Rae Pica https://www.raepica.com/ Active Learning Thu, 16 Feb 2023 16:01:53 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://www.raepica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/cropped-android-chrome-192x192-3-32x32.png Rae Pica https://www.raepica.com/ 32 32 155540567 The Value and Validation of Appreciation https://www.raepica.com/2023/02/the-value-and-validation-of-appreciation/ https://www.raepica.com/2023/02/the-value-and-validation-of-appreciation/#comments Thu, 16 Feb 2023 16:01:53 +0000 https://www.raepica.com/?p=9111 The post The Value and Validation of Appreciation appeared first on Rae Pica.

]]> https://www.raepica.com/2023/02/the-value-and-validation-of-appreciation/feed/ 2 9111 Should Children Be Listening with Their Whole Bodies? https://www.raepica.com/2022/06/whole-body-listening/ https://www.raepica.com/2022/06/whole-body-listening/#comments Mon, 20 Jun 2022 18:03:23 +0000 https://www.raepica.com/?p=7639 The post Should Children Be Listening with Their Whole Bodies? appeared first on Rae Pica.

]]> https://www.raepica.com/2022/06/whole-body-listening/feed/ 13 7639 Is Free Play the Only Meaningful Play? https://www.raepica.com/2022/05/guided-versus-free-play/ https://www.raepica.com/2022/05/guided-versus-free-play/#comments Mon, 23 May 2022 15:11:43 +0000 https://www.raepica.com/?p=7552 The post Is Free Play the Only Meaningful Play? appeared first on Rae Pica.

]]> https://www.raepica.com/2022/05/guided-versus-free-play/feed/ 10 7552 Let There Be Music! https://www.raepica.com/2022/01/let-there-be-music/ https://www.raepica.com/2022/01/let-there-be-music/#comments Mon, 31 Jan 2022 18:48:12 +0000 https://www.raepica.com/?p=7388 The post Let There Be Music! appeared first on Rae Pica.

]]> https://www.raepica.com/2022/01/let-there-be-music/feed/ 8 7388 Connecting with Parents: Communication Strategies for Educators https://www.raepica.com/2022/01/connecting-with-parents-communication-strategies-for-educators/ https://www.raepica.com/2022/01/connecting-with-parents-communication-strategies-for-educators/#respond Mon, 10 Jan 2022 16:52:26 +0000 https://www.raepica.com/?p=7354 The post Connecting with Parents: Communication Strategies for Educators appeared first on Rae Pica.

]]> https://www.raepica.com/2022/01/connecting-with-parents-communication-strategies-for-educators/feed/ 0 7354 We Wouldn’t Put a Toddler on a Tightrope https://www.raepica.com/2021/10/we-wouldnt-put-a-toddler-on-a-tightrope/ https://www.raepica.com/2021/10/we-wouldnt-put-a-toddler-on-a-tightrope/#comments Mon, 18 Oct 2021 15:09:11 +0000 https://www.raepica.com/?p=6521 This is a variation on my “earlier-is-not-better” theme. If you’ve been following my work – whether recently or for a while – you know that I’m continually trying to debunk the insidious myth that earlier is better. It’s become so prevalent in our society! Whether we’re talking about athletics or academics, parents, administrators, policymakers, and…

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]]> https://www.raepica.com/2021/10/we-wouldnt-put-a-toddler-on-a-tightrope/feed/ 1 6521 What’s Your Mission for the Children? https://www.raepica.com/2021/05/whats-your-mission-for-the-children/ https://www.raepica.com/2021/05/whats-your-mission-for-the-children/#comments Tue, 11 May 2021 15:03:44 +0000 https://www.raepica.com/?p=6303 In a recent interview for The Play Based Learning Podcast, host Kristen Peterson asked about my “origin” story. I explained that I’d fallen into the early childhood field by accident when a neighbor asked me to teach dance to a group of preschoolers. I then went on to outline how my mission evolved from being…

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]]> https://www.raepica.com/2021/05/whats-your-mission-for-the-children/feed/ 2 6303 The Questions You Wanted Answered About ECE https://www.raepica.com/2021/03/the-questions-you-wanted-answered-about-ece/ https://www.raepica.com/2021/03/the-questions-you-wanted-answered-about-ece/#respond Mon, 15 Mar 2021 14:42:58 +0000 https://www.raepica.com/?p=5874 When education leader Peter DeWitt invited me to participate in one of his online discussions, he told me that EDWeek readers had been asking for a segment on early childhood education. They had questions about the effect of the pandemic on ECE, but they also wanted to discuss the field in general. What was different…

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]]> https://www.raepica.com/2021/03/the-questions-you-wanted-answered-about-ece/feed/ 0 5874 Getting Beyond the Babysitter Label https://www.raepica.com/2021/03/getting-beyond-the-babysitter-label/ https://www.raepica.com/2021/03/getting-beyond-the-babysitter-label/#comments Mon, 01 Mar 2021 16:18:40 +0000 https://www.raepica.com/?p=5864 The other day, on a LinkedIn post, someone left this question in the comments: “Why do you need a four-year degree to be a babysitter?” I realize I’m naïve, but it still stuns me that people continue to think of early childhood professionals as babysitters! It just goes to show how little the average person…

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]]> https://www.raepica.com/2021/03/getting-beyond-the-babysitter-label/feed/ 10 5864 How Misinformation Is Hurting Our Children https://www.raepica.com/2021/02/how-misinformation-is-hurting-our-children/ https://www.raepica.com/2021/02/how-misinformation-is-hurting-our-children/#comments Tue, 02 Feb 2021 13:46:44 +0000 https://www.raepica.com/?p=5837 There’s a whole lot of misinformation flying around these days! Whether it’s about what it takes to be a good parent, or what children really need to succeed, there are myths wreaking havoc on childhood, on early education, and on you! I don’t know why people are believing the myths. And I don’t know how…

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