TEEM Training 5/31/2010

Building classroom activities and materials around a thematic topic is a wonderful way to get children excited about learning and to connect the different areas of your curriculum in a meaningful, integrated way.

Thematic instruction is based on the idea that children (in fact, adults too!) learn best when instruction is presented in the context of a coherent "whole," and when they can connect what they're learning to the real world. Thematic instruction provides opportunities for children to make connections among different subject areas (such as reading, math, and science) and to build a base of knowledge about a particular topic. The teacher chooses a thematic topic and then chooses lessons, books, and activities that relate to the theme. A thematic unit may be designed to last for a week, a month, or even longer. Most teachers change themes every few weeks or so. Please click here to access the activities. 

Thematic instruction is based on the idea that children (in fact, adults too!) learn best when instruction is presented in the context of a coherent "whole," and when they can connect what they're learning to the real world. Thematic instruction provides opportunities for children to make connections among different subject areas (such as reading, math, and science) and to build a base of knowledge about a particular topic. The teacher chooses a thematic topic and then chooses lessons, books, and activities that relate to the theme. A thematic unit may be designed to last for a week, a month, or even longer. Most teachers change themes every few weeks or so. Please click here to access the activities. 

Thematic instruction is based on the idea that children (in fact, adults too!) learn best when instruction is presented in the context of a coherent "whole," and when they can connect what they're learning to the real world. Thematic instruction provides opportunities for children to make connections among different subject areas (such as reading, math, and science) and to build a base of knowledge about a particular topic. The teacher chooses a thematic topic and then chooses lessons, books, and activities that relate to the theme. A thematic unit may be designed to last for a week, a month, or even longer. Most teachers change themes every few weeks or so. Please click here to access the activities. 

Thematic instruction is based on the idea that children (in fact, adults too!) learn best when instruction is presented in the context of a coherent "whole," and when they can connect what they're learning to the real world. Thematic instruction provides opportunities for children to make connections among different subject areas (such as reading, math, and science) and to build a base of knowledge about a particular topic. The teacher chooses a thematic topic and then chooses lessons, books, and activities that relate to the theme. A thematic unit may be designed to last for a week, a month, or even longer. Most teachers change themes every few weeks or so. Please click here to access the activities. 

Thematic instruction is based on the idea that children (in fact, adults too!) learn best when instruction is presented in the context of a coherent "whole," and when they can connect what they're learning to the real world. Thematic instruction provides opportunities for children to make connections among different subject areas (such as reading, math, and science) and to build a base of knowledge about a particular topic. The teacher chooses a thematic topic and then chooses lessons, books, and activities that relate to the theme. A thematic unit may be designed to last for a week, a month, or even longer. Most teachers change themes every few weeks or so. Please click here to access the activities. 

Thematic instruction is based on the idea that children (in fact, adults too!) learn best when instruction is presented in the context of a coherent "whole," and when they can connect what they're learning to the real world. Thematic instruction provides opportunities for children to make connections among different subject areas (such as reading, math, and science) and to build a base of knowledge about a particular topic. The teacher chooses a thematic topic and then chooses lessons, books, and activities that relate to the theme. A thematic unit may be designed to last for a week, a month, or even longer. Most teachers change themes every few weeks or so. Please click here to access the activities. 

The Texas School Ready! Summit brings together early childhood education thought‐leaders, policymakers and researchers to raise awareness of proven best practices in early childhood education. The summit will be held on May 4, 2010 in Austin, Texas at KLRU television studios. This will be broadcast internationally via webcast and there are watching parties scheduled throughout the state.

Nationally recognized scholars will be present to provide the most up‐to‐date research in early childhood education. Some of these guests include Dr. Grover “Russ” Whitehurst, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and former Director of the Institute for Education Sciences; Dr. Bob Pianta, Dean of the Curry School of Education, University of Virginia and Director of the Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning; Dr. Bruce Fuller, Professor of Education and Public Policy, University of California at Berkeley; and Dr. Susan Landry, Director of the Children’s Learning Institute and the Texas State Center for Early Childhood Development at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Texas State Representative Mark Strama will open the Summit, while Texas Education Agency Commissioner Robert Scott will provide the closing remarks.

The summit begins at 10:00 AM CDT and will conclude at 2:30. Information on accessing this webcast and attending watch parties will be available on the CLI website www.childrenslearninginstitute.org, and also the Texas Early Childhood Education Coalition website, www.tecec.org . It is sponsored by Texas Education Agency, Childcare Associates of Fort Worth, Texas Public Broadcasting Association, KLRU, Texas Early Childhood Coalition and the Children’s Learning Institute.

The Summit will elaborate on the historical successes of the Texas School Ready! Project, provide examples of high quality early childhood education efforts in diverse parts of the state, and focus on how teachers everywhere can best prepare students to enter kindergarten “ready to succeed.”