Moving Toward An Emotionally Responsive Classroom

Within my studies at Bank Street College of Education I was taught to think about the whole child. My education was rooted in the developmental-interaction approach. Development emphasizes shifts and change over time, which occurs at different rates for different individuals. Interaction refers to the child’s engagement with the world. Developmental-interaction refers to the ways in which cognition and emotion are interconnected in any teaching situation, while taking into account the relationships with others when co-constructing knowledge.

(more…)

Baby, It’s Cold Outside

The Pre-K class at Alphabet Academy’s South Campus has been preparing for winter by suiting up in cold weather gear and spending time outside everyday, no matter what. Over the past month our class has learned that every kind of weather is a unique occasion to try something new. Brisk windy days have provided us with the opportunity to fly leaf-kites and listen to wind chimes. Rain storms have lent themselves to mud baths and puddle jumping competitions. Some might even say that exhilarating hikes around the campus grounds in the sleet and snow rival the rush of climbing Mt. Everest. And, with every joyous outdoor exploration, I have observed my students growing socially, emotionally, and academically in ways that are not possible indoors.

(more…)