ENCORE EPISODE: When Help Isn't Helpful
Teaching With The Body In Mind
We'll be back for real next week! Until then, one more from the archives: Ross is losing sleep after being too helpful. Did he take away a learning opportunity by attaching the wheels to a child's car? We offer help with the best of intentions, but perhaps our help sometimes undermines development. What kind of help do they need? (originally released June 2023)
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ENCORE EPISODE Hanging Out
Teaching With The Body In Mind
Ease into the new year, with a relaxing conversation about hanging out. Tom asks the group to define hanging out--a social act of "being with" with no agenda, a relaxed feeling, open, and freeform. He wonders, is it worthwhile in the classroom? (Resounding YES) Ross points out that you don't have to set your plans aside to allow for moments to hang out, you can make space for both. Tom's wish is that we can slow down and appreciate moments of hanging out in our daily practice.
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TWTBIM_0358 Joining In
Teaching With The Body In Mind
As Joey was reminded while crawling through cattails, joining in to children’s physical play can give us insight, understanding, and joy. Mike recently learned the tricky balance spots in a playground obstacle course. And we all remember how much fun the kids had when Tom “fell” off the balance beam. Ross cautions—yes, but it shouldn’t become about us. When do we join into children’s play and how do we phase out?
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TWTBIM_0357 Relationships Foster Physical Learning
Teaching With The Body In Mind
After watching a toddler scoot to wave goodbye to a classmate, Mike reflects on how social relationships provide motivation for physical learning. Prosocial connection is a powerful internal motivator. When we lose sight of that, our judgements and interference can become an impediment to learning.
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TWTBIM_0356 No Really, Let Them Move Inside
Teaching With The Body In Mind
Ross does a check in with the ongoing conversation about creating the conditions to support physical play--indoors and ALWAYS. How do we get comfortable with this, plan for it, make the time, and make the space? We know that physical play is needed for healthy development so let's include it in our plans. Where might you find the cat mat and mouse house in your classroom?
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ENCORE EPISODE Sit Still!
Teaching With The Body In Mind
We reached way back in the vault to September 2018: Are stillness and silence required to meet the goals of Circle Time? Mike leads a discussion about times that children are asked to sit still. Does the expectation that children "sit still" create a distraction from our true learning goals?
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TWTBIM ENCORE EPISODE Give Grandma A Kiss
Teaching With The Body In Mind
While we're on a short break for the holiday, enjoy an episode from the early days about consent. There's more to talk about related to consent. During our day to day routines, how can we model respect for children's bodies and teach them about setting boundaries that make them feel comfortable?
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TWBIM_0355 Let's Rumble
Teaching With The Body In Mind
Inspired by the new picture book, , Mike leads the group back to their roots with a conversation about roughhousing with children. What does it look like and why is it so important?
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TWBIM_0354 Body Boundaries
Teaching With The Body In Mind
The group has a big conversation about the complex topic of children's body autonomy in the school setting. There are so many different contexts in which physical contact takes place. It's hard (impossible?) to find just one "rule" to govern them all. (Here's a link to the book Mike references:
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TWTBIM_0353 I Like Your Sweatshirt
Teaching With The Body In Mind
One of Tom's pet peeves is when grownups greet children with compliments centered on their appearance. Mike sees it as similar to relfexively saying "good job." Ross points out that attempts to build self-esteem could actually wind up undermining self-worth. Joey wonders about the child who plans their outfits and initiates the interactions about clothing. The conversation leads Tom to an insight about the importance of helping children reflect on their strengths and accomplishments.
info_outlineJoey reflects on social interactions related to desired objects. Conflicts that arise over "things" are not always a problem. When objects promote social interaction, it's a good thing.