Shorecrest Preparatory School Blog

Betty Gootson

Betty Gootson is Head of the Experiential School of Tampa Bay at Shorecrest Preparatory School. Betty has over 40 years of experience in Early Childhood Education with a BS from Wheelock College, a leading institution in the field of Early Childhood Education, and a M.Ed. from USF. Having had her initial teaching experiences in the Pinellas County public schools, Betty sought the best education for her own children and brought them to Shorecrest. In 1985, she joined the faculty full time to teach first grade and then kindergarten. In 1994, Betty became the Head of the Shorecrest Early Childhood program. Since then she has concentrated on developing our Experiential School program for 3-5 year olds, helping to guide children, teachers and parents. Betty is thrilled that her grandchildren, following in their father’s footsteps, are now Shorecrest students.
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Recent Posts

A Holiday Guide for Preschoolers - Give Games

Posted by Betty Gootson on Dec 9, 2016 2:00:00 PM

Board games such as Candyland, Chutes and Ladders, Trouble and Connect Four, and card games such as Go Fish and War, teach children to take turns, patience, perseverance, focus and sportsmanship. It is important to learn both to win with grace and to lose with equanimity. Focusing on the moves and plays of others helps children increase their attention span as well as to develop memory and learn to strategize. We play board and other games at school to teach these life skills as well as to reinforce concepts and skills.

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Topics: Preschool

Best Gifts for Preschool-aged Children

Posted by Betty Gootson on Dec 7, 2016 8:00:00 AM

Black Friday ads were full of items mostly related to movies, television, and the like. Many of these toys are long on commercial appeal but fall woefully short on promoting the development of imagination, creativity, problem solving, critical thinking and motor skills!

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Topics: Parenting, Preschool, Holidays

Avoiding Holiday Mania with Preschool Kids

Posted by Betty Gootson on Nov 30, 2016 8:00:00 AM

Preschool children (and children of all ages!) look forward to their favorite holidays, and this season is particularly exciting for most of them. But beware!

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Topics: Parenting, Preschool, Holidays

Learning about Compassion in the Preschool Classroom

Posted by Betty Gootson on Nov 16, 2016 8:00:00 AM

As we think about how much we have to be thankful for and how lucky we are, one can also reflect back to our core values - compassion, in particular. A large part of being compassionate relates to empathy. Though some people are innately empathetic and caring towards others, for many children it is something that needs to be taught and learned. Since young children are egocentric, we must help them become aware of the feelings and needs of others. It is important for them to learn to do good for the sake of helping others, rather than for any reward other than the good feeling they get as a result. They may not even be aware of that intrinsically good feeling unless we talk about it or point it out.

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Topics: Preschool, Core Values

Learning About Integrity in the Preschool Classroom

Posted by Betty Gootson on Nov 9, 2016 8:00:00 AM

When addressing each of our Core Values with our youngest students, it seemed most appropriate to save integrity for last. Certainly not because it was the least important, but because it is all encompassing. A person with integrity knows the difference between right and wrong and chooses to do the right thing, even when it is a hard choice and/or no one is looking. A person with integrity is honest, trustworthy and has strong moral principles. People with integrity are the ones we want our children to look up to, emulate and become.

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Topics: Preschool, Core Values