Sir Ken Robinson: Changing Education Paradigms

Sir Ken Robinson: Changing Education Paradigms

The Thrill of (vicarious) Success

It is so hard, as a parent, not to be seduced by the thrill of having our child “succeed.” And what exactly defines “success?” In early childhood, we often judge success on how much a child knows. This leads many parents to put their children into “academic” programs that focus on abstract knowledge, rather than experiential, play-based programs

Compassionate Listening = Listening to Ourselves with Compassion

The reason why I created a non violent preschool for my son, and the reason why I am on the hunt for a humanitarian school (or at the very least a compassionate teacher) for his elementary school experience, is completely selfish: I was a troubled child. I was the hard one. I had BIG emotions, and they were usually not understood. (OK, I admit it…I am STILL the troubled child, and I STILL have BIG emotions!)

Use Your Words!

Parenting can be like tobogganing down a flight of stairs on a swatch of cardboard: smooth and easy, with just a couple of bumps and bruises! A good guideline for accomplishing this is to swap shoes with your child: treat them as you would like to be treated. And like Horton says: “People are People no Matter How Small.”

What do “Shutter Island” and non violent communication have in common?

What do “Shutter Island” and non violent communication have in common?

FYI: TKG Enrollment Event

For Parents who are interested in learning more about TKG (The Knowing Garden) ~ “How is a community of learners created? By knowing one child, one parent, one family at a time. You are invited to participate in a learning workshop with potential teachers and like-minded prospective families. You are invited to be part of [...]

Introduction to Riviera PlaySchool

We are thrilled to announce that we will soon offer, Riviera PlaySchool “Light:” The Toddler Program.  The program is designed as a segue into the regular program at Riviera PlaySchool. Families and students will get a wonderful introduction to our teachers, philosophies that define our preschool. The details: Hours – Monday, Wednesday and Friday from [...]

Mother’s Poem greeting from Melody Elder

Mother’s Poem

In a matter of days
you learned to
grab on tight,
little doll arm
curled around me,
sweet burr,
possum baby.

Creating a Place of Belonging and Empowerment for Children

Wherever you go, it is the teachers who make the school what it is. And the teachers at PlaysSchool are all grounded in the same philosophy — that of non violent communication. Therefore, when any conflict occurs, it is a true learning moment, and teachers are on hand to hold space for the children to resolve their own conflicts. We are never in a rush to resolve the conflict. Sometimes children can take 20 minutes to sort a conflict out, if we let them. And we do. We pay particular attention to where we are during the conflict. We stay on the sidelines. We don’t jump into the fray energetically. If we notice our speech becoming more rapid, or our voice becoming louder, then that’s a signal to us to take a step back and let them have their own emotions about the conflict at hand. It’s pretty tricky, and it keeps us more awake as people.

“People are people no matter how small”

“People are people no matter how small” is as close to a school motto as we have at Riviera PlaySchool; and it’s fitting that it is quoted from Dr. Seuss’s character Horton. The cornerstone of our program is Non-Violence. Ghandi and Krishnamurti both base their work upon this, as do many western advocates including Rosenberg, [...]

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