Teaching With The Body In Mind

Each week, Mike, Tom, Ross, and Joey reflect on the connection between moving and thinking. The discussions remind us that teachers should be supporting children's bodies as well as their minds.

TWBIM_0355 Let's Rumble 11/18/2025

TWBIM_0355 Let's Rumble 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? /episode/index/show/twtbim/id/39050195

TWBIM_0354 Body Boundaries 11/11/2025

TWBIM_0354 Body Boundaries 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: /episode/index/show/twtbim/id/38967065

TWTBIM_0353 I Like Your Sweatshirt 11/04/2025

TWTBIM_0353 I Like Your Sweatshirt 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. /episode/index/show/twtbim/id/38878045

TWTBIM_0352 Teaching Helplessness 10/28/2025

TWTBIM_0352 Teaching Helplessness Ross worries about children who can't find their autonomy because adults are always helping them do things (like zippers, of course). Tom shares a recent experience of his grandson learning to shuffle while he patiently waited. Mike proposes a model of "learned coorperation" instead of learned helplessness. Joey can't find the term she is looking for, but it's the thing that Ross is talking about. /episode/index/show/twtbim/id/38801595

TWTBIM_0351 Unintentional Races 10/22/2025

TWTBIM_0351 Unintentional Races Joey turns to Tom and Mike to help sort out some logistical challenges related to running. Children love to run, but in some conditions it can lead to hyper-competitive racing, pushing, and crashing. Together they brainstorm ideas to help make room for everyone and allow the children to continue to find joy in running. /episode/index/show/twtbim/id/38712130

TWTBIM_0350 Mike Makes Paper Airplanes 10/13/2025

TWTBIM_0350 Mike Makes Paper Airplanes A recent experience at a children's museum has Mike thinking about the conditions for play. What invites us into a flow state? How is it different for adults than for children? Can we find flow in both work and play? Mike talks about how he gets the ideas flowing when he has writer's block. Tom remembers how fun it was to play with boxes and table when he built sensory apparatus. /episode/index/show/twtbim/id/38552770

TWTBIM_0349 Tom Gets Help With His Fence 10/07/2025

TWTBIM_0349 Tom Gets Help With His Fence Tom's grandson came over to help fix his fence last weekend. This got Tom thinking about children doing real work. How can experiences with real work be successful for the child AND the adult? What about when the job has to be done right? Mike remembers working with pie crust scraps as his mom made the real pies. Joey looks for jobs that are helpful even when they're not done perfectly. Intent and approximation are what we need. /episode/index/show/twtbim/id/38489125

TWTBIM_0348 We'll Get There 09/30/2025

TWTBIM_0348 We'll Get There Ross reflects on the value of slowing down as we build relationships at the beginning of the school year. Joey knows the FOMO feeling that can happen as teachers want to try out all their good ideas. Tom suggests that we "live the routine" with flexibility as we figure out what everyone needs. If we charge through everything, we might miss the beautiful moment where a child offers an injured bee a flower blossom. /episode/index/show/twtbim/id/38401285

TWTBIM_0347 It All Goes Better With Action 09/23/2025

TWTBIM_0347 It All Goes Better With Action Joey's gathering ideas for building relationships with children in a way that doesn't rely exclusively on language. The list gets started: sharing their perspective, connecting children with other children, taking the "temperature" during greetings, playing near them, narrating not interrogating, and making faces. Tom points out how barriers can actually invite interraction and Joey brainstorms a box door that she wants to prototype. /episode/index/show/twtbim/id/38318475

TWTBIM_0346 Dance to the Beat of the Drum 09/16/2025

TWTBIM_0346 Dance to the Beat of the Drum All the talk of danicng in the last episode has Mike thinking about drumming. He suggests the metaphor of teacher as drummer, setting the foundation for the group. (We can't resist a good metaphor!) When things are flowing nicely, the drummer can even drop out and the group keeps playing along. /episode/index/show/twtbim/id/38212895

TWTBIM_0345 Correspondence 09/09/2025

TWTBIM_0345 Correspondence Refreshed from a summer break, the group is ready to dive into deep thinking with Tom. He's brought some light reading to decipher. What does it mean to correspond with children versus interact? Ross's school dance analogy is just the thing to help everyone understand. /episode/index/show/twtbim/id/38117370

ENCORE EPISODE: Creating the Conditions 08/27/2025

ENCORE EPISODE: Creating the Conditions Tom's parking cars at the State Fair, Joey and Ross are busy setting up classrooms, and Mike is prepping for another possible podcast (more later). Enjoy this encore eposide in the meantime! What happens if you create the conditions where children know they can try things vs. run a classroom where children are allowed to do things? It's a subtle difference that can lead to a stance of curiosity and appreciation. It can be as simple as the set up for how children access paint or having towels easily available for messy play. (Originally aired September 2022) /episode/index/show/twtbim/id/37955235

TWTBIM_0344 Effort and Attention 08/19/2025

TWTBIM_0344 Effort and Attention A recent experience with new glasses has Joey thinking about executive function and how effort drains attention. Adults often forget the effort involved in tasks that seem like they should be automatic such as walking down a hallway in a line, sitting in a group for storytime, washing hands or unzipping a backpack. If we watch for signs of effort, perhaps we can lighten the load for children instead of burdening them with sequences of difficult tasks. It might make everyone's day more pleasant. /episode/index/show/twtbim/id/37743015

TWTBIM_00343 Exploring Boundaries 08/12/2025

TWTBIM_00343 Exploring Boundaries Tom has some questions about boundaries and rules. For children, the edges of boundaries are the interesting part. Boundaries are more "stretchy" and can be more dynamic than rules. /episode/index/show/twtbim/id/37742875

TWTBIM_0342 Table Centric 08/05/2025

TWTBIM_0342 Table Centric Early childhood classrooms are often "table-centric." What experiences might children miss when activities are confined to tables? Are table-centric spaces also teacher-centric? /episode/index/show/twtbim/id/37674360

TWTBIM_0341 The Need to Fall 07/29/2025

TWTBIM_0341 The Need to Fall Ross values falling as an important skill. When children fall, they are learning about balance. Tom sees it as way to calibrate the vestibular system. Joey feels the creep of worrying about falling as an adult biasing her feelings about falling. Mike, your thoughts? /episode/index/show/twtbim/id/37586790

TWTBIM_0340 Spaces Determine Behavior 07/22/2025

TWTBIM_0340 Spaces Determine Behavior Soccer domes say,"Run!" Cozy nooks inspire children to crawl in. Open shelves invite pretend bedtime games. Our spaces are not passive entities. They have unique characteristics that determine behavior. As Tom, Joey and Ross discuss what happens in different types of spaces, they speculate about Mike's position on runways. /episode/index/show/twtbim/id/37472055

TWTBIM_0339 Objects Can Bring Us Together 07/15/2025

TWTBIM_0339 Objects Can Bring Us Together Joey 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. /episode/index/show/twtbim/id/37393160

ENCORE EPISODE: Foraging 07/08/2025

ENCORE EPISODE: Foraging With summer in full swing, Joey wants to talk aboout children's foraging for berries and other tasty things. When we trust children's ability to meet their self-care needs in foraging, we can see how capable and competent they are. It's a whole body and mind practice as children rely on their executive function skills and experience immersive sensory input. Tom's grandchildren have been teaching him what to look for on neighborhood walks. Mike knows that tasty plants can be found even in urban environments. (From July 2024) /episode/index/show/twtbim/id/37328430

TWTBIM_0338 Ross' Summer Homework 07/01/2025

TWTBIM_0338 Ross' Summer Homework Ross invites us to reflect on our work. Have we been fun to be around? Are we paying attention to the important things? Have we had any "aha" moments? Mike recalls the time he trusted himself--and the children--to study ants. Tom had a perspective shift about what he was watching for. Joey dropped the no fun cooking projects. Ross will be looking for your essays in the coming weeks. /episode/index/show/twtbim/id/37207230

TWTBIM_0337 Constraints That Regulate 06/24/2025

TWTBIM_0337 Constraints That Regulate Joey leads a conversation about the positive effects of setting constraints when children are overwhelmed. Starting with an example of when children were too enthusiastic about their artistic expressions, the group talks about ways to support children when they are disregulated by their excitement. Tom shares his approach to limiting screen time. Mike supports sore losers in Candyland. Ross talks about consequences involving paper scraps. And everyone has negotiated bad deals with children in good faith. /episode/index/show/twtbim/id/37102820

TWTBIM_0336 Run Away and Scream 06/17/2025

TWTBIM_0336 Run Away and Scream Mike is fascinated by the way children show their thoughts and feelings about bugs and other interesting (but creepy!) things. Ross sees it as the reverse of the circle of security. Joey recalls a recent encounter with a snapping turtle and Tom is reminded of the time a mouse ran through the classroom. /episode/index/show/twtbim/id/37014615

TWTBIM_0335 If You're Not Having Fun 06/10/2025

TWTBIM_0335 If You're Not Having Fun Tom's back and he's ready for some fun. At least he's ready to talk about fun. All this talk of fun brings back Mike's memories of fixing the dryer. Ross argues that a lack of funshuts down pathways to learning. Teachers don't need to be clowns, but it is important to check that fun is present in the work. /episode/index/show/twtbim/id/36905610

TWTBIM_0334 Holding Back Can be Kind 06/03/2025

TWTBIM_0334 Holding Back Can be Kind Ross wants to talk about the gray areas where we might hold back to build children's capacity for care. When we step back, children can learn how to give the kindness to themselves and each other. Mike shares an experience of toy dumping chaos and a child's power to repair. Joey tells a story of a child who built her sense of agency bit by bit. Mike tries to remember Bandura's elements of agency and everyone likes the metaphor of trees growing stronger in the wind. /episode/index/show/twtbim/id/36805065

TWTBIM_0333 Bandaids and Crackers, Part 2 05/27/2025

TWTBIM_0333 Bandaids and Crackers, Part 2 Turns out there was more say about acts of caring. From changing wet shirts to loaning out favorite shoes, we have many opportunities to give children care. We may not be able to meet 100% of children’s needs, but we need to be reliable. Mike points out the important thing: finding your favorite napkin may seem like a small thing, but it’s not trivial. Just ask Mike and Ross how they feel about their favorite cereal spoons. /episode/index/show/twtbim/id/36702685

TWTBIM_0332 Bandaids and Crackers 05/20/2025

TWTBIM_0332 Bandaids and Crackers Children’s comments from teacher appreciation week make Joey reflect on what really matters to the children in our care. Our bandaids and crackers let children know that they are safe and we will help if they get hurt or sick. Mike recalls children's questions of "why don't we learn anything at this school?" Care is something we don't talk about a lot, but it is the essential foundation for learning. /episode/index/show/twtbim/id/36612445

TWTBIM_0331 Match More, Talk Less 05/13/2025

TWTBIM_0331 Match More, Talk Less Mike encourages us to pay attention, match children's physical actions and use fewer words. He has found this approach to be especially supportive of children who tend to be very quiet and those who are loud and boisterous. It might require us to slow down a little, which can feel hard in the midst of a busy day. Ross reminds us that it's OK because children are not volcano birds. /episode/index/show/twtbim/id/36521940

TWTBIM__(Encore) Backwards Bike 04/29/2025

TWTBIM__(Encore) Backwards Bike While we're out on our bicycles celebrating spring, we hope you enjoy this conversation. We'll be back with fresh episodes next week. Mike shares a video of the "backwards bike," an excellent example of embodied knowledge. You can explain it, but you can't do it until you can feel it. How many experiences do young children have like this each day? They may "know" something, but can't do it yet. How often do educators experience the frustration of trying to implement new skills and yet fall back into old habits in the moment? (Originally aired January 2023) /episode/index/show/twtbim/id/36326245

TWTBIM_0330 Beauty 04/22/2025

TWTBIM_0330 Beauty Tom's been wrestling with the idea of beauty in the classroom. Does it mean markers aligned in rainbow order? Cardboard boxes and duct tape in the sensory table? Is beauty stagnant or dynamic? /episode/index/show/twtbim/id/36234380

TWTBIM_0329 Reading and Responding to Energy 04/15/2025

TWTBIM_0329 Reading and Responding to Energy How do we read children’s energy? How do we respond in ways that don't interrupt the flow of child led play? Tom recalls joining in to rough and tumble play to help children regulate. Mike's first instinct is also to join in and help "course correct" if needed. Ross acknowledges the influence of the adult's energy level and the context of prior experiences. Mike brings up Anji Play as an example of an approach that looks very hands off, but actually has a lot of adult intentionality. /episode/index/show/twtbim/id/36114280

Teaching With The Body In Mind

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