Good Morning, Children

My First Years in Early Childhood Education

The first years of teaching are full of any number of unexpected problems and issues that can frustrate even the most prepared early childhood educator. Based on her popular blog, Sophia Pappas' book Good Morning, Children provides an up-close and personal view of the challenges and successes of a beginning teacher. The book describes daily encounters with students, family members, and administrators; reflects on the state of early childhood education in America; and celebrates the ways the pre-K teacher can help prepare every child to succeed in both school and life. In chronicling her successes and failures in her first three years as an early childhood educator, Ms. Pappas, a veteran of the Teach For America education program, covers a range of topics that both new and experienced educators face in the early childhood classroom. Among other important issues, Ms. Pappas provides smart and witty insights about the importance of classroom preparation, for both the school year and each individual day. She provides ideas about how to interact successfully with over- and under-involved parents and family members, while clarifying how critical family interaction and involvement are to a child’s success. Similarly, Ms. Pappas describes the activities, lessons, and teaching techniques that she used to help her students learn and grow. Ms. Pappas stresses the significance of being able to listen and adjust, not only to the needs of the children in your care and to the family members of those children, but, equally, to listen and adjust to your own needs as an educator.