Your enthusiasm for learning rubs off on the kids and gets them excited for the activities you planned. You don't need to put on a show for the students every day, but keeping a positive attitude and sincere interest in what's going on in the classroom gets the kids going. Plenty of rest during the school week allows you to be more energetic when you teach. Themes help build excitement for both you and the students. Choose themes interesting to the age group to see their faces light up with excitement.
The environment affects learning for the preschool students. A stimulating environment encourages active exploration and learning. Divide the room into different functional areas using book shelves and other furniture to create visual divisions. This allows you to have both quiet and active learning areas that don't interfere with one another. This layout also supports the idea of learning centers, allowing you to set up individual learning centers in different areas of the classroom. Choose inviting furnishings like a rug for the group meeting area and comfortable pillows in the reading area. Changing the materials in the various areas also adds interest for the kids. For example, you might change the clothes and props in the dramatic play area to match the teaching themes.
Thorough planning allows you to make better use of your time in the classroom. Create a planning template that includes all of the types of teaching and activities that you do in the classroom. This allows you to plug in the specific activities for that week, saving you time while staying organized. Pull out all of the materials you need for the entire week so they are handy. You are better able to focus on the kids and your instruction rather than figuring out what you're doing next.
Assessments in the preschool classroom track progress and help identify potential development delays. Information assessments are often effective for young children. A rubric or rating chart is one way to evaluate your students and their progress. A portfolio of each student's work also demonstrates progress. Have each student do the same task each month to watch the growth over the year. For example, you might have each child draw a picture of himself. By the end of the school year, he is likely to include much more detail in the drawings.