15 Things Every Early Childhood Educator Should Do

August 18, 2020

What are some things every early childhood teacher should do for and with their students? We’re answering that question in today’s blog post, through some of our favorite quotes from the experts on early education. Keep these quotes on hand for inspiration—because these days, we need all the inspiration we can get. (This post would also be a great resource to share with parents, since these words of wisdom also hold true for nurturing young children at home.)

Focus on social-emotional skills.

The quote below, from Blended Practices for Teaching Young Children in Inclusive Settings, emphasizes the importance of building a “secure, caring, and supportive” social environment. That’s never been more important—whether you’re teaching in person or remotely. To add more resources to your social-emotional toolkit, refer to these blog posts: 10 Essentials for Promoting Young Children’s Social-Emotional Development and**12 Strategies for Building Emotional Regulation and Empathy in Young Children**

Diversify your classroom resources.

Make sure your young learners have access to books and other materials that include positive, non-stereotypical depictions of people with a wide variety of backgrounds, abilities, and family structures. See this blog post for some resources on finding diverse materials which you can incorporate into your own classroom or recommend to parents participating in remote learning.

Appreciate and expand on each child’s unique gifts.

Each young learner brings their own strengths, talents, passions, and personality traits to your classroom. Children benefit when their teachers recognize those unique gifts—and figure out how to use each child’s special contributions to benefit the class and maximize learning for everyone. (Quote from Early Literacy in Action by Betty Bunce.)

Show enthusiasm for children’s interests.

As Alice Sterling Honig says in her book Little Kids, Big Worries, children feel validated when you show genuine interest in the things that bring them pleasure.

Affirm the good work parents are doing at home (and help them extend it).

This quote from Early Intervention Every Day! has it right: any activity parents and children do together is filled with learning opportunities.

Encourage children’s questions.

As Betty Bardige says in her book Talk to Me, Baby!, each question from a child is a gift.

Ask open-ended questions.

Children benefit from your questions as much as you benefit from theirs. As Sallee Beneke and her co-authors point out in The Project Approach for All Learners, open-ended questions that encourage answers beyond “yes” and “no” are the kind that promote creativity and collaboration in young children.

Model respectful behavior.

Modeling (and explicitly teaching) respect for all fellow students will be more important than ever. (Quote from Recognize, Respond, Report by Lori Ernsperger.)

Reinforce the value of play.

For young children, play is so much more than fun—it helps them build critical social-emotional and academic skills.

Offer flexible ways for families to participate.

Family collaboration is key to supporting the success of all learners, but all parents and caregivers may not be able to participate in the same way.

Reframe your perception of “difficult” students.

It will be especially important to treat students with grace when they act out. (Quote from Addressing Challenging Behaviors in Early Childhood Settings by Dawn M. Denno et al.)

Recognize acts of kindness.

Noticing and responding to children’s acts of kindness is just as important as responding to their academic progress. (Quote from Sarah Landy’s Pathways to Competence).

Encourage families to create a regular at-home reading routine.

David Dickinson & Ann Morse emphasize the critical importance of reading routines in their book Connecting through Talk.

Provide safe and quiet places for children who need them.

Stressed-out children need these quiet nooks in the classroom to unwind when they feel overwhelmed.

Remember how important you are.

Early educators can change the trajectory of a child’s whole life.