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Backwards Planning – How to Start the Year with the End in Mind

August 19, 2009 by notjustcute Filed Under: Child Development & DAP, Uncategorized, Unit Themes 10 Comments

Winding Stairs

When I talk about starting with the end in mind, I’m not talking about those days where you begin to fantasized about the last day of school, giving all the little darlings a soft pat on the head as you seek refuge at the nearest source of sand and surf.  What I mean is starting your planning by thinking about where you want to end up.  This backwards planning helps to keep you focused and purposeful, rather than just flitting around from one “cute” activity to the next.

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New Posts Coming Soon! Promise!

July 16, 2009 by notjustcute Filed Under: Uncategorized Leave a Comment

Ahh, Summer Vacation! It’s fantastic, but has turned our schedules upside down! Between family reunions, boys with bloody lips, and summer online classes, I’m struggling to get as much done here as I’d like, but I promise more is coming! I just wanted you to know I haven’t forgotten you!

The Wiggle Waggle Song

March 5, 2009 by notjustcute Filed Under: Building Readers, Learning through Play and Experience, Music and Movement, Uncategorized Leave a Comment

Photo provided by rrss.

laughWant a fun little song that gets the wiggles out while enforcing phonemic awareness skills?  I thought you might be, so here it is!

It’s a very simple song, but kids love it!  To the tune of “Shortnin’ Bread”:

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Rhyme-A-Saurus

March 5, 2009 by notjustcute Filed Under: Building Readers, Learning through Play and Experience, Uncategorized 4 Comments

dscn1290For a fun rhyming activity with your preschoolers, create a Rhyme-A-Saurus!  This dinosaur is not a meat-eater or a plant-eater, he eats rhymes! 

Using a set of rhyming cards (you can find printable ones here or purchase a set at a teaching supply store)  give your children one card each, and keep the rhyming pair yourself.  Explain that this dinosaur is a rhyme-eater and loves rhyme sandwiches.  Ask them to help you make a sandwich by putting two rhyming words together and feeding them to the dinosaur! 

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A Puzzling Mess

January 20, 2009 by notjustcute Filed Under: Uncategorized Leave a Comment

dscn10051Tell me I’m not the only mother with a two year old who thinks the best thing to do with five boxes of puzzles is to put them all into one bucket together.  Luckily for me, I learned at a university lab preschool, that it is very handy to number the backs of your puzzle pieces to help out in just such a situation.  Each time I get a new puzzle, I write a number on the box and then write that number on the back of each piece.  Then, say when I find two random puzzle pieces mysteriously stuffed into the only VCR left in our house, I can quickly determine which boxes to return them to.  Now if only fixing the VCR was that easy!

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I’m Amanda Morgan. Here’s what I’m about…

In early education, there is too much distance between what we know and what we do. I bridge the gaps that exist between academia, decision-makers, educators, and parents so that together, we can improve the quality of early education while also respecting and protecting the childhood experience.

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