For Your Binder

"This is not a child-care program. It's an educational program."  It's a dated article but I still roll my eyes at the comment.  #pushdown #DAP #teaching #learning 

We need to re-affirm our commitment to children's play.  Failing to act on these recommendations will allow this generation to become the most sedentary in our nation's history, consequently possibly having a shorter life expectancy than that of their parents. #play #pushdown #movement #recess #risk #outside 

Busy busy busy kids don't get the opportunity to wander outside the parental orbit to explore! Will we pay a price? #play #outside #pushdown #dirt #nature

Sooner is NOT better and who decided that "early birds" like worms anyway???

#play #pushdown #learning #teaching

Kindergarten now serves as a gatekeeper, not a welcome mat, to elementary school. #play #pushdown #teaching

This 2015 report provides preliminary findings from the longitudinal Vanderbilt Study, which started in 2009.  This study set out to identify whether or not children who participate in Tennessee PreK programs make greater gains than children who don't. #teaching #learning #DAP #pushdown 

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 

To put it bluntly, Guddemi says that lacking fine motor skills is not "fine" in Kindergarten! #teaching #learning #DAP #play #pushdown #reading #writing

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

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

New research shows that teaching kids more and more, at ever younger ages, may backfire! #play #teaching #learning #pushdown

In spite of the fact that the vital importance of play in young children’s development has been shown in study after study, many people (still) (unfortunately) believe that play is a waste of time in school. #play #DAP #pushdown #teaching #learning