One year...and one day ago, I posted the "welcome" post for this blog. As I often do when starting new things, I had previously started a blog...kept up with it for several months...and stopped! It took me just several months more to decide that I missed the idea of this and felt I had more to learn and gain from doing this! So, I started up again!
Although, at first, I wasn't really sure what my goals were for this blog, I quickly came to realize that this blog was a wonderful way for me to reflect on my own teaching, to keep me interested and learning new things and a way to challenge my ideas and stretch my thinking on certain issues! Now, my reasons were not ALL selfish...although, I can admit that probably more were than were not!
Unselfishly, It offered me a platform to provide other people with simply ideas to use with young children. In fact, what I put down on 'paper' here are many of the simple ideas and things I wish I had known when I first began teaching (especially ideas related to teaching children with significant special needs). I realize that there are many, many wonderful people teaching and caring for young children.
Some people have more training than others. Some people have more people to collaborate with than others. Some people may even feel isolated and overwhelmed! I think it often helps to break things down and provide quick, simple and do-able activities, adaptations for children who need them and explorations for all young children. When we're overwhelmed, we need ideas....and we need them NOW!
This little blog is certainly not the biggest early childhood blog or site! I like to think of it as "The Little Blog That Could"! We just keep chugging along! I have definitely benefited from the kindness of other early childhood bloggers, especially Deborah over at Teach Preschool! Each time she posts a link to one of my ideas, I know so many more people read it than normally would! So, a great big THANK YOU to Deborah :)
For all of you who read this blog from time to time (and, of course, those who read regularly!), I truly hope you are inspired to try something new, find a way to include ALL children (those with and without special needs) in your simple exploration and activities or just enjoy following along with what we do in the classroom!
If you are one of those people who feel a bit isolated and don't feel the resources you need are necessarily available, I hope you have found the early childhood blogs (not JUST mine) have provided you with a place to learn and inspiration to try new ideas! And if you have plenty of resources, collaboration and training, I hope you find that sometimes simple really is a great way to go with young children.
For many of our children at the early childhood level (especially those with significant cognitive delays); simple exploration, play skills, social skills, language and communication and self-help skills can not be overlooked! These are so very, very important!
So, a great big THANK YOU to all of you who read this little blog! A great big THANK YOU to all of you who leave comments (I do love reading and responding to them)! And a great big THANK YOU for all the wonderful work you do with young children!
Pam
Although, at first, I wasn't really sure what my goals were for this blog, I quickly came to realize that this blog was a wonderful way for me to reflect on my own teaching, to keep me interested and learning new things and a way to challenge my ideas and stretch my thinking on certain issues! Now, my reasons were not ALL selfish...although, I can admit that probably more were than were not!
Unselfishly, It offered me a platform to provide other people with simply ideas to use with young children. In fact, what I put down on 'paper' here are many of the simple ideas and things I wish I had known when I first began teaching (especially ideas related to teaching children with significant special needs). I realize that there are many, many wonderful people teaching and caring for young children.
Some people have more training than others. Some people have more people to collaborate with than others. Some people may even feel isolated and overwhelmed! I think it often helps to break things down and provide quick, simple and do-able activities, adaptations for children who need them and explorations for all young children. When we're overwhelmed, we need ideas....and we need them NOW!
This little blog is certainly not the biggest early childhood blog or site! I like to think of it as "The Little Blog That Could"! We just keep chugging along! I have definitely benefited from the kindness of other early childhood bloggers, especially Deborah over at Teach Preschool! Each time she posts a link to one of my ideas, I know so many more people read it than normally would! So, a great big THANK YOU to Deborah :)
For all of you who read this blog from time to time (and, of course, those who read regularly!), I truly hope you are inspired to try something new, find a way to include ALL children (those with and without special needs) in your simple exploration and activities or just enjoy following along with what we do in the classroom!
If you are one of those people who feel a bit isolated and don't feel the resources you need are necessarily available, I hope you have found the early childhood blogs (not JUST mine) have provided you with a place to learn and inspiration to try new ideas! And if you have plenty of resources, collaboration and training, I hope you find that sometimes simple really is a great way to go with young children.
For many of our children at the early childhood level (especially those with significant cognitive delays); simple exploration, play skills, social skills, language and communication and self-help skills can not be overlooked! These are so very, very important!
So, a great big THANK YOU to all of you who read this little blog! A great big THANK YOU to all of you who leave comments (I do love reading and responding to them)! And a great big THANK YOU for all the wonderful work you do with young children!
Pam
Congratulations, Pam! Keep it up. Tom
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Pam - I always enjoy reading your posts and am happy to have you there in the blogosphere.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Pam!
ReplyDeleteI enjoy reading here, and your ideas and reflections often inspire me.
I agree with you that these wonderful early childhood education blogs (yours included), are a remedy against isolation, and a way to feel inspired and connected with others who want to enrich their work!
Thanks for all your work!
Brenda
Happy Blog Birthday! I so appreciate the thoughts and insights you share. Here's to many more years!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! I really enjoy your blog. We all have so much to learn from each other as we raise/ teach kids. I hope to reach others with my parenting blog too - www.mylifewithpie.com. It's a good feeling when you know you've helped someone. Thanks for putting great ideas out there!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you started up again--if not, I might not have met you! I really enjoy reading all your posts and always find them insightful. Thank you for all you share! Happy "Blog-i-versary!"
ReplyDeleteThanks guys :) I have learned so much from reading all of your blogs! Writing here and reading the other early childhood blogs has been a way to expand my circle of people to "collaborate" with! I love the idea of sharing so many different view points, ideas and ways of teaching and learning between people! While we may not be collaborating in the traditional sense; it certainly is as valuable as any collaboration I do face to face with other early childhood teachers!
ReplyDelete