Author: itaswell

Words and Wonder: Using Children’s Literature to Talk with Children About (Dis)Ability By Isabel A. Taswell

The toddler years—and the laughter and tantrums that come with them—are a complex and critical time in toddlers’ development. During this period, toddlers take huge strides in their social, emotional, and cognitive development, from separating from their primary attachment figures, to learning to regulate their emotions, to saying their first meaningful words. In this essay,…… Continue reading Reflections on Sharing: Why Toddlers Cannot, Do Not, and Should Not Share

Introduction A child’s early years are among the most informative and complex years of her life and are vital for healthy development in the future. In her book Your Child’s Growing Mind, Healy (2004) describes the brain as a “black box” (p. 20) which we are just beginning to open and explore. We now know…… Continue reading A Plea for Play: Why, How, and When to Make Space for Play in Every Child’s Life

Robin Wall Kimmerer is an Indigenous writer and scientist who writes on the teachings of plants in her book, Braiding Sweetgrass. Reading her book, I have been moved to reconsider my reciprocal relationship with land. Her book includes a Thanksgiving Address—a land acknowledgement of its own that reminds readers and listeners of one’s place on…… Continue reading Land Acknowledgement