It was fascinating to sit with a room full of people – some seasoned and some newer to the field – who are responsible for leading and stewarding early childhood programs in our area. And it was interesting to hear about their satisfactions and challenges, particularly in light of the range of programs they support, and the communities of children and families they serve…
by Cassie Tondreau, Educator, Hilltop Children’s Center Have you ever seen a child furiously scribbling on paper and narrating as they go? It can sound something like this: “I’m making a big truck, it has big wheels and a driver-‘Beep! Beep!’” or “This is a party and everyone is dancing. Look at their long dresses!” Looking at the mess of wild […]
Art is a tool that can be powerful for any age. It has the power to stretch us outside of our comfort zone, as well as where we might go to seek comfort all at the same time. For young children (preschoolers/toddlers), art can have a profound impact on their comfort as they enter into a new space, and works quickly to build relationships and community…
Some people go nuts over movie stars, sports figures, or political candidates…but there is a select group of folks – and I’m definitely one of them – who freak out when we meet legends and luminaries of the early childhood field…
We must acknowledge the expertise of educators, who have worked with hundreds of children and know a great deal about their development and care. And we must acknowledge the wisdom of family members who are, quite literally, the world’s leading experts on their own children…
Young children are drawn to wrestling, jumping, tumbling, running, and many other forms of physical play. Some of this play can seem risky, or tricky to manage, and parents or early childhood educators may wish to suppress it. However, there are many benefits children gain from these types of play…
Should a classroom for young children be provocative? Maybe not in the sense of being risqué or unsettling, but educators in the schools of Reggio Emilia, Italy do hold a notion that the classroom environment itself can offer inspirations and challenges to the children. Every day at Hilltop Children’s Center we prepare our classrooms and studios with “provocations” and “invitations […]
In-depths are a perfect example of reflective practice enriching curriculum. The teacher must lead even though they don’t know where they are going. They supply the means, not the drive or the inspiration. If they think they know where they are going, then they must hope to be proven wrong, because by making an assumption, they have already closed their minds to many unpredictable experiences.
by Becky Krueger, Educator, Hilltop Children’s Center In my classroom, I used to think of taking a “first group” of children outside at 3:45 as a benefit mainly to the children who remained in the classroom: more time one-on-one with my co-teacher, more opportunities for focused work, or a space for quiet play in a smaller group. Over the past […]
It’s happening: public awareness in the United States is catching up to the reality that gender identity is neither absolute nor binary. And many people – children included – are finding new freedom to describe their experience and to express their gender identity more accurately.