Early Childhood - Connecticut State Department of Education

Decisions About Practice Chapter 3
activities. Other possibilities include a
shared writing story, dramatization of a
favorite story with props and puppets,
group collaborative games, discussion
of a current science investigation or a
mathematical problem encountered by a
classmate.
11. Consider planning a closing circle at the end
of the day or morning. This brings everyone
back together to reflect and process events
and consider what they have in mind for
tomorrow. Lillian Katz once said “Look at
a classroom at the end of a day and describe
what it is that the children are coming back
to tomorrow”.
12. If show and tell is planned for circle time,
keep in mind:
• children should be the primary
talkers;
• not everyone needs to share each
time;
• promote discussion and sharing
rather than children presenting and
sitting down; and
• sharing might include not only an
item, but also an experience, problem
to be solved, or simply a child’s
thoughts that are of importance to
him or her.
Teachers need to make circle times so wonderful and
exciting that children can’t wait until it is time for
another experience.
References
Berk, L.E. and Winsler, A. Scaffolding Children’s Learning:
Vygotsky and Early Childhood Education. Washington,
DC: National Association for the Education of
Young Children (NAEYC), 1995.
Bijou, S.W.; Peterson, R.F. and Ault, M.H. “A Method
to Integrate Descriptive and Experimental Field
Studies at the Level of Data and Empirical Concepts.
In Journal of Applied Behavior. Analysis 1, pgs. 175-
191, 1968.
44
Edwards, C.; Gandini, L. and Forman. The Hundred
Languages of Children. Greenwich, CT: Ablex
Publishing Company, 1998.
Strain, P. and Hemmeter, M.L. “Keys to Being Successful
When Confronted with Challenging Behaviors. “In
Young Exceptional Children, Vol. I, 1997.
Vanscoy, I. and Fairchild, S. “It’s About Time! Helping
Preschool and Primary Children Understand Time
Concepts.” In Young Children, pgs. 21-29, January
1993.
Resources
Colker, Laura J. and Dodge, Diane Trister. The Creative
Curriculum for Early Childhood. Beltsville, MD:
Gryphon House, 1998.
Connecticut State Board of Education. A Guide to Program
Development for Kindergarten, Part I. Hartford, CT:
Connecticut State Board of Education, 1988.
Copple, C., Ed. The Right Stuff In Children Birth to Eight.
Washington, DC: NAEYC, 1995.
E. E. Elementary School, 1361 Rim Road, Fayetteville,
N.C. 283314. Developmentally Appropriate Practices
in Primary Grades (1993-1994).
Hendrick, J. Total Learning: Curriculum for the Young
Child. Columbus, OH: Merrill Publishing, 1986.
Katz, Lillian G. What Should Young Children Be Learning?
Reprinted from ERIC Digest, 12 Exchange,
November – December, 1990.
Morrow, Lesley. Literacy Centers. York, ME: Stonehouse
Publishers, 1997.
Sorohan, Eriea G. “Playgrounds Are US.” In Executive
Educator. Pgs. 28-32, August 1995.