“What is the big deal about blocks?” Melitsa Aliva asked me this question earlier this week. We were recording a podcast for her show, Raising Playful Tots , based in the UK. Blocks have been a longtime favorite of mine, and I have been advocating even more for block play as the pushy digital world [...]
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Did you see this headline earlier this week in the New York Times?!? Recess is Making a Comeback in Schools Recess, which has been squeezed out of so many school days, is starting to gain traction once again. Recess has become part of Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign, and national organizations such as [...] Drawing hearts is important work for many young children. Hearts aren’t too easy to draw, either. It takes practice to draw a passable, if not perfect heart, but the motivation is often high. I have watched the scenario unfold time and again in the early childhood classroom. One child (often a girl with an [...] The other day my family and I were lucky enough to spend time swimming in a lovely pond. Our friends have a small kayak that was the perfect size for my seven year old sons to try out. It was magnificent – watching as they each took a turn paddling about the pond. After just [...]
My head is still spinning. On Sunday evening I returned from Washington, DC and the Save Our Schools Rally. More than just a rally, it was four days of connecting with other educators, parents, students and activists who are ready to take a giant step towards reclaiming the [...] I am going to Washington DC today to attend the Save Our Schools Conference, Rally, March and Call to Action. I am going because I am tired of politicians, businessmen and billionaires making harmful decisions about our schools and our children; because high-stakes testing is not the answer to making better schools; and one [...] True confessions: I am a play advocate. I LOVE to play, and even I sometimes need a little reminder to stop working, turn off the computer, and have some fun. Having two rambunctious seven-year-old boys often helps. When they think it’s time, they will come up to me, and wave their fingers in a hypnotic [...] I am always a fan of “unplugged” play, so on Sunday when I saw that a local historical site was offering a free event for children – featuring games and toys from the Revolutionary War era, I packed up my boys and a couple of their cousins to check it out. It was a [...] “We are doing earlier and earlier to children what we shouldn’t do later.” These words of wisdom were offered by Lilian Katz – in reference to the current trend of aligning curriculum and programs in an effort to prepare children for the next step in their education. I had to applaud. In that one sentence, [...] Wow! There is busy . . . and then there is BUSY! This has been a BUSY few weeks. Wonderful, though. Beginning with the powerful Rally to Save Public Education in Cambridge, MA (see previous post); continuing with a wonderful visit to my former school, Mission Hill School in Roxbury, MA; then a quick [...] |
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