In this paper, we address the guidance of student teachers in initial training in schools as an invaluable opportunity to raise creative learning awareness. The objective of this present research is to develop guidance strategies for guiding the identification of creative practices and for analyzing that moment as a "way of knowing". We…

Young teachers often struggle with pacing and the ability to cover more than one or two songs and activities in a single 30-minute general music class. Included in this article are lesson activities that show it is not only possible to include many of the National Standards in a single lesson, but also possible to sing, play, and create in every…

One of the roles of educators is to prepare their students for future success; this means preparing them to be creative thinkers capable of solving problems that do not yet exist. In order to teach children to be more creative, teachers need to be aware of barriers to creativity and minimize these in their classrooms. Some roadblocks to…

Music technology is a term commonly used to refer to electronic form of the musical arts, particularly devices and computer software that enable the facilitation, playback, recording, composition, storage, and performance of various musical compositions. There has been a growing awareness of the importance of aesthetics in early childhood…

While nature journaling with elementary age children has recently increased in popularity, journaling with children of ages 2-6 is often overlooked. This article focuses specifically on why journaling is a valid practice in early childhood and the practitioner application of journaling techniques modified for the young child. Young children have…

Elementary Education pre-service teachers are noted for disliking and even fearing mathematics, so a teaching strategy that increases their enjoyment of mathematics learning must be a powerful one, indeed. When the same strategy can also support problem posing and assess mathematical knowledge and reasoning, providing an occasional alternative to…

Inquiry-based media literacy is an increasingly important component of an educator's toolbox. The author's own concerns about definitions of media literacy have given way to a focus on establishing clear goals for media literacy education. The National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE) articulates these goals: "The purpose of media…

All children have the right to creative expression through the arts. The creation of art cultivates critical thinking, reflection, and problem-solving skills. It also encourages systems thinking; the color choices, individual brushstrokes, and materials all contribute to a greater whole. Infusing art-making and arts education throughout the…

Art, drama, music, dance and literature activities are part of the basic components of an early childhood curriculum. They do not rely heavily on oral language or English proficiency, and this makes them accessible to all children regardless of language differences or language abilities. Teachers can use creative expression and art to practice…

Children are born naturally mathematical, so why is it sometimes so difficult to observe children being mathematical? Why do so many of us think we are "bad" at maths and how does this subconsciously affect the provision, experiences and opportunities we provide for young children who are starting their mathematical learning journey? This easily…

In spring 2012, Sherry Kaufman, a consultant at Francis W. Parker School in Chicago, was asked to support kindergarten teachers in deepening their practice of constructivism and exploring the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education. Central to such an approach is the belief that all learning is socially constructed through interaction…

The author's years of work with preservice early childhood teachers, new professionals, and organizations that recruit beginning professionals have helped her identify key activities and documents to be incorporated into a professional portfolio. A well-organized portfolio can help newer practitioners effectively express their beliefs and…

This article describes the introduction of creative movement activity in three Hong Kong kindergartens to promote children's creativity. The purposes of the study were to examine the effectiveness of creative movement activity in promoting children's creativity and teachers' perceptions of the activities. The movement activities were designed…

This study examined how preservice teachers view the nature and role of creativity in light of the complexities of contemporary early childhood classrooms. A multiple methods approach was utilized and data were collected with the Questionnaire Examining Student Teachers' Beliefs about Creativity (Diakidoy & Kanari, 1999) survey instrument and…

Young Children and the Arts: Nurturing Imagination and Creativity examines the place of the arts in the experiences of young and very young children at home and in out-of-home settings at school and in the community. There is great need for development of resources in the arts specifically designed to introduce babies and toddlers to participatory…