Teaching & Classroom

Preschool Vibes provides teaching resources, planning tools, assessments, and classroom systems. We do not currently offer a complete boxed curriculum or a full set of day-by-day lesson plans.

Our resources help you organize what to teach and provide activities and materials to support it. You choose how to use them based on your students, schedule, and program requirements.

In the past, Jess taught in a public preschool program that required the use of Creative Curriculum. While it provided structure, many components felt overly complicated and difficult to implement effectively in a real classroom setting.

We do not currently recommend a specific boxed curriculum.

Instead, we believe in clear standards, intentional routines, and strong foundational skill development. Portions of Handwriting Without Tears and Orton-Gillingham principles are incorporated where appropriate, particularly for literacy instruction.

Preschool Vibes resources draw on Jess’s 17 years of public preschool teaching experience and focus on practical skills, classroom routines, and intentional teaching.

The Preschool Vibes Universal Standards organize learning goals into clear, child-friendly statements. They help connect lessons, centers, routines, and play to what children are learning.

Teachers should continue to follow their own program’s required standards and curriculum. Our Universal Standards are a planning tool, not a state-specific standards crosswalk.

Jess uses this sequence:

c, o, a, d, g, m, l, h, t, i, j, k, p, u, b, r, f, n, e, s, w, y, v, x, z, q

Letters are revisited through activities, books, games, and classroom routines throughout the year. Introducing a new letter does not mean children are finished practicing earlier letters.

If your program requires a different sequence, follow that sequence.

Numbers are introduced sequentially from 1–10, with a focus on number recognition, formation, and one-to-one counting.

Skills are reinforced daily through routines, calendar time, small groups, and hands-on center activities.

Preschool Vibes resources are designed for ages 3–5.

Activities can be adjusted depending on developmental level. Some students focus on foundational skills such as first-letter name writing, while others are ready for more advanced literacy and number work.

Start with the skill or learning goal, then choose a book, activity, or classroom experience that helps children practice it.

Jess organizes learning goals across the year and uses themes to give those goals a meaningful context. For example, a pumpkin theme might include counting seeds, comparing sizes, describing textures, and discussing how plants grow.

Assessment information and everyday observations help determine which skills need more practice and which children need additional support.

Standards come first. Themes support the standard—not the other way around.

For example, if the goal is understanding family relationships, a book and activity are chosen that directly reinforce that objective. Themes are used as engagement tools, but the learning target always drives the lesson.

Jess’s public preschool sessions lasted about three hours. The routine included:

• Arrival and table activities
• Calendar, movement, and an interactive group lesson
• Recess
• Snack
• About an hour of free-choice centers, with small groups and individual practice during that time
• Closing books and songs

The routine stayed predictable, while the timing adjusted to the day and the children’s needs.

See the Preschool Day Schedule guide for a more detailed explanation.

Strong observation lessons are interactive and tied to a clear learning objective.

Examples include:

• Interactive read-alouds with movement or problem-solving components

• Hands-on science demonstrations

• Literacy games that reinforce phonemic awareness

• Sorting or matching activities aligned to a specific standard

The key is visible student engagement tied directly to a measurable skill.

New resources are added regularly throughout the year. Updates are shared through the website, email list, and social channels.

Start with the Preschool Vibes Knowledge Hub. It explains the teaching approach, daily schedule, classroom setup, free-choice centers, small groups, assessments, and name writing.

Then choose one area you want to improve in your own classroom. Read that guide and explore the resources that support it.

Build one system at a time and add materials as you need them.

Free choice builds independence, engagement, and ownership.

When children choose their activities, they are more motivated and stay engaged longer. It also strengthens decision-making, social negotiation, and self-regulation skills.

Clear structure makes it work. Each center has a set number of spots, and students use name tags to manage availability. The system provides freedom within consistent expectations.

Having a favorite center is not automatically a problem. Look at how the child is playing and which learning opportunities they may be missing.

Introduce an activity alongside the child, invite them to join a friend, or occasionally ask them to begin at another center before returning to their favorite.

Children do not need to visit every center every day. Specific skills can also be practiced through small groups, individual instruction, and activities added to centers they already enjoy.

Centers are intentionally designed and rotated every two to three weeks to maintain engagement. Common centers include:

Dramatic Play
Writing Center
Play-Doh Table
Light Table
Messy / Sensory Table
Blocks & Building
Library
Science / STEAM
Letter Table
Bin Center
Magnet Center
Art Easel
Carpet / Large-Group Games
SmartBoard
Take-a-Break Center
Art Table
Synergize Center

Each center has clearly defined capacity and expectations to support smooth management.

Small groups were embedded into center time. Each child typically met once or twice per week for short, focused sessions.

Groups were formed based on assessment data and specific learning goals. Sessions were brief—usually 5–10 minutes—so instruction stayed targeted and manageable.

Instead of multiple rotating jobs, a “Leader of the Day” system was used. One student handled simple responsibilities such as line leader, calendar helper, or song choice.

This kept leadership opportunities consistent without adding unnecessary complexity.

Jess typically assesses in fall, winter, and spring to understand each child’s starting point and track growth.

Results are recorded on a class checklist and used to choose two or three meaningful goals for each child. Children with similar goals can work together during short small groups or receive individual support.

Everyday observations also help guide instruction. The purpose is to decide what to teach next and communicate progress, not to give children a pass-or-fail score.

The Preschool Vibes Assessment System V2 supports this process. Continue to complete any assessments required by your program.

Dramatic play themes rotated throughout the year. The classroom typically began with a simple kitchen setup and transitioned to themed environments such as a market, dentist office, or seasonal play.

Materials were limited intentionally to avoid overwhelming students and to maintain manageable cleanup routines.

The block center was intentionally minimal. Too many materials can create clutter and distraction. A focused selection of blocks and related items encouraged deeper, more purposeful play.

Changes were typically made when engagement declined or behavior suggested boredom. Refreshing materials or rotating themes often restored focus and interest.

Each center has a set number of spaces for children’s name tags. If all spaces are taken, the child chooses another available center.

Children can ask for a turn and play somewhere else while they wait. When needed, a sand timer can help make turn-taking clear.

Before moving to another center, children clean up what they used and take their name tag with them.

Jess shares a curated list of favorite preschool books in the Amazon Storefront under Jess’s Favorite Books. These are high-engagement, repeatedly used titles that support language development, classroom discussion, and joyful reading experiences.

Books used for structured instruction are organized in the Amazon Storefront under Lesson Book Picks. These titles are selected intentionally to support specific learning goals, such as phonological awareness, vocabulary development, science exploration, or social-emotional learning.

The starting point depends on the child’s current skills. Some children are working on recognizing their name, while others are ready to practice forming letters.

Jess begins writing instruction with the first capital letter of the child’s name. Once the child can form that letter consistently, practice gradually expands to the full first name, using a capital first letter and lowercase letters after it.

Practice is brief and often happens one-on-one during center time so the teacher can support letter formation. Children move forward at different rates.

Jess previously taught in a public preschool classroom for over 17 years, serving two half-day classes of approximately 22 students each.

She now works full-time developing Preschool Vibes resources and creating instructional content from a studio setting.

Yes. We consider opportunities that are useful to preschool teachers and fit the Preschool Vibes audience.

Use our contact form to share a brief description, a link to the product or book, your goals, and any relevant timeline. Please contact us before sending materials.

Providing a complimentary item does not guarantee a review, video, or feature.

We do not currently offer in-person or virtual training. If that changes, updates will be shared on the website and social channels.