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We are hearing some incredible take-a-ways from our latest workshop with Coy Bowles as he presented “Connect to Your Calling.” Many of you are still singing along to his classic hit CD “Music for Tiny Humans.” 

Together we gained an understanding of the key factors in investigating the root causes of success and fulfillment. Coy shared his personal philosophy on the importance of the “Butterfly Phase/Window of Opportunity” for child development and the implications of that for teaching and learning. We learned the significance of a social emotional foundation for every student and reflected on how connecting to our calling and sharing our origin story is crucial in regaining clarity, passion and purpose for being an early childhood educator.

If you would like to learn more about Coy Bowles and his mission and advocacy within early childhood education, please click here: Coy Bowles

We are enjoying the excitement as we deliver Coy Bowles’ “Behind the Little Red Door Activity Kit” presented by Lakeshore Learning to those organizations represented at the workshop. Those organizations that have received the kit have committed to follow up technical assistance that includes our support as early childhood education coaches. We can’t wait to see evidence of kit utilization as you implement and share the tools and resources you acquired from attending the workshop. 

In addition, throughout this next month we will be visiting your school sites and following up on our technical assistance from our workshop Wunderled with Sally Haughey. We will be sharing information on Sally’s Materials Wheel as we explore loose parts play based learning in your classrooms. An emphasis will be placed on understanding brain science research around learning environments, children’s play, and why choice matters.

So what are loose parts and why are they important for play? Loose parts are any collection of open-ended natural or manmade objects that children can move, combine, transform, take apart, redesign, and line up, in ways that support, extend, and further, their ideas while playing.

If you want to know how loose parts help us as educators discover what is really capturing children’s engagement and what is the true play urge/schema that is driving the children’s activity, click here: Wunderled Loose Parts

We hope this spring season allows many of you to embrace play based learning as we elevate and promote the highest quality early childhood development and education in Indian River County.

Wishing you the best,

Amanda & Todd