Sharjah/ Canada

This article came out of Sharjah News, one of the United Arab Emerits where my daughter goes to school. It was originally printed in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. I'm always interested in far away places, and think we need to see what's going on out there. So this is what they thought was interesting to print:

Frustrated Kindergarten and Preschool Teachers
Receive Help with Curriculum-Based Lesson Plans

Kindergarten and preschool teachers have high curriculum expectations, so they are enthusiastically turning to a comprehensive set of lesson plans called "Early Learning Solutions." The program was created by a longtime educator who understands the challenges teachers face.

Teachers of preschoolers and kindergarten children are often frustrated by the lack of quality curriculum materials and lesson plans. Dedicated teachers recognize the importance of quality lesson plans and a curriculum designed to give children a solid foundation for learning. That is why one experienced educator created "Early Learning Solutions," in order to help other teachers obtain the best possible lesson plans to provide young children with a foundation for a lifetime of learning.

Devoted educators respond with enthusiasm when they discover the solutions created by Elaine Engerdahl, who taught for 24 years with a specialty in reading instruction. She understands the challenges teachers face in finding readily available resources to meet time and budget constraints. This understanding has evolved into a program called "Early Learning Solutions."

The program's major focus is on developing early reading skills but integrates other core subject areas. This broad spectrum ensures many of the curriculum expectations will be met, and is offered to teachers who visit her web site .

"I know the challenges kindergarten and preschool teachers face in finding readily available resources to meet increased curriculum expectations and needs. My goal in creating the program was to make it effective and fun for the learners, but also easy and quick to use and cost effective for the teachers," said Engerdahl.

The highlight of the "Early Learning Solutions" program are books called Emergent Readers. These books are theme and interactive based. They have been specifically designed for instructional purposes. The focus on phonemic awareness, alliteration, rhyme, simple and repetitive text makes them perfect for introducing beginning reading skills, which is becoming a standard expectation for teachers working with younger children.

Suggestions for instruction in other areas such as math, science and social studies are also highlighted. The program offers a collection of learning opportunities which help meet curriculum expectations and excite the learner.

Engerdahl offers help and free lesson plans to teachers who subscribe to her free newsletter "More Lesson Plan Ideas" at her web site. Contact: Elaine Engerdahl 780-463-5737