Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts’ Post

Fuse Project has announced a partnership with the Mobile Arts Council through its Amp Up Arts education programming to launch “After-School Art” at Calloway-Smith Middle School in Mobile. Fuse Project says the program fills a critical gap, as the school currently offers only band and physical education as electives during the school day. Read more. https://buff.ly/4ag4BqM

Play fuels student success — it builds brain and heart muscles for creative expression, builds independence, focus and stamina, and is the soul of literacy. In play, our children are exploring a narrative universe, one they can control, expand, revise and transform. As we wrap up Dewey’s Month of Play, let’s remember: play is an essential part of our children’s growth, development and more. If we watch our children at play, we may learn something invaluable for our own lives: how the exploration of narrative and the creation of worlds is essential to our agency and happiness. Read my Medium article this week for tips on why play matters so much and how we can create spaces for play that will teach lessons for a lifetime. https://lnkd.in/d3NSS7Xn #DeweyMonthofPlay #Literacy #LearningLoss

Using ALL your gifts and talents to show up and serve who you are called to serve brings so much joy!😀 I was recently featured in an article 💻📰 where I shared my passion to help close academic gaps through providing workshops in schools, afterschool programs etc. - engaging youth in learning science using movement and dance. I also support science teachers through workshops and trainings - providing them with a framework they can implement in their classroom to integrate dance, movement and science....leveraging my 30+ years of dance training in addition to my science background. 💥Did you know integrating movement in a learning environment can: ✅️ Help support academic success, even increases in test scores ✅️ Help support classroom cohesion among students and teachers ✅️ Keep students engaged and focused ✅️ Help encourage students to pursue careers in STEAM (this is my intention as I engage youth in learning science using dance and movement) #closingacademicgaps #scienceanddance #useyourgiftsandtalents #scienceteachers

The first wave of SXSW EDU accepted sessions crowdsourced from PanelPicker have been announced, and DCMP was selected! More than 1,400 session ideas were submitted to PanelPicker this year. Over the last few months, 43,439 votes were cast by the SXSW EDU community. Every proposal was reviewed by members of its Advisory Board and staff to thoughtfully narrow down the proposals. Of those, 187 sessions rose to the top, including DCMP. “This year's PanelPicker proposals are some of the most thoughtful discussions and conversations we've seen to date," said Julie Shatilo, SXSW EDU Programming Director. "The first sessions announced from PanelPicker for our 15th year celebrate the powerful work of our community, and we look forward to growing the dialogue on education and beyond in the coming months." "Tools for Teachers to Become Digital Accessibility Designers" will be presented by DCMP, Utah State University, and the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs. It will feature DCMP's new online tool for creating captions, audio description, and sign language for videos. 

RAND's findings on summer programs in 2023 highlight several significant trends: Prevalence of Summer Programs: 81% of districts offered summer programs 📚, catering to both elementary and secondary grade levels 🎒. Urban District Participation: Every urban district surveyed provided summer programming 🌆, with many offering four or more different programs 📈. Characteristics of the Largest Programs: Typically free of charge 💸. Ran for four weeks 🗓️. Offered about four hours of academic instruction per day ⏰. Employed district teachers for at least some, if not all, academic instruction 👩🏫. https://lnkd.in/gxhgkgic

When designing new programming, my team doesn’t just ask, “What can visitors do?” We also brainstorm, “Who can our visitors learn from?" For decades, Children's Museum Houston has hosted artists, scientists, educators, and community leaders that embody the vibrancy of Houston. We are now building on this strong foundation with a new program, EastArts, underwritten by the Freeman Foundation. Throughout 2025 we will welcome local artists who will lead children in 96 workshops featuring traditional East Asian art techniques spanning 12 countries. Elementary school art teachers will co-facilitate the sessions, providing personalized support for children. In turn, these teachers will gain new knowledge about East Asian art techniques that they can bring back to their classrooms. To ensure accessibility, all of the EastArts workshops will be included with regular Museum admission, and 24 of the sessions will be held during Free Family Nights when we welcome all visitors at no charge. We will also post videos about each artist's design process to reach an audience beyond the Museum’s walls. I can't wait to see what children will create through our new EastArts program, and I am so thankful to the Freeman Foundation for their support that is deepening our community connections and our cultural learning opportunities at the Museum.

Random attempt: But being this is LinkedIn; I am looking to be contracted out for my skills. Do I get an LLC & register it for what I want to do? My point is that, I want to advertise & be independent with my skills. I do youth programming, aimed at prevention, revitalization. I do community programming as well, I do cultural teachings, youth leadership. Language instruction. Would someone help me figure this out?

That's right! We've had a record amount of enquiries and orders from schools today! It feels fantastic to know that struggling readers are finally being given resources that suit them! We genuinely hope playing our educational board games encourages and helps a child with their reading! Does your school have any packs yet? Www.spikessightwords.com for more #spikessightwords #learnwithspike #learnenglish #learning #learntoread #learndifferently #dyslexicthinking #dysgraphia #dyslexic #dyslexiasupport #educationalboardgames #neurodivergent #education #read #literacy

At Huitong ELC, we believe in the transformative power of play, particularly block and construction play, as a cornerstone of early years education. The structures children create in our classrooms are far more than physical constructs; they are tangible manifestations of their creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. One key element of our approach is giving children the freedom to revisit and extend their creations over time. Unlike traditional practices where play materials are tidied away at the end of each day, we allow the children’s block structures to remain intact. Sometimes, this means reorganizing the classroom to extend their building space, allowing their ideas to flourish and evolve. After all, the classroom is their space—a dynamic environment shaped by their imaginations and interests. Research supports the immense value of block play. Piaget’s constructivist theory reminds us that children learn by actively engaging with their environment. Block play exemplifies this, offering rich opportunities for experiential learning. Studies by Sara Smilansky and David L. Ginsburg highlight how construction play fosters cognitive and social development, laying the groundwork for skills like spatial reasoning, language, and even early mathematics (Ginsburg, Lee, & Boyd, 2008). Additionally, Erika Christakis emphasizes in The Importance of Being Little that open-ended materials like blocks promote deep engagement and authentic learning experiences. When we honor children’s work by preserving their structures and extending their opportunities for play, we’re also teaching them that their ideas matter, that their efforts hold value, and that the classroom is a shared community of exploration and respect. Educators, I encourage you to reflect on this: How does your classroom environment honour the creativity and agency of your learners? Are we providing the time and space children need to dive deeply into their work, or are we unintentionally placing limits on their potential? In the video accompanying this post, you’ll see the remarkable structures our children have built—some spanning multiple days and weeks of construction and collaboration. It’s a testament to what can happen when we step back, provide the tools, and let their imaginations lead the way. Let’s celebrate play, not as a break from learning, but as the essential work of childhood! #blockplay #openendedmaterials #playiskey #Huitongelc #ReggioEmilia #ReggioInspired #ReggioEnvironment #EarlyChildhoodEducation #emergentcurriculum #PlayBasedLearning #ProjectBasedLearning #ECE #LearningThroughPlay #ChildhoodDevelopment #HandsOnLearning #PlayfulLearning #EarlyYears #ChildLedLearning #EarlyLearning #EducationalPlay #InspiringYoungMinds #ProjectApproach #PlayToLearn #DiscoverThroughPlay #ChildDevelopment #PlayMatters #ProjectBasedEducation #YoungLearners

We have some good news for you (for a change!) This fall, Uptown Stories was selected by New York State to provide free daily after-school programming at three local public schools. Last month, we officially began our programs at Muscota New School, Amistad School, and Castle Bridge School. What’s even better? We will continue to serve these schools for the next five years. This partnership comes from the state’s Learning and Enrichment After-School Program Supports (LEAPS) initiative. Through LEAPS, New York funds community-based after-school programs that help K–12 students thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. We’re honored to say that Uptown Stories is the only organization in the DOE’s District 6 to be funded under the LEAPS initiative. This means more writing workshops for more young people in Washington Heights and Inwood, in the location that is most accessible to them: school. These young writers are now learning fiction writing, playwriting, and comics from some of our most experienced, beloved teachers, and they’re already creating a flurry of works that we can’t wait to share. Our goal is to create a deep, lasting impact on these young writers by strengthening their creativity, confidence, and personal expression in an inclusive and supportive environment. It is your support that allowed us to serve upper Manhattan, and we hope that you will continue to do so as we enter this exciting new chapter.