As parents and children prepare to go back to school, there’s a special cohort of kindergarteners heading to elementary school – “COVID Babies.” These 5-year-olds were born during a time of face masks, social distancing and isolation, among other preventative measures and circumstances, that undeniably affected the development of these babies and toddlers when their […]
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 […]
What makes for good teaching? And what makes a teacher great? Liz Willen posed those questions in a recent Hechinger newsletter as she highlighted Jill Barshay’s article Proof Points-The Paradox of Good Teaching in which Barshay acknowledged that “deciding what constitutes good teaching is a messy business.” No doubt that it is, but I’m sure we can all […]
Play is a child’s work. ~Dr. Donna Housman Play is the Key to Children’s Socialization, Learning, and Brain Development Happy Summertime! We all wait for this special season to kick-back, relax and spend more time with the children in our lives. To many, it may seem like it’s just one big continuation of what young […]
Welcome back to our series on the Power of Reflective Practice. Previously, we explored what Reflective Practice is and learned about one early childhood educator’s personal experiences with Reflective Practice within the begin to ECSEL program and how it affected her work and life. In this segment, we will look at how Reflective Practice can go beyond […]
Welcome back! In our first installment on the power of Reflective Practice, we explored the importance of self-reflection and emotional awareness for ourselves as educators, and how Reflective Practice can be utilized within any education community to benefit everyone: teachers, supervisors, and mentors, families, and of course, children. Now, let’s take a look at an […]
In my monthly column ASK Dr. Donna, I answer questions from concerned, worried, and anxious parents about how their kids are doing and offer ideas, provide advice, and suggest ways on how to handle situations that cause children, and their moms and dads, emotional discomfort and distress. What I always try to impress upon parents, however, […]
Reflective Practice ensures that all members working in the educational community get the opportunity to communicate their self-reflections about how their work, their role, their actions, and their words impact others—and how they, in turn, are impacted by their work. ~ Dr. Donna Housman, Founder & CEO of Housman Institute In an article for Edutopia, […]
In this article, you will find 10 Earth Day Activities, 12 Earth Day Lesson Ideas, and 10 Earth Day Picture Books to instill wonder in young children. Jump to: Earth Day Activity Ideas Earth Day Lesson Ideas Earth Day Book List As we celebrate Earth Day, let’s use this great opportunity to spark and empower […]
Welcome back to the final chapter in our 4-part series about helping children to unpack the emotional backpacks they carry with them each and every day. Throughout this series, we have chronicled the story of our friend Annie, who — as we do with all of the children in our classroom — we have helped […]
Q: Dear Donna, My preschool and elementary school-aged children are becoming increasingly aware of world news, from the media as well as discussions in school. My husband and I are struggling to answer their questions honestly, but we don’t want them to become anxious and afraid that it could affect their safety here. How much is […]
It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength. ~Maya Angelou Don’t miss the resource and book list on the bottom of this blog! ⬇️ Why is it important to learn about different types of people? As Black History Month comes to a close, it […]
Welcome back to the third of our 4-part series focusing on how we can help young children in the process of unpacking their backpacks that are overflowing with emotions, both big and small. Last time, you followed along with us as we supported Annie on her journey towards identifying and understanding her big feelings in […]
Welcome back to the second of our 4-part series focusing on helping young children unpack their backpacks that are overflowing with emotions, both big and little, and how we can help in the process. Last time, we talked about how helping children to identify their feelings can lessen the weight of the emotional backpacks they […]
The federal debate over “Build Back Better” has everyone who loves and cares for children holding our breath. The huge bill includes a plan for historic investment in child care and early learning, representing a sea change for families, early childhood educators, and the future for every child. The significance of what the impact of […]
Children are at the center of our world each and every day. They are our axis – we spin around their needs and focus our energy on what is best for their education, development, sense of security, and well-being. We work to ensure they are safe, fed, supported, learning, and healthy. But are we doing […]
