Pam Schaffner Inclusion is a relatively new concept in the course of human history. Before the 19th century, those with disabilities were often considered cursed or even possessed and were largely removed from society. They were often institutionalized in hospitals or even jails. In recent decades how persons with disabilities are educated and treated in...Read More

By Stefanie Camoni Welcome to the classroom, a place where the children spend most of their time. They play here and may even eat and sleep in this same space. The classroom plays a vital role in a child’s day and should evolve and change as the children’s’ development and needs change. The space may...Read More

Erin DelRegno Evans “Childhood is not a race to see how quickly a child can read, write, and count. It is a small window of time to learn and develop at the pace that is right for each individual child. Earlier is not better.”           − Magda Gerber There’s a reason people...Read More

By Aimee Currier When I have a stressful day, I like to turn to music to help me decompress. Some days I need to play some soft, quiet music. Other days, the louder the better. I can even remember back to when I was a child and I would play the piano in a way...Read More

Leah Zabari During the spring and summer months, I enjoy hiking, camping, and paddling on the lake. Last summer, I decided I was going to start visiting as many of the state parks in Pennsylvania as I could, explore hidden gems of our state, and start enjoying the outdoors even more than before. Each weekend...Read More

Aimee Currier I kept falling into the same trap day after day. I would ask my children, “How was school today?” Their answer was always “fine.” At that point I’d pretty much lost them because in their mind, the question had been asked and answered and no further discussion was necessary. I decided to “get...Read More

Kelli Harris What does it mean to have diversity in your classroom? High quality early childhood education provides experiences to nurture acceptance of diversity by encouraging children to view others as individuals without preconceived notions. By having diverse materials in the classroom, it gives children the chance to see themselves represented and encourages learning about...Read More

Guest Blogger- Jennifer Roberts Extended Day Services manages 22 school-age programs, mostly in the South Hills of Pittsburgh. We have been around for 30 years and have tried many different curricula and SEL concepts over the years.  Three years ago, we began using SPQA and slowly integrating its components into our programs. We integrated most...Read More

by Natalie Grebe When chatting with a friend recently, she teased me about my love of chickpeas. I could eat them every day! Luckily for me, they can be prepared many ways as a healthy snack or side dish. My friend mentioned how frustrating it was for her to try to eat a well-balanced diet...Read More

By: Tracy Walter When you hear the word “literacy”, what do you think? Do you think of literacy for children, in adults or does it make you think of literacy throughout a community?Read More