For Your Binder

We need to change the language of the early childhood narrative; we have drained education of it's ability to invoke wonder and passion and have left behind lifeless clichés such as:  investment... outcomes... returns... assessment... quality... #DAP #teaching #learning #DAP

I believe that by clarifying definitions we can show that children can be provided “opportunities to interact with technology” without having to plug anything in. #play #DAP #teaching #learning #technology #screens 

Another great article from when the preliminary Vanderbilt Study data was released (2015). The quote that caught everyone'e eye:  "It's like saying spinach is really good for you," Farran says, "but we can't afford spinach. But here, I've got this Easter grass. Maybe that will be just as good."  

Ouch. #DAP #play #learning #teaching #Vanderbilt #Tennessee

This articled appeared in The Medicine Hat News (Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada) when I was up there doing a presentation. More fuel for your #play fire!! #DAP #teaching #learning 

This was the first American Academy of Pediatrics article (well, that caught everyone's attention anyway) that mentioned the importance of play. 11 years later they released another statement but ramped up the language saying that play was crucial to a child's healthy development.  I often wonder if they sat around saying to each other, really? we gotta say this again?   #DAP #play #parenting #teaching #learning

Play and learning are deeply intertwined. Like yin and yang, play and learning are not only complementary, they are additive, the sum is always greater than their parts. #play #pushdown #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 

From the Atlantic Monthly, March, 1987

The way a child wants to play is often very different from the way their parents want them to, the child however, knows best! #play #DAP #learning #teaching

Play in a mixed age group is more creative than competitive.  #mixedages #play #learning #teaching #DAP

Are our elementary school memories influencing how we are doing early childhood even though (we know) many of those practices are not developmentally appropriate? #DAP #teaching #learning

The bad stuff has to go away for the good stuff to work.  #DAP #teaching #learning

Books are sometimes windows to new worlds; real, imagined or strange. Sometimes books are sliding glass doors we walk through so we can join that world in our imagination. Books can also be mirrors; reflections of our own lives and experiences. This classic article reminds readers of the importance of offering books that provide all three.  All of our children suffer when stories only mirror the dominant social group. This article might perhaps a much needed conversation about the contents of your book center! When I first read it I ended up launching myself down a very interesting rabbit hole and spent a fine afternoon reading articles that, albeit very dated, are probably still timely regarding the all white world of children's books. #reading #books #stories #teaching #learning #equity #inclusion #diversity #DAP #language #literacy