Learning is Messy...a Preschool Blog. (From a Very Tired Preschool Teacher).

The End...or a New Beginning                                                                                via GIPHY In the beginning... I have to be honest here.  Getting my master's degree-in technology of all things, was NOT my idea.  So I have to thank my friend Kelley Spiro for encouraging me and convincing me that this was the time and technology was the subject.  I also have to admit, that my first experiences with the technology courses were NOT the best in my academic career. This past summer, we took two classes Gaming in Education and Flipped Learning. Although I was excited about the prospects and ideas of the classes-in reality, they were not what I expected. I think when designing education classes in regards to technology, the designers neglect to include the ...

What is a Crayon?  Image: NY Times  Storytelling... Joe Saneflippo's newsletter struck a cord with me when he said, " To desire that connection is human and derived by emotion. We want to hear their story. We look for the story because we want to connect, and the emotion of the stories gives us that connection. The greatest stories in the world are real…and many of them are happening in our schools." Some of my greatest stories have come from my classroom, and one of my favorite stories-which I think is perfect for this generation-happened just a few years ago. It resonates with me to this day, and I think about it every "first day" of school. The Story... Wyatt* was a boy in my preschool class three years ago. On the first days of school, we ask the children to write their name and draw us a picture of anything they'd like.  We offer many writing utensils, and they may choose at random.  I am sitting at a table with Wyatt and two other students.  The two ...

A "Tweet" by Any Other Name... My Twitter History:    I started on Twitter in the fall of 2013 ( @MrsD0523 ) which means I was finishing up my bachelors’ degree.   It was a requirement for one of the final classes I was taking. My Twitter account has been dormant since then-as I do not “tweet”-as I talked about in previous posts-I also do not post a lot on social media (Facebook or Instagram).   This assignment came up and I “blew the dust” off my Twitter account to see what I had been missing! "Blow the Dust Off":  via GIPHY In 2013-I had begun following several organizations that directly impacted my teaching career. Most notably I follow Zero to Three , ECE Consortium , IL Early Learning and NAEYC .    After reviewing my Twitter feed, and wanting to update my “contacts” I now also follow several individuals who have direct connections to my teaching styles or content areas such Jean Feldman , Gerry Brooks and Brandy Roberts.   I  also...

Active Learning-"Hands-on" Teaching... Source: Harper Collins Children's' Books What do I know about Active Learning?  As a preschool teacher, when I think of active learning, all I need to do is picture students in my classroom! A preschool classroom is a place where children learn by doing-learn by experience and learn by being "in the moment".  We see this in every corner of the room!   The classroom is divided into interest areas, which children get to explore during their fifty minutes of choice time.  Children can move from area to area, and explore, experience, and participate in a variety of activities.    The list of active learning benefits fits a preschool classroom like a glove: 1.  Increase cognitive and emotional development 2.  Students are independent in learning 3.  Children develop 21st Century Skills 4.  Increase the transfer of new information 5.  Increase in motivation These are the true benefits of teachin...

  Jumping in with both feet.   A preschool teachers’ framework is different than the frameworks used by elementary and secondary educators. As I looked over the various framework options, I felt like I utilized a combination of two, the TPACK and the Triple E.   As I delved further, the TPACK framework kept coming back to light, especially after the last six months.   What is TPACK?   TPACK Schoology Exchange The TPACK framework provides more of a map for understanding how to integrate technology into the classroom effectively .   The three forms of knowledge intersect.   The pedagogy-the practice of teaching, the content-what we are teaching and the technology-how we teach or present it.   Each overlap creating subsets and, in the center, -the deepest level of understanding as an educator-the TPACK. My Journey so far… As an early childhood educator, I always felt like technology had a limited place in my classroom.   I a...

All About Me!                                                                                 It's just me!  Personal Photo Hello everyone!  My name is Alyson DeLaney-nice to meet you all!  I am a blended preschool teacher in Community School District 300.  My district is the fourth largest in the state-and I teach at Gilberts Elementary School.  This is my sixth-year teaching preschoolers.  In those six years, I have taught in three different elementary schools.    I LOVE my job!  I have always loved children (I even have one of my own!) and I seem to be able to relate to the children and families of our youngest learners-our "littles".   I remember when I told my dad that I was going to school t...