Episode 45: Getting Parents on Board with Play (with Rae Pica)
Release Date: 07/29/2021
Episode 85: Making the Case for Joy in Playful Early Learning
Not Just Cute, the Podcast: Intentional Whole Child Development for Parents and Teachers of Young Children
Joy is one of those concepts that everyone understands until you try to define it. And yet, the research is remarkably clear about what it does. In this episode, we explore what joy actually is, why it matters so profoundly for young children, and what it looks like in the early childhood classroom. From the neuroscience of how joy changes the brain's chemistry and learning capacity, to the relational dimension of shared delight between children and the adults who care for them, this episode grounds joy firmly in both science and practice. If you work with young children or advocate...
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Episode 84: The Essential Role of Agency in Play and Early Learning
Not Just Cute, the Podcast: Intentional Whole Child Development for Parents and Teachers of Young Children
Agency — the ability to make choices, act on them, and feel that those actions matter — is key to play and learning. In this episode, we dig into what agency really means for young children, tracing it through the work of foundational developmental theorists and grounding it in current research on how play, agency, and learning work together as a powerful, reinforcing system. Along the way, we name what's getting in the way — a cultural pattern I call pervasive passivity — and explore what it looks like when children lose access to the agency they need to thrive. If you work with...
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Episode 83: Schema Play Theory (with Heather Bernt-Santy)
Not Just Cute, the Podcast: Intentional Whole Child Development for Parents and Teachers of Young Children
Professor and early childhood advocate Heather Bernt-Santy is widely known from her podcast as That Early Childhood Nerd. In this episode, Heather talks about her new book, Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood. Heather shares her journey through the early childhood profession and how writing her first book was a full-circle moment. She breaks down what schema play really is and why it matters so much for child development, as well as how schema play connects to major developmental and educational philosophies. If you love geeking out about how children...
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Episode 82: Second Read - There's Good in the World. And It's Worth Fighting For.
Not Just Cute, the Podcast: Intentional Whole Child Development for Parents and Teachers of Young Children
In this episode, we revisit one of the most-read pieces published on Not Just Cute: “There’s Good in the World. And It’s Worth Fighting For.” Written nearly a decade ago (and based on quotes from movies released TWO decades ago, which were based on books written NINE decades ago.....) yet increasingly relevant today, this reflection explores the role of educators, parents, and everyday helpers in creating light during dark times. You’ll hear why the message hits even harder for me now, what it means to “fight for good” through the work we do with children, and why the small,...
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Episode 81: Not Just Cute Book Study - Best Moments and Big Ideas
Not Just Cute, the Podcast: Intentional Whole Child Development for Parents and Teachers of Young Children
Is play the missing piece in today’s educational puzzle? That’s the question we wrestled with during a three-part book study I hosted this summer with early educators from across North America. Together, we unpacked key themes from my new book, Not Just Cute: How Powerful Play Drives Development in Early Childhood—and now I’ve pulled the highlights into this one-hour recap just for you. In this episode, you’ll hear why I wrote the book, the research that shows how play fuels learning and brain development, and the very real risks when we push play aside. You’ll also catch some of...
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Episode 80: Actions of Play (with Heather Jackson)
Not Just Cute, the Podcast: Intentional Whole Child Development for Parents and Teachers of Young Children
Unlock the secrets to transforming early childhood education by focusing on the actions — not just the topics — that captivate young minds. Join me as I sit down with Heather Jackson, author of "Actions of Play," to explore how play schemas can revolutionize the way we approach learning. Discover how understanding the verbs that inspire children can lead to rich, inquiry-based projects that resonate with their natural curiosities. From the mesmerizing roll of a fire truck's wheel to the gentle crawl of a ladybug, we dissect the underpinnings of play that drive meaningful and complex...
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Episode 79: Building a Blended PreK Model (with Machelle Scogin)
Not Just Cute, the Podcast: Intentional Whole Child Development for Parents and Teachers of Young Children
This episode explores the transformative blended pre-K program at Prosper Independent School District in Texas, championed by Michelle Scogin, Director of Early Childhood and Learning Services. Discover how this program successfully merges special and general education along with joy, wonder, and compassion. Machelle and her amazing team are committed to building a developmentally appropriate environment where every child can thrive. Through purposefully designed spaces and a commitment to play-based learning, the Brenda Calhoun Early Childhood School stands as a model of innovative and...
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Episode 78: We Could All Use the Science of JOY
Not Just Cute, the Podcast: Intentional Whole Child Development for Parents and Teachers of Young Children
I had an experience a few months ago that began with a fantastic workshop with one of my favorite schools, and *seemed* to end with a broken down, broken into truck. But the real ending came full circle when I found that what I had been teaching that early childhood team the day before, was *exactly* what I needed to remember in that moment. File this one under – everything we ever needed to know in life, we learned in early childhood education. We're talking about why joy matters and how to tap into a little bit more of it. You can find this episode’s show notes, which are...
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Episode 77: Why Play? (With Rae Pica)
Not Just Cute, the Podcast: Intentional Whole Child Development for Parents and Teachers of Young Children
Rae Pica has been a fierce advocate for children and childhood for over 40 years. And during that time she’s written a whole bookshelf full of books on the topic. Today, she’s sharing her latest addition to that bookshelf, it came out just last week, Why Play?: How to Make Play an Essential Part of Early Education. In this newest book, Rae dives into the importance of play in early childhood education, how to partner with parents, why different modes of play are beneficial, and how to support each type of play. She even touches on some of the tricky topics associated...
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Episode 76: A Play-Based Evolution (with Amber Unger)
Not Just Cute, the Podcast: Intentional Whole Child Development for Parents and Teachers of Young Children
When Amber Unger (also known as the Cream City Teacher) began her career in education, she thought she'd be working with teenagers. As her path led her to a 4K public school classroom in the middle of a shift toward play-based learning, she discovered a new passion! Today, she helps other teachers on their own journeys to better understand and implement intentional play-based practices. Get the show notes at :
info_outlineI had a great conversation recently with my friend, Rae Pica, about how and why we should get parents on board with play-based, developmentally appropriate education.
Show Notes:
www.https://notjustcute.com/podast/episode45