1.   Line up to Enter Depending on what the drop off policy is in your preschool, you can use this activity to greet each student at the start of the day. Have your class line up outside the classroom and enter one at a time. As children enter, ask each a question or have a short casual conversation with each child. This will give each of your students individualized attention which is so necessary at that age and, if done consistently, will give you a good read on how comfortable your students are with some of the basics of English conversation. 2.   Puppet Time Who doesn’t love puppets? They are especially appealing to young students, and your class will love if you start the day with a puppet on your hand. If you choose to start the day with a regular classroom friend or mascot, let the puppet greet your students at your first circle time. You can also add to the personality appeal of your puppet by having it make frequent mistakes in its language use. Have the pup...

INGREDIENTS 10-ounce package frozen peas 16-ounce container ricotta Kosher salt and black pepper 16-ounce jar marinara sauce 9-ounce package no-boil lasagna noodles 1/4  cup shredded mozzarella DIRECTIONS 1.      Heat oven to 400° F. Place the peas in a colander or large strainer and run under cold water until thawed; let drain. 2.     In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, peas, and ¼ tea-spoon each salt and pepper. Spoon half the marinara into an 8-inch square baking dish. Top with 2 layers of lasagna noodles (4 sheets). 3.     Spread half the ricotta mixture over the noodles and top with a single layer of lasagna noodles (2 sheets). Spread the remaining ricotta mixture on the noodles. Top with 2 layers of noodles (4 sheets) and the remaining marinara. 4.    Sprinkle the mozzarella on top. Loosely cover with foil and bake until the noodles are tender, 45 to 50 minutes...

A  mother-daughter bond  is something that you're likely to hear a lot about, but it's not entirely clear always what this bond consists of,  Maintaining healthy relationships with your children as they grow up is one of the primary concerns of many parents, and having a strong bond with your daughter is the best way to ensure that will be the case. Read on for some of the reasons why establishing a healthy mother-daughter bond is important. Building Trust As your daughter grows and becomes more independent, having a good bond with her parents will help her to trust them. By staying close with your child as she develops, she'll be more likely to share her concerns and fears with you, as well as any dangerous or uncomfortable situations that she finds herself in. Support for One Another Just as you can support your daughter when she is growing up, she can also support you. Having an adult or young adult daughter available to help support you through difficult time...

Music participation provides a unique opportunity for literacy preparation. Whether the children are singing, playing, or listening, teachers direct them to listen and hear in new ways which exercises their aural discrimination. Playing instruments and adding movement to the lessons teaches children about sequential learning which is essential in reading comprehension. Plato once said that music “is a more potent instrument than any other for education”. You will find many teachers of young children who would agree with him. Recent research has found that music uses both sides of the brain, a fact that makes it valuable in all areas of development. Music affects the growth of a child’s brain academically, emotionally, physically and spiritually. Music is academic.   For some people, this is the primary reason for providing music lessons to their children. A recent study from the University of California found that music trains the brain for higher forms of thinking. Second...