A Whole Child Approach With Bank Street Professor Deb Vilas: Transforming Child Life Care

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

• Connect with Deb Vilas:

Website | LinkedIn | Email 

• Differential impact of preschool models on development and early learning of inner-city children: A three-cohort study. - Marcon, Rebecca A.
• Pedagogy of Play
• Let Kids Play  - The New York Times
• Keyboarding Without Tears
• The Dougy Center
• How To Talk So Kids Can Learn - Adele Faber, Elaine Mazlish
• Death Is Stupid (Ordinary Terrible Things) -  Anastasia Higginbotham
• Bank Street College of Education
  • Deborah B. Vilas - Bank Street College of Education
  • The Developmental Interaction Approach
• "Communicating with Children" Workshop with Deb Vilas and Manisha Snoyer
• Join our premium community with expert support and advice

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Time Codes:

00:00:00 - Manisha Snoyer welcomes guest Deb Vilas to the podcast.

00:01:29 - Deb Vilas introduces the Child Life field, discussing its evolution from play in hospitals to a specialized role. The focus is on child development, family systems, and medical terminology.

00:04:00 - The expansion of child life specialists outside hospitals, encompassing foster care agencies and private practices.

00:05:00 - Manisha shares an example of how a child life specialist helped a teen tap into his intrinsic motivation for learning. Deb elaborates on the importance of child-centered play.

00:09:36 - Deb Vilas explains the concept of retrieval and how stress can impact our ability to access information, casting a fresh perspective on learning challenges.

00:16:42 - A glance at the Finnish education system highlights informal learning until age seven, fostering a love for school and better academic performance.

00:23:40 - Deb emphasizes the importance of play for developing critical thinking skills, socialization, creative thought, and perspective for other people. An eye-opener on the learning process.

00:30:14 - Discussion of secure attachment between parents and children and its contribution to confidence and feelings of safety.

00:34:39 - Vilas delves into bullying and the importance of empathy in classrooms. Her insights on democratic environments inspire reflection.

00:38:22 - Deb introduces scaffolding in learning, promoting playful and engaging learning.

00:41:40 - The importance of parent coaching, particularly for parents with children experiencing ADHD, behavioral issues, or anxiety. 

00:46:56 - Deb's insights on clear communication, setting limits, and offering choices to children. 

00:48:15 - A touching segment on dealing with grief in families, highlighting Deb's work and expert insights.

00:49:00 - Deb shares her work on loss and grief, offering support to parents facing loss. She talks about children's understanding of death, stressing the importance of patience and time. 

00:53:48 - Manisha emphasizes communit