Resources for Caring Adults

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 ...

Recent conversations in our Educators' Neighborhood community have invited layers of stories about what children are processing right now in their talk, play, artwork, wondering, worries, dreams, and wishes.

Math can be a difficult subject in early childhood education. See how Fred approaches numbers and counting. Connect with math and discover ways to incorporate learning numbers into everyday life for children.

"A child was having a hard day, slumped in the corner of a classroom, shirt pulled over his head. He poked out of his shirt to yell to the teacher across the room who was engaged with the other children in the class: Hey, can we play that love song again?"

August 2022: With all the attention on high tech these days, I was happily surprised by a low-tech moment I had when I was doing an observation in a preschool.

April 2022: Whenever I show video clips from Mister Rogers' Neighborhood at a professional development workshop, I often ask, "What messages did you hear in it?" Usually teachers talk about "what" Fred said or did. But I remember a teacher who told me she found a lot to learn from "how" Fred said and did things.

Positive learning outcomes are related to healthy social-emotional skills, and both are strengthened through quality interactions with adults. Discover various ways to inspire interactions, encourage engagement, and spark conversations.

"As schools search for ways to educate children this school year, my heart reminds me to slow down to notice for what's already here. We have a beautiful example of how to inspire joyful, curious learning through a screen. That example is Mister Rogers' Neighborhood."

This newsletter includes an article on "The Power of Listening" by Hedda Sharapan. Explore how to find a quiet place, listen nonverbally, ask questions, and wait through silence.

Discover ways to encourage creation and perseverance. STEAM concepts and natural activities for educational development can incorporate the teachings of Fred.

April 2023: The 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,

"Play is a child's most important means of communication. Children are not self-conscious about playing. They play out what they think is real. That's the ultimate honesty. Children bring their whole inner drama to any relationship." - Fred Rogers

Slowness—as both an idea and practice—is a significant layer of what we can learn from Fred Rogers and Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. And slowness is about much more than going slowly. Slowness opens a space for what is essential for children and their helpers.

This year's Mid-Year Convening on January 21 included ten educator-led breakout sessions on topics such as trauma aware care, QRIS peer learning communities, and building community in early childhood and secondary classrooms.

The factory visits of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood—when Mr. McFeely visits Mister Rogers with video tapes of "how people make things"—are rich with opportunities for wonder, connection, and delight. Analyze different impactful factors for educator practice such as dialogue.