I 20 Chapter 1 Water Table Center Sand Table Center i i i Broom and dustpan nearby Small bottles, cups, and other containers i Things that do and don’t float Props to hide: animals, pebbles i Clear or slightly colored water i Cups, spoons, funnels, small buckets Towels on floor to prevent slipping i Large freestanding sand table Smocks (children usually get wet anyway.) i Small tub on table for two or three children i i Writing Center Notebooks, loose paper, index cards, envelopes i Crayons, markers, pens i Stickers, tape i Blank pages stapled together for children to write books i winning ways i Forms to fill out, magazine inserts, junk mail, grocery lists Understanding who preschoolers are and how they learn best helps you create an environment and curriculum that maximizes their learning. Your job as an early childhood professional is to help every preschooler suc- ceed, but are you setting them up to succeed, or are you expecting preschoolers to act in a way that fits your program? In some cases, pre- school teachers just focus on teaching, not learning. Sometimes programs do what they do because they always have, not because it’s necessarily good for children. Let’s face it: a few teachers just do what’s convenient for them. Really understanding preschoolers is not convenient or easy. It requires you to plan, work hard, be flexible, and meet all children where they are. Let’s set every preschooler up to succeed. Are you ready for the challenge? Read on.