Transforming Teaching - Creating Lesson Plans for Child-Centered Learning in Preschool

The goal of this book is to help teachers assess where they are in their current teaching goals and become more intentional and organized in planning. Teachers can begin with tools they already have and build on previous activities that worked well. Great lesson planning helps teachers to choose a range of strategies that match what children are learning and doing-- from directed mini-lessons to facilitated group activities. Each chapter provides a wealth of tips and ideas. The strategies discussed in each chapter helps build a toolbox with tips that match each teacher's approach.
Child-centered lesson planning provides a system to strengthen teaching. In each chapter contains step-by-step hints and action steps to make the most of your unique setting. You will explore new ways to:

• Build on early learning guidelines and standards to maximize planning and communication.
• Identify learning goals for materials, activities, routines, and interactions.
• Design dramatic play themes that relate to daily life, families, cultures, and communities.
• Infuse vocabulary to scaffold language development.
• Support executive function skills and self-regulation.
• Activate emotion coaching goals.
• Evaluate and adapt spaces and materials to address physical needs.
• Meet the linguistic and social needs of dual language learners.
• Prepare meaningful and stimulating cognitive experiences.
• Connect content skills, language, and literacy to dramatic play.
• Integrate family engagement as a strength and asset for development and learning.
• Communicate effectively with colleagues to ensure high-quality learning experiences.

The NAEYC Early Learning Program Accreditation Standards and Assessment Items (2018) provide an important foundation for high-quality experiences for young children. The content and lesson planning information presented in this book align with the following NAEYC criteria:

• Standard 1: Relationships
• Standard 2: Curriculum
• Standard 3: Teaching
• Standard 4: Assessment of Child Progress
• Standard 7: Families

Book Features
The following features invite you to dig deeper and apply what you read to your own setting:

• Daily teaching scenarios. The illustrated classroom examples show teaching in action and represent a variety of pre-K settings and situations. Here, you will see the principles and strategies presented in practical and useful ways.
• Tips for Teaching. This feature details practical skills to maximize your effectiveness in meeting children's learning and social needs. You will find ideas for preparation, observation, materials, vocabulary, supporting learning, encouraging children's choices, and making the most of teaching moments.
• Research Connections. Each chapter introduces easy-to-relate research links between children's development and the activities and interactions that will strengthen emerging skills. These take-away anchors will ensure you know the latest information you need.
• Individualized Teaching. This section will connect the development of children to their relationships with families, communities, and culture. You will find information about facilitating learning for children who are learning multiple languages.
• Balance Points. This feature includes needed behavior supports for self-regulation, strategies to promote executive function, and mediation for stress and trauma.
• Ready Resources. Sources for digging deeper are provided for early screening, adaptation for special needs, technical assistance networks, state early guidelines, creative activities, national organizations, and professional development opportunities.
• Helpful Hints: Quick tips provide pointers to make lesson planning work for you.
• Links to NAEYC Program Accreditation Standards and Assessment Items. This feature anchors curriculum planning, effective teaching, assessment, and family engagement to professional guidelines and high-quality practices.
• Sample lesson plans. Examples with explanatory captions and comments show how to plan a schedule, play areas, prop boxes, book lists and themes, and detailed teaching plans with extensions for playful learning with individualized supports.
• Chapter reflection questions. Practical applications at the end of each chapter will inspire your growth and may be used for personal or group study.

List of contents

Introduction

Chapter 1: Setting a Foundation for Teaching

• Celebrating How Children Learn


• Tips for Teaching: Learning by Observing


• Helping Children Thrive with Developmentally Appropriate Practice


• Balance Points: Using Reflective Practice


• Connecting Teaching to Children’s Lives


• Individualized Teaching: Using a Strengths-Based Approach


• Ready Resources: Exploring Your Community Context


• Understanding the Role of Play in Development


• Teaching with Children in Mind


• Helpful Hint: Following the Children’s Lead


• Research Connections: Strategies for Inclusion


• Exploring Elements of Child-Centered Teaching


• Sample Lesson Plans: Planning a Child-Centered Daily Schedule


• Links to NAEYC Early Learning Program Accreditation Standards and Assessment Items


• Reflection Questions

Chapter 2: Making Lesson Planning Work for You

• Engaging Children in Active Learning


• Balance Points: Positive Communication with Children


• Planning a Variety of Teaching Contexts


• Tips for Teaching: Creating a Rich Context for Learning


• Individualized Teaching: Planning Personal Conversation


• Exploring Levels of Support in Child-Centered Teaching


• Ready Resources: Exploring Emergent Curriculum


• Tips for Teaching: Effective Strategies to Support Child-Centered Learning


• Helpful Hint: Adding Teaching Strategies to Lesson Planning


• Being Consistent While Staying Flexible


• Tips for Teaching: Getting Organized and Staying Inspired


• Research Connections: Increasing Opportunities for Learning


• Helpful Hint: Planning Materials for Play


• Sample Lesson Plans: Planning Thematic Play Experiences


• Links to NAEYC Early Learning Program Accreditation Standards and Assessment Items


• Reflection Questions

Chapter 3: Preparing Child-Centered Themes and Play Areas

• Identifying Learning Goals for Play


• Recognizing Interdependence Among Areas of Development and Learning


• Supporting Emerging Skills and Dispositions


• Ready Resources: Exploring Standards and Early Learning Guidelines


• Digging Deeper with Content Skills for Child-Centered Teaching


• Helpful Hint: Considering the What, How, and Where of Play Areas


• Research Connections: Creating Active Learners


• Fostering Language Development During Play


• Tips for Teaching: Maximizing Language Support


• Helpful Hint: Making Play More Complex


• Balance Points: Planning Effective Behavior Guidance During Play


• Providing a Rich Context for Multilingual Learning


• Ready Resources: Strategies for Multilingual Learners


• Using Individualized Support


• Tips for Teaching: Supporting Children with Special Needs


• Ready Resources: Key Components of Inclusive Programs


• Sample Lesson Plans: Connecting Learning Across Content Areas


• Sample Book Lists: Aiming for Big Ideas and Concepts


• Links to NAEYC Early Learning Program Accreditation Standards and Assessment Items


• Reflection Questions

>Chapter 4: Planning Teacher-Directed Activities

• Introducing New Information


• Tips for Teaching: Connecting to Children’s Daily Lives


• Engaging Children in Higher-Level Thinking


• Tips for Teaching: Choosing a Method and Activity


• Following a Sequence of Planning


• Tips for Teaching: Infusing the Joy of Writing


• Research Connections: Creating a Rich Contact Zone for Learning


• Teaching Children with Special Needs


• Individualized Teaching: Writing Personalized Supports


• Making the Most of Learning Objectives


• Helpful Hint: Being Proactive


• Ready Resources: Maximizing Vocabulary in Content Areas


• Sample Lesson Plans: Teacher-Directed Learning


• Links to NAEYC Early Learning Program Accreditation Standards and Assessment Items


• Reflection Questions

Chapter 5: Using Observation, Documentation, and Assessment to Guide Teaching

• Understanding Assessment with Young Children


• Tips for Teaching: Exploring and Using Data


• Understanding the Assessment Cycle


• Research Connections: Identifying Equity Issues


• Benefiting from Authentic Assessment


• Exploring Types of Authentic Assessment


• Assessing and Supporting Children Who Are Linguistically Diverse


• Balance Points: Seeing from the Child’s Point of View


• Ready Resources: Building on Developmental Milestones


• Ready Resources: Understanding Early Screening and Intervention


• Helpful Hint: Sharing Assessment Information with Families


• Committing to Ethical Practice


• Links to NAEYC Early Learning Program Accreditation Standards and Assessment Items


• Reflection Questions

Chapter 6: Enriching Communication with Families and Colleagues

• Planning and Communication as Anchors of High Quality


• Research Connections: Strengthening Teaching with Family Engagement


• Sharing Information Using Strengths-Based Language


• Tips for Teaching: Foundations for Integrating Culture


• Ready Resources: Ensuring Equity and Opportunity


• Enjoying Relationship-Based Teaching and Learning


• Tips for Teaching: Communicating with Colleagues


• Setting Goals, Establishing Priorities, and Sharing Progress


• Balance Points: Self-Regulation and Behavior


• Building Family Engagement Using Lesson Plans


• Helpful Hint: Strategies for Positive Impact


• Ready Resources: Family Engagement for Successful Teaching


• Sample Lesson Plans: Family Interview Questions


• Links to NAEYC Early Learning Program Accreditation Standards and Assessment Items


• Reflection Questions

References

About the Author

Index

About the author

Marie Masterson, PhD, is the Director of Quality Assessment at the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership at National Louis University. She is a licensed early childhood teacher, a national speaker, child behavior expert, and author of multiple books and articles that address behavior guidance, parenting, early care and education, and high-quality teaching. She was previously a university professor in early childhood teacher education and early childhood specialist for the Virginia Department of Education.

Summary

Helps teachers assess where they are in their current teaching goals and become more intentional and organized in planning. Teachers can begin with tools they already have and build on previous activities that worked well. The strategies discussed in each chapter helps build a toolbox with tips that match each teacher's approach.

Foreword

This book will be promoted via various NAEYC marketing efforts, including social media pages promotions (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest with a reach of over 200K followers); promotional emails; advertisements in Young Children, Teaching Young Children, and Exchange magazines; and NAEYC’s seasonal resource catalogs. The authors of the publication will also present a webinar on a topic covered in the book soon after its publication. Finally, the publication will be advertised and sold at various early childhood conferences and trade shows (NAEYC’s Annual Conference in Anaheim, CA, NAEYC’s Professional Learning Institute in Philadelphia, PA, Zero to Three, etc.).

Additional text

I believe hands-on exploration is a major component in the early years. This book will be a great asset to educators everywhere. The examples of emergent teaching, individualized teaching, and teaching children with disabilities are great resources for assistant teachers.

Product details

• Authors: Marie Masterson
• Publisher: Ingram Publishers Services
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 21.04.2021
• EAN: 9781938113833
• ISBN: 978-1-938113-83-3
• No. of pages: 152
• Illustrations: tables and figures
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Education > Education system; EDUCATION / Curricula, EDUCATION / Early Childhood (incl. Preschool & Kindergarten), Curriculum planning & development, Pre-school & kindergarten