Just Breathe Michelle Terzini-Hollar

In our ever-changing world there is one thing that has not changed; the developmental importance of play! Join the conversation with Patricia Hanley, Interim Director of the Graduate Program in Child Development and Director of the Child Development Institute (CDI) of Sarah Laurence College. She lends her expertise in early childhood and development to our dialogue about play. A couple of thoughts on the subject. Play is not a philosophy; it is brain science. Play is self-actualized learning in that it is self-chosen, started and stopped by children, occurring within a non-stressed state of mind with rules that are constructed by the player. Play is not based on expected outcomes or rules placed on children by adults. We marvel when watching bear cubs, puppies and kittens at play. Why do we insist on having our toddlers and youngest learners sit still? Children, like other mammals, need to move their bodies to learn!

During this podcast we introduce the Demarest School District's newest LDT-C, Speech and Language Therapist and Occupational Therapist.  Together, we share anecdotal information regarding the impact of COVID-19 on child development and discuss what can be done to support our youngest and dearest, our children.

The Just Breath Podcast welcomes Virginia Senande who is the supervisor of Professional Learning at the Office of Curriculum Instruction at the Northern Valley Curriculum Center located in Demarest, New Jersey. Mr. Justin Saxon joins us remotely for a second time as we discuss the professional development and special education programs that contribute to Region III's uniqueness and success.  We also explore the regional professional learning conference entitled “It Takes a Valley” that will take place in January of 2022.

Welcome to Irit Maor and Mary McConville!  During this episode we discuss the impact of parental burnout and explore its implications during COVID-19.  Irit and Mary enrich out conversation by digging in and sharing their experiences during this unique time period.  The article we reference is entitled The impact of parental burnout: What psychological research suggests about how to recognize and overcome it by Ashely Abramson (American Psychological Association, Vol. 52: No 7 pg. 36).

During this episode we discuss how schools are making their way back to a new normal!  Think about this.  The last normal school year for today's second grader was...never.  The last normal school year for today's 7th grader was 4th grade.  Are our students broken? NO WAY! Are there gaps too big to fill? NO WAY!  It is our responsibility as adults to meet children where they are and help them build a different but equally power sense of self. COVID presents with opportunities to interweave Social Emotional Learning into what educators already do.  Want tips?  Listen up

How did COVID impact our children?