Everything Teachers Should Know Before Teaching Mindfulness
Mindfulness for Teachers The word “mindfulness” crops up in about as many education conversations these days as IEP or “self-paced.” But where did the mindfulness education movement come from? And more importantly: How do you create a mindful classroom? First up, a little background: Mindfulness is exactly what the word implies. It’s taking the time to […]
10 Ways to Support Anxious Students in the Classroom
Anxiety. Stress. For kids learning in a pandemic, they’re the name of the game. More than half of American students say they’ve seen an increase in stress during the pandemic, according to a new study by NBC News and Challenge Success, a nonprofit affiliated with Stanford Graduate School of Education (GSE). They’re sleeping less, they’re worrying more, […]
Teachers Share the Weirdest Gifts They Have Received
Teachers often talk about the funny little things that come out of the mouths of our little humans. But, sometimes, the deliveries that come out of their precious little hands are just as…. interesting! Recently we shared about a present that Mr. Nelson from @_thirdgradeswag received… his first lemon given to him as a gift. […]
5 Ways to Nail the Perfect End-of-Year Classroom Clean Out
Oh, happy day! It’s almost the end of the school year. Which means out with the old and in with the new, right? Maybe not. When it comes to the perfect end-of-year classroom clean-out, the “old or new” classification isn’t always such a useful one — there’s plenty of “old” you’re going to keep on […]
Early childhood educators learn how to build a world-class STEM PlayWorld
‘Mesmerised. Excited. Engaged. Amazed.’ These were the words early childhood educator Kristy Edwards used to describe the childrens’ reaction at her early learning centre when they took part in their first Conceptual PlayWorld. It was based on The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and after reading it, the children ventured out into their imaginary world. There they […]
If ‘Ironic’ Were Written by Teachers Instead of Alanis Morissette
Alanis Morissette may not be a teacher, but the singer has taught us all a thing or two about rocking out over the years. So we wondered, what if the most famous song from the rocker who gave us all permission to rage when we need to was rewritten by a few teachers? Would it […]
Documentation: Do you document too much, too little or too late?
ECA recently launched a new series of Learning Hub modules on Digital Documentation and Technology in collaboration with Storypark. In this co-authored blog piece, we pose questions for services to reflect on their approach to documentation. Without any checklists or strict guidelines, the requirements of documenting children’s learning are largely open to interpretation. What’s certain […]
Teachers Are Using “Among Us” in Seriously Clever Ways in the Classroom
Sometimes you just need a little something extra to get kids’ attention and keep them motivated. Enter Among Us, the multi-player online game that’s dominating classroom conversations … and teacher planning. Are your students suddenly warning you that you’re “pretty sus”? Are they looking around to recruit crewmates? We asked teachers to share how they’re […]
How to Write an Acknowledgement of Country With Kids
When it comes to respecting and honouring the traditional owners of the land on which we play, walk and live. There’s something special about young children understanding the meaning behind an Acknowledgement of Country, and being able to work together to write their very own. Showing respect, appreciation and a willingness to learn more. So, […]
Self-care Challenge: 4 Mini-Moments Teachers Need Every Day
You’re busy. There’s no doubting that. And it’s far too easy to just. keep. going. until you realize it’s 2 p.m., and you haven’t stopped all day. With that in mind, it feels a little bit crazy to come at you with an extensive list of “All of The Things Teachers Can Do To Reduce […]