Kiss-and-Go Lane

Some of my favorite conversations happen in the Kiss-and-Go Lane. My little one and I have some of the best talks in the car on our way to and from school. Arrivals, departures, and waiting in the Kiss-and-Go Lane are routines during the day when we share with each other. Some might call it “small talk.” Personally, there doesn’t seem to me anything “small” about connecting with another human over talk. From the cashier to the baby in the stroller, I’m that person in the grocery store line who is talking with others. I love to talk with people. Having conversations is what we do as educators and students. We learn from one another.

I had a chance to talk with people about podcasting at the National Center for Families Learning (NCFL) annual meeting (Macy, 2023). It was such a fun conversation that I went home and wrote a paper based on a podcast I use in the university classes I teach. If you’re interested in using podcasts with coursework and curriculum follow the link to the Macy (2025) paper: “Let’s give them something to talk about: Podcasting as a form of pedagogy” (clink on the bold title for link to article).

One of my favorite things that students tell me is how they listen to the “audio only” of the BUTTERCUP iTunes show in their cars. I too listen to the BUTTERCUP podcast and others in my car. As I leave the Kiss-and-Go Lane waving goodbye to my little one, I am tuning into conversations about early childhood topics.

This year marks ten years that I’ve been doing the BUTTERCUP podcast. The exquisite researcher and author of many best-selling books, Ellen Galinksy, was my first guest. Hard to believe that was ten years ago. I’ve learned some things about conversations since I started the podcast in 2015. Here are a few.

  • Be prepared. Before every conversation with a guest of the BUTTERCUP podcast, I try to read everything I can that my guest has written. I become a student of that person. I can hear it in my voice and see it in my eyes when I watch the podcast how impressed I am with the person. I’m mesmerized by what each of them has accomplished, but most importantly for who they are. Each one is inspirational and worth knowing and learning from in this platform.

  • It’s okay to make mistakes. It is acceptable not knowing something, or making a mistake. Vulnerability. Sam Donaldson talked about being vulnerable when he was on the podcast. He shared this wisdom with me and said, “The more you let someone in to your life, the more they'll let you in to their life.” He has had many convos in his years as an award winning journalist. Check out his episode 12 (below) if you want to hear more things from Mr. Donaldson.

  • Edit or cut content, if necessary. There is only one take per episode of the BUTTERCUP podcast. Professional podcasters and producers may have multiple takes and/or tools for production. I’m not a professional or have any formal training in podcast production. My husband, Robert, is the producer and he too has no formal training in podcasting. Everything we know about podcasting is what we have taught ourselves from trips to the library and YouTube videos, as well as professional advice and tips from our friend Garrett Weinzierl (episode 5 below). There is only minor editing of the BUTTERCUP podcast. I try to keep it as organic as possible, but sometimes editing/cutting is necessary. For example, I have terrible habits of fidgeting and saying “Umm” when I get excited and the ideas come faster than the words out of my mouth. If it is too distracting, we cut it from the podcast.

I make the BUTTERCUP podcast for my college students, but the audience has grown to parents and teachers. Last time I checked the analytics, there were over 12,000 listeners who have tuned in since 2015. All I can say is…Thank You! With immense gratitude to my guests who share their work and time, as well as the people who listen to our conversations. Thank you.

Can “small talk” make a difference in someone’s day? For me it does. I hope listeners take something good away from listening to podcast conversations. I’ve got a hunch… good conversations with our children can make a positive impact.

I took this picture on a rainy day in Lombardia with sunshine playing peek-a-boo with the clouds. I was here for an international conference where I did a presentation sharing the podcasting topic with an audience of higher education faculty. I won an award for best paper presentation (Macy, 2025).

Podcast paper appears in the Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education (JECTE).

I’m honored to join the JECTE editorial board and begin my four year term.

Thank you to the amazing guests who share their work and stories on the BUTTERCUP podcast. I am grateful for our conversations and your trailblazing work in our field. Click on the person’s name if you would like to hear the conversation.

1. Ellen Galinsky

2. Toni Linder

3. Stefano Bagnato

4. Kristie Pretti-Frontczak

5. Garrett Weinzierl

6. Kurt Kondrich

7. Kevin Marks

8. Mary Jo Huff

9. Robert Gallen

10. Craig Ramey

11. Frances Page Glascoe

12. Sam Donaldson

13. Matt de la Pena

14. Jane Squires

15. Jean Feldman

16. Lou Mongello

17. Laurie Berkner

18. Steve Songs

19. Andrea and Cristina Lou Pepper

20. Natasha Wing

21. Diane Bricker

22. Rick Kubina

23. Hill Walker

24. Anna Eskamani

25. Shantel Hebert-Magee

26. Marie Tourell Soderberg

27. Jennifer Goldfinger

28. DJ Eagle Bear Vanas

29. Paul Dworkin

30. David Lawrence Jr.

31. Amanda Wilkerson

32. DeShawn Chapman

33. Shalander Samuels

34. Julie Wei

35. Harris Rosen

36. Chuck Dziuban

37. Arthur Sims

38. Bill Isler

39. Zibby Owens

40. Sylvia Acevedo

41. Celeste Headlee

42. David Dotson

43. Jennifer Ledford

44. Michael Linden

45. Olivia Okolue

46. Tony Orengo

48. Rhian Evans Allvin

49. Bo Stjerne Thomsen

50. Natalie Danner

51. Chrisanne Gayl

52. Walter Gilliam

53. Timothy Almon Askew

54. Al Spain

55. Iheoma U. Iruka

56. Michelle Kang

57. Emer Ring

58. Edward Melhuish

59. Scott McConnell

60. Robin McWilliam

61. Alessandra Landini

62. Danila Crespin Zidovsky

63. Emily Wiklund Hayhurst

64. Ann Anderson Berry

65. Ilene Schwartz

66. Micki M. Ostrosky

67. Anne Hillerman

68. Scott Chamberlin

69. Junlei Li

70. Sarah Browne

71. Ehichoya “Ehi” Edokhamhen

72. Jessie Brewster

73. Ruth Troyanek

74. Kine Melfaldn Tveten

75. Isabel María Gómez Barreto

76. Carlos Montoya-Fernández

77. Ana Maria Seranno

78. Denise Luscombe

79. Demet Gülaldi

I have a favor to ask you. Yes, YOU! If there is a topic or person you’d like to appear on the BUTTERCUP podcast, please reach out to me and share your thoughts.

P.S. If you are coming to the DEC conference this fall (2025), pretty please stop by my session entitled, “How can we use podcasts with implications for pre-service professionals?” 

References

Macy, M. (2023, October). Airtime for professionals via podcasting. National Center for Families Learning (NCFL) conference in Omaha, NE.

Macy, M. (2025). Let’s give them something to talk about: Podcasting as a form of pedagogy. Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, 46(2), 243-252.  https://doi.org/10.1080/10901027.2024.2410000  

Macy, M. (2025, May). Using a podcast to increase engagement in professional development and implications for early childhood workforce development. International Conference on Online Learning and Teaching (ICOLT - 25) in Milan, Italy. Award for Best Paper Presentation.

Pasta

If we are celebrating, I make lasagna.

If someone is sick in my family, I make pastina with broth.

If it is a regular Tuesday, I fill a pot of water and while it’s boiling I explore the pantry to see what kind of pasta mood I happen to be in that moment.

What’s not to love about pasta? Even dogs seem to love pasta. Remember the scene from the Disney classic, “Lady and the Tramp” where the two dogs are glowing in candlelight from an old bottle of Chianti with breadsticks on the table and eating spaghetti. In the 1955 animated movie, the song “Bella Notte” (Beautiful Night) is playing while the dogs eat out of a single bowl of pasta. As the music fades, the pooches share a single strand of spaghetti that ends in a kiss.

A spaghetti kiss.

Another kind of kiss is the chef’s kiss. Showing delight for food can result in bringing five closed fingers to mouth and puckering up. Sfoglina Maria taught us to make pasta by hand in the traditional method of people from Emilia-Romagna. Her northern Italian kitchen is situated on a 5th generation family farm where the iconic regional cheese, Parmigiano Reggiano, is produced. Here is where magic happens in her pasta classroom. I’ve taken her pasta course multiple times. Every time I learn something new. She deserves a chef’s kiss for teaching.

Teacher of pasta and Sfoglina, Maria, teaching how to use simple tools like hands and knife to create all these different shapes of pasta. You can use a pasta cutter wheel too if you are feeling fancy.

This is my go-to pasta shape for when I’m in a cheerful mood nella cucina.

Maria showing us how to make toretellini and tortelloni. The belly button of the goddess Venus is said to be the inspriation for this pasta shape from Emilia-Romagana.

Farfalle/butterflies.

I graduated from pasta school!

Another pasta teacher of mine was my Nonna. When I was a child growing up ten minutes from her house, I would watch my Nonna Amalia cook in her sunshine soaked kitchen. It always smelled like mouthwatering food in her home. Here is where I first learned to make pasta from scratch in her tradition from southern Italy. It is slightly different from what I learned at the cookery in Emilia-Romagna. Shapes of the pasta were slightly different in Nonna’s southern style. Ingredients were slightly different. Preparation of the pasta was slightly different in her cucina. The sauce could be dramatically different in southern pasta dishes. A gesture for showing approval of food in Italy is where you point your index finger to your cheek and use a twisting motion while saying the word, “Buono” for yummy or good. Baci (kisses) for Nonna. Molto buono!

If you love fresh pasta…

Sfoglina Maria and my Nonna Amalia showed their love through cooking and teaching. Whether it is pasta or other dishes, cooking for a family is an ongoing consideration for parents occurring daily with almost no days off. Family routines may include preparing meals together. Parents try to balance making things their children will like to eat, as well as nutritional benefits of food they provide for their family.

 In her book “Ingredienti,” Marcella Hazen (2016) devotes a section to how she fell in love with ingredients. She shares how to design a pantry for pasta and other recipes. Creating the conditions for family cooking starts with shopping at the market for the ingredients. Like Maria and Nonna Amalia, Marcella advises using fresh and high quality ingredients. Make room in the pantry for good ingredients.

Maybe the recipe is simple. Add good things plus a generous portion of amore.

 P.S. Don’t forget the kisses.

To the table, everyone. Tutti a tavola.

Source: Hazen, M., & Hazen, V. (2016). Ingredienti: Marcella's guide to the market. New York: Scribner.

Graduation Day

“Nobody can take your education away from you.” This sentence was shared with me often by my parents when I was in middle and high school. They wanted me to go to college and get a degree. They did not care in what field I received a degree. They just wanted good things for me and that included a college education. I am a first-generation college graduate being the first in my immediate family to earn a college degree. Neither of my parents (or grandparents) graduated from college.

Graduation day is a celebration! I’m so excited that my nephew and Godson will be graduating from college this month (first grandchild of my parents to earn a college degree), along with my niece graduating from high school. I can’t wait to be with both of them to celebrate their accomplishments that they worked so hard to achieve. Congratulations!

Accessing higher education was a goal that I made for myself when I was 19. I promised my parents that I would go to college. I started out at a community college and then transferred to a 4-year public university in my home state. This allowed me to save money and make college more affordable by working multiple part-time and full-time jobs while I was a student. I became the first in my family to graduate with a 4-year degree. Then I went on to more educational opportunities and obtained my doctorate. Today, I am the John P. Ellbogen Foundation Professor of Early Childhood Education in the College of Education at the University of Wyoming.  

Five things that helped me obtain a college education as a first-generation student are:

~support from my family and friends,

~setting measurable goals and then tracking those goals,

~role models who were doing the job that I wanted,

~seeking mentors and meeting with them on a regular basis, and

~reinforcement by celebrating small and big accomplishments.

Something I tell my daughter and my students is to NEVER GIVE UP. Dream big. Chase those goals. A college degree can open doors to a good life.  

My role model (Mom) and me on graduation day.

A version of this blog post appears in First-Gen Campus Connection at University of Wyoming.

Rights

There is a piazza in front of the university in Reggio Emilia with a celebration of children’s words and drawings. Children shared their ideas and I think they are profoundly thought provoking. Children’s ideas are displayed in pictures here showing their thoughts on rights.

Do you have ideas about children’s rights that you’d like to share? Would you like to write a chapter for a new edited book about children’s rights and the Reggio Emilia approach?

I will be editing a book on this topic along with my colleagues Drs. Emer Ring & Alessandra Landini. We have an open call for book chapter proposals for our edited book project entitled: "Realizing Children's Rights in a Global Context: The Reggio Emilia Approach.” 

For more information about this project and to submit your proposals, please access the following link. https://www.igi-global.com/publish/call-for-papers/call-details/8684

I hope to read your thoughts on children’s rights.

“Diritti, devi averli, altrimenti ti senti male.” (Written and illustrated by children in Reggio Emilia, Italy).

Reggio Emilia, Italia

“Rights, you have to have them, if not you feel bad.” (Written and illustrated by children in Reggio Emilia).

Ideas Travel

"Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one.” ~Jane Howard

One of the things I like to learn from people when they are a guest on my podcast is what has been a highlight of their career. It is a fun surprise to hear what they say. There are many to choose from in my career. One of the highlights happened in 2011 for me.

People from Taichung University brought me to Taiwan to share information about assessing young children with collaboration from families and familiar caregivers. It was my first time visiting Taiwan. When I told my parents that I would be traveling to Taiwan, they booked their flights and joined me.

Having my parents with me in Taiwan was magnificent. It will go down in my smile file as one of my favorite memories from my career (so far). Family! On the podcast this month, I had the pleasure of talking with Ruth Troyanek and Jessie Brewster who are Family Support Specialists in Wyoming with Parents as Teachers. They shared terrific ideas for ways to implement positive and strengths-based strategies into each interaction with a child’s family on episode 66 (click on bold link to see their episode). Professional practices are meaningful when families are empowered.

Families play a big role in our life. In addition to my family, I also was joined in Taiwan by a colleague from Brisbane, Australia who also did a keynote for the conference at Taichung University. We had an interpreter during our keynotes who translated our English words into Chinese. It was a wonderful experience being with people from Taichung University who work in early childhood special education.  I was sitting on an Eva Air flight on my way back home when it occurred to me the power of ideas.

Ideas can take shape anywhere. Ideas can change someone’s life. Ideas can change the world.

Ideas can travel in real time, or through history. Ideas can be shared in writing, or ideas can be shared in person. It is hard for me to feel the impact of an idea when I put it on the page. When I teach or present information to a live audience, I get to look into each person’s eyes and share in that moment with them.

This experience in Taiwan made me realize that we are all connected in a global community. Ideas travel to places known and unknown. Part of the fun is to see where ideas take us.

Keynote at Taichung University with Mom & Dad.

Lugang Temple.

Dinner with Dr. Rachel Wu and friends.

Tea.

Tea shop owner.

Me drinking tea.

Hanging out with friends drinking boba tea at the Night Market in Taichung.

Bakery in Taipei.

Dad and me at the Taiwan stock exchange in Taipei.

Mom and me eating breakfast at our hotel.

Taichung residence.

Friends in Taichung.

The MRT or metro is a sleek system of transportation in Taiwan. Super fast too.

Taipei.

Kau Cim.

Dinner with friends in Taichung.

Taipei city hall.

101 Building and park.

City life at dusk.

Dinner with Drs. Shih-Di and Shiou-Mei.

Shopping.

Candy Store

Coffee with friends.

101 Building.

Taipei.

Taichung University professor, Dr. Shih-Di.

Macy, M. (May, 2011). An international framework for delivering early childhood special services to young exceptional children and their families. Presented at the International Symposium of Early Intervention in Taichung, Taiwan.

Titles

Climb in. The engine’s roaring. These two lanes can take us anywhere. It’s “Thunder Road.” The song. Something exciting starts to happen in my ears and in my heart when I hear Bruce Springsteen belt out the start of the song, “The screen door slams” (Springsteen, 1975). It’s a gutsy invitation.

Chase after that thing you really want. Take action. Do something. Now. No time to waste. In this song, Thunder Road, the narrator seems to be inviting the listener to the chase.

R.S.V.P. is unnecessary. How can the listener not accept his invitation when Springsteen sings, “Oh, come take my hand” (Springsteen, 1975) on the Thunder Road track of Born to Run. Invitation accepted.

Acceptance is moving forward. Avanti. “I got this guitar and I've learned how to make it talk” (Springsteen, 1975) is where he explains in Thunder Road the power of voice and communication. He has learned to use musical tools to express himself. Communicate ideas.

Writers have tools and approaches to expressing themselves in their writing. Finding the right words and then saying them is part of the chase. Chasing thoughts. Chasing words. Chasing down ideas and then playing with them because the engine is roaring loudly and with urgency.

When I write a journal article, the last thing I usually do is develop the title. I wrote about titles and shared how to use a self-assessment strategy when creating the title for a study, as well as other parts of an academic paper (Macy, in press). This writing strategy is something I use with my college students, and I wanted to be able to share it with others to help people find their way to developing a manuscript for an academic audience. The reason I prefer to write the title as one of the last things is because the paper changes during the writing process. Title development is last for me. Songwriter Springsteen shared in an interview on a radio show that he basically does the opposite. Title development is first for him.

He writes the title first, or comes up with a metaphor when starting the writing process. Springsteen shared how the title for Thunder Road was inspired by the 1958 movie with Robert Mitchum. He explained on VH1 Storyteller how inspiration came from the Mitchum film. Thunder Road is the title of the movie, as well as the title he gave his song. Titles!

Another writer known for titles is Agatha Christie. Artifacts are preserved from her writing that are well-known fan favorites and deep cuts. Novelist, Agatha Christie, had a process for creating titles saved in her journals. Christie developed a pictogram for the title of a famous play she wrote in one of her journals. In addition to writing mystery books, Christie also wrote plays to be performed live. The pictogram in her journal showed where she drew three pictures for the title: “Three Blind Mice.” Christie later discovered that there was already an author who used the same words in their title.

What’s a playwright to do? She changed the title from “Three Blind Mice” to “Mousetrap.” Maybe you’ve seen “Mousetrap” on stage or movie? Authors of all types invest thoughtful energy in creating the perfect title.

In academic writing, shorter titles are often favored over longer titles (Ferreira Garcia et al., 2019; Habibzadeh & Yadollahie, 2010; Jamali & Nikzad, 2011; Paiva et al., 2012). What would you use for a title to capture your dream for 2025? Discover what you have to say with a short or long title. In the style of Springsteen, why not start the new year with a brand new journal and write your 2025 title on the cover.

It’s an invitation. My blog this month is an invitation for you to write it down. Goal setting can be part of the journal writing process. For me, I set an intention for 2025 to play more. I’m going to try to pursue play by saying “YES” to playful adventures. For example, I’ve always wanted to learn how to ski. Even though it scares me a little bit, I’m going to ski and play in the snow any chance I get and write about it in my journal.

The title of my journal is, “The Avanti Playbook 2025.” The word avanti in Italian means to go forth. Keep moving forward with a smile and amore in the heart. The word "play" can be a verb or noun. When we play we are engaging in an activity for enjoyment and recreation. Many children experience play deficits in their young lives. It is necessary for adults to honor and promote play.  Not just for children, but for ourselves too as my former student Kelcie Burke wrote in her guest blog for BUTTERCUP last month. Thank you, Kelcie. How do you define play? What does it look like when you play? What do you notice when you observe children playing? How about you? What say you, my friend? Do you have a playful goal(s) for 2025?

Write it down. I invite you to think about this new year and chase your dreams no matter how big or small with journal writing. “And I know you're lonely for words that I ain't spoken” (Springsteen, 1975) shows how hard it can be to speak or communicate the things that are important. Maybe the words don’t come easily. Maybe it’s fear of rejection. Maybe there are no words to truly capture what it is the writer means to say. In the journal you can create the meaning with the words chosen. The words can be revised again and again. Writing can be a solitary act and different from speaking aloud to someone. When writing, you only have yourself and nobody interrupts as the ideas enter and you get them written. You’re in the driver’s seat.

Cue the harmonica. What else can we do now except roll down the window and start writing …“with a chance to make it good somehow” (Springsteen, 1975).

Objects are like treasures that Agatha Christie wrote about with rich descriptions in her stories. Christie was married to an archeologist. She met her second husband on a dig where Christie presumably fell in love with him and ancient objects. The journal in the picture above is one of my objects of affection. My kind friend made this journal for me for my birthday out of pages of books/sheet music, vintage oilcloth, crushed velvet, and an antique Italian map. She stitched this mosaic together to form the cover pages using her sewing machine. Grazie mille, amica! I take this treasured journal with me when I travel to Italy.

A selfie with Agatha Christie near Piccadilly Circus in London, England.

A version of this blog post appears in “Behind the Paper” from Springer Nature.

References

Ferreira Garcia, D. C., Chaves Gattaz, C., & Chaves Gattaz, N. (2019). The relevance of title, abstract and keywords for scientific paper writing. RAC: Revista de Administração Contemporânea, 23(3), 453. https://doi-org.libproxy.uwyo.edu/10.1590/1982-7849rac2019190178

Habibzadeh, F., & Yadollahie, M. (2010). Are shorter titles more attractive for citations? Cross-sectional study of 22 scientific journals. Croation Medical Journal, 51(2), 165-170. https://doi.org/10.3325/cmj.2010.51.165

Jamali, H. R., & Nikzad, M. (2011). Article title type and its relation with the number of downloads and citations. Scientometrics, 88(2), 653-661. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-011-0412-z

Macy, M. (in press). A self-assessment strategy for writing and publishing a quantitative research article. Early Childhood Education Journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-024-01829-z.  Published online before print December 20, 2024.

Paiva, C. E., Lima, J. P. da S. N., & Paiva, B. S. R. (2012). Articles with short titles describing the results are cited more often. Clinics, 67(5), 509-513. https://doi.org/10.6061/clinics/2012(05)17

Springsteen, B. (1975). Thunder road [song]. On Born to Run. Columbia; Sony.

Looking forward to 2025. Avanti.

Finding YOUR Play

She has been studying play. Her thesis was about teachers’ views on play in the curriculum. Now she shifts her attention to well being in the early childhood educator workforce. Teachers need play too. Go have fun and read this blog by the magnificent Kelcie Burke who is our guest blogger this month.

Finding YOUR Play

Recently, I went on a trip with my extended family, and it reminded me about the importance of play across all ages. Now I don’t mean the playing you may be picturing with toys or that children are seen engaging in. I am talking about finding your play as an adult.

This recent trip included family members aged 82 to 5 months old. During and upon reflection of the trip I saw every person engaging in ‘play’. Some more literally than others. This trip provided my family with the opportunity to connect with one another in an environment that encouraged what I would call adult play. There were no jobs to worry about, just freedom to explore the environment we were in, observe our surroundings, try new things, and most importantly be present with one another.

This is at the same amusement park my mom played at as a kid

Those traits are not only hallmarks of play in early childhood where children are using playful activities to learn about themselves, their peers, and the environment, but also can be considered play in adulthood. Play as an adult is about finding joy in life through participating in activities that bring you happiness. This is a secret ingredient in life. Playing with friends and family provides a sense of fulfillment in the adult years, helps reduce and relieve stress, and creates more meaningful relationships.

There is an uncontested need for play in early childhood education for development, but what is less advocated for is the need for play in adulthood. Play in adulthood looks undeniable different from play in childhood, but it is no less important. Some people may find ‘play’ in hiking while others may ‘play’ by crafting.

In his book “Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul” author Stuart Brown with co-author Christopher Vaughan provides a vignette of a woman that was feeling deeply dissatisfied with her very lucrative job and life in general until she thought about what things she did in childhood that made her feel happy. She realized upon reflecting on her ‘play history’ that riding horses brought her undeniable joy. Once she reincorporated horseback riding into her routine her fulfillment was restored. This is the power of play. We may call it ‘stress relief’, ‘me time’, ‘seeing friends’, ‘vacation’, or any other name but at its heart it is play.

I encourage each of you to find the play in your life and engage in it often!

Reference: Brown, Stuart L, and Christopher C Vaughan. Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul. New York, Avery, 2009.

Playtime is good for children and adults.

“Finding YOUR Play” was written by guest blogger, Kelcie Burke.

Bio: My name is Kelcie Burke I am a first year PhD student at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln working on a doctorate in Human Sciences specializing in Child Development/Early Childhood Education. I have had a passion for working with families and children since my undergraduate years. I am a play researcher and advocate with interests in the use of play for learning and development as well as teacher practices.

Kelcie Burke in her university lab school.

What was I thinking?

I’ll tell you. I was thinking of jingles.

Have you ever wondered who writes jingles? Why do they write them? We all write. Probably everyday we write something. Could be a list of groceries needed from the store, email, birthday card, note tucked into your daughter’s lunch box, or to do list. In the past week, how many different things have you written? If you add it all up, I’m guessing it is a lot of words.

I just finished a manuscript where I was writing about writing. My paper is about scholarly writing where I share a rubric I created for giving feedback on papers. I’m hoping to use this paper with my student scholars. This got me thinking… what if our academic papers came with music?

Me smiling with laptop open and writing (while humming jingles) in a coffee shop.

If your academic paper was a jingle, what would it be? Here are some papers I wrote in the past and a 1980s television jingle that I’d like to go with some of my papers.

Paper #1. Jingle: I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing. (Soda)

Coca Cola had this beautiful song with the words, “in perfect harmony.” I wrote a chapter for an edited book on ways the world came together during the COVID-19 crisis. My chapter was about how to connect families during the pandemic to create harmony and services for their children (Macy, 2022). “I’d like to teach the world to sing”…about connecting children to high quality services they have a right to by harmoniously collaborating with their families (sung to the tune of the jingle).

Paper #2. Jingle: B-O-L-O-G-N-A. (Cold cuts)

When I write grants, I usually try to find an acronym that is easy to remember. A paper I wrote with Dr. Stefano Bagnato used a convention that reminds me of a jingle for Oscar Mayer deli meats.

“My bologna has a first name,

It’s O-S-C-A-R.

My bologna has a second name,

It’s M-A-Y-E-R.

Oh I love to eat it everyday,

And if you ask me why I’ll say,

’Cause Oscar Mayer has a way with B-O-L-O-G-N-A.”

We used R-E-A-L to share information about authentic assessment (Macy & Bagnato, 2010). The article is entitled, “Keeping it R-E-A-L.” My husband came up with the idea for the title. I’m always talking to the hubs about my writing, and we have collaborated on many writing projects together. “And if you ask me why I’ll say” authentic assessment is a way to keep it R-E-A-L for kids (sung to the tune of the jingle).

Paper #3. Jingle: I Don’t Wanna Grow Up. (Toys)

Toys R Us had a commercial that was about growing up with toys. The jingle had the words, “There’s a million toys at Toys R Us that I can play with.” It’s hard for me not to smile when this tune gets into my head. I wrote a paper about a toy that uses an online data management tool to assess young children. The interactive assessment tool can be used with play (Macy, 2010). “There’s a million toys”…out there that can make assessment fun for grown-ups and kids (sung to the tune of the jingle). 

Paper #4. Jingle: Give Me A Break. (Chocolate)

The jingle for Kit Kat chocolate bars goes, “Give me a break, give me a break. Break me off a piece of that Kit Kat bar. You can keep it to yourself but it wouldn’t be fair.” This jingle reminds me of the importance of sharing and caring for others. One way we can foster positive interactions with families is by using positive and effective communication strategies (Macy, Bagnato, & Weiszhaupt, 2019). I wrote this with Dr. Stefano Bagnato from the University of Pittsburgh and Dr. Krisztina Weiszhaput who was my doctoral student at the University of Central Florida at the time. My jingle for this paper would go something like, “Break me off a piece of”… your time, attention, and support for our family (sung to the tune of the jingle).

Paper #5. Jingle: The best part of waking up. (Coffee)

The Folgers Coffee jingle features the iconic line, "The best part of waking up is Folgers in your cup." I wake up excited to grab a coffee and start writing. One of my favorite things to write about is authentic assessment. Yes, the environment can be a third teacher, but it can also be considered for how we observe and assess children. The authenticity of spaces can help or hinder an accurate assessment of child development (Macy, 2023). “The best part of waking up”…is creating spaces that are conducive to authentic assessment and learning (sung to the tune of the jingle).

Paper #6. Jingle: Like a good neighbor. (Insurance)

This jingle was written by musician Barry Manilow for State Farm. Being a good neighbor shows up a lot in the things I like to write. I wrote about a way to make community environments more neighborly for children and their families by capturing their dreams. The paper was about a way to create individualized goals for children with their families and professionals (Macy, 2024). “Like a good neighbor,” early childhood educators are there (sung to the tune of the jingle).

Paper #7. Jingle: Give me a Dew! (Soda)

Give me a book and I am a happy camper. Mountain Dew soda pop jingle goes, “Give me a mountain and nothing to do.” The idea of nothing to do but enjoy alpine air and a book sounds great to me. If you are new to academic writing, try writing a book review. It is a fun way to write about a book that moved you in some way. I love Michael Guralnick’s book on the Developmental Systems Approach, and enjoyed reviewing it for a publisher and then writing a book review that got published in a journal (Macy, 2005). “Give me” time to write with a nice smelling candle, Andrea Bocelli singing, and flowers on my desk (sung to the tune of the jingle). And a pretty view of mountains wouldn’t hurt either.  

Paper #8. Jingle: Be a pepper. (Soda)

Musician, Randy Newman, wrote the jingle for Dr. Pepper soda pop. The earworm is, “Be a pepper. Drink Dr. Pepper.” I am a professor and have the fantastic job of preparing university students for careers. Adult learners gain competencies in our university programs that will probably translate into careers for them. A paper I wrote with two of my graduate students (Maria Spinetti Rincón and Melissa Hogan Ault) was based on a study we did related to electronic communication and writing emails for parents (Macy, Spinetti Rincón, & Hogan, 2020). The jingle I’d write is, “Be a teacher. Be a GOOD teacher” (sung to the tune of the jingle).

Paper #9. Jingle: Plop plop, fizz fizz. (Antacid)

Alka-Seltzer has a jingle that goes, “Plop plop, fizz fizz, oh what a relief it is.” As a doctoral student, I felt relieved when Dr. Kristie Pretti-Frontczak invited me to write a paper with her and two other doctoral students. It was my first published paper and it was about activity-based intervention resources (Pretti-Frontczak, Barr, Macy, & Carter, 2003). I worried that I’d never get anything published, and it was such a relief when it happened one year before I graduated with a Ph.D. in special education. Thank you for teaching me about writing a journal article for publication, Kristie! (sung to the tune of the jingle).

Paper #10. Jingle: Stuck on. (Band aids)

How do theoretical perspectives stick? I have spent many hours thinking about child development theories. I teach classes at the university about theoretical foundations. It is no wonder I was thrilled to write a paper about the underlying theories that make up the activity-based intervention approach (Macy, 2007). Johnson & Johnson hired the magnificent musician Barry Manilow to write this jingle with the following words, “I am stuck on Band-Aid brand, 'cause Band-Aid's stuck on me. I am stuck on Band-Aid brand, 'cause Band-Aid's stuck on me. 'Cause they hold on tight no matter what on fingers, toes and knees… I am stuck on Band-Aid brand, 'cause Band-Aid helps heal me!” My jingle would go: I am stuck on theories that help to better understand growth and development in humans (sung to the tune of the jingle).

What was I thinking when I wrote or co-wrote these 10 papers? I was probably thinking how could I write something that would be useful for teachers, families, and their children. I was probably humming while my fingers tapped their way across the keyword, or scribbled words on scratch paper. Jingle all the way.

It makes comparisons between the environment and teaching in the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education, where the classroom setting is like a third teacher. Growing up, the television was like a third teacher in our house. I had three categories of “teachers” in my home. Number one was my family. Number two were the ladies who visited our home to get their hair done in my mom’s beauty shop that was in our house next to the garage. Number three was the ever-present hum of the television set. Early teachers were Fred Rogers on Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood and the people on Sesame Street.

Our television was like wallpaper in a room-- always there in the background. With only four choices for ABC, NBC, PBS, and CBS stations, our television was on for most of our waking hours. You could determine what time of day it was by the temperature on the television set. Our 1980s television, or T.V., was hot by the end of the day. If it was cold, it was morning. If your hand burned by touching the T.V., then it was nighttime.

Maybe one of the benefits of growing up with the television set on for major portions of the day is that I have an emotional response for commercial jingles. It’s a connection to tunes and lyrics. Some people dislike commercials. Not me. I love when the commercials interrupt T.V. shows.

Entertain yourself with writing about a topic you care deeply about, and with the kind of epic passion found on television soap operas! Say what you need to say with your writing and your heart wide open.

What the heck was I thinking? Well, now I’m thinking about writing a new book… perhaps it will be about jingles. What do you think? I guess I should stick with my day job and leave jingle writing to someone else.

References

1.     Macy, M. (2005). The developmental systems approach to early intervention. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 25(2), 119-121. https://doi.org/10.1177/02711214050250020201

2.     Macy, M. (2007). Theory and theory-driven practices of activity-based intervention. Journal of Early Intensive Behavior Intervention, 4(3), 561-585. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0100392

3.     Macy, M. (2010). Interactive online assessment options: A review of the AEPSi. International Journal of Early Childhood Special Education, 2(3), 254-257. https://doi.org/10.20489/intjecse.107973

4.     Macy, M. (2022). Early identification of risk, developmental delay, or disability in young children: Connecting families with services during a global health crisis. In Pattnaik, J. & Jalongo, M. (Eds.), Educating the Young Child special series issue, The Impact of COVID-19 on Early Childhood Education and Care: International Perspectives, Challenges, and Responses. (pp. 237-252).  Springer Nature Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-96977-6.

5.     Macy, M. (2023). Authenticity of assessment in inclusive spaces. Head Start Dialog: The Research-to-Practice Journal for the Early Childhood Field, 26(2), 100-106. https://doi.org/10.55370/hsdialog.v26i2.1632.

6.     Macy, M. (2024). Equitable practices in early learning environments: Designing dreams with individualized education plans. Literacy Today of the International Literacy Association, 41(3), 54-55. https://publuu.com/flip-book/24429/811271/page/56

7.     Macy, M., & Bagnato, S. (2010). Keeping it “R-E-A-L” with authentic assessment. National Head Start Association Dialog, 13(1), 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1080/15240750903458105

8.     Macy, M., Bagnato, S., & Weiszhaupt, K. (2019). Family-friendly communication via authentic assessment for early childhood intervention programs. ZERO to THREE, 40(2), 45-51. https://www.zerotothree.org/resource/journal/family-friendly-communication-via-authentic-assessment-for-early-childhood-intervention-programs/

9.     Macy, M., Spinetti Rincón, M. P., & Hogan, M. (2020). What are undergraduate students’ perceptions of a peer coaching model intended to foster effective electronic communication strategies with parents? Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, 42(1), 110-120. https://doi.org/10.1080/10901027.2020.1852345 

10. Pretti-Frontczak, K., Barr, D., Macy, M., & Carter, A. (2003). Research and resources related to activity-based intervention, embedded learning opportunities, and routines-based instruction: Annotated bibliography. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education,23(1),29-39. https://doi.org/10.1177/027112140302300104


Caring for Others

I wrote a blog about belonging in May. Feeling like we belong and are included can help us feel connected with the people in our lives. Quickest way I know to help someone feel like they belong is to show you care about them. Caring can be expressed with a gesture like a smile, words, and/or actions.

“To plant a garden is to dream of tomorrow.” ~Audrey Hepburn

When we were on our holiday travels with my parents, they turned their cell phones off on the ship during our polka cruise. Nobody could reach them for a week when we were on the Atlantic ocean. Their neighbor in Seattle and I are friends. She reached out to me out of concern for them. She forgot they were on a cruise. She had visited their house multiple times and called them with no replies. Very unusual behavior from my parents that had her worried. Her kindness in connecting with me to check on them showed how she cares for them. I love her for doing that for my parents and our family.

Caring is an important element in the early childhood profession. We need to care and be cared for by others.

Good for the soul is spending time with those who make us feel loved.

La Dolce Vita

Flowers have always made me smile. Fresh flowers bring the sweet life, or la dolce vita, to my spirit. Marlene hired me to work in her flower gardens. Along with the other gardeners, I worked landscaping. My job was to deadhead the spent blossoms on the Rhododendron trees. If you’ve ever removed Rhododendron blossoms from branches, you probably got all sticky from the sap. I loved working among the flower gardens, but gardening was not my calling. I was dreaming of becoming a teacher for as long as I can remember.

Teacher! Proud to become a teacher. In addition to teaching, I’ve worked food service in our family Italian restaurant, as a flagger on construction sites, and I was a bank teller for 3 years to pay for college.

Exactly 20 years ago, I graduated with a Ph.D. in special education at the University of Oregon. Since graduation from the doctoral program I’ve had the following jobs in university settings: part time teaching, soft money temporary research grants, lecturer, supervisor, research associate, visiting assistant professor for one year, tenure track (untenured), and tenured positions. Not yet at the rank of full professor.

Becoming a full professor has been a longtime dream of mine. I’m starting a new position as a full professor with tenure at the University of Wyoming as the John P. Ellbogen Professor of Early Childhood Education. Dreams come true.

Mentors have helped me throughout my life starting with my parents and family. She had parents and siblings who also played a role in her becoming who she is. On episode 61 of the BUTTERCUP podcast (click here for access to video podcast), New York Times bestselling author, Anne Hillerman, shared wonderful insights into mentorships. One of the things she shared was how a mentor changed her life when she was an intern at a news service job for 90 days as a copy editor, and then later a reporter at the New Mexican newspaper. There are many mentors who have helped me navigate my professional life. Here are some of those magnificent people who have changed my life:

  • Washington ~ my principal Gary Benedetti, my mentor teacher Becky Hamm, and paraprofessional Jan Clark (White River School District)

  • Oregon ~ my professors Drs. Diane Bricker, Jane Squires, and Hill Walker (University of Oregon)

  • Pennsylvania ~ Drs. Stefano Bagnato (University of Pittsburgh) and Frank Rusch (Penn State University)

  • New Mexico ~ Cheryl Fallstead (New Mexico Press Women)

  • Florida ~ Dr. Judy Levin (University of Central Florida)

  • Nebraska ~ Drs. Dena Harshbarger (University of Nebraska Kearney), Kate Gallagher, Sam Meisels, and Walter Gilliam (Buffett Early Childhood Institute)

Mentorships matter. I am so grateful to these mentors who I admire and look up to, as well as others who have been part of my journey. Thank you to everyone who has helped me discover la dolce vita.

“The delicate balance of mentoring someone is not creating them in your own image, but giving them the opportunity to create themselves.” ~ Steven Spielberg

Doctorate in Special Education 2004 with emphasis in Early Childhood Special Education (preschoolers) and Early Intervention (infants & toddlers)

University of Oregon summer commencement August 2004.

“The Night Before…A New Job”

“Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house,” starts a classic poem.

“A Visit from St. Nicholas,” written by Clement Clarke Moore, is narrated by a parent who experiences wonder when something special happens in anticipation of an event. The night before a big adventure evokes all kinds of emotions. The night before a new school year, for example, can cause children (and parents too) to feel nervous and have jitters. This is the time of year when there are a lot of people starting new adventures.

I am thrilled about a new adventure in my life. I’m starting a new job.

Soon, I’ll be going to bed the night before my new job starts. I’m excited, but also have some jitters. Have you ever had jitters before starting a new job? What was it like? Did you go to bed worried about what to expect?

The author, Natasha Wing, has taken this first line of “The night before” poem and she has created a series of books for children. Natasha was a guest on our podcast (back in 2017 before we started doing video) where she shared information about writing for children. Click on the bold here for a link to her audio podcast.

I used her books with my little one before she started preschool, kindergarten, first, and second grades. They were a great way to have a conversation about the transitions. Children and families can talk through big feelings, and use books as a way to have conversations about topics.

In addition to being a guest on the BUTTERCUP podcast, Natasha also wrote a guest blog for BUTTERCUP entitled, “Don’t Sweat the Holidays.” In the blog, she talked about how the holidays can cause people stress. “I’ve gotta make special cards. I gotta write a newsletter. I gotta decorate like Martha Stewart. And…. All these gottas creates a lot of pressure on people,” said Natasha when we talked about where she came up with the idea for the blog. She reminds us to do the best we can. She reassures the reader. A reminder that things will be okay when we are “enjoying the time” we have with the people in our lives.

Thank you for your uplifting words, Natasha. The night before I start my new job will be a joyous occasion and I can’t wait. I am thrilled to meet my new students. I am thrilled to meet my new colleagues. I am thrilled for all the new adventures that await. I’ll take Natasha’s good advice and not sweat the “gottas” and just focus on enjoying the journey.

If you are starting a new adventure, good luck to you. I’m cheering for you ~ “Happy New Adventure to all, and to all a good night!”

Check out Natasha Wing’s website for more information: http://natashawing.com/.

Photo credit: Erika Pritchard

Ecological Hospitality

Belonging is an essential human need. Early childhood settings need to demonstrate for children and their families that they are cared for and belong. Ecological hospitality is what I’m calling it. Hospitable interactions make a big difference for little ones (and big ones too). The physical space can show that everyone is important and valued. Positive and supportive attitudes, routines, rituals, practices, curriculum, and assessments are thoughtfully considered and created for ecological hospitality to exist.

We met on zoom one more time when we returned from our Reggio Emilia delegation. All of us shared one thing that was a highlight or favorite part of the trip to Italy. It was interesting for me to hear what people shared as their favorite parts. Many of us shared experiences that were relationship-based.

For me, it was my time with friends. I shared one of the highlights of waking up and going to dining room for breakfast every morning in Reggio Emilia. I get up crazy early and write every morning no matter where I am. I brought my writing with me to breakfast, and would drink delicious Italian coffee and start writing. I was usually the first one in the dining room and delighted when my friends arrived for breakfast.

The hotel staff treated me like family. By the end of the two weeks, I was starting to feel like Norm from the television show “Cheers” with the hotel staff and other guests. One lady from the front desk invited me to Sunday mass at the Reggio Emilia cathedral where she got married.

Another hotel employee reached into her own purse under the registration desk and handed me her own personal toiletries she brings to work. She showed care for me when I ran out of toothpaste. The hotel employee working the night shift apologized that the hotel didn’t have any toothpaste for guests who ran out so she reached into her Prada handbag and pulled out a brand new and unused tube of lavender Italian toothpaste. I was so grateful for her kindness. Now every time I go to Italy I bring home Italian lavender toothpaste with me.

 I’m writing this month’s blog during the winter holidays when I am on a polka cruise with my family. Surrounding myself with people who make me feel loved. My parents, husband, daughter, and two cousins are all here with me, as well as friends from Arizona. We dance polka everyday during our time on the ship. When we came back to our cabin from the polka party last night, there was a kind note from our ship steward. It may not have seemed like a big deal, but this little gesture meant a lot to me. Little things can be big things that help people feel like they matter.

Me hanging out in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and getting a little writing done before I dance polka with my Dad and family. 

Caring people are what made me feel as though I belonged in both places—Reggio Emilia, Italy and polka cruise. When we create spaces for children and their families, safe and welcoming atmosphere should be present. Make room for the social environment to support the people in it. Use words and actions to create a welcoming place. Ecological hospitality is being good to people because it is the right thing to do. Children and their families are depending on it.

You matter. You are important. You belong here. You are welcome here (or as we say in Italian benvenuti).

 “The older I get, the more convinced I am that the space between people who are trying their best to understand each other is hallowed ground.” ~Fred Rogers

Together We Bloom

Warning. You might feel like you are in a Monet painting when you visit. Reggio Emilia is bursting at the seams with poppies everywhere in springtime.

 If you wonder what Reggio Emilia is like, experience it. Spoiler alert. It’s pretty magical. Seize the day and come to Italy with us where every route is the scenic route. Our group of ten Americans took several routes to learning and professional development while we were in this northern region of Italy called Emilia-Romagna.

 After World War II, people in the Italian town were disgusted by what the war did to their community. They wanted to rebuild. They turned to early childhood education in hope for their future. The Reggio Emilia approach was founded by Loris Malaguzzi and parents from Emilia-Romagna. The “100 Languages” poem (at end) was written by Malaguzzi and conveys some of the philosophy.

Reggio Emilia, Italia.

 An Italian company located in the heart of Reggio Emilia, created a 2-week itinerary for us to experience early childhood education in Italy. Reggio Lingua provided us with a translator during school visits. Being in a place where the primary language spoken everywhere is Italian, gave us English-speaking Americans a feeling of what it might be like for our children and families in U.S.A. whose home language is different from English.

 The people of Reggio Emilia measure the hours in a day by the church bells ringing in their village and rewarding social connections. We met many early childhood professionals from Italy, and around the world, who shared their love for teaching and learning. We explored Reggio Emilia programs for babies, preschoolers, and early elementary school children.

 Teachers gave us a warm “benvenuti” when they welcomed us in their schools, and they shared with us like we were their long-lost cousins with endless things to talk about. Early childhood professionals in Reggio Emilia took care in discussing what it’s like to teach in Italy, as well as special routines and rituals. One of my favorites was spending mealtime with them.

 We got to experience meals with Reggio Emilia educators and children. Mealtimes are a revered ritual in Italian culture. All day long, but especially during meals, their class family gathered where stories were the focal point (oh and delicious food too). They showed how food can bring people together.

 Benvenuti was how the children welcomed us too. The bambini, little ones, talked with us about their interests during mealtime conversations around the table. Children showed us the things they were proud of in their classrooms.

Here are ideas I took away from early childhood professionals and children in Reggio Emilia, Italy:

1.      Play is a universal language. Children speak the language of play fluently.

2.      Attuned caregiving starts with listening. If you listen carefully to what their behavior is saying, children communicate their wants and needs.

3.      Observation during children’s familiar routines and activities can be the basis for accurate assessment.

4.      Inclusion means we are creating a sense of belonging for everyone together.

5.      All members of the community are responsible for creating a healthy and happy environment where everybody can grow.

6.      Professional well-being and care strengthens the overall community.

7.      Kindness is spoken in hearts of early childhood professionals when families are respected in little and big ways.

Sometimes it’s necessary to explore afar in order to journey within. Our American delegation went to Italy together, and we collaborated with one another before, during, and after our time in Italy. In addition to expanding ideas about teaching, the trip to Italy with other professionals gave us time to reinforce the bonds we have with one another. I feel like our community of practice at home got stronger from going on location in Italy together. This shared experience was both personally and professionally rewarding for me. I now have nine American friends that I can say, “remember when we were in Italy and we (fill in the blank).” For example, “Remember when we were in Italy and we ate Erbazzone Reggiano out of a paper bag while watching Reggiani ride their bikes that were decorated in flowers like a parade float in front of the Reggio Emilia Opera House?”

 Speaking of music. One of my favorite songs to sing with children (and anyone who will sing along) is, “The More We Get Together.” The lyrics of the song highlight the importance of togetherness. Together we learn. Together we teach. Together we make a difference for children and families. All together. Together we bloom into the best version of ourselves. “The more we get together, the happier we will be.”

“The Beauty of the World Lies in the Diversity of Its People” (bulletin board at Northlake Park Elementary in Orlando, Florida)

Note: I wrote this for the Buffett Early Childhood Institute blog. Click on this link if you want to read it on the Buffett Institute website. Thank you Erin Duffy and Buffett team for inviting me to share this experience with your readers.

Reggio Emilia countryside.

 

Me stepping into a Monet painting in Reggio Emilia in the spring.

Bookshelf

Do you ever find yourself staring at people’s bookshelves when you have a zoom meeting? Do you snoop to see what people are reading while stuck in the airport, or on a plane/bus? I confess to all of the above.

I get distracted by other people’s books, and I love to learn about what people are reading. Helps me to consider my next book. Bookshelves are spectacular works of art and architecture to me.

I will probably want to read what you are reading. Here are some questions I’m thinking about asking the next time we get together and talk books.

·      What book would you read over and over again?

·      What book could you read in one sitting, it was that good?

·      What book made you pee your pants from laughing out loud, or made you throw up a little bit in your mouth?

·      Which book have you reread the most?

·      Which book is the one you’d like signed by the author?

·      What book kept you up way too late?

·      What did you read that made you weep uncontrollably?

·      What book is the one that holds the recipe to a good life?

If you’re interested in more book talking, then head over to the BUTTERCUP podcast and listen to what Zibby Owens of “Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books” has to say on episode 37 (click bold link) which was our first time adding video to the audio podcast.

Sharing love of books with preschoolers at our lab school. Photo taken by Erika Pritchard.

Crafternoon: Bath Bombs

Looking for something to do with children during spring break. Try a craft and whip up some bath bombs during crafternoon. Bath bombs are easier to make than you would think.

 With four ingredients, you and your child(ren) can make bath bombs. Take the ingredients below and mix them in a bowl. Then get a mold and shape the ingredients into a ball. That is it.

 Supervise children at all times. Wear gloves. Follow safety considerations for children. This activity may need to be adjusted depending on the child’s age and/or ability.

 Next time your children are bored, make some special bath bombs and memories.

 Ingredients:

¼ Cup             Cornstarch  

2 ¼ Cups       Baking Soda

¾ Cup            Coconut, Canola, Sweet Almond, or Other

1 ¼ Cups       Granular Citric Acid (look for this in the canning section of grocery store)

1 Teaspoon  Essential oil or fragrance (optional)

½ Teaspoon Liquid Color (optional)

 

Things You Can Learn From Eating Lunch in the Teacher’s Lounge

I was a substitute teacher for a year and a half after college. It is one of the best experiences I could have ever imagined for preparing me for a career in education. One thing I learned during that time was how important other teachers would be in my life. We learn from each other.

 One of the best places to learn about a school’s culture is in the teacher lunch room. It was tempting to sit at the desk in the classroom and eat lunch by myself while grading papers or looking over afternoon lesson plans. However, I decided early on that I needed to eat lunch with other teachers to learn all I could from them. I didn’t know at the time that it was helping to acculturate me to the profession.

 They shared things like how to remove gum from classroom furniture. They told me the best place to get banners for bulletin boards. They explained ways to identify lice in the environment, my hair, and children’s hair.

 The things I have learned from my fellow educators is a treasure trove of information that are best found in the daily interactions that make up our working lives.

 Thank you, teacher friends. I think the world of you.

Photo credit: Erika Pritchard.

Let's go to school in the museum!

Professor Alessandra Landini from University of Modena-Reggio Emilia helps us discover meaningful connections when a public space like a museum collaborates with their neighborhood school. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Landini and her school community relocated to the town public Museum’s Palace, in Reggio Emilia, Italy. Musei Civici became their school during the pandemic.

Her community partnership sustained the education program. Everything like food and resources followed her and children. The pandemic is over, but partnership between museum and school remains. In the tradition of the atelier, artistic and cultural expression in childhood is enhanced when professionals have resources. Entities outside of Reggio Emilia schools support early childhood education in this region of Italy. Many community-based programs exist in Emilia-Romagna that have meaningful contributions for professionals working with young children.

It is nearly impossible to separate education from the community context in Reggio Emilia when wondering if you can bottle up this magic. When you come to Reggio Emilia it is possible to wonder how you can take some of this magic home with you. If you want to hear more about this community-based partnership between the Reggio Emilia school and the municipal museum, head over to the BUTTERCUP podcast (click on bold) and listen to Dr. Landini tell the amazing story.

Musei Civici in Reggio Emilia, Italia.

Follow me to the Musei Civici in Reggio Emilia, Italia.

Musei Civici in Reggio Emilia, Italia.

Musei Civici in Reggio Emilia, Italia.

Musei Civici in Reggio Emilia, Italia.

Circle time and then small group activities were done here the day we visited the Musei Civici in Reggio Emilia, Italia.

Light tables and ateliers. Musei Civici in Reggio Emilia, Italia.

Musei Civici in Reggio Emilia, Italia.

Studies in sealife. Musei Civici in Reggio Emilia, Italia.

One child chose to draw this giraffe and then write about it in their journal. Musei Civici in Reggio Emilia, Italia.

Preschooler drew this giraffe in notebook. Musei Civici in Reggio Emilia, Italia.

Musei Civici in Reggio Emilia, Italia.

Musei Civici in Reggio Emilia, Italia.


Source: Landini, A. & Macy, M. (September, 2023). Case Study of Social Inclusion and Community-based Partnership in Reggio Emilia, Italia. Sixteenth International Conference on the Inclusive Museum, “Museum Transformations: Pathways to Community Engagement,” Vancouver, Canada.