Q: You want a bold, full-flavored bean to get the best drink. Fruity coffees, like many originating from Central America, often lose some flavor when mixed with the milk, and mild or light roast beans are not robust enough to provide the coffee taste you want. Aim for Sumatran, Java, or Brazilian beans, or dark-roasted beans with a big flavor. You can also use espresso beans, though you want to brew them like traditional coffee. In order to avoid weakly flavored coffee, which may occur when the milk is added, you want a strong pot of coffee to start with. While some people suggest using espresso, a cup of espresso and steamed milk is technically a latté, not a café au lait.   If you use a coffee maker, use twice as many ground beans or half as much water to get stronger coffee.  If you use a French press, or press pot, be sure to add an extra 2-3 spoonfuls of grounds, and let them steep in the hot water for at least 4 minutes. Scalding is just a culinary term for heating up the milk. You want to be careful not to foam the milk, just warm it up. Place it in a saucepan and heat it up slowly, on low heat, until it is just beginning to bubble and is hot to the touch. It should not be bubbling. You can also use the steaming wand found on an espresso machine, which will heat the milk up without the chance of burning it.  Use whole milk for the most authentic, rich café au lait taste you can get. While a traditional café au lait has no foam, all milk drinks should be slightly foamed, as air bubbles improve the taste. Take a whisk to the milk for 10-15 seconds before removing it from heat to get the best flavored drink. You want equal parts of milk and coffee, and you want to avoid stirring it up if possible to reduce any foaming. To make this easier, you might transfer the warm milk into a heat-safe measuring cup before pouring.  While the ratios do not have to be exact, a café au lait is supposed to be half milk, half coffee. Add more or less milk to get a weaker or stronger cup. If you are struggling to pour both simultaneously, then pour the milk first, then pour the coffee into the milk. If you want to emphasize the French aspect, you should serve the coffee in a small bowl, as the French do. For an Italian twist, serve it in a tall glass, usually with a handle (though most Italians use espresso instead of coffee). Feel free to add sugar to taste, as most French drinkers add 1-2 packets.
A: Choose the right coffee beans. Brew up an extra strength cup of coffee. Warm 1 cup of milk. Pour the hot milk and coffee into your cup simultaneously. Serve the café au lait immediately.

Q: Preschool lessons should be fun, engaging, and should involve a variety of senses and skills. In general, activities that involve rote memorization or repetition will be less interesting to preschoolers than similar activities. Spend lots of unstructured time on the playground. While these might not seem like "lessons" in the traditional sense of the word, researchers have found that free play shapes development of the prefrontal cortex during a critical period of early childhood, which has lifelong implications for emotional regulation, planning, and problem solving. Centers in the classroom should be designed to encourage imaginative, cooperative play. This can encourage role playing, turn taking, and cooperation with peers. This can increase students interpersonal skills and self-confidence.  Consider a center designed to mimic a playhouse, with a kitchen set, small toddler-sized table and chairs, baby dolls and bassinet, etc. Small, affordable toys from stores like Ikea or second hand shops can make this very affordable. Create a costume wardrobe. This can range from fancy costumes to simple silk scarves. You can often find costumes on sale right after Halloween, or simply bring creative clothing from a second hand store like overalls, a fancy princess dress, a cowboy hat, any type of uniform, etc. Plush stuffed animal toys are often the beginning of many creative games for preschoolers. Children can use their imagination to pretend that these are students in a classroom, pets in a home, animals in a rescue center or veterinary clinic, etc. Choose toys that you can easily wash every few months in a washing machine. This can often be difficult in large classes, but find a way to spend time with each child either daily or weekly, engaging in a small game or one-on-one reading time. Studies show that adult interaction is crucial for developing confidence and early literacy skills. It also reinforces the student-teacher bond which makes a child feel safer and more secure in school. In addition to one-on-one time, consider inviting parent volunteers to read to children once a week in small groups. The number of volunteers you get can determine the size of the groups; anything from one-on-one to groups of five students per adult will foster relationships and discussion that are key to early literacy.
A:
Remember that the most developmentally appropriate way for small children to learn is through play. Build a classroom around the idea of play. Build in adult interaction.