Not Just Cute
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Not Just Cute is a preschool blog which focuses on intentional whole child development. Authored by Amanda Morgan, a graduate of Utah State University who holds a BA in both elementary and early childhood education and an MS in human development. She is a mom, an educator, a consultant, a writer, and a chocolate fiend. We support parents and teachers in the most important work on the planet!
Not Just Cute
3w ago
March is Women’s History Month. It also happens to be the month I received the book, Equity for Women in Science, coauthored by one of my personal favorite women in science, my cousin, Dr. Cassidy Sugimoto. Inspired by some of the vignettes in the book, I thought I’d close out the month by sharing some ..read more
Not Just Cute
2M ago
Every Tuesday and Thursday in February, I’m sharing a new podcast episode on the topic of Why We Play. It’s quite possible I’ve chosen one of the busiest months on our family calendar to launch this podcast series (as my husband recently reminded me ?), but I just couldn’t wait any longer! Similar to the ..read more
Not Just Cute
3M ago
When a working paper with the title, “Why are Preschool Programs Becoming Less Effective?” found its way into my inbox last month, you better believe I printed out a hard copy and sat down with my highlighter in hand, entranced like it was the latest best-selling novel. I had to pause to take my son ..read more
Not Just Cute
10M ago
The following is a written version of the presentation made at The Work of Fred Rogers: A Conference on His Context and His Legacy, held June 16-17, 2023 at The Fred Rogers Institute. By way of quick introduction, my name is Amanda Morgan, and I write, speak, podcast, and provide professional development for early childhood educators from ..read more
Not Just Cute
1y ago
I’m passionate about intentional, whole child development. And I love to nerd out. Tell me you have some science about how children learn and grow and I am all in for a deep dive. So, when I dove into the Science of Reading, I thought there were a few things that could be clarified, especially ..read more
Not Just Cute
2y ago
Fred Rogers grew up in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. The majority of the magic he created and sprinkled into our collective childhood was filmed not too far away in Pittsburgh. I often think of the millions of children Fred served – and truly, authentically loved – through television screens. Where are they now? What have they become ..read more
Not Just Cute
2y ago
I had just given a presentation in Florida. Part of my task was to help community members and stakeholders see not only the need for investing in early education, but specifically for investments in high-quality early education. It seemed logical to draw from the research out of Tennessee showing that without key quality components, the ..read more
Not Just Cute
3y ago
I’ve been busy behind the pages of this blog. Between conferences and workshops and the planning meetings that accompany those trainings, a common topic emerged, something I’ve been mulling over a bit. It is this: Is play as a valuable part of early childhood classrooms more likely to be challenged when applied to low-income populations ..read more
Not Just Cute
3y ago
Did you know Not Just Cute also has a podcast? In case you’re looking for something encouraging to listen to over the holiday break, here are summaries of the most recent episodes: Episode 36: Resilience, with Dr. Nefertiti Poyner Dr. Nefertiti Poyner of the Devereaux Center for Resilient Children is an absolute delight. She deftly ..read more
Not Just Cute
3y ago
Everyone is feeling stretched right now. That’s why I recently sat down with Dr. Nefertiti Poyner to talk about what we can do to make sure we all bounce back. In this podcast episode, she talks about protective factors and the “ordinary magic” that helps both children and adults overcome adversity. She also shares a ..read more