Building relationships with parents and families is at the forefront of my early childhood program. Whether it’s greeting them at the door every morning at drop off or at the end of the day, getting to know them by name and making an effort to remember specific things from previous chats so they know that I truly listen to them, to inviting them into my office to share stories, ideas, and concerns. It goes beyond newsletters and bulletin board reminders. Making them a part of our school family each and every day through those small connections not only strengthens our program, but it also supports the emotional well being and development of the children in our care.

Teachers play an important role in the language development of children in early childhood classrooms with children as young as infants. Your efforts in building a relationship where communication is valued, and in implementing strategies that deliberately expand children’s vocabulary, make a lasting impact over their educational years.

Challenging behaviors can be one of the most difficult aspects of an early childhood teacher’s job. Implementing preventive practices that include setting up an environment that is conducive to positive behaviors such as the use of real images depicting rules that are simple and developmentally appropriate, pictorial schedules, planned activities for transitions, and observing children in order to identify possible behavior challenges support positive behavior management