thinks they have found their matching feeling friend, let them check their cards to see if they are right. Play a few rounds to give kids a chance to try out different feelings.

5. Make emotion masks

These masks are a great tool for talking about feelings. And all you need is paper plates (cut in half), craft sticks, tape, and markers. The activity will focus on four emotions: happy, mad, sad, and silly. For each emotion (and each mask), make a face and then ask the class to identify the emotion it represents. Once they correctly identify the emotion, have them use the marker to draw that face on one of the plates. You can use these masks during read-alouds (hold up the mask that shows how the main character is feeling) or during class conversations to reinforce their understanding of what different feelings look like.

6. Start each day with a check-in

This chart is a fun one to help students communicate how they're feeling. Position it next to your classroom door, and have students point to the emoji that most closely matches how they're feeling as they enter. Social-emotional activities like this one help students get in the habit of monitoring their emotions and give you valuable information about your students' moods.

7. Draw helping hands

Encouraging students to think about others can make them realize how much control they have over the feelings of others. Have students trace or draw their own hands and reflect or write what their helpful hands can do for others.

8. Do an emotions sort

Linking Zones of Regulation activities to fun experiences helps kids make connections. For example, this simple Emotions Sorting Game inspired by Disney-Pixar's Inside Out helps kids learn and explore emotions. The game is a printable download available from Mom Endeavors.

9. Play emotions Jenga

Attach a collection of emotion words onto Jenga blocks-for instance, happy, sad, angry, frustrated, etc. You can either write on the blocks with a Sharpie or try these pretty labels from Collective Feelings. One at a time, pull one of the emotion blocks out of the stack. Ask for a volunteer to either tell you the definition of that feeling or share a story about a time they felt that emotion. Talking about emotions in a group, and hearing others' stories, helps kids make lasting connections.

10. Make an emotion spinner

If you're looking for engaging social-emotional activities to teach kids more about identifying their emotions, try these emotion spinners. All you need to make them are paper plates, brads, markers (or paint or crayons or colored pencils), and a large circle punch if you have one. For full directions on how to make and use emotion spinners, check out this blog from Meaningful Mama.

11. Play a round of emotions charades

Prepare a set of cards with emotion words and pictures of what those emotion looks like. Then play a round of emotions charades, which helps preschoolers read nonverbal cues, identify and regulate emotions, and learn how to express emotions in a healthy way, all of which are essential elements of emotional intelligence.

12. Make affirmation bracelets

Set out cups of colored beads. In front of each cup of beads, add a sticky note with a positive affirmation. Teach your students what each affirmation says and means. Give each student a pipe cleaner and help them create a bracelet by threading the beads onto the pipe cleaner. Optional: Each time they pick up a bead, have them say the corresponding positive affirmation out loud.

Teach kids strategies to deal with hard feelings

Being able to identify and label feelings is a great start. Knowing what to do when unsettling feelings come up is the next step. Feelings like anger, sadness, and confusion will undoubtedly arise from time to time in the classroom. Here are a few social-emotional activities to help your students learn how to cope in a safe environment.

13. Teach students to use I-statements

Encourage students to be mindful about how they're feeling by helping them practice how to articulate their thoughts without lashing out at others. Give them starters such as "I feel angry when ...," "I feel happy when ...," "I feel frustrated when ...," etc. Once they are able to articulate their feelings, help them strategize ways to handle their feelings.

14. Use strategy cards

These free downloadable cards offer 23 different strategies (with pictures and words) that kids can use to manage their emotions. Print them out, punch a hole in the corner of each card, and attach them to a ring.

15. Download these free posters

Use these posters to teach kids what to do when they feel their emotions escalating. Once they are familiar with the strategies, post the posters in your calm-down corner for kids to reference as they regroup. Included with the downloads are 30 great calm-down ideas like "I can count to 10," "I can blow a feather," and more.

16. Stomp out dinosaur-size feelings

Read Tony Mitton's charming story Dinosaurumpus aloud to your class. Then, play this easy-to-assemble dinosaur game that encourages kids to roar, dance, and stomp out their emotions.

17. Make calm-down jars

Make these mesmerizing calm-down jars for your classroom using just water, oil, and food coloring. Add glitter for a little extra pizzazz. When students are feeling overwhelmed or upset, give them a few minutes to focus on the jar as they turn it upside down and back. Focusing on the movement and colors will help students calm down so they can get back to work.

18. Put together a calm-down kit

Stock a plastic bin with tools to help little ones manage their emotions. Include things such as strategy cards, squeeze balls, calm-down bottles, putty, and breathing exercises. For more ideas, check out this awesome list of 40+ Things To Put in Your Calm-Down Kit.

19. Set up a calm-down corner in your classroom

Kids have a lot of feelings and emotions to process throughout the day. Sometimes it's all too much, and the result can be bad behavior. A calm-down corner gives kids a place to recenter and refocus so they can join the learning again. Check out this article to learn everything you need to know about setting up a calm-down corner.

20. Teach yoga poses ...

Teach your students simple yoga poses to help them get control of their bodies when emotions are running high. For best results, pair poses with deep-breathing techniques. The printable set comes with 50 different yoga poses (including simple descriptions) and suggested sequences of poses to use.

21. ... and breathing techniques

Deep breathing reduces stress and anxiety and helps kids learn to manage their emotions. Check out this source for lots of fun ideas for building breathing breaks into your day.

22. Teach coping strategies

In any social situation, conflict is bound to occur. That's why teaching kids how to peacefully solve problems is essential. Equip your students with the tools they need to manage uncomfortable situations with these coping strategies and free social problem-solving poster set.

23. Tell stories that help kids learn strategies

Conflicts happen, no matter how old we are. The key is learning strategies to help solve conflicts peacefully, and it's never too early to start! These picture books encourage solving disagreements through communication, compromise, harmony, collaboration, and forgiveness.

24. Make a rainbow road

Label six colored sheets of paper with statements like "I feel ___ (sad, happy, angry, frustrated, etc.) when ____." Tape the sheets on the floor to create a rainbow road. To play, have a student roll a die, then count and walk to that number sheet. Help them read their statement and then have them fill in the last blank.

Build in lots of opportunities for kids to work on social skills

Like everyone, little ones learn best by doing. Give them lots of opportunities to interact with peers one-on-one, in small groups, and as part of a whole class, ideally with as little adult interference as possible. As they play during social-emotional activities, they'll learn to navigate among other kids who may have different styles and opinions. Activities like creative play, building projects, board games, and partner reading are great tools to reveal kids' strengths and challenges as they begin to figure out how to manage school in the best way for themselves.

25. Do your homework

As children start learning more about their feelings and emotions, their social skills start to blossom. This social skills checklist is an amazing resource that describes in detail the social skills that children learn in their preschool years. Read the article for more SEL activities for preschoolers from The OT Toolbox.

26. Create a culture of kindness

Create a culture of kindness in your classroom. Read your students the story Have You Filled a Bucket Today? A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids by Carol McCloud. Then spread the love with a few of these activities.

27. Make kindness trees

Looking for social-emotional activities that provide an opportunity to talk about why being kind is important and how we can practice kindness every day? Draw a large tree trunk on a sheet of chart paper. Then pass out different-colored leaves made from construction paper and ask each student to write an act of kindness they can do on their leaf. After they've finished writing their kind acts, help them tape their leaf to the tree trunk as reminders of how they can show kindness and respect for others.

28. Engage in compliment circles

If you need social-emotional activities that don't require any prep work, hold compliment circles in class. They take very little time but yield powerful results. Create an environment of respect and kindness with this simple activity that teaches kids how to give and receive compliments. Read more here.

29. Play games

Playing interactive games with your students is a great way to start conversations about their feelings. It can make the conversation more centered around fun and less stressful. Read this article from The Art of Education for more SEL tips and a list of 10 Engaging Games To Play That Explore SEL.

30. Read about and practice sharing

In Mo Willems' adorable book Should I Share My Ice Cream?, Gerald the elephant has to make a quick decision about whether to share his ice cream cone with his best friend, Piggy. Read the story to your class and have a conversation about sharing.

Then try this fun game. Make "waffle" cones out of rolled-up sheets of construction paper, then have students practice passing their "ice cream" to a friend. Not only will students learn cooperation, but this game is also a great opportunity to use polite language such as "please" and "thank you."

31. Teach students how to partner share

There are many strategies that teach kids to work collaboratively with a partner. And it's important with little ones to teach these skills explicitly. Read this step-by-step tutorial written by kindergarten teacher Sarah Casady, How To Get Your Students Talking. Also, check out 10 Alternatives to Think-Pair-Share.

32. Use conversation starters

Get the conversation started with questions like "What is your favorite thing to eat at lunch?," "What was the funniest thing that happened to you today?," and the like. Be sure the questions are open-ended to avoid getting short yes or no answers. Here are 20 conversation starters from The Early Childhood Academy to get you started.

33. Hone listening skills

Learning to listen, not only to themselves but to one another, is a critical skill for preschoolers. Set aside time each day to sit quietly with your students and listen for sounds in and around the classroom for increasing lengths of time. Or ring a chime and ask students to see how long they can hear the sound it makes. Being able to signal your students when it is time to listen, and having them respond appropriately, is critical for creating a classroom environment that supports learning.

34. Play listening games

Gameplay is one of the best ways to engage young learners. Try some of these listening games, like Simon Says, Telephone, Freeze Dance and more.

35. Rehearse with role-play

Role-play is a wonderful way to teach your preschoolers and kindergartners social behaviors, rules, and expectations. Rehearsing these skills in a safe space, with a teacher's guidance, helps them learn social norms.

36. Play with puppets

According to Tanja Mcilroy, founder of Empowered Parents, playing with puppets is one of the most educational things you can do with your students. A puppet can be the voice used to correct classroom behavior and teach social skills. Many children will find this less intimidating and more playful than instruction coming from an adult. For more tips, check out The Amazing Benefits of Playing With Puppets in Early Childhood.

Learn about friendship

Learning to make friends is one of the most valuable skills we can teach our preschoolers and kindergartners. Friendships require a plethora of social skills such sharing, compassion, compromise, and honesty.

37. Watch friendship videos

Learning to get along with others takes a lot of practice. Here are our favorite friendship videos that use compassion, wisdom, and humor to tackle what it means to be a good friend. Use them to jump-start conversations with your students as you build your classroom community.

38. Read books about friendship

Friendships are one of the most important parts of childhood-and school. Classroom conversations about making new friends, supporting and appreciating friends, and navigating friendship challenges are always in season, and there's no better way to launch them than with a good book. Looking for books you can use for social-emotional activities? Here's a good place to start: Children's Books About Friendship That Give Us All the Feels.

39. Sing songs about friendship

Music is an amazing way to help your students feel connected and understood. And songs about friendship can definitely foster a sense of community in the classroom. Here, we've compiled 50 Fantastic Songs About Friendship for your students to enjoy and bond over.

40. Read poems about friendship

Poetry often speaks to our hearts in a way unlike any other form. And making friends is one of the greatest gifts in life. So why not combine the two and teach your students in a way they can really connect with? Here, we share 30 Heartwarming Poems About Friendship To Share With Students.

41. Make lots of time for friendship-building activities

Here is a list of 25 ideas to get you started.

Practice mindfulness in the classroom

Mindfulness is defined as a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations. Mindfulness techniques help students handle big emotions (in themselves and others) and cultivate a sense of peace and calm.

42. Introduce mindfulness with children's books

Source: 15 Books To Teach Kids About Mindfulness

If you're looking for social-emotional activities that incorporate reading, there are dozens of brilliant books that teach the lesson of mindfulness for preschoolers. A couple of our favorites, just for little ones, are Peaceful Panda and I Am the Jungle.

43. Make gratitude rocks

Taking time to go inside and think about things you are grateful for is a powerful life skill. For this activity, bring a collection of rocks to class for your students to choose from. Then, using paint, markers, or crayons, give them time to decorate their rocks. Ask your students to take a few minutes and think about something they are grateful for and narrow it down to just one word. Have them write their word with Sharpie on their rock-be sure to give them help if they need it. When everyone is done with their rock, make time for those who are comfortable doing so to share their rock and explain it to their classmates.

44. Go on a nature walk

Take your little ones outside to indulge their five senses. Explore the changing color of leaves, different leaf shapes, pine cones, and more. Listen for birds and other critters. Lie down on the grass and feel the earth beneath you as you look up at the blue sky.

45. Practice progressive muscle relaxation

Most of us, including kids, aren't always aware of the muscles in our body and how they feel or move. But we can all carry a lot of emotions in our physical bodies. Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) is a coping skill and relaxation exercise that can help us calm our body and mind by slowly and progressively tensing and relaxing our muscles, one group at a time.

46. Listen to music

It's not too hard to tell when young students need a break or need a few minutes to recharge. And you know the old saying "Music soothes the savage beast." Why not pop on this soothing video with gentle guitar music playing in the background for a few minutes? Music makes for fantastic social-emotional activities during snack time, as a brain break, or during transition times.

47. Play in water

Nothing is more calming to the nervous system than water. Set up a water table in your classroom and let students engage in free cooperative play. Include your water table as a station at center time.

48. Play in sand

Just like the water table, a sand table offers the basis for many social-emotional activities to rotate into your stations. Learn about the benefits and try some of these fun ideas from The Early Childhood Academy.

49. Make time for art

There are SO many reasons kids need to paint. Painting is one of the best social-emotional activities because most people find peace and relaxation in art. It focuses their minds and helps them look at the world around them in a much more engaged way.

50. Listen to a rain stick

There's just something so soothing about the sound of a rain stick. Help your students turn their thought inward by taking a few moments to stop and listen. Turn down the lights and invite your preschoolers or kindergartners to lie down on the rug and close their eyes. Turn the rain stick upside down and back again for a few minutes, leaving a few seconds of silence between each rotation.

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50 Fun SEL Activities for Preschool and Kindergarten

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SEL skills are crucial to develop in the early years. Check out our favorite social-emotional activities for preschool and kindergarten.

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Create a Classroom Community Where All Children Feel a Sense of Belonging

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Create a Classroom Community Where All Children Feel a Sense of Belonging

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Learning Env- Classroom Community Checklist (1).pdf

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Focus on Social and Emotional Learning Just as Much as Academic Learning

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Focus on Social and Emotional Learning Just as Much as Academic Learning

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Social-emotional learning is gaining traction in being recognized as an important part of early childhood curriculum. This type of learning is presented in the form of both one-on-one and group activities.

Social-emotional activities for preschoolers are wonderful tools to teach young children about their own emotions, as well as the emotions of others.

Below are some social-emotional activities that are great for the classroom, as well as the home.

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45 Fun Social Emotional Activities for Preschoolers - Teaching Expertise

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Social emotional activities for preschoolers are wonderful tools to teach young children about their own emotions, as well as the emotions of others.

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These inspiring teacher quotes are much-needed reminders of just how incredible educators are! Educators are resilient, adaptable, and brimming with passion.

This school year is full of challenges that no other teacher in our lifetime has faced.

When things get difficult, we use our incredible adaptation skills to ensure our students never miss a beat. We give them a haven during the day and teach their growing little minds all at the same time.

We have found ourselves in a new and uncharted situation. Teachers are digitally teaching over Zoom or while wearing masks and face shields in the midst of a time during social distancing.

When things get hard, teachers find a way. They find a way to share their fierce love for their students, to connect with storytelling and love, and to embrace the struggles and challenges day in and day out.

When times get tough, remember the amazing work you do for each and every student. We hope this list of inspirational teacher quotes reminds you of the great work you are doing and how much you matter.

If nothing else, take a moment to remember just how incredible you are. You are appreciated and heroes during these desperate times!

Inspiring Teacher Quotes

100 years from now it won't matter what kind of car I drove, what kind of house I lived in, how much money I had in the bank, nor what my clothes looked like. But the world may be a little better because I was important in the life of a child. - Forest Witcraft

This inspiring quote is such a beautiful reminder of how important the short time we have with each child really is. The material things of the world are fleeting compared to the love and affection we receive from our role models.

Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember. Involve me and I learn. - Ancient Chinese Proverb

As a great teacher, you know children learn best when they are involved and excited about their learning. Creating those moments of true involvement builds great thinkers and fosters curiosity and joy, as well as lifelong learners.

Children are likely to live up to what you believe of them. - Lady Bird Johnson

Kids can do amazing things. You inspire your students to do amazing things because you know kids bust down the walls when someone pushes, believes, and cares for them. YOU do that and your students are lucky to have such a teacher.

Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all. - Aristotle

A beautiful reminder of how your relationships with students are just as important as the lessons you teach. We know that students mimic and copy our actions, so it's our humble responsibility to teach love in addition to the ABCs and 123s.

Strong teachers don't teach content: Google has content. Strong teaching connects learning in ways that inspire kids to learn more and strive for greatness. - Eric Jensen

Ah yes, your students are very proficient at asking Alexa and Google when they need answers. However, what will students remember as they get older? The teacher that built excitement and joy in the classroom or the answer that Google supplied? Human connection will always be the champion because of how teachers make students feel.

Teachers plant seeds that grow forever. - Anonymous

Consider this . . . teachers have the ultimate green thumb. We plant creativity, confidence, and the courage to fail into young minds. As we pluck out the weeds of negativity, we add plenty of love and encouragement and pick them up when they wilt. We grow lifelong learners and tend to the whole child.

Every child is gifted. They just unwrap their packages at different times. - Anonymous

Teaching preschool is such a blessing. You allow your children the time they need to develop new skills and offer them endless opportunities to play. Play is the work of young children and as they play, their gifts emerge. Each student discovers their talents and gifts in their own time.

Children don't say, 'I had a hard day. Can we talk?' They say, 'Will you play with me?' - Lawrence Cohen

The days you sit and play with children and let them cook you a meal while in dramatic play, you are doing more than just playing. The times that you get playdough out and make a snake together, you are doing so much more than just making something. Teachers are counselors, problem-solvers, joy-givers, and one of the most important gifts to the world and future generations.

One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world. - Malala Yousafzai

The simplicity of this quote draws us in. It's a lovely reminder that it only takes one. One moment, one opportunity, one experience, and one teacher to make it all happen. That ONE teacher is you.

I am a preschooler. I am not made to sit still. - Anonymous

While much of the world tells young children to sit down, be quiet, or be still, preschool teachers know that it's how children learn. You are their advocate, their voice, and you see who they truly are.

Sometimes, it only takes a single teacher to turn a child's life around. Some children will come to school today because of that teacher. Be that teacher. Every day. - We Teach, Let's Talk

You are that one single teacher who can magically shoo away doubt. You use mistakes as opportunities and spotlight your own downfalls. Your students see you as magical and all-knowing. You bring joy and delight to your classroom. Only you could do that for your students. Only you.

Let me love you a little more, before you're not little anymore. - Michelle Thevenot

This quote tugs at the heartstrings, as we know the time we have with our children and students is fleeting. Every day passes quicker than the last, and allowing children the opportunity to be little is one of the best gifts we can provide.

Nine-tenths of education is encouragement." - Anatole France

Teaching young children comes from the heart. We spend our days encouraging and acknowledging the effort that our little ones put into every single thing they do. From learning to use scissors to building block towers that reach the sky, our voices cheer our students on because we know our words shape their world.

There needs to be a lot more emphasis on what a child CAN do instead of what they cannot do. - Temple Grandin

As teachers, we have the gift to show children that they are unique and amazing and have something to offer the world! Encouragement reaches farther than criticism and we know our words have a lasting impact.

One of a teacher's most important jobs is to teach children how to think. - Preschool Inspirations

As a seasoned teacher, I know that I am helping set the foundation for children, not just for this year or kindergarten, but for a lifetime. I am teaching the whole child! Even after our students move on and keep growing, our lessons will stay in the hearts. The lessons to love themselves and others, to find the magic of each day, and to know that they can be a world-changer.

I wasn't born to just teach. I was born to inspire others, to change people, and to never give up; even when faced with challenges that seem impossible. - Anonymous

Although you may have been born to teach, your powers reach far beyond academics. During times of trial and impossible means, you rise up and shelter the storm from your students. You work tirelessly to meet all the academic standards while ensuring your students are engaged and involved. By infusing social skills and cooperative learning, you build the foundation for good relationships as your students age. You are truly inspirational.

As a teacher, you do it ALL. With these inspiring teacher quotes, we send you hearts full of love and gratitude, along with a reminder to be good to yourself. After all, you are doing the world a tremendous service and it goes without saying, we appreciate you.

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These inspiring teacher quotes are much-needed reminders of just how incredible educators are! Educators are resilient, adaptable, and brimming with passion. This school year is full of challenges that no other teacher in our lifetime has faced. When things get difficult, we use our incredible adaptation skills to ensure our students never miss a beat.

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Teachers deserve a lot of credit for all the hats they wear.

For around eight hours each day, they're stand-in parents for roughly 20-30 kids. They're mentors. They're guidance counselors. Sometimes, they're even emergency nurses.

And their work doesn't stop when the last bell rings. Teachers frequently give up hours of their own time, staying hunched over a desk well into the evening as they grade students' work and search for tools that will make learning a little easier.

Online Resources for Teachers

One thing that can certainly make a teacher's life easier is a list of trusty resources that will keep even the most restless students engaged in topics like English, history, and math.

To show our appreciation, we've curated a list of fifteen great websites for teachers to bookmark when they need some lesson-planning inspiration.

Science and Math

1. Discovery Education

Discovery Education offers free classroom resources for a number of subjects and also features its own "DEN Community" where teachers can share their own ideas and resources.

From social studies to STEM, Discovery provides interactive lessons and real-world examples to make learning fun and engaging. Students will also love their programs with partners like Myth Busters and the NBA.

2. NSTA

The National Science Teachers Association gives teachers access to the NSTA magazine, books and journals, and lessons that cover everything from climate change to safety in the classroom. Teachers can also find tips on curriculum planning and professional learning.

English and Writing

3. Purdue Owl

Purdue Owl has saved many a high school student as they pulled all-nighters finishing up research papers. Not only does the site offer all of the critical information needed for proper citations, it also offers succinct answers to common grammar questions. Instead of wasting time scouring the web for solutions, your students can focus on finishing their papers.

4. Grammarly

Grammarly is another excellent resource for simple clarifications of common grammar issues. But that's not all-students can also install plugins that will make helpful suggestions as they compose their papers, or even check their work for plagiarism before submitting an assignment.

5. Educreations

Educreations is an excellent tool for teaching your students how to write and revise their papers. Teachers can record their voices and iPad screens to create dynamic video tutorials that students can access and revisit any time they need. It's great for editing sample papers and explaining the revision process.

6. The Literacy Shed

When you need a little visual reinforcement, The Literacy Shed is here to help. The site offers films, photos, animations, and picture books that add to literary themes. Although most films are aimed at elementary school students, there are quite a few that even the "big kids" will love.

7. Poetry 180

Teaching poetry to high school students can be hard-but Poetry 180 makes it easier. The site contains 180 poems that appeal especially to teens, designed to cover each of the 180 days in a school year. The poems can be used to teach writing techniques, poetry basics, or even be used as writing prompts.

8. Breaking News English

This site can be a great resource for ESL students in particular. Breaking News English posts real news stories written in plain language. Levels of difficulty range from easy to advanced. Students can read and summarize the articles, or answer questions for comprehension. Daily practice with these will certainly help both vocabulary and writing skills.

History and Social Studies

9. Smithsonian's History Explorer

Developed by the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian's History Explorer offers hundreds of free online resources for teaching K-12 students about American history. Teachers can find interactive lessons and even show their kids museum artifacts.

General Resources

10. JumpStart

JumpStart provides free online resources aimed primarily at elementary school educators. With their helpful worksheets, lesson plans, classroom activities, learning games, and audio-visual teaching tools, kids will never be bored while they brush up on math, social studies, science, and more.

11. Everfi

Everfi provides free, interactive online courses based on national academic standards. With emphasis on real-world learning, Everfi offers courses on everything from health and wellness to financial literacy, social-emotional learning, and more.

12. Teaching Tolerance

For instructors who want to bring more social awareness to their classrooms, Teaching Tolerance provides free resources that emphasize social justice and anti-bias. Lessons, learning plans, and student texts are available to integrate themes of justice, diversity, and equity into your every day curriculum and promote productive conversations in the classroom.

13. PBS Learning Media

PBS Learning Media offers free, standards-based resources for Pre-K to 12th grade students. Materials include lesson plans, videos, news articles, activities, and more. There's even a section on professional development, where teachers can find tips for better planning and preparation, as well as more effective instruction.

14. Kelly Gallagher's Article Database

For a weekly writing exercise, teachers can borrow from Kelly Gallagher's archive of articles that he uses as prompts for his students. Many are very thought-provoking and will still be relevant all throughout the school year, so your students will have no shortage of writing inspiration.

15. Teacher.org

Who knows what a teacher needs better than a teacher? Teacher.org offers a vast array of tools and resources created by K-12 teachers from across the United States. From lesson plans organized by grade level and subject, to teacher guides and helpful articles, Teacher.org has everything covered. Best of all, they also offer scholarship information for teachers continuing their own educations.
Do you know of any great resources for teachers? Let us know in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:

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15 Best Online Resources for Teachers | TCK Publishing

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Teachers deserve a lot of credit for all the hats they wear. For around eight hours each day, they're stand-in parents for roughly 20-30 kids. They're mentors. They're guidance counselors. Sometimes, they're even emergency nurses. And their work doesn't stop when the last bell rings.

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Effective Family Engagement

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Principles of Effective Family Engagement

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6 elements of effective family engagement.

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Ideas and inspiration for teaching with The Times

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Last year, I added Nora Zeale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God to my advanced placement literature curriculum. Strapped for time, I began to look for free resources for teachers that would help my students interact with and fully comprehend the novel.

There are many free teacher resources available online, but which ones are the best and most effective? These 10 websites are exceptional resources for teachers in all subjects and at all grade levels.

1. ReadWriteThink

The National Council of Teachers of English's (NCTE) ReadWriteThink website provides educators with access to high-quality lessons in reading and language arts instruction by offering the very best in free materials.

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For each lesson, you can see the Common Core and NCTE standards addressed, as well as how long the lesson takes to implement. Every assignment is broken into a "theory to practice" rationale with a resources and preparation section, an instructional plan, and a link to related resources.
Further reading: How Enhancing Our School Resources Has Encouraged Student Success
I love ReadWriteThink! Not only have I used lessons from this site in my classroom-it was my solution for Their Eyes Were Watching God -but I've actually contributed (and been paid for) my own!

2. PhET

For science, math, engineering, and technology, teachers can't go wrong with the University of Colorado, Boulder's PhET, which creates very accessible free interactive math and science simulations. These simulations are based on extensive research, and they engage students through an intuitive, game-like environment so they can have fun learning through exploration and discovery. Another very comprehensive site, PhET lessons are very engaging and easy to integrate into your classroom activities.

3. Scholastic

Scholastic offers a treasure trove of free resources for teachers-especially those who teach K-8. Scholastic has outstanding lessons that are all linked to relevant standards, and their lessons built around holidays and current events are especially compelling.

Additionally, the site features planning guides, graphic organizers, interactive computer lab and whiteboard activities, book lists, listen-and-read activities, writing activities, vocabulary lists, and discussion guides for most books students would read in grades K-8. Like I said: It's a treasure trove!

4. The Stanford History Education Group

The Stanford History Education Group focuses on improving education by providing classrooms with free materials. History teachers will love "Reading like a Historian," which engages students in historical inquiry. Each lesson revolves around a central historical question and features a set of primary documents based on students' reading levels.

Students must employ reading strategies, including sourcing, contextualizing, corroborating, and close reading, to evaluate and understand multiple perspectives on historical issues. Most importantly, students learn how to evaluate online content-a powerful and much-needed curriculum focus for today's world.

5. PBS LearningMedia

PBS LearningMedia provides interactive lessons in science, social studies, math, and English language arts. Lessons are updated frequently to reflect the real world, current events, and student interest. A recently shared math lesson, for example, helps students learn about the competitive sport of fencing, along with the resulting mathematical problems and equivalent expressions that help determine the number of matches played per tournament.

6. Epic!

This free resource allows teachers and librarians to instantly access 25,000 e-books, learning videos, quizzes, and more. It also includes books written in Spanish!

Teachers can use Epic!'s interactive whiteboard lessons to teach a specific skill or strategy. It's perfect for reading aloud, independent reading, or shared reading. Students can perform experiments using ideas from Epic!'s STEM books or create book commercials using multimedia tools such as iMovie, Telestory, or ChatterPix.

7. EDSITEment

EDSITEment bills itself as " the best of the humanities on the web," and, indeed, it supplies excellent free lessons on the arts, languages, culture, history and social studies, and literature. The result of a partnership between the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Trust for the Humanities, this site provides excellent materials that have been reviewed for content, design, and educational impact.

In addition to lessons, the site provides direct access to student resources and interactives.

8. NCTM Illuminations

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics created the Illuminations website to increase access to quality standards-based resources for the teaching and learning of mathematics for all grades. The website includes more than 700 lesson plans, 100 activities for students, and 13 Calculation Nation games, as well as interactive tools for students and instructional support for teachers.

9. Teaching Tolerance

Now more than ever, I've found myself turning to the Teaching Tolerance website to help educate my students about fully participating in a diverse democracy. The mission of Teaching Tolerance is to reduce prejudice, improve intergroup relations, and support equitable school experiences for America's children.

There are free sources available for educators who work with K-12 students. The materials, which emphasize social justice, supplement curriculum and help create civil and inclusive school communities, where all children are respected, valued, and welcomed.

10. National Geographic

As it has been doing since I was a child, National Geographic provides free lessons designed in a modular system: activities, lessons, and units. Most activities can be completed in a class period, and a full lesson can take up to a week of class time. A unit can take a bit longer. The goal of these resources is to enable students to become geographically informed through the mastery of factual knowledge, mental maps, and critical thinking.
Further reading: Find Teaching Resources on a Budget
The next time you're feeling overwhelmed, don't worry. These free resources for teachers are well-vetted and recommended because of their effectiveness and usability, and they can be great supplements to any classroom.

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Top 10 Free Lesson-Planning Resources for Teachers

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Last year, I added Nora Zeale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God to my advanced placement literature curriculum. Strapped for time, I began to look for free resources for teachers that would help my students interact with and fully comprehend the novel.

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Reflective Practice

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The experience in reflective teaching is that you must plunge into the doing, and try to educate yourself before you know what it is you're trying to learn.

-Donald Schön

Donald Schön (1987), a philosopher and educational researcher, makes an important observation: learning to teach often means making choices and taking actions without knowing in advance quite what you need to learn or what the consequences will be. The problem, as we have pointed out more than once, is that classroom events are often ambiguous and ambivalent, in that they usually serve more than one purpose. A teacher compliments a student's contribution to a discussion: at that moment she may be motivating the student, but also focusing classmates' thinking on key ideas. Her comment functions simultaneously as behavioral reinforcement, information, and expression of caring. At that moment complementing the student may be exactly the right thing to do. Or not: perhaps the praise causes the teacher to neglect the contributions of others, or focuses attention on factors that students cannot control, like their ability instead of their effort. In teaching, it seems, everything cuts more than one way, signifies more than one thing. The complications can make it difficult to prepare for teaching in advance, though they also make teaching itself interesting and challenging.

The complications also mean that teachers need to learn from their own teaching by reflecting (or thinking about the significance of) their experiences. In the classrooms, students are not the only people who need to learn. So do teachers, though what teachers need to learn is less about curriculum and more about students' behavior and motivation, about how to assess their learning well, and about how to shape the class into a mutually supportive community.

Thinking about these matters begins to make a teacher a reflective practitioner, a professional who learns both from experience and about experience. Becoming thoughtful helps you in all the areas discussed in this text: it helps in understanding better how students' learning occurs, what motivates students, how you might differentiate your instruction more fully, and how you can make assessments of learning more valid and fair.

Learning to reflect on practice is so important, in fact, that we have referred to and illustrated its value throughout this book. In addition, we devote this entire appendix to how you, like other professional teachers, can develop habits of reflective practice in yourself. First, we describe what reflective practice feels like as an experience, and offer examples of places, people, and activities that can support your own reflection on practice. Then we discuss how teachers can also learn simply by observing and reflecting on their own teaching systematically, and by sharing the results with other teachers and professionals. This is an activity we mentioned in this book previously; we call it teacher research or action research. As you will see, reflective practice not only contributes to teachers' ability to make wise decisions, but also allows them to serve as effective, principled advocates on behalf of students.

Concluding activities (check for understanding)

Activity

1. Make a list of the five most important characteristics of an excellent teacher.

Do you possess these characteristics?

If not, what steps can you take to add the characteristic(s) to your teaching profile?

2. Write a paragraph of your teaching philosophy.

Why content is important?

Best way to teach?

What will your style be?

What are your goals as a teacher?

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The experience in reflective teaching is that you must plunge into the doing, and try to educate yourself before you know what it is you're trying to learn. -Donald Schön Donald Schön (1987), a philosopher and educational researcher, makes an important observation: learning to teach often means making choices and taking actions without knowing in advance quite what you need to learn or what the consequences will be.

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Advocacy

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If you have discovered that your child has a psychiatric or learning problem, or you are beginning to suspect that she does, you might be wondering what you can do to make sure that she is getting the best support possible when she is at school. Parents sometimes tell me that they feel powerless when it comes to school issues, but there is actually a lot we can do for our children in terms of advocacy. Here are some good rules to follow:

1. Communicate with your child and ask questions.
Study after study show that kids make healthier choices, do better in school, and have higher self-esteem if they have warm, positive communication with their parents. Parents who want to help their children tackle the challenges of school need to be able to ask direct questions on a regular basis and carefully consider the answers. "What do you like best about school?" is often a good icebreaker. Follow-up questions should include "What is easy to do each day?" and "What is the subject you wish you had only once a week instead of every day?"

2. Recognize that your child behaves differently at home and school.
It's critical to talk to your child's teacher to find out how well she is functioning at school. Teacher-child relationships vary widely, but given that teachers spend six hours a day with our kids, we can count on them to have a keen sense of how children learn and behave. When you meet with a teacher, ask about your child's strengths and weaknesses. You should feel comfortable asking questions like: Does my child have difficulties with organization, following instructions, or staying on task? Have you noticed any delays in her academic or social development? Does she get along well with other kids?

3. Maximize parent-teacher conference time.
Many parents go to parent-teacher conferences unprepared. They arrive without questions, receive an enormous amount of information about a child's academic performance, and then leave with a laundry list of concerns they haven't been able to talk through. You can maximize your parent-teacher conference time by planning questions to ask at the beginning, not the end, of the conference. By asking your questions up front, you'll help ensure that the conference time is used to address your child's challenges, set appropriate goals, and determine whether any special education services might be needed.

4. Don't delay getting support for your child.
If you have specific concerns about your child's school performance, don't wait until parent-teacher conference time to request a comprehensive evaluation and inquire about special education services. Your child's teacher can provide not only a different perspective on how he is progressing, but can also help facilitate evaluations of your child's cognitive, academic, linguistic, social, and emotional functioning. You should also know that there's a federal law requiring schools to provide an education to children in the least-restrictive environment-meaning, a child with symptoms of a learning or psychiatric disorder must have every opportunity to be educated alongside his typically developing peers. The school is supposed to ensure that children receive the services they need to fulfill their potential.

5. Request special services in writing.
If you suspect your child needs special education services, you must request in writing that he be evaluated to determine which services would be appropriate. School districts offer school-based evaluations free of charge, but parents must send a letter of request to the administrator responsible for the school's special education programming. Talk to your child's teacher about this process-specifically, find out who to contact to arrange an evaluation-and ask for assistance in obtaining a copy of his school file, including report cards, progress reports, attendance records, behavior assessments, testing data, and any other teacher reports. The materials in your child's school file will be used in all evaluations for learning and psychiatric disorders.

6. Meet with the people who evaluate your child.
The school must provide you with written results from your child's evaluation. But you can get more than a written summary. Arrange a meeting with the people who've evaluated her to discuss the results and whether educational objectives are being met or need to be changed. If you disagree with the results of the evaluation you can request an independent one.

7. Understand the Individual Education Plan.
You must become familiar with the IEP process in order to effectively advocate for a child with a learning disorder. An IEP is a personalized education plan that takes into account a child's specific needs and outlines a modified curriculum with practical goals for academic success. Parents, teachers, special education experts, and any other specialists on a child's team should participate in the development of the IEP. They should also carefully monitor the child's progress on the IEP, assess whether he is meeting educational goals, and coordinate more support if needed.

8. Monitor your child's moods.
A large number of children with psychiatric disorders also struggle with learning disorders. In fact, roughly half of all children with ADHD have dyslexia and half of all children with learning disorders develop chronic depression in adulthood. As a parent, one of the most important things you can do is trust your intuition when your child's behavior seems abnormal. Pay attention to changes in her personality and mood in the same way you watch for rising and falling grades. Her academic achievement is intimately tied to her emotional well-being.

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Being an Effective Advocate for Your Child - Child Mind Institute

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If you have discovered that your child has a psychiatric or learning problem, or you are beginning to suspect that she does, you might be wondering what you can do to make sure that she is getting the best support possible when she is at school.

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Partnering with your child's teachers can help to ensure that your child's language skills continue to grow, along with her connections to family, community and culture. Here are some tips:

Approach the school and ask to meet with teachers before your child's first day.

Meeting before your child starts the program gives you a chance to explain how your child communicates. Every dual language learner is different-some may speak (or understand) more of one language than another. Explaining how your child uses language, and the languages he/she is exposed to at home, gives teachers important information about how to meet her needs. This information also helps teachers put a child's behavior in context-for example, a child may not put his coat on when asked because he didn't understand the instructions or is not yet confident enough in English to ask for help.

Provide teachers with a list of common words your child uses in her home language.

Create a list of words (along with a simple guide to pronouncing them) that your child uses frequently to have her needs met. For example, your list might include words for: mommy, daddy, breakfast/lunch, hungry, water/thirsty, hurt/sick/tired, diaper/toilet, etc. You might even offer to record yourself pronouncing each word and text/email these short videos to the teacher as a reference.

If your child is entering the setting with almost no English, remind teachers that he may need one-on-one support to participate in daily routines. Simple picture cards, labeled in both English and the home language, can also help with communication until his vocabulary grows.

Finally, ask that teachers avoid using only the home language for limit-setting/discipline. When a child hears her home language only for discipline purposes in the school setting, it sends a negative message. On the other hand, teachers can praise a child's communication efforts, no matter which language he is using.

Suggest ways you can provide support.

Given how diverse most early childhood programs are, it's impossible for teachers to learn every language spoken by every student. This creates an opportunity for parents to contribute rich home language experiences. For example, could you make a video of yourself reading a story that teachers could play for children? Or do the same for traditional songs and rhymes? During special times of the year, offer to join the class and share a tradition from your home culture. Most early education settings have labels on many items in their classroom as a strategy to build children's print awareness. You might offer to create labels in your child's home language. Be sure to print these words in a different color than the English labels-over time, your child will learn that "her" languages are both the blue and the green words. Finally, you can offer to share some of your child's books with the class, or send in empty food boxes or dress-up clothes from your home culture for pretend play.

Set up outside-of-school play opportunities.

It can be challenging to build friendships when you don't share a language. Consider scheduling peer play opportunities at home to nurture children's growing bonds. Ask your child's teacher which child(ren) he seems to play with most, and start there. Offer the children activities that don't need a lot of language but that encourage shared play-think about musical instruments, a homemade obstacle course, sensory (sand/water) play, or a shared cooking or art activity.

Make your home a nurturing language environment.

Research shows that children's home language use begins to drop as they enter formal school settings where English is the primary language. To become truly bilingual, children need rich, consistent exposure to each language. If your child's setting mainly uses English, you may choose to emphasize your home language in order to nurture these skills. Research shows that children who continue to learn and use their home language actually do better learning English because they have the advantage of the rich cultural vocabulary and knowledge of their families.

Wrapping Up

Our roots are wrapped up in language-the words that were sung to us, the stories told to us, the jokes shared with us. Offering children the opportunity to develop deeper, stronger language roots is truly a gift, and one that research has found has benefits across the lifespan. When partnering with your child's teachers on home language issues, collaboration is important. By working together, you can help to build the rich language environment your child needs to develop strong language skills (times two!).

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