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    • Teaching Preschool Partners believes in co-creation with our partners, and that our partners are a wellspring of inspiration and wisdom. We do not subscribe to conventional ideas of the “expert.” Learn more about how we work!

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    • This resource library was created with educators in mind. It includes tools and stories from TPP collaborating classrooms and Opal School. We hope you’ll explore these resources to find inspiration, get curious, and imagine next steps for your work with children. This is for you.

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  • About Us
    • Teaching Preschool Partners believes in co-creation with our partners, and that our partners are a wellspring of inspiration and wisdom. We do not subscribe to conventional ideas of the “expert.” Learn more about how we work!

      • Our Team
      • Our Approach
      • Our Board of Directors
      • Connect
      • Contact Us
      • Follow us on Social Media
      • Join our Email List
  • Programs & Partners
    • We cherish our partnerships and acknowledge the boldness of what our partners are doing. They are creating worlds for children that build on their capabilities and gifts, and upholding a vision of a transformed public education system. Get to know our partners and arrange for a visit!

      • Events
      • 2026 Summer Early Learning Conference
      • 2026 Virtual Professional Learning
      • Past Conferences
      • Teaching Preschools
      • Parkrose School District
      • Gladstone School District
      • Public School District Partners
      • Beaverton School District
      • Greater Albany Public School District
      • North Clackamas School District
      • Portland Public Schools
      • Regional Partnerships
      • Southern Oregon Cohort
      • North Coast Community Page
      • Active Playful Learning
      • About the Project
      • See Our Press Release
  • Classroom Resources
    • This resource library was created with educators in mind. It includes tools and stories from TPP collaborating classrooms and Opal School. We hope you’ll explore these resources to find inspiration, get curious, and imagine next steps for your work with children. This is for you.

      • Resource Library
      • All Resources
      • Documenting Learning
      • Opal SchoolNew
      • About Opal School
      • Opal School Online Archive
      • Collections
      • New to Playful Inquiry?
      • Environments and Materials
      • Tools and Publications
      • See All
      • Store
      • Invitation to Explore
      • TPP Field Guide
      • Family Explore
      • Opal Publications
      • Habits of Mind Posters
  • Donate

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Come see what we are up to! From inspirations for practice to insights into how we work.

teachingpreschoolpartners

We help districts grow strong early learning, create demonstration teaching preschools, and give visibility to genius of children. PreK to Elementary.


Spring is such a busy time of year in the life of
Spring is such a busy time of year in the life of all living things! TPP has been busy too! While Soobin Oh was down visiting our Southern Oregon Cohort in Klamath Falls, Christyn Dundorf and Erin Moulton were offering literacy based sessions at the NWTLL Early Learning Conference in Portland, where Nell Duke was the keynote speaker.  We were of course entralled by the direct and engaging Nell Duke and her passion for growing readers through the active view of reading. 
A favorite quote from her was, "Focus on expressive language. Give children voice." She went on to talk about how children's expressive language and translanguaging, along with their gestures and non verbal communication give us windows into children's thinking. Those non verbal ways of communication (via using materials and their bodies) show us what children know, they reveal their habits of mind and help us know what we need to do next to support the child. We at TPP couldn't agree more. When children encounter literacy in playful and meaningful explorations, they are more likely to connect to formal reading and writing instruction in elementary school. Our sessions felt like natural extentions of Nell's message and offered participants a chance to experience real life practices from school communities around Portland. Chistyn higlighted this through a session on Story Workshop. Erin and Angela Powelson from NCSD highlighted a co-created curriculum alongside Kindergarten teachers that revealed how intentional scaffolding, social interaction, and hands-on inquiry build language development and agency—showing how purposeful play and Story Workshop elevates engagement, equity, and joy in early literacy instruction. 

#nellduke #nwtll


The Studio offers children a space to slow down, l
The Studio offers children a space to slow down, look closely, and connect with the natural world and the changing seasons. Working with natural materials invites creativity, curiosity, and scientific thinking, drawing children's attention to the colors, textures, lines, and shapes that surround them every day. When children are given the time and materials to tinker and collaborate, their emerging ideas and connections become visible in ways that tell us about how they are growing as learners. 

#ChildCentered #EarlyChildhoodEducation #PlayfulLearning #arteducation


We’re happy to share more information about our up
We’re happy to share more information about our upcoming Conference.
Here are some of our Story From the Field keynote speakers!

How does agency shape a caring classroom community?
Mali (preschool) and Morgan (kindergarten) share stories from their classrooms: moving beyond rules into shared agreements, inquiry, and relationship-centered practice. Through Story Workshop and open-ended materials, they explore how children’s voices shape curriculum and community.

Registration is now open on our website. Early bird available!
More info at the link in our bio.

We hope to see you on June 23rd!

 #ChildCentered #EarlyLearningConference #TeacherCollaboration #ProfessionalLearning #OregonEducation #EarlyChildhoodEducation


The third goal of Anti-Bias Education is Justice.

The third goal of Anti-Bias Education is Justice.

Children notice when something is unfair: who gets included, who gets to decide, whose voice is heard, and whose is not. These moments are key to learning. When we stay with children’s questions and experiences, we support them in recognizing unfairness, naming it, and understanding that it causes harm.

Simple invitations can open space for this thinking:
What happened?
Was that fair?
How did it feel?
What could be different?

Justice in early childhood is not about giving all the answers, it’s about nurturing children’s ability to notice, to question, and to care.

This post is part of our series exploring the four goals of Anti-Bias Education.

#antibiaseducation #invitations


Last week while in Beaverton School District worki
Last week while in Beaverton School District working with a cohort of K-5 educators, one teacher shared how important the cohort has been for her this year. While listening to her reflection it made us connect to our recent interview with John Nimmo. We sought John out knowing he might have some wise words for educators working with young children in today's world. We were excited to see that Exchange Every Day Press also found his words inspiring. Thank you @exchangepress for elevating John's message! You can read more of our interview with John Nimmo at the link in our bio.  #antibiasleadersece #ExchangeEveryDay #beavertonschooldistrict


There are moments when a program pauses and asks:
There are moments when a program pauses and asks: What do we want this to be?
At Rosebud, an intergenerational program, that question led to a full reimagining: grounded in relationships, community, and a deep belief that learning happens through connection.

What emerged is something more than a classroom. Children move through spaces where elders watch, join, create, and share stories. Where kindness is practiced daily and belonging is felt, not taught.
During our collaboration gathering, educators spoke about going from surviving to thriving, about finding alignment through shared values, and about building a culture where everyone (children, teachers, residents) has a place.

Thank you Rosebud team for hosting us!
#TeacherCollaboration #ProfessionalLearning #TeacherCommunity


What happens when feelings and expression are welc
What happens when feelings and expression are welcomed? According to this 2nd grader, it is ok to have big feelings. How do you make space for children to express their big feelings in your settings? Madeline Elmer will be one of our speakers at our conference.  If you want to hear more from Madeline about cultivating empathy, sign up for our conference--link in our bio! 

 #OregonEducation #OregonEducators #EarlyChildhoodEducation #EarlyLearning #EarlyLearningConference #ChildCentered


We Believe in Teacher Voice:
We honor teachers as

We Believe in Teacher Voice:
We honor teachers as professionals, creating space for shared inquiry, collaboration, and collective action.



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