For Your Binder

Literary fairy tales (meaning: written down, as opposed to a spoken story that was shared via oral traditions) were not at first called fairy tales and it was not until the 1690s, in France (of course) that the fairy tale established itself as a "legitimate" genre. #fairytales #stories #reading #books

Here's the backstory: The author, John Taylor, is a retired superintendent of schools in Lancaster, S.C., he offered this history about the essay he wrote while leading that district:  

The parody was originally titled "Absolutely the Best Dentists."  It was written and sent to every newspaper and legislator in South Carolina a number of years ago in an attempt to point out the absurdities inherent in South Carolina's then new accountability act which was focused on absolute performance and threatened retention for every child who couldn't meet very challenging grade level standards. (Not to mention severe penalties for "poorly performing" schools, teachers and administrators.) Since then it has traveled widely to the point that I have not been able to keep up with the uses; but I know it has appeared in teacher association publications in at least three Canadian Provinces and in Australia, as well as dozens in the USA. The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) seems to have given the story a new life.  Thus: No Dentist Left Behind.

#pushdown #DAP #play #teaching #learning

The history of the playground is a story of control.  Read more about it in this article and BONUS! There is an embedded link to their podcast episode (40 min) of the same title!  #play #panopticon #playgrounds #outside 

First off, regardless of your position on screen based tech please shelve it for this read as, seriously, the article is from 1996 and I am quite sure anyone currently involved in designing interactive media would laugh at how dated and old the language is ("the popular analogy of an office desktop to help a user understand the operation of a microcomputer")  

Also, I reread it a couple times before posting and I really think we can take the message, which might initially seem specific to gaming/interactive media, lift it up and take from it a reminder of the value and importance of play, discovery, intrinsic motivation & self-regulation.  #play #teaching #learning #technology #screens

This was one of the articles that emerged after the 2015 release of the preliminary results of the (now) oft quoted Vanderbilt Study. #teaching #learning #play #DAP #Tennessee #Vanderbilt

This is a fantastic resource for parents and teachers alike. This must-read includes recommendations about screen based tech in early childhood settings as well as a list of suggested readings. #DAP #play #screens #technology #teaching #learning #parenting

Children's later school success appears to have been enhanced by more active, child-initiated early learning experiences.  This link will let you access the full article; and it's a good one!  #play #DAP #teaching #learning #pushdown

It's only the abstract to the study, but the message is still clear: fewer toys leads to increased focus and more creative play. #play #toys #teaching #learning #environment

How many songs do you know??? Memorize them memorize them memorize them!  Need assistance?  Search Lisa's YouTube to watch the ones you need and want to learn!  #songs #singing #music #handouts

Want to watch the whole workshop?  Got a DVD player? Lisa has DVDs of all her workshops! #oldschool  

Here is the full text of the essay Tolkein presented (in an abbreviated form) in 1938 at St. Andrews, Scotland.  A couple of my favorite quotes: "If fairy story as a kind is worth reading at all it is worthy to be written for and ready by adults."  And, "It may be better for them (children) to read some things, especially fairy stories, that are beyond their measure rather than short of it. Their books like their clothes should allow for growth, and their books at any rate should encourage it." #books #stories #fairytales #reading 

Child development researchers are asking whether the COVID pandemic is shaping brains and behavior. #teaching #learning 

Metaphors allow the child to protect the self and project the experience onto another object which is much less threatening. #play #playtherapy #fairytales