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Early Childhood Conference

Early childhood educators have always strived to find the joy in learning. So it’s no surprise that even in this difficult school year, the more than 300 educators who attended the UFT’s annual Early Childhood Conference remotely on March 13...

Diane Savattieri, kindergarten teacher, PS 185, Bay Ridge, Brooklyn

A kindergarten teacher in Brooklyn says technology was the smallest part of her day before COVID-19, but now it's the biggest part, and she has been as willing to try and as adaptable as her students.

Tricia Donnelly, pre-K teacher, PS/IS 127, East Elmhurst, Queens

A pre-K teacher at PS/IS 127 in Queens who teaches remotely from both school and home, misses having students in the classroom, but she uses her creativity to keep them engaged and laughing.

Kathryn Papaccioli, special education teacher, P186, Longwood, District 75, The Bronx

Because singing and playing instruments carry a higher risk of coronavirus transmission, an in-person music teacher at PS 129 in Manhattan has had to reinvent how to teach musical concepts and skills.

Early education during a pandemic

UFT Vice President for Elementary Schools Karen Alford writes that as always, it is the teachers in the classroom who are figuring out how best to serve their students in this unusual school year, with help from three hardworking union groups.

Virtual learning for early childhood students

Early childhood educators face a unique challenge with remote learning. In our classrooms, learning occurs through hands-on experiences guided by an intentional facilitator. How can we recreate this virtually?

Sound initiative

As part of a speech literacy initiative launched by the Department of Education in 2014 in about 150 schools, Marjorie James pushes into the kindergarten Integrated Co-Teaching class at the East Elmhurst Community School three times a week and works...

‘Signs’ of respect

When Rita Fattorusso invites one of her prekindergarten students to the front of the class to lead morning exercises, the other students pay strict attention. If they don’t, they’ll miss their classmate’s instructions: He uses American Sign Language...

Starting young

For Jo Ann Westhall, an elementary school education includes reading, writing, arithmetic — and computer science. Westhall, a computer science teacher and the chapter leader at PS 31 in Bayside, Queens, brought a subject reserved for middle and high...

Inquiry-based learning with young students

Do you want to help your students explore their interests and extend their learning beyond a scripted curriculum? Consider trying inquiry-based investigations in your early childhood classroom.