As the school year starts, our focus is on getting to know our new little students. We are teaching them procedures, rules and practicing routines.  We are playing with students to get to know them and helping children learn how to use the materials in classroom centers.

At the beginning of the year, these things are the most important things!

So, back to the question at hand... When is it time to start small group?  When is it okay for you step back from monitoring, playing and helping children in centers? 

Listen in to find out!

Are you a busy preschool teacher who loves gaining new ideas, perspectives and inspiration for your classroom? The Lovely Preschool Teachers Podcast is here to help you up your confidence in educating early learners in a quick, actionable way!

As an early educator who is still in the classroom, Ashley Rives will share the ins and outs of how she runs her classroom in a play-based, child-centered way. Each week, expect a new episode focused on actionable strategies to level up your abilities and confidence as a preschool teacher.

Ashley Rives is an early educator with over 17 years of experience and a strong passion to help teachers implement child-centered learning in preschool classrooms all over the world. You can follow her on Instagram @lovelycommotion or learn more at the Lovely Commotion Preschool Resources website: www.lovelycommotion.com.

Preschoolers learn amazing things through play, but this isn't something that is easy for parents to see. Help educate the parents in your early childhood program with Parent Education Bulletin Boards.

I wanted our families to better understand all the amazing growth and learning goodness that really happens inside a preschool classroom --- that's when the Parent Education Bulletin Boards were born!

With 10 done-for-you bulletin boards, teaching families has never been easier!  All you have to do is print, laminate and hang - the rest is done for you!

Learn all about the benefits of Parent Education Boards in this episode!

Are you a busy preschool teacher who loves gaining new ideas, perspectives and inspiration for your classroom? The Lovely Preschool Teachers Podcast is here to help you up your confidence in educating early learners in a quick, actionable way!

As an early educator who is still in the classroom, Ashley Rives will share the ins and outs of how she runs her classroom in a play-based, child-centered way. Each week, expect a new episode focused on actionable strategies to level up your abilities and confidence as a preschool teacher.

Ashley Rives is an early educator with over 17 years of experience and a strong passion to help teachers implement child-centered learning in preschool classrooms all over the world. You can follow her on Instagram @lovelycommotion or learn more at the Lovely Commotion Preschool Resources website: www.lovelycommotion.com.

Teaching young children the procedures and routines of the classroom is important for a safe and (less) chaotic environment.  The benefits of implementing visual procedure cards are huge.

To get the most out of visual procedure cards, first...

 * Learn why they are important, then...

 * How to implement them

You can use pre-made procedure cards or create your own by taking pictures of the steps in each routine. Either way, these tips will help you make the most of the cards you created.

Are you a busy preschool teacher who loves gaining new ideas, perspectives and inspiration for your classroom? The Lovely Preschool Teachers Podcast is here to help you up your confidence in educating early learners in a quick, actionable way!

As an early educator who is still in the classroom, Ashley Rives will share the ins and outs of how she runs her classroom in a play-based, child-centered way. Each week, expect a new episode focused on actionable strategies to level up your abilities and confidence as a preschool teacher.

Ashley Rives is an early educator with over 17 years of experience and a strong passion to help teachers implement child-centered learning in preschool classrooms all over the world. You can follow her on Instagram @lovelycommotion or learn more at the Lovely Commotion Preschool Resources website: www.lovelycommotion.com.

Our young learners aren't yet readers. Therefore, posters of written rules, schedules and procedures are null and void.  To young children, these posters are just visual noise.

But, pictures are a different story.  Young children can 'read' pictures.

So when it comes to helping young children learn about routines in the classroom- visuals are the way to go.

I found a need for visual procedure cards in my classroom several years ago, so I created them, implemented them and I am so happy I did.

The benefits of procedure cards are huge and I saw all of those benefits when I implemented them myself. Plus, the visuals have kept me from having to say a routine procedure over and over and over and over and... you get it!

Are you a busy preschool teacher who loves gaining new ideas, perspectives and inspiration for your classroom? The Lovely Preschool Teachers Podcast is here to help you up your confidence in educating early learners in a quick, actionable way!

As an early educator who is still in the classroom, Ashley Rives will share the ins and outs of how she runs her classroom in a play-based, child-centered way. Each week, expect a new episode focused on actionable strategies to level up your abilities and confidence as a preschool teacher.

Ashley Rives is an early educator with over 17 years of experience and a strong passion to help teachers implement child-centered learning in preschool classrooms all over the world. You can follow her on Instagram @lovelycommotion or learn more at the Lovely Commotion Preschool Resources website: www.lovelycommotion.com.

Have you ever stopped to think about the amount of things that we have to teach our new little students at the beginning of each year?

Coming to the carpet, sitting at the carpet, lining up, walking in the hall, using the restroom, washing hands, how to clean up, how to treat toys, how to pack up to go home.... and the list goes on! <

If so, good news! I have a tool to share to make teaching all those procedures easier!

Are you a busy preschool teacher who loves gaining new ideas, perspectives and inspiration for your classroom? The Lovely Preschool Teachers Podcast is here to help you up your confidence in educating early learners in a quick, actionable way!

As an early educator who is still in the classroom, Ashley Rives will share the ins and outs of how she runs her classroom in a play-based, child-centered way. Each week, expect a new episode focused on actionable strategies to level up your abilities and confidence as a preschool teacher.

Ashley Rives is an early educator with over 17 years of experience and a strong passion to help teachers implement child-centered learning in preschool classrooms all over the world. You can follow her on Instagram @lovelycommotion or learn more at the Lovely Commotion Preschool Resources website: www.lovelycommotion.com.

Schedules are an important way of life. They keep us in our daily routines and get us to the places we need to be.

In a preschool classroom, a daily schedule is the backbone to our day.   At the beginning of the school year, I create our classroom schedule (using the 5 step method) and have it hanging up in the room. But, of course the young children in our classroom can't read it! I found that many of my students were asking 'what do we do next?', 'when can we go outside?' and 'when is my mom coming?'. 

So, I knew it was time to create some visual supports for my little non-readers!  Listen in to learn about a great resource to include in your classroom!

Are you a busy preschool teacher who loves gaining new ideas, perspectives and inspiration for your classroom? The Lovely Preschool Teachers Podcast is here to help you up your confidence in educating early learners in a quick, actionable way!

As an early educator who is still in the classroom, Ashley Rives will share the ins and outs of how she runs her classroom in a play-based, child-centered way. Each week, expect a new episode focused on actionable strategies to level up your abilities and confidence as a preschool teacher.

Ashley Rives is an early educator with over 17 years of experience and a strong passion to help teachers implement child-centered learning in preschool classrooms all over the world. You can follow her on Instagram @lovelycommotion or learn more at the Lovely Commotion Preschool Resources website: www.lovelycommotion.com.

When it comes to play-based learning, sometimes it's hard to see what children are actually learning.

Think about it, in a center where children are sitting and doing worksheets or workbooks, we can see the learning outcome.

But, in a play-based classroom (the best way for children to learn) this learning isn't as easy to see.  It takes a trained eye to see what benefits and results can come from centers or hands-on activities - not much of which is coming home in a backpack.

So, it becomes our job to communicate the amazing, endless learning opportunities that play-based learning can bring.

There are many ways to communicate the benefits of play to parents.

In this episode, let's discuss center signs!

Are you a busy preschool teacher who loves gaining new ideas, perspectives and inspiration for your classroom? The Lovely Preschool Teachers Podcast is here to help you up your confidence in educating early learners in a quick, actionable way!

As an early educator who is still in the classroom, Ashley Rives will share the ins and outs of how she runs her classroom in a play-based, child-centered way. Each week, expect a new episode focused on actionable strategies to level up your abilities and confidence as a preschool teacher.

Ashley Rives is an early educator with over 17 years of experience and a strong passion to help teachers implement child-centered learning in preschool classrooms all over the world. You can follow her on Instagram @lovelycommotion or learn more at the Lovely Commotion Preschool Resources website: www.lovelycommotion.com.

One of the most common questions that I get in regards to preschool centers is "Do you do free-choice centers or a rotation?".  While I have my own opinions on the topic, I think it's important to look at the pros and cons to everything you do in your classroom, as to make an educated decision. So, let's take some time to look at both the pros and cons of both - to better help you make a decision on which is best for your classroom. Listen in!

Are you a busy preschool teacher who loves gaining new ideas, perspectives and inspiration for your classroom? The Lovely Preschool Teachers Podcast is here to help you up your confidence in educating early learners in a quick, actionable way!

As an early educator who is still in the classroom, Ashley Rives will share the ins and outs of how she runs her classroom in a play-based, child-centered way. Each week, expect a new episode focused on actionable strategies to level up your abilities and confidence as a preschool teacher.

Ashley Rives is an early educator with over 17 years of experience and a strong passion to help teachers implement child-centered learning in preschool classrooms all over the world. You can follow her on Instagram @lovelycommotion or learn more at the Lovely Commotion Preschool Resources website: www.lovelycommotion.com.

The beginning of the school year is such an exciting and exhausting time!  Isn't it funny how we forget how little and new our students are when they start?! It's like we have to reset our brains back to beginning after sending on last year's students.

There is so much to teach our new little friends before we can have a functioning, well-running classroom.  The work at the beginning really does pay off later in the year - however - it doesn't make those first few weeks (months?) any easier!

Listen in as I discuss my 3 R's for the beginning of the year!

Are you a busy preschool teacher who loves gaining new ideas, perspectives and inspiration for your classroom? The Lovely Preschool Teachers Podcast is here to help you up your confidence in educating early learners in a quick, actionable way!

As an early educator who is still in the classroom, Ashley Rives will share the ins and outs of how she runs her classroom in a play-based, child-centered way. Each week, expect a new episode focused on actionable strategies to level up your abilities and confidence as a preschool teacher.

Ashley Rives is an early educator with over 17 years of experience and a strong passion to help teachers implement child-centered learning in preschool classrooms all over the world. You can follow her on Instagram @lovelycommotion or learn more at the Lovely Commotion Preschool Resources website: www.lovelycommotion.com.

When you are running a play-based preschool classroom, centers are the core of the program.  Carefully planned centers create an environment for learning through play because play is not a break from hard work, play is a child's work!

But sometimes, as the teacher, wrapping your head around all the moving parts of play-based centers can be a challenge!

There are So. Many. Questions. 

'Which centers should I have in my classroom? What are the most common centers? I know I want blocks and art, but what other centers should I add?'

Those questions lead to more questions... 'What do I put in the centers? What materials are essential? Also, how long should I schedule center time for? I have other things we have to do in our schedule, how long is needed for free play?'

... 'Can I keep the same materials in the centers the whole year? Won't children get bored? Should I change centers out? If so, how often should I change them?'

The Guide to Preschool Centers was created many years ago, but just got a new update. I have added answers or recommendations to ALL the questions you read above. 

Listen in! Episode 46 will walk you through ALL of your center questions!

Are you a busy preschool teacher who loves gaining new ideas, perspectives and inspiration for your classroom? The Lovely Preschool Teachers Podcast is here to help you up your confidence in educating early learners in a quick, actionable way!

As an early educator who is still in the classroom, Ashley Rives will share the ins and outs of how she runs her classroom in a play-based, child-centered way. Each week, expect a new episode focused on actionable strategies to level up your abilities and confidence as a preschool teacher.

Ashley Rives is an early educator with over 17 years of experience and a strong passion to help teachers implement child-centered learning in preschool classrooms all over the world. You can follow her on Instagram @lovelycommotion or learn more at the Lovely Commotion Preschool Resources website: www.lovelycommotion.com.