By Kitty Syster   What is the DERS? The Developmental Environment Rating Scale, DERS, is a program observation instrument to evaluate your classroom environment. The DERS is based on Montessori philosophy which measures qualities such as patience and persistence in children, precision and clarity in lessons, and order in the environment, which support the development...Read More

By Aimee Currier When I have a stressful day, I like to turn to music to help me decompress. Some days I need to play some soft, quiet music. Other days, the louder the better. I can even remember back to when I was a child and I would play the piano in a way...Read More

by Natalie Grebe When chatting with a friend recently, she teased me about my love of chickpeas. I could eat them every day! Luckily for me, they can be prepared many ways as a healthy snack or side dish. My friend mentioned how frustrating it was for her to try to eat a well-balanced diet...Read More

Kitty Syster Sorting and counting are great activities for preschool-age children, but children can lose interest in the activities when the items they are sorting and counting are always the same. Although there are plenty of commercially produced items available to purchase, they can seem repetitive in style and be costly. So, why not make...Read More

Lisa Mulliken Can you think of the book that your children ask you to read over and over again? As a former teacher and a Mimi, books by Mo Willems have always been one of the go to favorites. Mo Willems, born February 11th, 1968, is best known for his books about characters Pigeon, Trixie...Read More

by Pam Schaffner The assessment team in PA is often asked if they have any tips to make meeting quality standards easier. Since they have experiences visiting many programs in their professional careers, they have seen many programs employ strategies to make things easier, more efficient, and more effective. Implementing quality can be stressful or...Read More

By Regina Wright Sometimes parents wonder if they should be giving children chores. Isn’t it the parent’s responsibility to maintain the household? Shouldn’t children be allowed to just be children? Am I being too hard on my children when I give them household chores? Children have so much to do with school and extra-curricular activities....Read More

Aimee Currier How many of us have pondered the thought of “just where did half of my socks go?” I read a funny quote that said lost socks come back as Tupperware lids! May 9th has been designated as “National Lost Sock Memorial Day.” It is quite a unique “holiday” and one that you can...Read More

Natalie Grebe When I spend time in any classroom, from preschool through school-age, one thing they seem to almost always have in their library is Pete the Cat books. Pete the Cat is a series of books based on a character created by James Dean. In 1999, when Dean first painted Pete, I wonder how...Read More

By Amy Hoffman   There are days in my life as a program quality assessor when I have the joy of seeing children take the lead in an activity. It’s especially fun to watch the teachers join in with the play while the children direct it. I spent time outside with a school-age group last August...Read More