Preschool & Pre-K Classroom Management 

I’m here as a substitute too 😊

I love meeting kindred spirits! I LOVE teaching these littles...it keeps me young on the inside for sure!

I'm so happy to hear that! I love finding a kindred spirit! Sorry it took me so long to respond...this didn't show up in my "comments".

It is so hard, I know exactly how you feel. Each year has huge challenges and moments of bliss...take it in stride, go easy on yourself. You are dealing with tiny and sometimes very unreasonable new humans who need a lot of guidance. They can test your patience like nothing else. Just remember that they are brand new to being people and it changes your mindset pretty quick!

You are so welcome! I sam the exact same way...first day jitters for sure! I start tomorrow!

Glad it was helpful! Good luck this year! I have a feeling this year is going to be better than the last...right?

I'm so glad! Thank you so much for leaving a comment, let me know if there is any way I can help you in the future!

I do breathing techniques too! It can be a real lifesaver!

You are so welcome!

Glad it was helpful! you are so welcome! Are you Korean? I noticed the writing...my husband is Korean.

You are so welcome! Thanks for watching

You are so welcome!

The more you know your kids, the better your relationships will be, and the easier classroom management will be. It also makes your classroom a community...point out similarities so the kids realize how alike they are...it really works!

Hey...thanks for giving me a great idea for a new video! first off...anyone who thinks self-regulation can be taught in a few weeks is crazy! Think of it this way...you one of their guides to self-regulation. They will learn a little bit from you, a little from their parents.their classmates, and other teachers and caregivers. It is an ongoing process, not a goal to be attained. I still don't have perfect regulation...I talk to my friends during faculty meetings all the time! LOL. Get your rules and procedures set in at first...practice over and over. reinforce good behavior even when it is small and rare. Model how to behave. It will take all year...then it will be their next teacher's job to continue your foundation. Take a breath...do your best...you will have good days and bad days...it's all normal. Early childhood education is not easy!

I haven't...I actually have never heard of it. I'll check it out

I can...I have a really wierd wway of teaching CVC words...I teach a few sight words, but I focus on CVCwords that are easy to sound out. I leave full-on sight word teaching to the kindergarten teachers. It's too much pure memorization for the amount of time I have. I have only 2.5 hours a day with 2 classes per day. I have to focus on very concrete things. I used to wish I had enough to fill the time, now that i've done this forever...I wish I had more time for all the things I want to do! I am heading into summer and there will be at least 2 videos a week coming. I gotta get through my daughters wedding which is 3 days after my contract days...yikes!

Maria...you sound like an amazing teacher! I love your suggestions and comments ! All of us have so much to learn from each other

That is a great idea for another video. Maybe I'll do one on how to diffuse power struggles. For a situation like that, I use a method I learned in reading Love and Logic. I will ask the child to move, If they refuse, I say in a very calm emotion-less voice "Do you want to move there yourself, or do I need to help you?" If they don't move...I gently pick them up and place them where I want them. There is no anger, no frustration, just complete calm. Once I had a little girl who would not apologize to an aid for kicking her and sat on the stair and dug in. it was snack time and she began to demand her snack. I told her she could have her snack and join her friends after she apologized for kicking because kicking hurts and we don't hurt people in my classroom. There was no emotion, just matter of fact laying down the rules and why we have them. Each time she didn't apologize and dug in deeper I just said, "I'm sorry your choice is making you miss eating your snack with your friends". She never capitulated, I never let her have her snack with her friends, her om came to get her, I put her snack in a baggie, told her mom why she made the choice not to have her snack with her friends...the next day came a big apology to the aid and to me and she NEVER did anything to test my patience again. In my classroom I have rules, they are for everyone's safety and my word is the end. I am fun, silly, loving, happy, sweet, kind, and they all know I love them. But they also know I have boundaries, and that there are natural consequences to crossing those boundaries. I NEVER power struggle, because a 3-5 year-old should not have power over anything in a classroom or class society. Little kids having too much power or control over adults makes them feel unsafe and insecure. They may think they want it...but most of the time, they want to know who is in control and that you are going to react the same every time. They also need to know that if they make a poor choice, you still love them and will ALWAYS give them another chance. I had a child psychologist tell me to look at every situation and ask myself "Who is really in charge here?" If it's the 3-5 year old...you are doing it wrong. It has always worked for me. It's not easy...but if you stick to it...it pays off in a big way.

@@teachpre-k101 Thank you , I love your videos

YES! It's the worst! What I finally had to do was to tell them that what we needed to do was to let me teach while they quietly redirected students. I had to tell them that my voice is what needed to be heard. I was very diplomatic, but I probably let it go on too long too. Hit that problem right away! You are in charge of the classroom and your rules need to apply to your aides as well

@@teachpre-k101 I actually had a horrible experience this school year and I’ll be teaching in a different school next year. There were just too many problems for me to deal with. Being disempowered as a leader was what needed to happen so that I could grow, and eventually move forward!

They will never 'not talk' that's not the goal. It's all a process. There are no hard and fast expectations. There are procedures and routines and learning how to behave around others.

i have not heard of 'Second Step Curriculum'. I'm actually going to look it up today to see what it is all about! It's all my own same old words, day in, day out...LOL! The great thing about teaching early childhood is that we all teach in ways that are a little different, and a lot the same. We can learn so much from each other. Early Childhood teachers are some of the most creative teachers out there. We kinda have to be don't we? Thanks for reaching out!

especially 3 years old they don't care the rules or even they don't understand, the hitting is out of control and not only one has this behavior.

oh my gosh! That sounds rough! Can you tell me what your transitions are like? Tell you what...email me at teachprek101@gmail.com and give me more details, I'll see what I can do to help!

What do you do? I'd love to learn from you. You sound like you have a lot of good ideas! Feel free to share. I love learning from other smart teachers

Well i teach american sign language to my people at my program. I have a class of my own, and if u’d like more information on “Pseudochoice” then I recommend u check out a book called Beyond discipline by Alfie Kohn.

@@jengiolando4159 Thanks...just looked it up on amazon!

I have 14 in one class and 18 in another. 9 kids alone is pretty rough and I am sure it is over state ratios for kids to teachers. you may want to bring that up to your director. I have different attention getters like chimes, doorbells, buzzers, singing , clapping etc. Maybe I;ll do a video on those... I would also not let kids who need to tlk or touch each other all the time sit next to each other. give them their own "special" spots on the rug. That makes a world of difference! BE firm, fun and kind, and don't hesitate to have an area near by where they can still see the group area, hear what you are saying, etc...but can go to 'take a 'break'. It should not ever be punitive, but just a "I think you need to some space right now". kind of thing. I'm assuming whole group time is the hardest, because it is for me! They are little and they are learning to listen. Keep group times short, mix active whole-body songs and chants and other activities with sitting as much as you can and continue that throughout the day. I know that I have a really hard time sitting and listening, and I'm 58! The picture-perfect class where they sit and listen like little cherubs and walk like silent soldiers down the hall is not attainable or anything you would want or be able to achieve. pat yourself on the back for each small victory of the day. You are doing a really hard job, and if you care enough to watch videos and ask another teacher for help...you are already doing it extremely well and those 9 kids are lucky to have you. give them lots of hugs today and have some fun!

Actually not at all…I’m curious why you think that. Maybe I’ll learn something about myself as a teacher. I absolutely accept my kids as they are and have very few hard and fast rules.

Because from the sound of it, what i’m getting is “my room my way”. Now that may not be what it is but that’s my take on it. Here’s a book for ya: teach skills and break habits by dan st. romain. I have it. It’s an eye-opener.

Megg Thompson said u “need new information”. So if ur so inclined, go to megg thompson behavior and ur gonna get what u need.

Megg’s video let’s move on from mascots, posters and cutesy things.

Another good book is beyond discipline by Alfie Kohn!