Intentional Planning for the Early Childhood Classroom

This workshop equips early childhood educators with strategies for purposeful, flexible, and responsive lesson planning. Participants explore how to design learning experiences grounded in child development, aligned with curriculum standards, and informed by observation of children’s needs and interests. Through hands-on activities, scenario analysis, and collaborative planning, teachers learn how to balance structure with flexibility while creating engaging and developmentally appropriate environments. The session emphasizes practical applications that educators can immediately incorporate into their daily and weekly plans to foster student growth across all developmental domains.

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• Over-reliance on routine-driven teaching rather than responsive, purposeful planning.
  
  
• Lack of integration between curriculum goals and children’s observed interests or developmental needs.
  
  
• Difficulty balancing structured learning objectives with flexibility for spontaneous learning opportunities.

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1. Intentional Teaching Strategies: Participants will learn to apply strategies such as acknowledging and describing student actions, extending learning through questioning, modeling skills, and providing clear, relevant information.

2. Observation-Driven Planning: Teachers will develop skills to use observations, notes, and documentation to adapt plans that respond to children’s interests, needs, and cultural contexts.

3. Balancing Structure and Flexibility: Educators will learn to blend curriculum requirements with adaptable approaches that encourage engagement and capitalize on teachable moments.

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