In another blog post we talked to Kelsey. She is a new teacher grappling with how to balance the desire to plan and live in the now and follow the lead of the children.  

For another interesting perspective on planning, read this piece from veteran preschool teacher, Tom Hobson from Seattle, Washington, on why rigid planning isn't necessarily in the best interest of the children or the teacher.  

He writes, "What I was attempting to guard against back then was a failure of everything running off the rails, but how?  After over a decade of playing with children, I've learned that is exactly the "surprise" that lets me know we've been successful.  It's not the plan I've put together, whether on paper or in my head, but rather the "new possibilities" that emerge from us that makes it all worthwhile."  Read more here:

Blog: Teacher Tom - Teaching and Learning from Preschoolers.