Resources

The factory visits of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood—when Mr. McFeely visits Mister Rogers with video tapes of "how people make things"—are rich with opportunities for wonder, connection, and delight.

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'...

Our educators of the neighborhood were in full swing in their classrooms in March, ready with next episodes of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood to play, and creative ideas to try out with their students. Then, schools closed. Now, they remain closed. In challenging times, Fred Rogers is often quoted saying something he lear

"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

I recently read a description of strong relationships as those built on a foundation where each person potentiates the other. I love thinking of potential in this practice-based way.

Music has been an important part of my life ever since I was a child. From early on, I have fond memories of hearing the songs of Mister Rogers, my mother singing me to sleep, going to church and singing the songs in the hymnal, participating in the choir, or taking part to sing or play instruments in music class ...

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.

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.

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.

In Mister Rogers Talks with Parents (1983), Fred Rogers, in collaboration with Barry Head, outlines six "basic necessities" for children's learning readiness, one of which is "the capacity to look and listen carefully" (p170).

The importance of wonder and asking questions is nothing new to educators. Early Childhood educators especially, know how to allow opportunities for children's "why?" and "how?" and "hmm..." and "oh, my!"

We are a few months into our 2023-24 year of Educators' Neighborhood, and we are overjoyed by the excitement that this year's cohort brings to our ever-growing educator community.

In The Little Prince, the above line is a piece of wise advice given from the fox to the little prince as he travels and learns about the world. It is a piece of advice that is simple, yet profound. It is a quote that also profoundly shaped the work of Fred Rogers that was displayed in the Family Communications ....

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.

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.