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Working for a just,
equitable, and quality
early childhood education
for every young child.
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Recap of the 2021 Summer Institute |
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DEY’s Third Annual Summer Institute met for two hours each day from Monday, June 28 to Wednesday, June 30, providing three days of theoretical, practical, and inspirational discussions with some of the leading voices on early childhood education and advocacy.
Day 1 began with an introduction to DEY by our co-founder and senior advisor Nancy Carlsson-Paige, followed by a visit with Dr. Susan Linn and her puppet Audrey Duck.
Kathy Hirsh-Pasek’s keynote discussed the research she has conducted on children’s learning and guided play, and the reality that we have to overcome a lot of hurdles to have play-based classrooms. Her talk and her research was a clarion call to action.
This talk was followed by a panel discussion featuring Geralyn Bywater McLaughlin, Dr. Kaliris Salis-Ramirez, and Wendy Cole. The panel was moderated by Denisha Jones.
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On Day 2, we heard a conversation with the co-authors of Let the Children Play, William Doyle and Pasi Sahlberg.
Perhaps if we viewed PLAY as a basic human right for all children and we embraced a cultural philosophy of what childhood should be for all children, we wouldn’t be forcing standardized testing on our kids or removing recess from the day or be so narrowly focused on math and reading skills, but instead focusing our educational system on allowing children to express their individuality and their individual intelligence, in order to be well-rounded individuals. We must not narrow our definition of what intelligence is, but respect that intelligence expresses itself in different ways in different people.
We learned how Cassie Creswell has shepherded a bill in IL to mandate 30 minutes of unstructured play a day in K-8 schools.
Finally, we heard from Congressman Jamaal Bowman (D, NY), a former public school principal, about the importance of play and how we, as early childhood advocates, can inform and influence our legislators. "Advocacy is a day-to-day contact sport! All of us in Congress respond to the folks who contact us the most".
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On our last day, we heard about the incredible work of Takiema Bunche Smith, our keynote, and her framework that allows for a more conscious and thoughtful move toward equity and justice for all children.
Her talk was followed by an inspired discussion by our panel about building an early childhood education that represents and respects all children from all walks of life and the importance of encouraging joy among our children of color.
She was joined by a panel that included Megan Madison, Ashley Brailsford, and Lalena Garcia, moderated by Dr. Denisha Jones.
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On July 13, Nancy Carlsson-Paige was interviewed on the Busted Pencil's radio show about Critical Race Theory and its impact on early childhood education.
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Denisha Jones discussed "Critical Race Theory with in the Context of NYC Public Schools" on the program Talk Out of School on WBAY.
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On July 8, 2021, Denisha Jones discussed "The Latest Scam Scare: Critical Race Theory" on the Heartland Labor Forum on KKFI, Kansas City.
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Coming Soon! DEY's Webcast |
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The newest member of DEY's board of directors, Kisha Reid, will be taking on the project of producing and hosting the Defending The Early Years Webcast.
The webcast is set to be a rich, content-packed hybrid between a traditional podcast and an educational webinar.
Kisha will welcome guests from all sectors of the early childhood education industry and lead them in thought-provoking discussions designed to mobilize and inspire change. Are you ready to Defend The Early Years? Join us!
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Access to nature is a critical part of children’s development. But now more than ever, screens have displaced children’s play outside, especially during the pandemic. How can we transform their screen time into green time?
This Action Network Live! event invites educators, advocates, professionals, and families to discover the importance of getting children of all ages outside.
Their featured guests, author and expert Richard Louv, José González of Latino Outdoors, and Sharon Danks of Green Schoolyards, will offer practical advice for working with school districts, legislators, and family support organizations to promote equitable access to outdoor play in rural, suburban, and urban spaces. They will address your questions about safety, academic learning, mental health, and more, leaving us all with the inspiration to go green (with fewer screens)!
A certificate will be made available after the live event to all registrants.
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Board of Directors
Nancy Carlsson-Paige
Founder and Senior Advisor
Diane Levin
Founder and Senior Advisor
Geralyn Bywater McLaughlin
Treasurer
Kisha Reid
Board Member
Co-Directors
Blakely Bundy
Denisha Jones
Marketing Consultant
Katherine Fligg
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National Advisory Board
Erika Christakis
Sherry Cleary
Bill Crain
Stephanie Feeney
Doris Pronin Fromberg
Ayla Gavins
Michelle Gunderson
Ed Klugman
Susan Linn
Deborah Meier
Ruth Rodriguez-Fay
James St. Clair
Judith Van Hoorn
Founding National Advisory Board
Constance Kamii
Lilian Katz
Maurice Sykes
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Defending the Early Years, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Donations are tax deductible. Our Tax ID: 82-4308558
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Defending the Early Years
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