New Research Reveals a Professional Development Crisis—and a Clear Path Forward Early childhood education stands at a crossroad. The 2025 RAND reports and a national scan of superintendents’ strategic plans show pre-K has moved to the center of the agenda—but professional development systems have not caught up. While kindergarten readiness scores and enrollment numbers grab headlines, mounting evidence […]
The High Cost of Early Childhood Care The November 5, 2025 issue of The Economist includes the article, “Universal Child Care Can Harm Children,” which explores the results of various attempts to make early child care accessible to all parents, regardless of income status. The one aspect of early childhood care that is undebatable is […]
Every educator has their own unique background that can benefit a school community. Teachers who are just starting out can learn a lot from veteran teachers, who have years of experience, expertise, and knowledge. And educators who have been in the field for years can also learn a great deal from new teachers, who offer a fresh perspective and can bring different strategies and creative ideas […]
The end of the year marks a key opportunity for self-reflection. This is the perfect time to look back and acknowledge the victories, and challenges, we faced over the past year. Reflecting on what hasn’t been working for us and why, reflecting on what has been working for us and why, identifying areas in our lives where change is […]
National Emotional Wellness Month is upon us once more, and not a moment too soon. This month marks a time where we can look inward, reflect on our stress levels, and make necessary changes to collectively improve our mental health and emotional well-being. With my years of experience as a clinical psychologist and founder of […]
Each back-to-school season comes with the typical jitters and excitement; however, this year is unique in that it’s the first time pandemic babies and young children are school-aged. The New York Times¹ recently wrote an article highlighting how the pandemic affected babies’ and young children’s development–with many of them experiencing higher than average developmental challenges. The reason: isolation and […]
Welcome back to “begin to ECSEL School Stories,” a blog series where we address common challenges that early childhood educators face on their journey to support children’s emotional, cognitive, and social development. Throughout this series, we have explored ways to help children through their big feelings like anger and disappointment, provided strategies to support children’s development […]
During Mental Health Awareness Month in May, the New York Times ran a piece entitled “Are We Talking Too Much About Mental Health?” In the article, the journalist cited some research that pointed to the possibility of overdoing coursework in emotional learning and mindfulness. The article explained, “…two research psychologists at the University of Oxford, Lucy Foulkes […]
Introduction: The Importance of Early Childhood Educators Welcome to the second installment of “begin to ECSEL School Stories,” our latest blog series where we explore common challenges that early childhood educators face on their journey to support children’s emotional, cognitive, and social development. Early childhood teachers are tasked with one of the most important jobs in […]
There are consistent reports about the need for more school psychologists. While I agree that there certainly is a need for more of these essential behavioral health experts, they are only one piece of a much larger puzzle. A Systemic Approach to Supporting Mental Health is Needed As a psychologist with more than 35 years […]
Reflective Practice is Housman Institute’s adaptation of Reflective Supervision. It is a process that focuses on self-reflection of one’s experiences, interactions, feelings, reactions, and areas of growth to promote emotional awareness, critical thinking, and problem-solving. Reflective Practice creates an environment that promotes self-reflection, empathy, understanding, support, and both personal and professional growth. This comprehensive overview […]
In this blog, we will respond to common challenges (exclusion, “terrible” threes, and sharing) that teachers and families are facing with children at school and at home to show you how to apply these ECSEL strategies on your own. Your Challenges as Caregivers and Educators In the last blog, we went over teaching practices from ECSEL educators. We’d like to apply […]
EdWeek recently ran an opinion piece, “What Districts Need When Investing Their Funds.”1 The authors identified multiple areas, such as tutoring, summer learning, and core instruction. They noted toward the end that emotional and mental health supports should be prioritized. As a psychologist with more than 35 years in the field of child development and […]
In this two part series, we will explore: Part 1: Why it is important to provide consistency between home and school for children’s emotional learning. Part 2: How to provide consistency between home and school for children’s emotional learning with practical tips and activity ideas. Be sure to subscribe. The days are getting shorter and just as children have finally adjusted […]
Over the course of the “Power of Reflective Practice in Early Childhood Education” series, we have shared the stories, reflections, and perspectives of an early childhood educator, a mentor, and a parent about their experiences with self-reflection and Reflective Practice. From these experiences, we have compiled some helpful tips to share with you and guide you as you begin […]
It is back-to-school season, and stuffed inside all those new backpacks and lunchboxes are lots of jitters and emotions, especially as we send off our littlest learners for the very first time. Our so-called “Covid Generation,” children born right before or during the pandemic, are carrying all the usual excitement, worries, and questions; however, they […]
