Whenever there’s tragedy in the news, like the recent shootings in Pittsburgh and California, I worry about how young children interpret (and misinterpret) what they hear -- not only from the news but also from the conversations of the adults around them. And I’m concerned that we get tangled in our own emotional reactions, and that makes the news even...
Read MoreIn early childhood we work hard to help families deal with the transition at the beginning of the day, but there’s another transition time that needs our help, too....
Read MoreI’ve heard elementary school teachers say that one of the most important qualities that children need to succeed in school is the willingness to take risks. They’re talking about “safe risks,” like the willingness to offer ideas in class discussions, ask questions, try new things, or tackle problems that seem challenging. No wonder that’s important! You probably know some children who...
Read MoreThe other day I heard a child singing “Row, row, row your boat,” and I couldn’t help thinking of the delightful version of that song that Fred wrote for King Friday –Propel, propel, propel your craft… gently down liquid solution. Ecstatically, ecstatically, ecstatically, ecstatically, existence is but an illusion! Fred loved introducing his viewers to “big” words. Yes, he did speak in...
Read MoreIt’s summertime, and that usually means more outdoor time. But I keep thinking about Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv, and I wonder if “outdoor time” today has come to mean “playground time” with swings, monkey bars and slides. I’ve been thinking about how much different that is from outdoor time with nature. In his book, Louv reminds us...
Read MoreEver since I started presenting workshops on Fred’s approach to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Math), I’ve kept my ears open for stories of children’s questions about the world around them -- and for the way their teachers respond. So I was especially delighted with what I heard when I was observing my scientist friend Elaine offer her...
Read MoreI heard a teacher offer a reassuring note -- and a math lesson -- when she told a three-year-old that it was time for her group to go to the bathroom. She said that she’d put the stuffed animal the child was holding “up high on the shelf so no one would get it.” The teacher told me no one would...
Read MoreI’ve always thought of the March newsletter as special because March 20 was Fred’s birthday. This year, because it’s the 50th anniversary of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood on PBS, the U.S. Post Office is making his birthday even more memorable by releasing a Commemorative Forever postage stamp featuring a portrait of Fred in his signature red sweater with his royal puppet,...
Read MoreYou’ll probably be hearing a lot about Fred Rogers this month – and this year. That’s because February 19 marks the 50th anniversary of the first national PBS broadcast of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. As part of the celebration, during the week of February 26 PBS is pairing episodes of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood (inspired by Fred Rogers’ legacy) with Mister Rogers’...
Read MoreA gazillion times! Is that how many times you’ve sung “Itsy, Bitsy Spider” and Wheels on the Bus”? I know it's not easy to keep finding the energy and enthusiasm to sing the same songs over and over again, but I hope you know what an important teaching tool they can be. Those simple traditional children’s songs are giving you a...
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