Three teaching tips from a top pre-K educator

Consistency helps children know what to expect each day, which also allows them to feel confident and safe in a familiar environment. An example of a classroom routine could be creating a morning ritual with students, like going over the rules at the start of class or giving students a job to do like greeting each other at the door each day, said Dewdney, who teaches at an elementary school in Baltimore.

“The brain is pattern-seeking and survival-oriented, so we create consistent routines at home and at school so that we can help our kids feel safe so they can effectively connect with others and effectively learn,” Dewdney said. “Those routines, in addition to helping students feel safe and have a dependable sense of what’s going on in their lives, also helps them build executive functions.”