Notes from the Edge · Podcast summary
Edge Note: What Did We Forget After Kindergarten?
Kindergarten teacher Tiffany Dennison shares insights from 22 years of teaching, revealing what adults can relearn from children about play, emotional intelligence, and navigating conflict.
Listen on the show ↗The digest
In a compelling conversation on "Notes from the Edge," host Lisa Lacy sits down with Tiffany Dennison, a passionate kindergarten teacher with 22 years of experience. Dennison, who has spent the last 18 years teaching at the same rural school in Vermont's Green Mountains, offers a unique perspective on what adults might have forgotten about being human, drawing from her extensive time observing and interacting with young children.
The Unjaded Perspective of Kindergarteners
Tiffany Dennison's teaching philosophy centers on play-based learning, social-emotional development, authentic interaction, play, and belonging. She believes children learn as much from one another as they do from adults, often understanding concepts more emotionally than adults. Dennison highlights that kindergarteners are "not jaded" and still inhabit a world where "magic is still in their world." They are deeply immersed in an "ethereal, imaginative way of thinking," unburdened by the societal restraints that adults often internalize. This allows them to remain grounded and connected to their authentic selves, a state many adults struggle to reclaim.
Keep reading in The Digest
The full 5-minute article, 6 more sections, and every new episode from Notes from the Edge and the creators you follow.
- The Power of Unstructured Play and Imagination
- Unapologetic Authenticity and Societal Conditioning
- Navigating Conflict and Repairing Relationships
- The Importance of Safety and Belonging
- Underestimating Joy, Pleasure, and Playtime
- The Critical Conversation About Screen Time
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