The other day in the dentist’s office, I found myself quoting a Fred song - “I like to be told.” I was thanking the hygienist for letting me know what to expect, each step of the way. As Fred sang, “It helps me to get ready for all those things that are new…I trust you more and more…” I’ve actually talked about that song to thank people in lots of situations.
I know you “like to be told” what to expect ahead of time, too. So I want to let you know about a change in the way we’re going to deliver my newsletter to our subscribers. For some background, I started writing it as a monthly newsletter in 2009 as the Director of Early Childhood Initiatives at Fred Rogers Productions. In 2015 when I became a Senior Fellow at the Fred Rogers Institute, we shifted it to their website. Since that time, it’s been a part of the monthly offerings of the Institute at St. Vincent College, housing Fred’s archives and helping scholars and students learn from Fred’s approach. It has been heartwarming for me to know that we have almost 10,000 subscribers to my newsletter, and I’ve been especially grateful for those of you who have written to me about it over the years.
Fred Rogers Institute Newsletter: March 2024
This newsletter contains the article "A Love of Learning" by Hedda Sharapan in which themes of wondering about things, looking and listening, and teaching by example are discussed.
There is so much we think about when we help children learn and grow. Explore the foundations in which learning and growing are built upon order to become empathetic.
May 2023: I'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 ...
Your financial support of the Institute helps us expand our initiatives and resources so that educators and children's helpers can continue to learn and grow from Fred Rogers' legacy. Thank you!