Lovely Preschool Teachers Podcast

One of the biggest classroom management mistakes isn't having expectations. It's assuming children learned them because we explained them once.
In this episode, we're talking about the difference between telling and teaching. Preschoolers don't automatically know how to line up, clean up, walk in the hallway, or participate during circle time. These are skills that must be intentionally taught through modeling, practice, coaching, and repetition.
If you find yourself repeating the same directions all day, it may not be a listening problem. It may be a teaching opportunity.
Topics Discussed:
Why explaining a classroom expectation isn't the same as teaching it
The preschool mindset that changes how you approach behavior
Why reminders alone don't help children master new skills
How intentional instruction can reduce repeated corrections and build independence

Related Resources:
The First Six Weeks Playbook
Webinar: Stop Repeating Yourself All Day

Related Blogposts/Episodes:
I Open Centers on Day One—But I Don't Expect Independence
The Preschool Framework I Use Every Year

Connect with Ashley
Follow on Instagram @lovelycommotion
Join the Lovely Preschool Teachers Facebook Group

More About the Lovely Preschool Teachers Podcast
Are you a busy preschool teacher who loves gaining new ideas, perspectives, and inspiration for your classroom? The Lovely Preschool Teachers Podcast is here to help you up your confidence in educating early learners in a quick, actionable way!
As an early educator who is still in the classroom, Ashley Rives will share the ins and outs of how she runs her classroom in a play-based, child-centered way. Each week, expect a new episode focused on actionable strategies to level up your abilities and confidence as a preschool teacher.
Ashley Rives is an early educator with over 17 years of experience and a strong passion to help teachers implement child-centered learning in preschool classrooms all over the world. You can follow her on Instagram @lovelycommotion or learn more at the Lovely Commotion Preschool Resources website: www.lovelycommotion.com

What classroom management system do you use?
It's one of the questions I hear most often from preschool teachers. The answer may surprise you:
I don't rely on one classroom management system.
I rely on a framework:
Build It. Teach It. Reinforce It.
In this episode, we're breaking down why so many classroom management strategies fall apart and what teachers can do instead to create systems that actually work.
Topics Discussed:
How to create an environment that answers children's questions before they need to ask
Why we can't expect children to know how to "do school" without intentionally teaching skills
How successful classroom management happens through repetition and support
Why teachers feel stuck when it comes to classroom management

Related Resources:
The First Six Weeks Playbook + Bundle
Stop Repeating Yourself All Day Training Registration

Related Blogposts/Episodes:
Why Planning Classroom Management Before Day 1 Makes All the Difference

Connect with Ashley
Follow on Instagram @lovelycommotion
Join the Lovely Preschool Teachers Facebook Group

More About the Lovely Preschool Teachers Podcast
Are you a busy preschool teacher who loves gaining new ideas, perspectives, and inspiration for your classroom? The Lovely Preschool Teachers Podcast is here to help you up your confidence in educating early learners in a quick, actionable way!
As an early educator who is still in the classroom, Ashley Rives will share the ins and outs of how she runs her classroom in a play-based, child-centered way. Each week, expect a new episode focused on actionable strategies to level up your abilities and confidence as a preschool teacher.
Ashley Rives is an early educator with over 17 years of experience and a strong passion to help teachers implement child-centered learning in preschool classrooms all over the world. You can follow her on Instagram @lovelycommotion or learn more at the Lovely Commotion Preschool Resources website: www.lovelycommotion.com

One of the questions I'm asked most often is, "When do you introduce centers?" Many teachers are surprised by my answer: I open centers on Day One.
But there's an important difference.
I don't expect children to be independent on Day One.
In this episode, we're talking about the biggest mistakes teachers make when introducing centers, why preschoolers struggle during those first few weeks, and how you can teach center routines in a way that builds confidence instead of chaos.
Topics Discussed:
Why keeping centers closed can actually slow down learning
Why expecting independence too soon leads to frustration
The skills children need before they can successfully work in centers
How to teach routines while children are actively playing
Why repetition and practice create lasting independence

Related Resources:
Preschool Centers Guide (free)
First Six Weeks Playbook + Bundle
Stop Repeating Yourself All Day Training Sign Up

Related Blogposts/Episodes:
Why "Just Go Play" Doesn't Work: Explicitly Teaching Center Skills
Preschool Centers: Free Choice or Rotation?
5 Reasons Why Assigning Centers Can Backfire

Connect with Ashley
Follow on Instagram @lovelycommotion
Join the Lovely Preschool Teachers Facebook Group

More About the Lovely Preschool Teachers Podcast
Are you a busy preschool teacher who loves gaining new ideas, perspectives, and inspiration for your classroom? The Lovely Preschool Teachers Podcast is here to help you up your confidence in educating early learners in a quick, actionable way!
As an early educator who is still in the classroom, Ashley Rives will share the ins and outs of how she runs her classroom in a play-based, child-centered way. Each week, expect a new episode focused on actionable strategies to level up your abilities and confidence as a preschool teacher.
Ashley Rives is an early educator with over 17 years of experience and a strong passion to help teachers implement child-centered learning in preschool classrooms all over the world. You can follow her on Instagram @lovelycommotion or learn more at the Lovely Commotion Preschool Resources website: www.lovelycommotion.com

Every summer, preschool teachers make ambitious classroom prep lists:
Cut everything out.
Laminate everything.
Organize every bin.
Create every center.

But once school begins, many of those tasks suddenly feel far less important than they seemed in June.
Instead of preparing endless activities, you'll learn why preparing classroom systems is what truly sets the tone for a successful school year.
A classroom that runs smoothly can teach far more than a classroom that's constantly managing chaos.
Topics Discussed:
Why systems matter more than activities during the first weeks of school
The five classroom routines that create independence all year long
How fewer centers and fewer materials often lead to better learning
What independence really looks like in a preschool classroom
Why the first month should focus on routines, relationships, and confidence before academics

Related Resources:
Classroom Management Bundle

Related Blogposts/Episodes:
The First Day of Preschool: What to Prep (and What to Forget)
Why Planning for Classroom Management before Day 1 Makes Sense
How to Teach Classroom Procedures

Connect with Ashley
Follow on Instagram @lovelycommotion
Join the Lovely Preschool Teachers Facebook Group

More About the Lovely Preschool Teachers Podcast
Are you a busy preschool teacher who loves gaining new ideas, perspectives, and inspiration for your classroom? The Lovely Preschool Teachers Podcast is here to help you up your confidence in educating early learners in a quick, actionable way!
As an early educator who is still in the classroom, Ashley Rives will share the ins and outs of how she runs her classroom in a play-based, child-centered way. Each week, expect a new episode focused on actionable strategies to level up your abilities and confidence as a preschool teacher.
Ashley Rives is an early educator with over 17 years of experience and a strong passion to help teachers implement child-centered learning in preschool classrooms all over the world. You can follow her on Instagram @lovelycommotion or learn more at the Lovely Commotion Preschool Resources website: www.lovelycommotion.com

The teachers running the smoothest classrooms aren't usually the ones with the cutest classrooms. They're the ones who spent the first few weeks intentionally teaching children how the classroom works.
In this episode, we dive into five common mistakes teachers make at the beginning of the year that often lead to behavior challenges, difficult transitions, dependence on adults, and classroom chaos later on.
Plus, what to focus on instead to build a classroom that runs smoothly all year long.
Topics Discussed:
Why teaching routines matters more than teaching academics during the first weeks of school
The difference between telling children what to do and actually teaching a skill
Why opening every center and material right away can create unnecessary chaos
How independence develops through intentional instruction and practice
Why many behavior challenges are actually teaching opportunities

Related Resources:
Procedure Card Visuals
Visual Schedule Cards
Rules & Expectations
Transition Time Toolkit

Related Blogposts/Episodes:
The First Day of Preschool: What to Prep (and What to Forget)
Why Planning for Classroom Management before Day 1 Makes Sense
How to Teach Classroom Procedures

Connect with Ashley
Follow on Instagram @lovelycommotion
Join the Lovely Preschool Teachers Facebook Group

More About the Lovely Preschool Teachers Podcast
Are you a busy preschool teacher who loves gaining new ideas, perspectives, and inspiration for your classroom? The Lovely Preschool Teachers Podcast is here to help you up your confidence in educating early learners in a quick, actionable way!
As an early educator who is still in the classroom, Ashley Rives will share the ins and outs of how she runs her classroom in a play-based, child-centered way. Each week, expect a new episode focused on actionable strategies to level up your abilities and confidence as a preschool teacher.
Ashley Rives is an early educator with over 17 years of experience and a strong passion to help teachers implement child-centered learning in preschool classrooms all over the world. You can follow her on Instagram @lovelycommotion or learn more at the Lovely Commotion Preschool Resources website: www.lovelycommotion.com
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