Play to Learn Preschool

I found the most amazing site called Play to Learn Preschool.  You can find this gem at http://playtolearnpreschool.blogspot.com/.  Her story is inspiring and encouraging.  She has a heart for early childhood students and shares her experience through her years.  Her site gives you illustrations and examples form her classroom of the classroom arrangement structure.  She shared why she does specific things.  Her dramatic play area is amazing, being changed on a regular basis.  You can get her printable’s on her site.  This teacher is creative and gives her students above and beyond.  She has a section on her site titled classroom that gives you the layout of her class with instruction and reason as well as printable’s when available.  Through her explanation she gives organization tips and so much more.   I look forward to following her am so thankful I found her site. 

More Than ABC and 123 Blog

Taylor has created at site called More Than ABC and 123 and can be found at http://morethanabcand123.blogspot.com/.  There are so many online resource and helps that you can sometimes get overwhelmed or lost.  This is a good site for teachers because at the beginning it gives short cuts to what you might be looking for.  They are simple titles as well, for example preschool activities or sensory table. 

Taylor shows great examples of her classroom set up and organization.  She gives clear and helpful instructions with reason why as well.  This is an amazing site to see arrangements of a physical class room, even with 1 year verse another year and how she changed it an organized it. 

Throughout her site she gives activities and samples of them as well.  She also gives the items you will need to purchase and how to get them online to complete the activities. 

This is a wonderful site for an all-encompassing classroom resource.     

St John's United Methodist Christian Preschool Site

St. John’s United Methodist Christian Preschool has a Facebook page that they use as a type of blog.  It is found at https://www.facebook.com/pages/St-Johns-United-Methodist-Christian-Preschool/778121455577656.  This is a site that is a great example of an encouraging classroom that is student centered learning.  They have examples and encouragement to have this where you are at.  There are great resources for how preschools need to and should be today.  For example there is a post about and article for the reason they are a play based school. 

The class does not show specific classroom arrangements but many pictures of the classroom during play, center time, guest speaker time, activities and field trips.  This site is also a way they communicate with parents, a great organization tool.

Under the about section of the site it states the structure of the school and it also gives you a link to their web-site that briefly describes their school. 

Sunny Days In Second Grade Blog

Sunny Days In Second Grade is written by Denise. You can find her blog at http://sunnydaysinsecondgrade.blogspot.com/.   She is a very excited teacher who wants to help other teachers and keep herself motivated while she shares with others.  She gives a great explanation of why she is doing what she is doing!  This is a fun, motivating site. 

The site is filled with examples and abundant resources in the form of Themed printable packets. Some are free and some are available for purchase through a site called Teachers pay teachers at http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/.  All of Denise’s packets are $3.00.  The packets include worksheets, craft ideas and helpful teaching ideas.  A good part to her site is that she shows examples of the activities and projects finished, sometimes with children doing them and sometimes when they are completed.

There are many resources through the site including Denise sharing how she conducts her classroom or organizes her centers.  November 2013 has a great example of resources, examples of her class, and inspiration.  The link is found at http://sunnydaysinsecondgrade.blogspot.com/2013/11/november-resources-and-interactive.html. 

Overall this is a wonderful helpful blog that shares how she conducts her class and activities giving practical ideas and application as well as resources. 

Other Websites

This week’s assignment in my Child's Guidance, Management and the Environment class was to research practicing teacher’s websites for ideas and strategies on classroom arrangement, structure, activities, and organization.  I found some wonderful sites that I plan to follow and learn from. 

Here is what I found and think might interest any other teachers or students... 

I hope that these reviews are helpful and you can take the time to explore on your own. 

Hello Again!

I am back and ready to blog.... So much has happened over the last few years.  God opened the doors for me to finally go back to school after 20 years.  I am currently attending Grand Canyon University online to obtain my Bachelor's in Early Childhood Education.  I am in my third year attending full time while running my daycare.  It is a great adventure to say the least.  God has been so good and faithful to help me through it all.  I have learned so much regarding the Early Childhood field.  I have been able to instantly implement many of the things I have learned.  I have had some wonderful experiences in observations of classrooms in our local school through Mary Peacock School and Grace Lutheran.  I look forward to learning more and sharing with all of you.