27. Child-Led Play and Learning with Melysa from PRE-K Spot Talks

In this episode, I chat with Melysa, a Pre-K teacher, discussing the essence of child-led teaching. Melissa shares insights on balancing play and curriculum, incorporating student interests into learning, and the magic of letting children explore and discover. She highlights the importance of fostering curiosity and independence, showcasing the beauty of child-led exploration in creating meaningful learning experiences for young learners.In this episode I share:Balancing play-based learning with boxed curriculumCollaboration between pre-k and kindergarten teachersImportance of unstructured time for social-emotional developmentIntentionality behind letting children playLetting kids problem solve and develop independenceRecognizing and extending children's interestsRelated Blog Posts:Starting Purposeful Play in Kindergarten? Outstanding!Connect with Melysa:Instagram - @prek.spotWebsite - www.pre-kspot.comPodcast - Pre-K Spot TalksBook ClubConnect with Zeba:Instagram - @kindergartencafeFacebook - @kindergartencafeWebsite - www.kindergartencafe.orgTik Tok - @kindergartencafeMentioned in this episode:Trixie the Thoughtful TurtleLearn more about the newest Caring Critters book: Trixie the Thoughtful Turtle https://www.kindergartencafe.org/trixie/