In this webinar we were welcomed by Teresa Narey, Director of educational content at FunShine Express! Teresa dove into the art and science of crafting effective lesson plans tailored to the unique needs of infants and toddlers. She shared the importance of aligning lesson plans with developmentally appropriate expectations and how to offer hands-on learning at every stage of development.
đ¤Our Special Guests:
Teresa Narey – Director of educational content at FunShine Express
Teresa Narey is the Director of Educational Content at FunShine Express and has been in the field for 17 years. She is passionate about social-emotional learning, professional development, understanding theories of child development, and neurodiversity. Prior to joining FunShine, Teresa held various roles in ECE, including assistant director, lead toddler and pre-K teacher, Title I tutor, after-school program instructor, and nanny. Teresa believes high-quality curriculum can be a powerful training tool and equip educators with the knowledge necessary to advocate for the childcare profession. Her educational background includes an MEd in ECE with an Administration specialization from Champlain College, an MFA in Creative Writing: Writing for Children from Chatham University, and a BA in English from Rutgers University.
đ§ŞKey takeaways from Teresa!
- Our brains grow fastest from birth to age three. Early experiences and relationships stimulate neural connections that lay the foundation for emotions, language, behavior, memory, physical movement, and more.
- Creating developmentally appropriate learning experiences for infants and toddlers involves: building relationships, creating a âyesâ environment and flexible routines.
- A âyesâ environment doesnât mean avoiding âno.â It promotes exploration, independence, and positive behavior and involves understanding the space from the childâs perspective.
- How we communicate makes a lasting impact. âServe and returnâ interactions shape brain architecture
- 5 Steps for serve and return communication. Step 1: Share the focus. Step 2: Support and encourage. Step 3: Name it. Step 4: Take turns back and forth. Step 5: Practice endings and beginnings
â¨Resources
- [Website] – FunShine Express
- [Buttercups curriculum] – Sample lesson plan
- [Buttercups Babies curriculum] – Sample lesson plan
- [Case study] – Flexible lesson plans that meet the reality of the early childhood classroom: A FunShine Express success story
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