October 4, 2021
NATIONAL EARLY CHILDHOOD EXPERT TO KICK OFF PLAYFUL LEARNING INITIATIVE FOR ROCHESTER YOUTH
Healthi Kids’ Coalition Brings Together Community to Prioritize the Power of Play in the Rochester City School District
What: National early childhood expert Dr. Brian Wright kicks off Healthi Kids’ PlayROCs playful learning initiative in the Rochester City School District
Time: 5:30-7:30 p.m. (Dr. Wright speaks at 6 p.m.)
Date: Tuesday, Oct. 5
Cost: Free
Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/maximizing-the-power-of-play-in-rcsd-tickets-171507091327 or email info@healthikids.org.
Rochester, New York, October 4, 2021 — National early childhood education specialist Dr. Brian Wright will help launch an initiative Tuesday to infuse playful learning—meaningful and actively engaging educational experiences driven by student interest—into Rochester City School District (RCSD) classrooms.
Hosted by Healthi Kids, a grassroots coalition and initiative of Common Ground Health, the free virtual event will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 5. The event is for any RCSD families, students, teachers, and organizations interested in moving forward the community’s vision for playful learning – something research has shown to be a more effective approach to instruction.
“Hundreds of families and students have shared with us throughout the summer that playful learning is about offering to all children in the district opportunities that provide a well-rounded education,” said Jenn Beideman, advocacy manager at Common Ground Health. “This could be anything from experiential learning opportunities, field trips, daily active recess, or access to sports clubs and extracurricular activities. It’s about teaching in a way that actually makes learning joyful and fun.”
Wright, an assistant professor of early childhood education at the University of Memphis and author of The Brilliance of Black Boys: Cultivating School Success in the Early Grades, will speak on how to advance playful learning opportunities in a way that will best honor, celebrate and center Black and Latino students across the district.
Equitable access to playful learning and unstructured play opportunities throughout the day is central to the education, health, and well-being of all children—and is critical now more than ever because of the pandemic.
“Culturally responsive playful learning is important because it's the easiest way for children to learn,” said Sasha Lewis, mother of an RCSD high school sophomore in the district and a parent leader on the Healthi Kids Coalition. “Through play they build relationships, innovate, problem solve, and develop so many necessary skills to understand and navigate their environment.”
Healthi Kids partnered with student and parent leaders, the Rochester City School District, ROC the Future, the Strong National Museum of Play and others over the spring and summer to identify strengths and barriers to playful learning, and to share ideas for more imaginative and exploratory educational experiences. Release of a full report on their work is planned for November.
“The Rochester City School District is committed to providing high quality learning experiences and advancing well-rounded education opportunities to all of our scholars,” said RCSD Superintendent Dr. Lesli Myers-Small. “We are pleased to partner with this important initiative and work alongside our families to identify areas to maximize the power of play in our learning environments”.
Tuesday's event will be offered in English, Spanish, and ASL. Registration is required.
To learn more visit: https://www.healthikids.org/our-priorities/the-power-of-play/playrocs-the-rochester-city-school-district
About Healthi Kids
Healthi Kids is a grassroots community coalition and an initiative of Common Ground Health. Since 2008, we have been advocating for healthier kids in the City of Rochester and across the Finger Lakes region. We believe in the power of youth and resident voice to co-create solutions, influence decision makers and transform systems that support healthy development for all kids. Our agenda embraces kids and families at the center of all decision making. We advocate policies, systems and environmental changes that nurture the physical, social, emotional and cognitive development of kids from birth to age 8. We do this by focusing on policies that promote healthy habit building and healthy relationships, create safe and secure environments and psychological safety, and cultivate skills and competencies of adults who care for children. Learn more at www.healthikids.org
About Common Ground Health:
Founded in 1974, Common Ground is a nationally recognized nonprofit health research and planning organization for the nine-county Rochester-Finger Lakes region. We bring together leaders from health care, education, business, government and other sectors to find common ground on health challenges. Using the region's most comprehensive health data, together we hammer out strategies for better care, smarter spending and healthier people. Learn more about our community tables, our data resources and our initiatives to improve health equity at www.commongroundhealth.org.