Today’s message is shared by early childhood coach Eliana Elias, co-author with Olga Lacayo of The Art of Troublemaking | El arte de crear problema. How do you reinvent yourself as a professional? How do you purposefully stay open to new ideas and points of view? I believe that professional learning is a journey that should remain open to surprises and ‘detours.’ When embarking in this lifelong journey, be prepared to challenged, inspired and transformed. Reading professional books and articles, joining Professional Learning Communities, joining classes, podcasts or webinars, and reflect ..read more

    “In an era in which early childhood educators feel mounting pressures that may reduce their professional identities to readiness scores and standardized measures of ‘quality,’ Teacher Learning Stories center teachers as the experts of their practice and celebrate the work they do with and on behalf of children,” write Christie Angleton, Kathryn Whitmore and Pamela Jett, in the article at the heart of the Exchange Reflections “Celebrating Educators’ Expertise.” The authors note, “We think of Teacher Learning Stories as letters that come from a place of love and cel ..read more

"It's not written in stone. It's not punitive. It's not emotional. A boundary is an expectation and a promise to follow through regardless of what that is," shared Jerica Casper and Jules Watson, on Kristen RB Peterson’s The Play Based Learning Podcast. "That's honestly why we feel so passionate about boundaries being a way to alleviate anxiety in children because a lot of ‘behaviors' are stress responses from children. Most adults prefer knowing what to expect, and children are no different, so if a child is feeling stressed or anxious, and then you can tell them what to expect—even if ..read more

When you think about “playing with fire,” what comes up for you? Dr. Carla Gull, Dr. Suzanne Levenson Goldstein, and Dr. Tricia Rosengarten want to know. Gull writes, “My research colleagues and I are studying fire safety and fire as a loose part. We'd love for you to respond to [our] survey if you qualify, whether you use fire in your setting or not to help us understand this topic more fully. Thank you! Feel free to share!” You are invited to complete the survey if you: Work with children ages 2 to 8 years old Are at least 21 years old Live in the United States Spend t ..read more

Open yourself up to a world of refreshing ideas, strategies, and connections through these online and in-person events: Online Events   January 31, 2024 Association for Early Learning Leaders Wednesday Webinar: Becoming an Advocate in Your ECE Community January 31, 2024 World Forum Foundation Outcomes for Young Children from the COP28 Climate Summit in Dubai February 1, 2024 CAYL Portraits of Courage: Featuring Sherri Killins Stewart February 1, 2024 ACCESS Unpacking the NAEYC Professional Standards and Competencies Series February 7, 2024 Nature Explore Using Your Outdoor Classroo ..read more

“I think about what teachers deserve and what coaches must know and do and feel in order to become the indispensable critical friend that every educator longs to have, in order to learn and grow,” writes early childhood coach Eliana Elias, as co-author, with Olga Lacayo, of The Art of Troublemaking | El arte de crear problema. “And the more I think about this, the more lessons I find from my journey with Olga. In preparing for this journey, as in preparing for an expedition, we started with a strong desire to explore the unknown, to find better views, to experience new places. We started ..read more

“From a biological and a psychological standpoint, we’re almost never doing nothing,” according to Erik Dane, a Washington University associate professor of organizational behavior. He and other experts believe that simply slowing down enough to give your mind a chance to wander and reflect can be all the “nothingness” you need to feel less harried. Studies show mind-wandering enhances creativity and may significantly support problem-solving and learning. Dane and his colleagues found that, for professionals, “problem-oriented daydreaming,” related in some way to the challenges they ..read more

Last week I posted a story about embracing people with dementia. Many of you responded with heart-felt reflections, including how you’ve experienced dementia in loved ones (more on that in a later post). Your thoughtful feedback inspired me to step out as the current curator of ExchangeEveryDay. An occasional contributor over the decades, I began sharing the daily writing with Nancy Rosenow just over a year ago, before she (mostly!) retired last spring. Speaking professionally, each time you reach out to us, you help us live out our name. We thrive on an exchange  ..read more

An article for parents on the NAEYC website discusses misunderstandings some families have that flash cards will help their toddlers learn to read better: "Sam recently bought alphabet flash cards because he wants his 18-month-old daughter Abby to learn to read. But are flash cards and other learning toys that emphasize memorization a good way to prepare a toddler for reading?   "Parents see many advertisements promising that their child can become the next Einstein with the right combination of learning toys and DVDs. It’s easy for parents to get caught up in the hype that new ..read more

"All curriculum plans are tentative, and children modify them by their response. Like the universe, curriculum is always expanding," wrote Elizabeth ‘Betty’ Jones in her 1987 "Emergent Curriculum Framework" which remains both relevant and resonant today. Sources for emergent curriculum, according to Jones, include: Teachers' interests Children’s interests Things in the physical environment People in the social environment Curriculum resource materials Serendipity: unexpected events Living together: conflict resolution, caregiving and routines. Values held in the school and community, family ..read more