For Your Binder

Imaginative play has been identified as a vital component to a child's development. #play #DAP  #learning 

Developmental readiness for writing starts with large motor movement and play!  Not worksh*ts and pencils!  You can supplement your gross motor play with the following appropriate fine motor ones! #play #DAP #teaching #learning #movement #writing 

The art of making a space for the playfulness and messiness of teaching requires courage and letting go! #learning #teaching #creativity #art

This article was written by the lead researcher in what is simply referred to now as "The #Vanderbilt Study" - in it she reminds us that greater focus on academics for three and four year olds is not the solution. Her metaphor of an iceberg is a powerful visual; the tip of the iceberg are things we can see (read: measure) like ABCs and 123s, but what is below the surface?  What has actually made these other things visible? Curiosity, persistence, self-control... and when are those skills developed? When children #play !!!!!  #Tennessee #DAP #teaching #learning #environment #pushdown

It's hard for some to think that working with littles is just as complex as working with olders because historically we have implied that anyone can do it.  #teaching #learning #care #relationships

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) believes that recess is a crucial component of a child's development and should not be withheld for punitive or academic reasons.  Of note: this position statement was reaffirmed by the AAP in 2016. #recess #DAP #play #teaching #learning #outside #movement

Dr. Johnson has seen children diagnosed with AD/HD or learning disabilities “miraculously” improve when they are taken out of “academic” kindergartens or given an extra year in a developmental kindergarten that emphasizes movement, play, and the integration of their sensory-motor systems.  #DAP #play #teaching #learning #movement #reading #writing

The Play Cycle was initially identified in 1998 in what is oft simply referred to as The Colorado Paper. Since then, a new definition of the Play Cycle as been proposed by the authors of this study.  #playwork #play

Whether PRO or CON - what is the intention behind your choice? Originally penned in 2006 but revised before posting here on the new website, you will find this to be a handy resource when considering the age old debate of using food in the classroom!  #play #teaching 

Despite evidence that play and social interactions are crucial to cognitive development, schools continue to take recess away. #recess #teaching #learning #outside #movement #DAP #pushdown

Mixed-age groupings create a frame for deepening relationships for staff with children and their families.  #mixedages #DAP #teaching #learning

Tension without intention. #teaching #learning #play #technology #resilience #pushdown