I am fortunate to now work in a center with a aterlier and I have learned so much from the aterlierista. She understands children's intentions with materials and is able to create activities so children are able to explore, she starts small and simple and expands.

I actually never knew this was the meaning of the work atelierista. I think this is a wonderful term because they do so much. I am grateful the atelierista at my school does have an art background. I am so intrigued by the activities she constructs with the children based on their interests when they visit her and from discussions with us.

It is important to listen to others and have people listen to us. We as educators need to listen to children if we expect them to listen to us. I also take this as we need to personally listen to ourselves.

Authentic documentation is definitely woven together.

I have been thinking about this questions for the T/TH class. My coteacher and I have been trying to listen to them and understand what they are telling us. We are trying to figure out how to help them engage and find meaning in what they do.

I like this dynamic of teaching. I have worked in centers and have been both a coteacher and head teacher. I like the coteacher dynamic because it creates an equal level between the teachers. I know there are positives and negatives to both.

I think this is important to revisit past events or activities. The children feel like their work is important and can see themselves and their friends in the pictures. This is particularly helpful with the two-year-old children in my classroom to help them remember and spark their thoughts and or questions.

This is important to listen to all children, but I feel especially important for children who are less verbal. On Friday, during our group time, we revisited our walk from the previous day the children (two-year-olds) were at school. My co-teacher and I printed out images and shared it with the children. A few children shared their thoughts, "Look, it's me" or "I remember that." As they were looking at the images, a few of them stood up and held them on the open wall. They were telling us they wanted to hand up the images and look at their work. We brought out tape and let the children hang them up and after the children stood back and continued to look at them.

This has come up at my center lately. In teaching children it is okay to feel their emotions. For example, we have talked about how telling a child, "Don't cry" where as an adult we are trying to reassure them, a child may feel and hear they should not cry, it is not okay to cry. Instead we can reassure them by saying, "I understand your sad, it's okay to be sad" and reassure them by saying "You're grown-ups will be back" or whatever reason they are sad. As educators, we can also teach them what they can do when they are mad, like taking deep breathes, asking for space, squeezing a pillow etc.

This has been on my mind lately. In working with two-year-olds, many are not very verbal. They are also getting used to wearing masks and being comfortable being at school, so my co-teacher and I are still wondering if that is part of the children being less verbal. We are discussing ways to give them a voice. We have been printing out pictures and images and allowing children to point etc. We have also been observing closely to help us learn more about them and see what they are trying to tell us.

I think this is an important idea people need to remember. Children have a lot of knowledge and ideas if adults allow them to share. Children do not just want to be talked at and told to do things.

This made me think about what one of the parents said on their child's first day. We had sent teacher pictures masked and unmasked to the children's home before school started. The parent said, "We have been looking at your pictures and she knows your names and has been referring to you both as her friends."

This is something I really noticed the first two weeks on school in working with two-year-old children. I think this is particularly the case because they have not had much interaction with other children before starting school because of Covid-19.

This is something that is important to keep in mind. Educators need to remember this because they could have a "plan", but the children could lead their ideas in a totally different way. It is up to the teacher to change directions and explore, learn and guide with the children's interest.

I work at a school which was a house. We use all the spaces including the closets (which are actually pretty big for closets), but work great for creating small spaces for two or three children.

I think this is important for families to be a participant in their child's learning. This can be difficult and has looked a lot different during Covid-19 when in many center's parents do not even enter the center.