ECE blogs of note

I'm not sure if I've mentioned the Teacher Tom blog before.  It is, by far, one of my favorites.  He encompasses so much of what I want to say in regards to educating young children. . .yet he does it SO much better!   His blog is a must and currently, he's written about the best of the best in the ECE blogisphere.  Check it out and you will not be disappointed.

It's been awhile. .. .

It has been awhile since I've posted.  Things have been hectic and crazy busy, but it's no excuse!  Since my last post, I've found some wonderful resources (through FACEBOOK!) that I would like to collect here.

The Parent Resource Center of Taylor County
Yes, this is a shameless plug for my employeer!   However, we've got a GREAT links page with lots of wonderful parenting and home visiting resources.  Take time to check it out--you will find some unique sites there. :-)

The Teacher Tom Blog
By far, this is my FAVORITE ECE blog out there.  I will likely start making this be part of the required reading in my Rassmussen classroom's!

BBFT Resources
This, I will admit, is a shameless plug to an earlier post where I've shared resources that I really enjoy.  I wrote a lot more when I was actually in the ECE classroom versus now, when I'm on the administrative and higher ed. side of things. 

BBFT Consulting
Shameless plug for my school consulting firm.  :-)

Social/Emotional Resources
Exactly what it sounds like!

Let the Children Play
A wonderful blog which focuses on the importance of PLAY (a passion of mine)

Books of interest

Currently, I am reading (and rereading) two books of interest in my current Walden class.  The first, Tinkering Toward Utopia, is written by David Tyack and Larry Cuban.  This particular book examines the history of education reform, politics role in the reform process, the "grammar of schooling," and why some reforms don't stick.  I'm currently on my second reading of the book and I look forward to discussing it more with my classmates.  The second book, Experience and Education, was written by John Dewey.   I am in the process of my first reading of this text and I am enjoying it.  I find John Dewey's contribution to education interesting and this book was written in response to how some of his prior work was being interpreted.

What I have found most intersting between the two books are the concepts about what "real school" looks like.  This was something that I definitely struggled with as a preschool teacher.  I was given a certain idea about about was a "real" preschool classroom should look like and how the day should run.  Yet, that preconceived notion did not work for my students.  It felt strange to break the mold and do something innovative in my classroom, yet, it was exactly what they needed.   Do you do anything in your classroom that is innovative?  What does "real" school look like to you?