Aug 29, 2023
In looking through his photo archives, Tom has noticed how much time children spend on the floor. Should we think about the floor as a place to play? Joey points out that some materials are just easier to use on the floor--they'll wind up there anyway. Mike reminds us how much easier it is for children to anchor...
Aug 22, 2023
When all the blocks are locked up behind the dragon's wall, do you make him share? Ross has been thinking about how adults can help children want to share. Tom thinks that we are not careful enough in how we use the term "sharing." Mike reminds us of Fred Rogers' wisdom: "There's a world of difference between insisting...
Aug 15, 2023
Mike's original reference to attunement. When teachers are skilled at attunement, children feel understood, seen, and heard. Ross points out that it takes time and effort to be in tune. Tom and Joey share experiences where teachers have been "out of tune" with children. Mike posits that noticing disharmony is one of...
Aug 8, 2023
Joey wants to talk about how the artificial constraints of environments and schedules restrict children's ability to meet their needs in any given moment. Tom describes a special type of "flow" that occurs when we give children time in spaces that support a wide range of interests, energy levels, and physical needs....
Aug 1, 2023
Mike wants to talk about how standards for quality often lead us to put more emphasis on the equipment in the classroom rather than the experiences of children. How important are those magna tiles and counting bears?