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Working for a just, equitable, and quality early childhood education for every young child.


DEY News

An Update for our
Subscribers, Allies, and Friends



August 2019
A Quote We Like
" We ask you to imagine Kindergarten classrooms where teachers are trusted to use their judgment about what's best for each class. Imagine a future where love of learning, not test-based performance, returns to the heart of our children's very first education experiences. " -- Brookline, MA Teachers letter to their School Committee about returning the joy to kindergarten.

PROGRESS, IN PLAY

A revolution for True Play has arrived and was in full force at DEY’s Summer Institute in July. This is important because people (teachers and parents) are waking up to the stresses on their children caused by early academics and False Play. There is a growing understanding that what truly benefits our children’s health and well-being and what truly sets them on the path for future success in learning is True Play in early education.

Beyond concerned parents and teachers, pediatricians have become defenders of play, as well. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics recently...( Read more ).


What Next?

The next few issues we will be breaking down the outcomes of the Institute with greater detail. We will focus on defining specific policies and practices for ECE professionals; social justice and ways to push against the effects of corporate education reform. We will focus on how we define quality and play so that our collective activism is consistent; to developing strategies on how to build an advocacy platform.

In the Fall, we will be launching a series of new videos on Play so keep a look out for these in the next few newsletters.
AND THEN....THIS
The debate over Online Preschool continues with school districts considering a move toward this approach as a way to save money while hoping to provide young children with the many touted benefits of preschool. An approach we feel is deeply misguided. DEY will continue to push against this trend and have partnered with Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood on this issue so please keep an eye out for updates from us.

What else can I do?
If you haven’t already written to your State Representative, you can do so by joining us in calling on your State to reject this trend.


Did you know?
This past month we lost one of Early Childhood's pioneers. The woman who advocated storytelling to children, Vivian Paley, has passed away. Vivian Paley dies at 90. She believed in the power of storytelling in developing the minds and social qualities of small children. She wrote 13 books and won a MacArthur award for her work....and we knew her personally. ( Read more here. ) Her life was an inspiration to us all and she will be missed, but her work continues through dedicated teachers and early childhood advocates.
     
EVENTS & WHERE YOU WILL FIND US
TXAEYC (Texas Association for the Education of Young Children) conference, September 26-28th. DEY's co-founder, Diane Levin is the Keynote speaker on the 28th. If you're planning on attending, please make a point of attending her Keynote. You won't be disappointed.
Are you headed to the PEN (Progressive Education Network) conference October 3rd -5th? Stop by to see Geralyn Bywater McLaughlin, DEY’s Co-Director, workshop on Saturday, October 5th at 10am. She will be speaking about Mission Hill School’s partnership with the Boston Children’s Hospital on behavioral health supports.
NAEYC Annual Conference in November ( Nov. 20-23 in Nashville, TN ). DEY's Diane Levin and Marcy Guddemi will be presenting workshops:

Diane's is entitled " Media & Technology Use by Young Children in the Home: Helping Parents Promote the Positives and Counteract the Negatives". Marcy will present "Defending the Early Years: How Communities Can Stand Up for Children."

Denisha Jones, DEY's Director of Early Childhood Organizing, will be hosting DEY’s Annual Organizing Meeting on Saturday, Nov. 23 in the morning, place and time TBD. Mark you calendar and we look forward to seeing at the meeting.

We will send more details on the workshops and organizing meeting over the next two newsletters.
We will be at NPE (Network for Public Education) in March and, of course, DEY’s Summer Institute July 19-21, 2020 so make sure this is in your calendars. More details to follow in the coming months.
RESOURCES, RESOURCES and ...
Back to School is upon us. It's Time to Start a Play Revolution.

DEY Has you covered with the many resources we offer teachers. If this is your first time visiting our resources, then let's start with these two:


I need more.

Have you seen Dr. Nancy Carlsson-Paige 's page or Dr. Diane Levin 's page? These two women are our resident experts on early childhood education, and the Co-founders of DEY, are an excellent resource.

Are you following Denisha Jones ' blog on early childhood and play?

How about any of our Guest Blogs ?

Did you know that DEY has a mobilizing kit for parents and teachers who want to bring sanity back to early childhood?

DEY SHARE ...
Share the newsletter with parents and fellow educators so they too can be part of the True Play Revolution. See you next month.

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