Small Talks, No. 45

February 4, 2022

Feb 04, 2022

Dear Small Talker,

Welcome to the forty fifth edition of Small Talks. Every Friday, I highlight 6 areas of weekly joys and reflections in early childhood and the whole family. Small Talks leverages my experience at the intersection of education, philanthropy, and impact investing. Enjoy!

Happy Lunar New Year from my family to yours. May this auspicious Year of the Tiger bring courage and strength.

What I’m celebrating -

Excellent analysis by child advocate Julie Kashen and economist Clive Belfield of the $13Bn family economic loss associated with child care sector struggles.

Thank you to friends at the Burke Foundation for inviting me to be a guest editor of the recent newsletter on one of my favorite topics - play. It also includes an interview about a bold intergenerational idea by Marc Freedman at Encore.org & Carol Larson, former President of the Packard Foundation.
- More resources on play here. Kindly let me know any others to add.
- A joy to partner with illustrator Elliot Aleksander. It apparently takes 39ms to understand a concept through a visual. See below.

There is always something good happening in the world- especially coming from teachers.
- Inspiring collage for Black History Month made of Black literature.
- « Do you want to build a snowman? » will bring a smile.

What I’m listening to -

This thoughtful conversation about child development with preschool teacher Suzanne Axelsson on the DEY Podcast.
- "Play is the brain's natural way of learning."
- "Through play and time, children get to experience how to connect facts, their creativity and imagination, their joy..."

What I’m reading -

“The Loop” by Jacob Ward argues that artificial intelligence (AI) is not only predicting our actions but increasingly causing our actions, narrowing our scope of options and imprisoning us in an automated existence. An important read as AI is increasingly being used in education / learning. Check this piece on one of the best funded companies in edtech investing in AI moonshots as an example.

What I’m watching -

“Reflecting on Anti-bias Education in Action: The Early Years” is a 48min documentary by Debbie LeeKeenan and John Nimmo featuring anti-bias strategies in early childhood classrooms interspersed with teachers reflecting on their practice.

What I’m learning and exploring more deeply -

LOTS of commentaries on Tennessee pre-K that yielded negative outcomes in 3rd grade (2015 research) and then in 6th grade (2022 research). More nuanced findings in 2019 showed that quality made a difference. Less press on recent positive pre-K outcomes in Indiana though.
- Excellent analyses by Jackie Mader for the Hechinger Report and New America on what droves those outcomes: low funding & low quality.
- Commentaries by influencers Emily Oster and Noah Smith.
- Last word is for play advocate Peter Gray who criticized the academic inclination (vs. play-based) of the program.

“If this study doesn’t put the nail in the coffin of academic training to little children, it’s hard to imagine what will.” —Peter Gray

Bezos Academy is expanding in Texas and Florida. One of the locations in Texas will be co-located with a senior citizen center.
Great analysis by Tony Wan at Reach Capital on recent edtech trends. HolonIQ is forecasting global edtech expenditure reach $300B in 2022 and $404B in 2025. The pandemic may have fundamentally altered global education.

Homeschooling was already the fastest growth segment in education before the pandemic, and the trend is accelerating. Historically a faith-based or super elitist choice, it is now attracting many other demographics: neurodiverse children and Black & Brown children in particular.

Quote I am pondering -

“There needs to be a revolution in education. We must encourage schools to train our students in the art of living in peace and harmony. It isn’t easy to learn to read, write, or solve math problems, but children manage to do it. Learning how to breathe, smile, and transform anger can also be difficult, but I have seen many young people succeed. If we teach children properly, by the time they are around twelve, they will know how to live harmoniously with others.”
—Thich Nhat Hanh (1926-2022)- RIP

Feedback is a gift. Which part above is your favorite? What did I miss? What do you want more or less of? Other recommendations? Please kindly let me know. Thank to all of you who are sending me amazing suggestions.

Small Talks