Ellen Rhomberg’s Post

Highly recommend the insights of this article, which at its end describes the potent reorganizing of values and experiences for which we advocate at WholeHealthED “Increasing children’s social-emotional wellbeing and happiness, while fostering foundational learning — that’s something we should all line up for.” Next we can add embracing the joy children actually experience in #schoolgarden education. And make that connection from pre-school play years.

GREAT ADVICE FOR EDUCATORS Yesterday I was invited to an event for parents at a local junior school. Unfortunately, only one parent turned up to a hall full of professionals. The school decided to then send the children round. Awesome idea 👏👏👏 I seized this opportunity with both hands!!! I decided to ask the children that came to me two questions: 1: if they could advise teachers of one thing that would make education better, what would that advice be? 2: why would they give that advice? HERE IS THE ADVICE THEY GAVE: Do more work on devices because it is how we are used to working Give less homework or create more opportunities to do this work whilst at school Teachers to be nicer by being more flexible, more understanding and using a nicer tone (not shouting) Have things like ear defenders available for all for when someone needs quiet time Make education more fun Use different sorts of learning, such as acting out stories Have more breaks for getting fresh air to support concentration Have brain breaks during classes to relieve stress and improve remembering Respect different people’s personalities to stop people being upset Have more physical activities so that people who like to learn this way can learn better Treat people how you would like to be treated To have a school dog/mascot – to calm people who sit with it Wherever possible, these are the exact words used by the children. All of what the children advised fits an inclusive and quality first practice agenda. It also fits in with a lot of the research about engaging children in classroom learning. None of the children were prepared for this conversation and my questions were open and simple. I was so impressed with these children. They were brilliant and obviously have a very self-aware understanding about what they need to achieve their full potential. They were a credit to their parents and school. It is important that they and children like them are listened to. Are you listening? #advice #adviceforteachers #teachingandlearning #takingopportunities #learning #SEMH #inclusion #qualityfirstpractice

🌟 Starts June 25th!! 🌟 Does your child with learning disabilities feel alone in their journey? 📚 Register for a 4-week online adventure with "Fish in a Tree" by Lynda Mullaly Hunt 📚 "Fish in a Tree" follows the journey of Ally, a young girl who struggles with dyslexia and believes she's dumb until a supportive teacher helps her realize her true potential, showing her that being different is not a weakness but a strength. Through Ally's story of overcoming challenges and finding her voice, the book celebrates resilience, friendship, and the power of believing in oneself. Class Details: - Duration: 4 weeks - Meets twice a week online - Listening to chapters, engaging discussions, and interactive activities - Limited to 4 students per class - Grouped by grade level (4th-6th, 7th & 8th, High School) What to Expect: - 🎨 Creative Exploration: Virtual friendship bracelet-making and more - 🗣️ Empowering Discussions: Overcoming obstacles, fostering empathy, and celebrating neurodiversity - 💻 Accessible Learning: Online classes twice a week Sign up at https://lnkd.in/eDyxb7wV Let's make this summer a time of growth, learning, and connection! 🌈 hashtag #FishInATree hashtag #SummerClass hashtag #LearningDifferences hashtag #Inclusion hashtag #Empowerment hashtag #OnlineLearning hashtag #Neurodiversity hashtag #DyslexiaEducation hashtag #CommunitySupport

Unlocking Potential Through Play Our school is a haven for discerning parents who understand the profound impact of childhood play. Dive into a world where play isn't just a pastime, but a dynamic learning experience. Cognitive Marvels: From blocks to imagination, play is the canvas for constructing a foundation of understanding. Young minds experiment, solve problems, and lay the groundwork for complex cognitive abilities. Social Symphony: Our playground mirrors society, where kids learn to navigate relationships, share, negotiate, and collaborate. It's where communication, empathy, and cooperation flourish. Emotional Exploration: Play is an emotional outlet—where feelings find expression and understanding. From make-believe adventures to role-playing, children process emotions in a safe, imaginative space, fostering resilience. Physical Prowess: Climbing, running, jumping—play is the key to developing motor skills, coordination, and spatial awareness. Lay the foundation for a healthy lifestyle and overall well-being. Lifelong Learning: Beyond childhood, play shapes creativity, problem-solving, and adaptability. It's the cornerstone of a lifetime of learning and growth. The work of a child is purposeful, laying the groundwork for a lifetime of exploration and understanding. Join us in embracing the universal language of play—where every moment is a brushstroke on the canvas of a child's potential. 🌟 #PlayToLearn #ChildhoodUnleashed

Cultivating Creativity in Children: Encouraging Imagination and Innovation

Do you know that play is not only fun but also essential for young children’s development? Play-based learning is an approach that uses children’s natural curiosity and creativity to foster their cognitive, social, emotional, physical, and linguistic skills. Play-based learning can take many forms, such as games, puzzles, role-playing, storytelling, art, music, and more. Some of the benefits of play-based learning are: - It stimulates children’s imagination and problem-solving abilities. - It enhances children’s self-confidence and self-regulation. - It promotes children’s collaboration and communication with others. - It supports children’s diversity and inclusion. Play-based learning is not only beneficial for children but also for parents and educators. It allows them to observe, interact, and guide children in a meaningful and enjoyable way. It also helps them to understand children’s interests, strengths, and needs. What are your thoughts on play-based learning? How do you incorporate play in your curriculum or parenting? Share your experiences and ideas in the comments below. #playbasedlearning #earlychildhoodeducation #childdevelopment #linkedin

Summer Rising 2024. I’m teaching kindergarten this summer. I have a tough class! The narrative about one particular student: ___ bites, hits, throws, and is a runner. He needs a one-to-one para. Good luck, some said to me! I have to admit, I was nervous prior to meeting ___. While these observations and experiences shared by my colleagues are certainly valid, I asked myself, “What must I do differently?” These behaviors show up when ___ is asked to complete work in class. On his first day, immediately after I placed a pencil in front of him, ___ ran out of the classroom. I followed and caught up (at 46 I’m still quick). ___ punched and kicked me. While in the hallway, I said, “It’s ok. You can play. We can do work later.” When we returned to the classroom, I asked the other adults in the room to leave him alone. I said, “I’m not giving ___ what he wants. I’m giving ___ what he needs.” ___ grabbed a bin containing animals. After 10-15 minutes, I gently approached ___ and said, “You don’t have to clean up.” I then invited ___ to get some work done. ___ grabbed my hand and guided me to his chair. This has become our routine each morning. ___ has attended school 6-7 days this summer and overall he has been doing great. ___ completes work in class, puts toys away after play, transitions well from one activity to the next, participates in class, plays cooperatively with others, and so much more. For humans, first impressions are very important. I can’t emphasize the importance of first impressions for young children. Yes, children understand when they are not welcomed! I allowed ___ to do what he likes to do, which is play. I also listened to everything that he has to say. No, I do not know it all! I do understand that trust is the foundation that benefits the relationship between the teacher and student. From ___ perspective, he does not have to run out of the classroom if his needs are being met. A picture is worth a thousand words! #NYCPS #summerrising2024 #inclusion #learningthroughplay

🅻🅴🆃 🅲🅷🅸🅻🅳🆁🅴🅽 🅿🅻🅰🆈 When people ask me how I teach my kids, my usual response is 𝑷𝑳𝑨𝒀!😅😅❣ Let's talk about the amazing power of Playful-learning in early childhood🥳🥳👌💥 Play is not just about having fun and games but it is also an essential part of a child's growth and development.☘🍀 When we allow our children engage in play, they are not only exercising their bodies but also nuturing their minds. 𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒚 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒃𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒇𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒂 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅'𝒔 𝒅𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒑𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕. 𝑯𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒇𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚 𝒊𝒏 𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒚 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒅💯👌 1️⃣ 𝙇𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙪𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝘿𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙥𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩- Play enhances children's literacy and language skills. It allows them learn new words and practice their own language skills as they engage in play. 2️⃣ 𝘾𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙩𝙮- Play enhances creativity. When children play they become more imaginative and creative in their thoughts. With time they begin to come up new ideas and explore them in various ways. 3️⃣ 𝙀𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙎𝙤𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝘿𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙥𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 - Through play with friends, children learn to express emotions, manage feelings, share, take turns, cooperate, and respect others. 4️⃣𝘾𝙤𝙜𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝘿𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙥𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 - Play provides opportunities for problem-solving and critical thinking as children explore and interact with their environment 5️⃣𝙋𝙝𝙮𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝘿𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙥𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 - Through play a child Learns to balance, hop on one foot, throw and catch ball, skip, ride, slide and practice using a variety of other fine and gross motor skills. 𝑨 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒇𝒖𝒏 while 𝒋𝒖𝒎𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒓 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒏𝒖𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓𝒔.  𝑯𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒖𝒏 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒆 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 ❤️ 6️⃣𝙋𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙨 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜- Play helps a child develop positive attitude towards learning.  When a child enjoys his/her learning environment, they are more likely to want to learn and explore. ❤️ ♻️I hope these tips help to shape your understanding of the importance of play in early childhood. feel free to repost😊👍 𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝑷𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝑱𝒆𝒌𝒐𝒚𝒆𝒎𝒊, 𝒂𝒏 𝑬𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒚 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒆𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏. 𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒑𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒏 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒔 0-5 𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚-𝒃𝒂𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒖𝒎. 𝑰 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒆𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒏𝒖𝒓𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒔 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈. #playfullearning #linkedineducators #earlychildhoodeducation #20daylinkedinchallengewithhaoma

"Central to engaging in collaborative work from an asset-based perspective is recognizing the wisdom youth have to offer, integrating their lived experiences, and allowing their insights to help develop, build, and iterate programming" Apprentice of Peace Youth Organization: Supporting Wellness and Empowerment New CLA Blog:

The Power of Play! Yes, play is an essential aspect of children's lives. While some might view it as a distraction, did you know that play significantly nurtures children's mental and cognitive development? When we focus on the brighter side of play, we realize it is far more than just an activity. Play is a crucial component of healthy brain development, engaging children in vital cognitive, physical, social, and emotional processes that are essential for their growth and well-being. With the onset of school holidays, it's the perfect time to emphasize the importance of play. This period offers a valuable opportunity for children to engage in unstructured play, for teachers to unwind, and for parents to become more involved in their children's playful learning experiences. So, how can we as educators, school managers, and parents, encourage play within and beyond educational settings? 1. Incorporate Play-Based Learning: Design curriculum and activities that incorporate play as a central component of learning. Use games, role-playing, and hands-on activities to teach academic concepts in a fun and engaging way. 2. Create Safe and Stimulating Play Areas: Ensure that children have access to safe, well-equipped play areas both indoors and outdoors. Provide a variety of play materials and resources that cater to different interests and developmental stages. 3. Encourage Free Play: Allow children ample time for unstructured play, where they can explore their interests and engage in self-directed activities. This type of play fosters creativity and independence. 4. Model Playful Behavior: Educators should model playful behavior and participate in play activities with children. This helps build trust, encourages engagement, and demonstrates the value of play. When we understand and harness the benefits of play, we can create educational environments that nurture the mental and cognitive development of children, helping them thrive both academically and personally. Together, we can make the most of this holiday season! Have a great week ahead! _Elevating educators and empowering professionals_ #ChildDevelopment #InclusiveEducation #PlayBasedLearning #BrainyOaks #MentalHealth #CognitiveDevelopment #EducationalExcellence #ElevateAndEmpower #SchoolHolidays #ParentEngagement