We know that play is essential to a child’s learning and development but sometimes the HOW is hard to define and put into practice, and the WHY is hard to communicate to nanny employers.
In this session, you’ll learn how to:
- find a balance between free play and guided play in the home environment
- feel comfortable naming the skills that children are developing in their play and how to discuss that with parents
- utilize tools to define the “Why?” behind any given activity
- practice using open-ended questions as a way to extend children’s learning through play
- talk with parents about the science of learning through play
PRESENTOR BIO: Lydia Mackie is the Educational Content Lead at Rayz Kidz. She is an experienced educational professional who is passionate about child development and professional development for educators. She recently graduated with her Ed.M in Human Development and Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education. Prior to her time at Harvard, Lydia worked at Briya Public Charter School in Washington, D.C, a two generation program for immigrant families. There, Lydia was the lead English teacher in a Reggio-Emilia inspired bilingual preschool classroom, and most recently worked as the Outdoor Curriculum Specialist, as she helped to develop the school’s outdoor education program in response to the pandemic. Lydia previously taught preschool and kindergarten in Istanbul, where she first discovered her passion for outdoor education and the ways that it encouraged language development in English Language Learners. She is fluent in English, Spanish and Portuguese. Lydia recognizes all caregivers as children’s teachers and is inspired to equip them with the knowledge and resources that empower them to fully embrace this role for the betterment of the child’s development and their caregiving practice.
