At the beginning of school I start with minimal lessons.  I want my students to become comfortable in my environment and I'm getting to know where they are in the curriculum.  They need time to learn the work cycle procedure.  When I choose a work for the shelf I really think about what I want the student to learn when using the material.  My exploration shelf allows for students to become comfortable as they learn to choose an activity, take it to their table, and restore once finished.  On my exploration shelf I try to incorporate fine motor and materials they may have seen before.  I have space for 9-10 activities on this shelf. I begin with an open/close activity.  I want this activity to indirectly help a student with lunch time.  I use a tin Crayola lunch box with a simple latch and inside I put containers they may use at lunch including a zip lock bag.  Some other items I use on this shelf are bear magnet dress up, a sorting cup with p...

 As teachers we always get flack for not working for 3 months out of the year.  As teachers we KNOW that we work all 12 months even though we may not be in the classroom. So how are you working this summer? I do most of my professional development over the summer.  I of course have more free time to commit to it, and I can utilize what I learn to create a better experience for my students in the coming school year. One conference that I attend yearly is the  Region 4 Early Childhood Inclusive Practices Conference .  This is a fantastic conference that supports inclusive classrooms for all.  I do my best to modify my curriculum to meet the needs of every child in my classroom, no matter their ability.   I love to find free conferences, and even better if they're online, so I don't have to find childcare for my own child.  I will link some websites that I frequent, and I hope you are able to find something that will help you in your classroom...