Resources

School year 2020-21 was a year of wide-ranging and significant everything. Full of layered emotions and experiences existing between the ever-collapsing dichotomies of together-alone, 2D-3D, right-wrong, real-unreal, then-now, time-no time, nowhere-here.

Heraclitus, a Greek philosopher stated, "Change is the only constant in life." While this may be true, it does not make the process of change any easier. I, like many others, thrive on consistency, routine, and knowing the expected. ...

"Play is a child's most important means of communication. Children are not self-conscious about playing. They play out what they think is real. That's the ultimate honesty. Children bring their whole inner drama to any relationship." - Fred Rogers

The question of, "How might young children today respond to episodes of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood?" was an early wondering explored through observation of children and teachers watching episodes in classrooms.

Good is a little word that means many things. It can signal graciousness, generosity, virtue, or it can mark concise word choice when grand, fabulous, brilliant is too much. In its simplicity, it upholds its enoughness.

"A child was having a hard day, slumped in the corner of a classroom, shirt pulled over his head. He poked out of his shirt to yell to the teacher across the room who was engaged with the other children in the class: Hey, can we play that love song again?"

Fred Rogers loved questions. And he loved inviting YOU to ask questions about anything and everything.

This year's Mid-Year Convening on January 21 included ten educator-led breakout sessions on topics such as trauma aware care, QRIS peer learning communities, and building community in early childhood and secondary classrooms.

"I like you as you are" is one of the most salient messages educators name in discussions about how Fred Rogers' work resonates with their practice. It's a message their students need to hear. It's a message their students' families need to hear. And it's a message that educators themselves need to hear.

"That I might do things differently, and that's the way it's supposed to be." The voice is coming from one of the Pre-Primary teachers in the center where I worked as an administrator at the time. It is September of 2020 and we have just finished our weekly Zoom share ...

The 2019-20 school year is in full swing and educators who are part of the Fred Rogers Center's Educators' Neighborhood have been selecting and playing episodes of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood for their young students since September.

"As schools search for ways to educate children this school year, my heart reminds me to slow down to notice for what's already here. We have a beautiful example of how to inspire joyful, curious learning through a screen. That example is Mister Rogers' Neighborhood."

Slowness—as both an idea and practice—is a significant layer of what we can learn from Fred Rogers and Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. And slowness is about much more than going slowly. Slowness opens a space for what is essential for children and their helpers.

In 2017, we began a pen pal project with our Kindergarten classes, both in the Pittsburgh Public Schools, but in different parts of the city. What began as a project for our students grew into a friendship and ongoing professional relationship, including our learning about Mister Rogers' Neighborhood with Educators'...

In December 2018, I wrote a piece entitled "Beechwood Kindergarteners Learn With Mister Rogers' Neighborhood." Now five months later, this same group of children continues to watch a new episode of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood each week, selected by their teachers.