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The principles behind my lesson plans for a group of 8 toddlers

 

THE PRINCIPLES BEHIND MY LESSON PLAN FOR A GROUP OF EIGHT TODDLERS

My lesson plans are a tool to help the kids and me to have a good day.  When children are busy developing their skills, they are happy and so am I.  It should never be something to stress about.  I made it clear to myself years ago, the children under my care here and now are my priority at all time.  I plan during nap but nap is not always quiet.  If a child needs my attention I drop whatever I'm doing and give attention to him or her.  If they are quiet during the day I might start to sit at the table and plan or prepare an art project but if the atmosphere of the classroom gets hectic I invite them to cut with me at the table or draw with me,  or dropping everything and march with them instead of running, whatever I think that might help to channel their energy and engage them with me.

If I didn't  have time to make a lesson plan, I improvise or do again what worked yesterday or the week before.  There are some life saver activities too like: crayons, scissors, bubbles, "Ring around the rosie" and more.

Each day I try to cover every aspect of the development of young children:  Cognition, Social & Emotional, Fine Motor,  Gross Motor,  Language and Art. 

Language includes Literacy, Receptivity, Expression, Print concepts and Phonological. Cognition is divided in nine sub categories : Flexibility, Initiative, Engagement in Learning,  Logic,  Counting and Cardinality, Number Operations, Measurement,  Geometry and Science.  Social & Emotional is divided in  five: Regulation, Emotional Expression,  Sense of self,  Relationships with adults and with Peers. Every day I also plan a fine and gross motor activity, art and social and emotional. They don't have to be complicated.  When you are a children lover a lot of those activities come to you naturally.  When you read or sing you teach language.  When you show a child how to fit a puzzle piece you are working on cognition and fine motor.  When you talk about your emotions your are teaching social skills.  When you chase them it's a gross motor activity. When you draw next to them you teaching appreciation of Art.

But lesson plans are useful though and I try very hard to make them.  First thing in the morning I look at it and get things ready before all the kids are in.  If it's not done I work on it.


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