Are you a busy preschool teacher who loves gaining new ideas, perspectives and inspiration for your classroom? The Lovely Preschool Teachers Podcast is here to help you up your confidence in educating early learners in a quick, actionable way!
As an early educator who is still in the classroom, Ashley Rives will share the ins and outs of how she runs her classroom in a play-based, child-centered way. Each week, expect a new episode focused on actionable strategies to level up your abilities and confidence as a preschool teacher.
Ashley Rives is an early educator with over 17 years of experience and a strong passion to help teachers implement child-centered learning in preschool classrooms all over the world. You can follow her on Instagram @lovelycommotion or learn more at the Lovely Commotion Preschool Resources website: www.lovelycommotion.com.
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Are you a busy preschool teacher who loves gaining new ideas, perspectives, and inspiration for your classroom? The Lovely Preschool Teachers Podcast is here to help you up your confidence in educating early learners in a quick, actionable way!
As an early educator who is still in the classroom, Ashley Rives will share the ins and outs of how she runs her classroom in a play-based, child-centered way. Each week, expect a new episode focused on actionable strategies to level up your abilities and confidence as a preschool teacher.
Ashley Rives is an early educator with over 17 years of experience and a strong passion to help teachers implement child-centered learning in preschool classrooms all over the world. You can follow her on Instagram @lovelycommotion or learn more at the Lovely Commotion Preschool Resources website: www.lovelycommotion.com
The Difference Between Telling and Teaching
Episode 155
Wednesday, September 2, 2026 • Duration 19:07
There is a big difference between telling children what to do and teaching them how to do it.
In preschool, we give directions all day:
“Clean up,”
“Wash your hands,”
“Choose a center,”
And when children don’t follow those directions, it’s easy to think, “But I already told you!”
The truth is, telling communicates an expectation.
Teaching gives children the skills to meet it.
In this episode, we are talking about the difference between telling and teaching.
Plus, check out the new Center Expectation Visuals resource linked below!
Topics Discussed:
Why simple directions aren't always simple for preschoolers
How classroom routines and behaviors need to be explicitly taught
The question to ask when you find yourself constantly correcting
Why teaching, reteaching, and practicing are necessary for independence
How investing time in teaching routines now can reduce repeated corrections later
Why Preschoolers Don't Learn Expectations By Hearing Them Once
Episode 153
Wednesday, August 5, 2026 • Duration 20:14
One of the biggest classroom management mistakes isn't having expectations. It's assuming children learned them because we explained them once.
In this episode, we're talking about the difference between telling and teaching. Preschoolers don't automatically know how to line up, clean up, walk in the hallway, or participate during circle time. These are skills that must be intentionally taught through modeling, practice, coaching, and repetition.
If you find yourself repeating the same directions all day, it may not be a listening problem. It may be a teaching opportunity.
Topics Discussed:
Why explaining a classroom expectation isn't the same as teaching it
The preschool mindset that changes how you approach behavior
Why reminders alone don't help children master new skills
How intentional instruction can reduce repeated corrections and build independence
It's one of the questions I hear most often from preschool teachers. The answer may surprise you:
I don't rely on one classroom management system.
I rely on a framework:
Build It. Teach It. Reinforce It.
In this episode, we're breaking down why so many classroom management strategies fall apart and what teachers can do instead to create systems that actually work.
Topics Discussed:
How to create an environment that answers children's questions before they need to ask
Why we can't expect children to know how to "do school" without intentionally teaching skills
How successful classroom management happens through repetition and support
Why teachers feel stuck when it comes to classroom management
I Open Centers on Day One - But I Don't Expect Independence
Episode 151
Wednesday, July 8, 2026 • Duration 13:59
One of the questions I'm asked most often is, "When do you introduce centers?" Many teachers are surprised by my answer: I open centers on Day One.
But there's an important difference.
I don't expect children to be independent on Day One.
In this episode, we're talking about the biggest mistakes teachers make when introducing centers, why preschoolers struggle during those first few weeks, and how you can teach center routines in a way that builds confidence instead of chaos.
Topics Discussed:
Why keeping centers closed can actually slow down learning
Why expecting independence too soon leads to frustration
The skills children need before they can successfully work in centers
How to teach routines while children are actively playing
Why repetition and practice create lasting independence
The Preschool Classroom Mistakes That Create Chaos Later
Episode 149
Friday, June 12, 2026 • Duration 23:34
The teachers running the smoothest classrooms aren't usually the ones with the cutest classrooms. They're the ones who spent the first few weeks intentionally teaching children how the classroom works.
In this episode, we dive into five common mistakes teachers make at the beginning of the year that often lead to behavior challenges, difficult transitions, dependence on adults, and classroom chaos later on.
Plus, what to focus on instead to build a classroom that runs smoothly all year long.
Topics Discussed:
Why teaching routines matters more than teaching academics during the first weeks of school
The difference between telling children what to do and actually teaching a skill
Why opening every center and material right away can create unnecessary chaos
How independence develops through intentional instruction and practice
Why many behavior challenges are actually teaching opportunities
5 Ways Teachers Are Using Visual Schedules Wrong (And What to Do Instead)
Episode 148
Wednesday, May 27, 2026 • Duration 17:15
You spent the time laminating the cards.
You hung the visual schedule perfectly on the wall.
But then?
The kids barely looked at it.
In this episode, let's talk about the five biggest mistakes teachers make with visual schedules and explain how to turn your schedule from a classroom decoration into one of the most powerful tools in your day.
The truth is, visual schedules do not work automatically. They have to be taught, referenced, updated, and used consistently if we want children to feel safe and confident using them.
Are you a busy preschool teacher who loves gaining new ideas, perspectives, and inspiration for your classroom? The Lovely Preschool Teachers Podcast is here to help you up your confidence in educating early learners in a quick, actionable way!
What to Send Home This Summer (That Kids Will Actually Use)
Episode 147
Wednesday, May 13, 2026 • Duration 14:17
The summer slide is real. But turning summer into “homework season” is not the answer.
In this episode, we’re talking about a better way to support preschool learning at home through simple, play-based activities families will actually use. If you’ve ever sent home workbook packets only to wonder if they ever left the backpack, this conversation is for you...
Because preschoolers learn best through play, connection, conversation, and hands-on experiences, not pages of busywork.
Topics Discussed:
Why traditional take-home packets don't work for preschoolers
What young children actually need to keep skills fresh over break
How play-based family activities build math, literacy, and fine motor skills
Are you a busy preschool teacher who loves gaining new ideas, perspectives, and inspiration for your classroom? The Lovely Preschool Teachers Podcast is here to help you up your confidence in educating early learners in a quick, actionable way!
As an early educator who is still in the classroom, Ashley Rives will share the ins and outs of how she runs her classroom in a play-based, child-centered way. Each week, expect a new episode focused on actionable strategies to level up your abilities and confidence as a preschool teacher.
How to Make Assessments Feel Less Overwhelming (Without Skipping Them)
Episode 146
Wednesday, April 29, 2026 • Duration 14:38
If assessment season makes you want to shut your laptop and disappear for a while… you’re not alone. In this episode, let me break down why traditional assessment methods feel so exhausting! But more importantly, let me give you a better way to do it.
You’ll learn a simpler, more effective approach that saves time, reduces stress for your students, and gives you data you can actually use to guide your teaching.
Topics Discussed:
Why assessing everything at the beginning of the year doesn’t work
What to assess at the beginning, middle, and end of the year
The “Storybook Method” for structuring assessment periods
Why re-assessment is the missing piece most teachers skip
How to use assessment data to actually guide instruction
Are you a busy preschool teacher who loves gaining new ideas, perspectives, and inspiration for your classroom? The Lovely Preschool Teachers Podcast is here to help you up your confidence in educating early learners in a quick, actionable way!
As an early educator who is still in the classroom, Ashley Rives will share the ins and outs of how she runs her classroom in a play-based, child-centered way. Each week, expect a new episode focused on actionable strategies to level up your abilities and confidence as a preschool teacher.
Ashley Rives is an early educator with over 17 years of experience and a strong passion to help teachers implement child-centered learning in preschool classrooms all over the world. You can follow her on Instagram @lovelycommotion or learn more at the Lovely Commotion Preschool Resources website:
Are you a busy preschool teacher who loves gaining new ideas, perspectives, and inspiration for your classroom? The Lovely Preschool Teachers Podcast is here to help you up your confidence in educating early learners in a quick, actionable way!
As an early educator who is still in the classroom, Ashley Rives will share the ins and outs of how she runs her classroom in a play-based, child-centered way. Each week, expect a new episode focused on actionable strategies to level up your abilities and confidence as a preschool teacher.
Ashley Rives is an early educator with over 17 years of experience and a strong passion to help teachers implement child-centered learning in preschool classrooms all over the world. You can follow her on Instagram @lovelycommotion or learn more at the Lovely Commotion Preschool Resources website: www.lovelycommotion.com
Are you a busy preschool teacher who loves gaining new ideas, perspectives, and inspiration for your classroom? The Lovely Preschool Teachers Podcast is here to help you up your confidence in educating early learners in a quick, actionable way!
As an early educator who is still in the classroom, Ashley Rives will share the ins and outs of how she runs her classroom in a play-based, child-centered way. Each week, expect a new episode focused on actionable strategies to level up your abilities and confidence as a preschool teacher.
Ashley Rives is an early educator with over 17 years of experience and a strong passion to help teachers implement child-centered learning in preschool classrooms all over the world. You can follow her on Instagram @lovelycommotion or learn more at the Lovely Commotion Preschool Resources website: www.lovelycommotion.com
More About the Lovely Preschool Teachers Podcast
Are you a busy preschool teacher who loves gaining new ideas, perspectives, and inspiration for your classroom? The Lovely Preschool Teachers Podcast is here to help you up your confidence in educating early learners in a quick, actionable way!
As an early educator who is still in the classroom, Ashley Rives will share the ins and outs of how she runs her classroom in a play-based, child-centered way. Each week, expect a new episode focused on actionable strategies to level up your abilities and confidence as a preschool teacher.
Ashley Rives is an early educator with over 17 years of experience and a strong passion to help teachers implement child-centered learning in preschool classrooms all over the world. You can follow her on Instagram @lovelycommotion or learn more at the Lovely Commotion Preschool Resources website: www.lovelycommotion.com
Are you a busy preschool teacher who loves gaining new ideas, perspectives, and inspiration for your classroom? The Lovely Preschool Teachers Podcast is here to help you up your confidence in educating early learners in a quick, actionable way!
As an early educator who is still in the classroom, Ashley Rives will share the ins and outs of how she runs her classroom in a play-based, child-centered way. Each week, expect a new episode focused on actionable strategies to level up your abilities and confidence as a preschool teacher.
Ashley Rives is an early educator with over 17 years of experience and a strong passion to help teachers implement child-centered learning in preschool classrooms all over the world. You can follow her on Instagram @lovelycommotion or learn more at the Lovely Commotion Preschool Resources website: www.lovelycommotion.com
Are you a busy preschool teacher who loves gaining new ideas, perspectives, and inspiration for your classroom? The Lovely Preschool Teachers Podcast is here to help you up your confidence in educating early learners in a quick, actionable way!
As an early educator who is still in the classroom, Ashley Rives will share the ins and outs of how she runs her classroom in a play-based, child-centered way. Each week, expect a new episode focused on actionable strategies to level up your abilities and confidence as a preschool teacher.
Ashley Rives is an early educator with over 17 years of experience and a strong passion to help teachers implement child-centered learning in preschool classrooms all over the world. You can follow her on Instagram @lovelycommotion or learn more at the Lovely Commotion Preschool Resources website: www.lovelycommotion.com
Are you a busy preschool teacher who loves gaining new ideas, perspectives, and inspiration for your classroom? The Lovely Preschool Teachers Podcast is here to help you up your confidence in educating early learners in a quick, actionable way!
As an early educator who is still in the classroom, Ashley Rives will share the ins and outs of how she runs her classroom in a play-based, child-centered way. Each week, expect a new episode focused on actionable strategies to level up your abilities and confidence as a preschool teacher.
Ashley Rives is an early educator with over 17 years of experience and a strong passion to help teachers implement child-centered learning in preschool classrooms all over the world. You can follow her on Instagram @lovelycommotion or learn more at the Lovely Commotion Preschool Resources website: www.lovelycommotion.com
As an early educator who is still in the classroom, Ashley Rives will share the ins and outs of how she runs her classroom in a play-based, child-centered way. Each week, expect a new episode focused on actionable strategies to level up your abilities and confidence as a preschool teacher.
Ashley Rives is an early educator with over 17 years of experience and a strong passion to help teachers implement child-centered learning in preschool classrooms all over the world. You can follow her on Instagram @lovelycommotion or learn more at the Lovely Commotion Preschool Resources website: www.lovelycommotion.com
Ashley Rives is an early educator with over 17 years of experience and a strong passion to help teachers implement child-centered learning in preschool classrooms all over the world. You can follow her on Instagram @lovelycommotion or learn more at the Lovely Commotion Preschool Resources website: www.lovelycommotion.com
