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PODCAST

Teaching With The Body In Mind

Teaching With The Body In Mind

Each week, Mike, Tom, Ross, and Joey reflect on the connection between moving and thinking. The discussions remind us that teachers should be supporting children"s bodies as well as their minds.

education education for kids

All Episodes

19:12

TWBIM_0229 No flashcards for riding a bike

Teaching With The Body In Mind ·

2023/01/24

Mike shares a video of the "backwards bike.," (watch here) an excellent example of embodied knowledge. You can explain it, but you can't do it until you can feel it. How many experiences do young children have like this each day? They may "know" something, but can't do it yet. How often do educators experience the frustration of trying to implement new skills and yet fall back into old habits in the moment?

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21:03

TWTBIM_0228 What Are They Thinking?

Teaching With The Body In Mind ·

2023/01/17

Tom prompts the group with some photos that show children thinking with their bodies, such as placing their feet under a box to signify Wizard of Oz themes (below). When we see children engaged in such deep physical "thinking," we should resist the urge to interrupt and ask what they are thinking. With practice, we can step back and see their thinking through their actions.

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18:20

TWTBIM_0227 Snow Much Fun

Teaching With The Body In Mind ·

2023/01/10

It's an annual winter tradition to post our "Snow!" episode. Tom wants to talk about beautiful, wonderful snow. Children love snow and the myriad opportunities it brings. Adults need to keep their snow-related hassles to themselves and let children have the joy. The discussion includes some practical tips for sledding with young children. (Originally recorded in 2019)

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23:13

TWTBIM_0226 No Domain is an Island

Teaching With The Body In Mind ·

2023/01/03

Ross invites us to grapple with the interconnectedness of developmental domains. If we focus too closely at individual areas of development, what might be missed? Mike shares the metaphor of children as "white light."

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21:55

TWTBIM_0225 Do we value physical creativity?

Teaching With The Body In Mind ·

2022/12/27

Tom wonders if we value children's body creativity as much as we do drawing or painting. Does playing Animal Action foster physical creativity? Ross is stuck on the need for children to practice and develop skill fluency in order to support phsycial creativity. The conversation ranges from the inventive play of World Cup soccer athletes to cutting paper hearts at Valentine's day--it's all connected.

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20:02

TWTBIM_0224 The Body is a Thinking Tool

Teaching With The Body In Mind ·

2022/12/20

Joey's observations of children decorating a play house with chalk lead to an examination of the idea that the body is a thinking tool. When children need to solve the problem of extending their reach, does the idea for a solution come from their mind or their body? Are we paying enough attention to these ordinary, yet remarkable, moments of competence and agency? Are our methods of assessment limited by being too tied to language?

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25:25

TWTBIM_0223 Mike Hates Gym Time

Teaching With The Body In Mind ·

2022/12/13

Gyms full of young children are loud, echoey, and overwhelming. Mike is going on record to say he doesn't like gym time. Tom wonders if it makes a difference how the space is set up? What about the schedule? Does it help if the children help choose the materials? Mike would still rather integrate physical play into the classroom setting. Joey wonders what's available in the gym, but not in the classroom--things like open space. Mike would still rather look for other open spaces. Ross makes a pitch

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TWTBIM_0222 Unadventurous Playgrounds

Teaching With The Body In Mind ·

2022/12/06

In contrast to recent conversations about adventure playgrounds, Ross wonders if traditional, static playgrounds are truly safer for children. Without open-ended materials, children's bodies become the thing that can change--for better or worse. In spaces with one "right way" to do things, social conflict can increase. Tom confesses to being a local playground aficionado who has seen some creative and fun traditional playgrounds.

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20:44

TWTBIM_0222 Unadventurous Playgrounds

Teaching With The Body In Mind ·

2022/12/06

In contrast to recent conversations about adventure playgrounds, Ross wonders if traditional, static playgrounds are truly safer for children. Without open-ended materials, children's bodies become the thing that can change--for better or worse. In spaces with one "right way" to do things, social conflict can increase. Tom confesses to being a local playground aficionado who has seen some creative and fun traditional playgrounds.

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22:03

TWTBIM_0221 Adventure Playgrounds, Part 2

Teaching With The Body In Mind ·

2022/11/29

There's more to say about the principles of adventure playgrounds and how they contrast to some of our accepted norms for children's play spaces. Is there really a dichotomy between safe and unsafe spaces for children? Could an environment that requires more thoughtful use of materials be safer than a static play space? Do we expect spaces that are "professionally" designed and constructed to be 100% risk free? What about the positive impact of risk taking on mental health? How is the adult's role

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19:15

TWTBIM_0220 Adventure Playgrounds, Part 1

Teaching With The Body In Mind ·

2022/11/22

Tom admires the "mindful audacity" of adventure playgrounds--radical spaces full of loose parts and possibilities. Joey brings up the tension between how adults believe children's play materials should be organized versus the more organic way that children use materials in play. Ross advocates for predictability. How do our expectations about organization shape the play possibilities in our environments?

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22:29

TWTBIM_0219 Weather Report

Teaching With The Body In Mind ·

2022/11/15

It's true that Minnesotans can't stop talking about the weather. Mike wants to know how it could be possible that a weather chart could teach better than just going outside with children. Ross pitches a new line of sensory experience flashcards--coming to stores soon!

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13:28

TWTBIM_0218 Dig and Tip (Encore Episode)

Teaching With The Body In Mind ·

2022/11/01

A conversation from the early days about setting limits while also supporting children's developing abilities.

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20:45

TWTBIM 0217 Treasures

Teaching With The Body In Mind ·

2022/10/25

A conversation about young children's treasure hunting. This seemingly simple activity requires agency, persistence and discernment. The search can be satisfying in and of itself. Finding and collecting treasure supports children's growing social awareness as they experiment with generosity and/or hoarding "wealth." Find out what has more value these days in Tom's neighborhood: walnuts or milkweed pods.

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21:03

TWTBIM_0216 Put Your Jacket On!

Teaching With The Body In Mind ·

2022/10/18

Ross reminds us that you don't have to have that fight about putting on a coat--a discussion about children's autonomy in making decisions for their own bodies.

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22:24

TWTBIM_0215 Relatively Free

Teaching With The Body In Mind ·

2022/10/11

Tom prompts our thinking with the sentence, "Children have to seek environments relatively free from adult control." Discussion ensues of lemonade stands, AnjiPlay, and the tension between making sure children "get it right" and letting go. What are the implications for children's confidence, independence and sense of privacy?

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18:53

TWTBIM_0214 Sad Sometimes

Teaching With The Body In Mind ·

2022/10/04

A conversation about accepting and respecting children's sad feelings.

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18:48

TWTBIM_0213 Creating the Conditions

Teaching With The Body In Mind ·

2022/09/27

What happens if you create the conditions where children know they can try things vs. run a classroom where children are allowed to do things? It's a subtle difference that can lead to a stance of curiosity and appreciation. It can be as simple as the set up for how children access paint or having towels easily available for messy play.

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21:19

TWTBIM_0212 Walking and Talking

Teaching With The Body In Mind ·

2022/09/20

Ever notice how often young children walk and talk? Dialogues of planning, negotiating, and sometimes sharing of inner thoughts often happen while children are walking. Tom wonders at the implications for the classroom. Do we interfere with children's ability to walk and talk? Mike shares his experience with walking group meetings.

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20:02

TWTBIM_0211 Nostalgia and Play

Teaching With The Body In Mind ·

2022/09/13

Tom cautions us to be on guard for nostalgia for our own childhood play. Thinking that play was "better back then" can lead to judgements about children's play today. The group unpacks the dangers of nostalgic thinking and how it clouds our ability to see value in children's play.

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203 results

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