Preparing Emotionally Competent Early Educators-Dr. Housman’s Article in Phi Delta Kappan
Emotional competence must be at the heart of every childcare center or preschool program. Emotional development happens early. All educators and support staff need training rooted in emotional competence to ensure that every child is heard, respected, and given the opportunity to succeed. Now more than ever we need to focus on our early childhood […]
The Real Treat This Halloween-The Magic of Imagination
Halloween is quite literally at our doorstep complete with pumpkins, giant spider webs, inflatable monsters…and Trick or Treat bags waiting to be filled. This Halloween is still haunted by many ghouls and goblins – social distancing, little ones with no vaccine available, scaled-back celebrations and events, and real masks to wear under our costume masks. […]
Want quality child care? Pay and train workers like the pros they are-Dr. Housman’s Commentary on EdSource
To accomplish the moonshot goal of providing every family access to quality child care, we — the policymakers, business leaders and community members who all rely on child care — need to seriously consider how we support the field and the providers and educators who make it run every day. We need to fix the […]
Modeling Resilience in the Autumn of Uncertainty
When it comes to our children’s emotional and social well-being, there are ways to ensure the autumn of our uncertainty doesn’t become another winter of our discontent Most schools are planning for in-person classrooms this fall, though debates continue across the country over vaccine and masking requirements for protection from the Delta variant. We are […]
Parent-Teacher Relationships: The Key to Back-to-School Success: Dr. Housman’s Blog Post for Big Heart World
Over my 30 years in education, research, and child psychology, I have seen the powerful impact strong parent-teacher relationships have on children.” Children are heading to school this fall, many for the very first time. Although the pandemic was an emotional rollercoaster for children and families, there is a silver lining: parents and teachers developed […]
Back to…. School?
This is no ordinary Back to School season. When classrooms moved online last year, parents got a front-row seat to daily classroom life, from listening to remote “circle time” to trying to engage and motivate children slumping disengaged in their chairs. It gave many parents a first-time opportunity to participate in their children’s schooling, including […]
Education Post: Expert Q&A: Focusing on Teacher Well-Being Benefits Students
Recently Dr. Housman sat down with Education Post’s Maureen Kelleher to discuss how attending to teachers’ emotional well-being not only benefits teachers but is also critical for their students. They also spoke about the many big emotions this back to school year will bring and how to help both teachers and students deal with those […]
$611 Million Plan Doesn’t Do Enough For Our Youngest Children, Or Their Teachers
Time is not a renewable source, and we can’t recover the last 16 months. But going forward, we should invest in child care and early childhood education, not exclude it.”
Responding to Children’s Anger
Take a moment and reflect: what is our first response when our child has an angry emotional outburst? Is it to stop the behavior? Or is it to understand what’s behind the anger, help them understand what’s behind the anger, and how to manage it? In a recent article in the Boston Globe Magazine, educator and parent Deborah […]
The Hechinger Report Early Childhood: Five Ways You Can Help Mitigate Kids’ Stress From the Last Year
Help children share their feelings:Children tend to express their emotions through actions and behavior, which may not always be safe or constructive, said Donna Housman, founder and CEO of the Housman Learning, which focuses on emotional intelligence. “What we want to do is re-channel that into words,” she said. Helping children name their emotions, including […]
EdWeek: The Tough Task Ahead for 1st Grade Teachers
“Author Robert Fulghum famously wrote
A Q&A with Dr. Housman
In a recent webinar, Dr. Housman spoke to a group of over 3,000 early childhood professionals on “The Power of Emotional Intelligence from Birth to Age 8.” The webinar was framed around the impact the pandemic has on children, as well as educators and caregivers. As we move toward our “new normal”, and a new school […]
Boston Business Journal Op-Ed: Biden’s Education Plan Closes in On the Starting Line
Dr. Donna Housman’s Op-Ed in the Boston Business Journal puts the spotlight on the critical importance of universal preschool — and including the core skills of emotional intelligence in any plan. “Universal-free preschool is part of President Biden’s sweeping plan to invest in education as part of securing America’s place as a leader in the 21st […]
For Our New Normal Make Emotional Well-Being a Priority
As this tumultuous school year winds down we are all owed a deep breath! And yet we also need to reflect on what this unprecedented time has taught us and think forward to what lies ahead in our “new normal.” As we slowly emerge from one pandemic, we are in fact facing another — one […]
On Mental Health and Well-being (on Getting Smart.com)
In these challenging times, Dr. Housman has been providing insights to parents who are having to not only adjust to the stress of having to self-quarantine and social distance but also become full-time teachers and caregivers to their children. Listen to podcast.
On Sibling Rivalry (in Good Housekeeping Magazine)
