by Andy Earle | Parenting Blogs, Teaching Blogs
What is unstructured play, and why is it so crucial for my child?
Unstructured play is something that is important for your child in order to develop their confidence and sense of self. There are no set rules or restrictions during unstructured play, but it nonetheless stimulates the brain and is most likely something your child will have fun doing!
Here is a more detailed explanation of unstructured play, along with more specific details of why it is good for your child to engage in.
The difference between structured and unstructured play:
The main difference between structured and unstructured play are the (lack of) rules and guidelines. If your children are playing a certain game with predetermined rules, like hide and seek or tag, it is considered to be structured play.
Conversely, running around the park or playing make-believe would be considered unstructured play. Both of these activities require a “figure it out as you go” attitude, with no rules or ultimate goals aside from having fun.
Another example of structured play might be following the instructions that come with a construction or block set. While instructions like this are sometimes good, at times they can also restrict the creativity of your child.
However, this activity could easily transition to unstructured play if your child chooses to ignore the directions and create their own model.
Benefits of no-rules and free play:
There are undoubtedly many benefits that come with your child partaking in unstructured play. Here are some of the best.
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Physical interaction and exercise
The initial development of a child requires freedom and exposure to the world. By letting them play freely and explore nature, they are more likely to become curious about the world around them and develop an analytical and critical eye for problem solving.
While leaving out rules in their playtime, they are also able to grow physically stronger. Many rules in games may limit performance and physicality,
Without those rules your child can build muscles that would otherwise lay dormant. Sports are obviously rule-heavy ways of playing, but it might be beneficial to let your child stretch their physical and creative muscles by trying to come up with a sport without rules!
It’s important for children to develop their cognitive abilities early. Just like anything else, healthy habits early on make the brain grow stronger. Mental progression occurs when people are enthusiastic and interested in what they’re doing, and what’s more fun for your child than playtime?
Unstructured play can increase their creativity and decision making abilities by forcing them to find new methods, solutions, and rules every time they play. Further, playing the same game with new rules every time is a healthy activity for the flexibility of your child’s brain.
It will help them better adjust to and accept new situations in their life, as well as improvise when plans go awry. Developing a flexible brain like this is important for children, as it prepares them for the unexpectedness they will face later in life.
Being controlled or watched all the time can be irritating and annoying for your child, which might limit their expression or cause them to act problematic.
You want your child to be expressive by identifying their strengths and passions. Continued guidance and coaching are good in moderation, but too much can damage your child’s sense of independence.
If they feel they are too restricted, they might lash out and rebel. The essence of unstructured play is to allow freedom while expressing their natural talents and discovering new ways of solving problems.
If your child feels like they are constantly being controlled and restricted, they may end up dealing with issues like anxiety and depression later in life.
Unstructured play helps alleviate this pressure by creating a relaxed, constructive atmosphere in their free time.
Conclusion
The physical and mental capabilities that emerge in childhood need an environment to thrive in. Rules, like much else, are good in moderation. But, I highly recommended that you allow your child opportunities to engage in unstructured play.
Free play is always beneficial and often more fun than orthodox, rule-based activities. Unstructured play helps your child to create new creative scenarios and ask questions that rule-based games may not provide an opportunity for.
It supports a strong imagination, physical coordination, and helps develop important cognitive skills that your child will need later in their life.
Author Bio :
Andy Earle is a researcher who studies parent-teen communication and adolescent risk behaviors. He is the co-founder of talkingtoteens.com, ghostwriter at WriteItGreat.com, and host of the Talking to Teens podcast, a free weekly talk show for parents of teenagers.
by KinderMomma | Humor, Teacher Issues, Teaching Blogs
So, you want to know how to teach kindergarten? Just follow these 30 easy steps, and it will all come together nicely.
1. Write a detailed plan to give to your administrator one week ahead of time.
2. Change plan to reteach today’s lesson tomorrow, the next day and the next.
3. Change plan again to accommodate more hands-on activity for the upcoming full moon.
4. Begin daily calendar activities.
5. Listen to a student respond that today is Octember 3rd, and in 120 days it will be her birthday.
6. Call on other students who talk about their Uncle Joe’s birthday, what they are getting for their birthday and how they wish their birthday was today.
8. Try not to react as one student tells you that a word that begins with the letter D is doggy doo doo.
10. Try to remember that the sight word, “but” must always be used in a complete sentence to eliminate fits of laughter.
12. Break up arguments over who gets to use the pencil with the good eraser.
13. Tell students to slowly say again the words that they want you to help sound out because you have no idea what it is they are trying to say.
14. Decipher pictures that somehow always resemble a male’s private part.
15. Tie the same kid’s shoelaces for the 10th time in 30 minutes.
16. Practice going over to the carpet 20 times until the students walk without doing cartwheels or pretending to slide into third base.
18. Redirect student who is cutting his math cut and paste worksheet into one million minuscule pieces.
19. Have students line up for lunch. Reiterate that this is not a race.
20. Have students who thought that this was indeed a race try lining up again.
21. Discuss that cutting in line isn’t appropriate and that in the long run, it really doesn’t matter who is first.
22. Console the kid who is crying because he is not first in line.
23. Take time out for yoga breathing and poses to cool down after lunch recess.
24. Send student to the nurse’s office who was, in fact, kicked in the face during the Downward Facing Dog pose.
25. Rotate Daily Five Centers.
26. Explain to students the directions every 10 seconds until centers are over.
27. Stop centers when students voices are no longer considered “inside” but instead “outside at a heated protest” voices.
28. Mutter to yourself something about “kids these days.”
29. Dismiss students, and answer questions from the parents who did not read the weekly newsletter.
30. Sigh a huge breath, and look for all the missing glue and marker lids that disappear like socks in the night.
by KinderMomma | Math Strategies, Teaching Blogs
About six years ago, my administrator told us at a staff meeting that we would be required to use Number Talks daily in our classrooms.
Cue the eye rolls and whispering among teachers, including myself.
Another program that many of us knew nothing about is to be implemented.
And…. we would be observed twice a year on our number talks lesson.
Wonderful!
How would Number Talks in kindergarten even work?
After Number Talks professional development and lesson implementation, I soon saw the value.
My students are talking about numbers and thinking out loud.
They are sharing strategies and modeling reasoning.
Students are learning from students. What could be better? Quickly, I became a Number Talks in kindergarten groupie.
What is a Number Talk?
A Number Talk is a short conversation between teachers and students about how to solve a problem. The focus isn’t on the correct answer but on the mental math strategies students use.
This is a great way to encourage “meta-cognitive strategies.” (thinking about one’s own thinking)
How to start in kindergarten?
Begin at the beginning. In kindergarten, subjects must be broken down in the simplest forms. If not, chaos will ensue.
This is exactly the goal of Number Talks in kindergarten. Number sense is developed by breaking down a number into a simple form.
Students need to understand what a number like “5” actually means.
There are many different ways to “do” Number Talks in kindergarten. Some books will tell you exactly what to say and what not to say.
I believe in “doing” what works for the students and the teachers.
The best way to start is with dot cards. They can be easily made with book rings note cards and bingo daubers. 
I like using these cards best because I can use different colors. This helps encourage the spontaneous grouping of numbers by students.
Start with cards with one-five.
I do two or three cards a day.
Example of a Number Talks in kindergarten with dot cards:
- Kids are seated in a half circle.
- Show the students a number card.
- Ask the students, “How many do you see? Put your thumb over your heart when you know. Raise your hand if you would like to share.”
- “Oh, you see five. Give me a thumbs up if you agree. Give me a thumbs down if you disagree.”
- “Who would like to share how they figured it out?”
- “Does anyone have a different way they figured out the answer.?”
Extensions:
Fold the dot cards to teach one and two more. One half shows an array of dots for the number five and the other has one more dot on the other side. 
First, ask how much is one more than five, and let the students talk about how they figured that out. Then, open the card and let them count to check.
Two more than five can also be done in the same manner.
Partner Sharing
Often times, students will just agree with someone that shares. During the number talks in kindergarten, I tell my students to turn to a shoulder partner and share their answers and their thinking.
Insecure students are more likely to share in a one on one grouping. Also, this enables the teacher to walk around informally and hear the math talk.
Number talks in kindergarten are more than just dot cards.
Five and six-year-olds can get bored with only dot cards being used. Sometimes, teachers assume that Number Talks have to be done separate from the math lesson for the day. Number Talks can be incorporated into any math lesson. It is just basically posing a problem and having students share their reasoning to figure it out.
I like to mix it up a little bit.
Unifix cubes and other manipulatives help to build necessary number sense and teach math vocabulary.
Example:
Teach number relationships: Start with a tower of two cubes that are the same color and add one cube that is another color. 
Vocabulary such as one more than two is three and one less than three is two. The visual gives students a great opportunity to discuss the groupings and relationships between colors of cubes.
Using two towers of cubes with each showing different amounts allows for visual comparisons between the two different towers. 
Students can see that the blue tower has one more than the yellow tower when you match up each cube side by side.
This is a great representation to show less than and greater than.
The Abacus or Rekenreks can also be a great tool with Number Talks in kindergarten.
Teen Number Talks in Kindergarten
I love to use ten frames and unifix cubes when I teach about teen numbers
Posing a problem like, “How would we show the number twelve using our ten frames and cubes?” gives kids the chance to strategize and come up with a plan.
Students can turn to their partner and share. Afterwards, students can explain their thinking to the class.
Other questions that can be asked to develop relationships between numbers and math vocabulary are:
Can you show me a number that is one greater than 12? 
How can you figure the number out without counting each one?
Vocabulary that can be used is: ten frame, greater than, less than, fewer and more.
Number talks in kindergarten are valuable.
I started out thinking that Numbers Talks would be just another strategy to learn that really wouldn’t benefit my students.
Wrong!!! Very wrong!
Number Talks in kindergarten teaches kids to talk about math and learn new strategies from their peers. It can easily be incorporated into daily lessons.
Number Talks doesn’t have to be something that is completely separate from math activities. Talking about math is natural. It should be included in every lesson.
All teachers need to think of is a good math question that students can take a little time to figure out. That time teaches students to take control of their learning and successes.
by KinderMomma | Teacher Issues, Teaching Blogs
It is said that teachers are the worst students. This is often because they feel as though their time is being wasted in teacher staff meetings and better spent in their classrooms.
Time is extremely important to teachers: They don’t have much.
Here are many ideas that will prevent teachers from looking toward their phones for engagement instead of at their fearless leader during a teacher staff meeting.
There is only one thing that may make a teacher’s heart beat a little faster than a Friday right before the final bell and that is Free Food.
A full Las Vegas buffet might not be possible at every single meeting, but even having a few Tootsie Rolls in the middle of the table helps to instantly raise morale.
Bring in a Keurig so staff members won’t have any problem being alert and focused. The effort and thought alone goes a long way during teacher staff meetings.
A teacher staff meeting is never the time to admonish faculty for not following directives or procedures. Often, administrators direct a complaint to the whole staff when it is intended for a few people hoping “they” get the message.
Also, singling out grade-levels who perform poorly on standardized testing is divisive and harmful to morale.
Correcting staff is always better accomplished with private conferences. Staff meetings are for general information and team building, not for calling out a group of individuals.
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Run an efficient teacher staff meeting
Having an agenda and sticking to it is always the best practice.
We all know that there is that “One Teacher” who always wanders off-topic or asks a question just as the meeting is about to be dismissed.
Saying something like “Come see me after the meeting to discuss” or “We are running a bit behind” keeps the meeting focused and more productive.
It is important to involve “teachers” in teacher staff meetings. This doesn’t necessarily mean Icebreakers.
Teachers are so exhausted they don’t automatically feel like moving around and playing games.
Diane Levitz, a principal at West Elementary, says that “teachers love to leave a meeting just like they leave a conference — with something valuable they can take home.”
Have teachers share something a partner teacher did in their classroom. Teachers are more likely to want to share an instructional idea their colleague has than their own ideas.
Also, involving teachers in important decisions like choosing textbooks and instructional materials helps with building relationships. Teachers know which materials work best for their students.
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Build morale with positivity.
Positive aspects of teaching and learning should always be shared and appreciated.
This doesn’t essentially mean choosing the “Best Teachers” for that praise. This practice can often divide staff.
One great idea that principal Ken Rogers had was to have teachers write down positive characteristics of fellow teachers, mentioning some of their amazing work.
He picks a name, and the one chosen receives an award to keep in the classroom until the next meeting.
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Create an inviting atmosphere.
Create an atmosphere for staff meetings that is inviting to teachers.
Having teachers walk into “Because I’m Happy” or even “The Eye of the Tiger” can change the mood of the room instantly.
Add a Scentsy or plug-in to add to the relaxation effect.
Room temperature is also important; teachers waving their hand-outs in front of their faces, instead of reading them, is counter-productive.
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Focus on the concerns of teachers.
Being in touch with the needs of teachers builds relationships. Ask them what results they want to achieve from their teacher staff meetings.
Do they want to share concerns about student behavior or have guest speakers come in to talk about specific topics? Do they need strategies to deal with time management and personal stress?
They will tell you.
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Cancel unnecessary teacher staff meetings.
If a memo or an email can cover the entire content of a staff meeting, then call it off. Minutia can be sent out in an attachment.
Often, administrators worry that no one will read the information.
The same teachers who will read the emails are the teachers who will pay attention at the staff meetings.
Actually, more will probably read the info because they can do it on their own schedule.
Hook em now!
Start on Day One to engage teachers with staff meetings. They won’t have that same feeling of dread if they know meetings will be productive and useful.
Faculty may even look forward to meetings, especially if Krispy Kreme is waiting for them at the door.
Read also about tips for effective professional development here.
by KinderMomma | Parenting Blogs, Teaching Blogs
Kindergarten teacher blogs can be a lifesaver for kindergarten teachers and homeschooling parents. Actually, any parent of a pre-school or kindergarten student will find a wealth of information that can help your child with social, emotional, and academic growth.
Need free resources? They have them. Need new fresh motivating ideas? There are plenty.
Do you want someone who understands that five-year-old kids have the attention span of a fruit fly? Read on.
I researched the top kindergarten teacher blogs before starting my own. I looked for the ones that offered the most information and free resources.
These are the five best kindergarten teacher blogs out there. They are in no particular order as they are all No. 1 in my book.
Kindergarten Smorgasboard-
The name alone is brilliant. Kindergarten life is foreign to all who have never taught a lesson with 25 pairs of hands reaching into the air to tell you something completely off topic.
Kindergarten is definitely a smorgasboard of tiny people with so many different thoughts and learning styles.
Greg Smedley Warren, a Kindergarten Rock Star, and his husband, Jason (The Mister) are creative, ingenious and have amazing fashion sense. Honestly, I don’t know which one is cuter.
They have built their brand and blog into a resourceful place where kindergarten teachers find incredible lesson ideas and instructional strategies.
Their amazing bootcamps encompass all content areas with motivating and engaging themes and strategies.
Kindergarten Smorgasboard also provides videos that will demonstrate how a content area is taught. This is extremely helpful.
Check them out. Your students will thank you.
Differentiated Kindergarten
This is another one of the amazing kindergarten teacher blogs that I have found.
Marsha is a teacher-mother who is dedicated to meeting the needs of different learning styles in the classroom.
The Differentiated Kindergarten Blog is full lesson ideas for center activities and Daily 5.
There are task cards for Legos which I absolutely love and so do my students.
There are many resources for developing fine motor skills through fun activities. The use of play dough and the geoboard are extremely motivating for all learners.
The accompanying materials that are found on this site are truly one of a kind. It is differentiation in its finest form.
You can find many task activities and engaging materials here. What more could you ask for?
Mrs. Jump’s Class with Deanna Jump
Deanna Jump is another name that most teachers recognize. She has created curriculum for reading, writing, and math that is used by many teachers.
Her blog contains a wealth of ideas and resources for purchase.
Deanna Jump lets you know exactly how she organizes her classroom and the topics that she teaches.
This is a very helpful site to gather information about new bulletin board ideas and craftivities.
Mrs. Jump is masterful at taking you though each season of a kindergarten curriculum.
Simply Kinder
Next, Simply Kinder is one of the incredible kindergarten teacher blogs that made the top 5 list. Jennifer began this blog to help make the lives of kindergarten teachers easier.
Well, she accomplished her goal.
The resources on Simply Kinder are top notch. They combine hands-on activities with quality teacher-made worksheets.
There are articles on everything from classroom management to outlining the first day of kindergarten (minute by minute)
Kinder Craze
Kinder Craze is a unique kindergarten teacher blog that offers many creative ideas for classroom décor.
In addition, kindergarten teachers often like to make their classrooms very colorful.
There are many low-cost ideas to have a Pinterest-worthy classroom.
Also, Kinder Craze highlights actual pictures of fun activities and ideas that she uses in the classroom with her students.
Honorable Mention
Did I mention that I have a blog? 😊 I like to write and have been published on blogs such as Scary Mommy, We Are Teachers and School Leaders Now.
Well, that lead me to want to start my own blog because it can’t be that hard, right?
Wrong!
It is the most time-consuming idea I have ever had! (with the exception of having kids) These bloggers make it look easy, but it is……..
HARD!!!!
The technical and social media aspect has almost killed me, but you will find lots of freebies that are easy to download on my site.
Thank you to Feedspot and Jotform and Ranked Blogs for giving us some recognition on their blogs.
One day, we will be up there with these best kindergarten teacher blogs.
by KinderMomma | Teacher Issues, Teaching Blogs
Millions of people search every day and, of course, every night for the magic cure to teacher insomnia.
Natural, pharmaceutical, and make believe home remedies are bought and tried by desperate people everywhere whose greatest wish is to snooze like they once did.
If you envy babies, dogs, and people that fall asleep at church, sleep is a problem for you, but there is a solution for teacher insomnia. Thank goodness!!
Many people view the natural act of sleep as an enemy. In order to make sleep an ally, we need to change the way we think and act towards this biological need.
We all have different root causes that lead to the same effect: No ZZ”S!!!
Anxiety is the main culprit fighting our basic desire to achieve peaceful oblivion. Job anxiety is a huge problem with teacher insomnia.
I had major anxiety. Thoughts of what I needed to do to help the students in my class achieve success consumed my thoughts. This led to an irrational fear that I would never be able to sleep again.
This is very common among insomniacs. I began researching tips for sleep extensively as it was affecting my whole entire life and that of my family.
I read books, saw therapists and learned many helpful solutions that I still use today when faced with a never-ending night of tossing and turning.
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Use sleep promoting habits to eliminate teacher insomnia. 
There are a few physiological concepts that you should understand about sleep.
Our body temperatures do not stay the same throughout the day. They follow a natural rhythm that changes over the course of activities.
Body temperature is the lowest in the wee hours of the night and fluctuates throughout the day reaching its high around 6:00 p.m.
The times we are most alert are in the late morning and early nighttime hours.
This is why teachers feel a need for caffeine in the afternoon.
In the evening as body temperature declines, we biologically become drowsier with the strongest innate push for sleep being about 3:30 in the morning.
The key to working with your body’s circadian rhythm is to enable your body to have a low body temperature when you are trying to sleep.
This can be done in various ways to help eliminate teacher insomnia.
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With the risk of sounding like one of your parents, have a regular bed and wake up time.
Sleeping in on the weekends completely destroys your circadian rhythm.
Body temperature rises in the morning as soon as we start moving and see the sun. If this is delayed, your body temp will also be delayed at nighttime.
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Turn down the darn air conditioning.
I get it. I live in Las Vegas, and my dad always had the air set at 85.
If we were hot, his solution for everything was to jump in the pool. Sleeping weather is cold weather.
We enjoy better sleep in the winter than in the summer. Why? The cold helps to lower your body temperature.
Pay a few dollars extra as your mental health is worth it.
Do you wake up as soon as the morning sunlight hits your face? I did until I eliminated the sunlight hitting my face.
Darkness helps lower the body temperature as well. Melatonin levels are increased when there is darkness, and this is what creates the feeling of drowsiness.
Melatonin also regulates your circadian rhythm, so having a room dark as space is helpful for many reasons.
There are very reasonable priced black-out shades that make it seem like it is pitch black outside at 2:00 in the afternoon.
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Take a hot bath with lavender two hours before bedtime.
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We need to prepare our brainwaves to relax and forget about the events that lead to teacher insomnia.
A hot bath for 15-20 minutes will also raise our body temperatures and cause it to fall in a few hours.
Lavender has been shown to relax a person. Putting a few drops in a water bottle and spraying it on the pillow at night produces a calming effect that lasts throughout the night.
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Kick your partner to the curb or maybe the couch.
A National Sleep Survey found that one in four couples go to bed in separate rooms due to issues affecting sleep such as different work shifts, snoring, and restless movements. Because insomnia affects moods and behavior, this might actually improve your relationship instead of hurt it.
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Exercise! 
This is a big deal.
Exercise eliminates stress by kicking in endorphins, dopamine and serotonin.
These are the chemicals that regulate mood and calm down brain waves enabling sleep to come easier, faster and longer.
Exercise is invaluable to the sleep equation. It works to lower body temperature at night, relieve the anxiety and depressive feelings that contribute to insomnia and contribute to overall self-confidence.
This doesn’t mean that you need to run five miles a day or take a Cardio Pump class although this would probably give you an incredibly restful night’s sleep.
Try 20 minutes of walking quickly around your house while playing on your phone or listening to Journey’s Greatest Hits.
That’s what I do anyway.
- Get Rid of Negative Thoughts!
Greg Jacobs, in his book, Say Goodnight to Insomnia discusses in detail how negative thoughts are playing a role in teacher insomnia behaviors.
Fearing that you are not getting enough sleep actually contributes to the lack of it.
Common negative sleep thoughts are:
If I don’t sleep tonight, my day tomorrow will be ruined.
I am never going to fall asleep.
I am never going to fall back asleep.
I really need to sleep tonight.
I’m awake!!!!!!!
I can’t stop thinking ridiculous thoughts.
I know these thoughts creep up on us. What do we do instead? We replace them with positive thoughts such as:
I will fall asleep soon.
I will be fine tomorrow.
I will exercise tomorrow and sleep better tomorrow night.
Another strategy that can be used when insomnia prevents peaceful slumber is to use a sleep app. My favorite is called Relax Melodies.
This app has soothing sounds that calm active brain waves setting the stage for blissful sleep to occur.
Sounds may be created by combining two or three together such as soft rain and ocean waves.
The ambient sounds are amazing. The reviews are incredible and it comes highly recommended for anxiety, depression and sleep issues.
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Practice breathing techniques.
I have had tremendous success with the breathing technique 4-7-8 which is recommended by Dr. Andrew Weil.
I use the simple process of inhaling through my nose for 4 seconds, holding it for seven seconds and exhaling though my mouth for 8 seconds.
Repeat the cycle three or four times to relax your mind and body.
You can feel it working to achieve a greater sense of calm and peace that helps eradicate those teacher insomnia thoughts that keep us awake.
These tips should make you feel more in control and confident about solving your teacher insomnia issues whether short term or long term. I bet you will sleep better tonight and every night.
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