Our community is growing and we have some talented and dedicated community owners here. Today is your day to tell us a little bit more. 🦉Who are you and who do your serve? 🔂 In 1 or 2 sentences, describe your community. 🔗 Drop a link to your about page. Comment on 1 or 2 communities that interest you. Let’s support each other and build new relationships. If I missed your name, it’s not personal, with over 80 members, I’m not sure who has a community🤫 @Janell Bitton @Allan R. @Blue Mojo @Brenda Chilstrom @Celia Kibler @Daniel Cavaretta @Des Cooke @Elizabeth Houston @Evelene Sterling @Michelle Fuentes @Gus Gray @Amy Grantham @Jose Guerra @Heather Wilson @Katya McEwen @Lisa Vanderveen @Maryna Tempalova @Max Orlewicz @Mayelice Castro @Natasha Bryant @Paul Wren @Ruben Plasmeijer @Ramona Zihlke @Rene Kerkdyk @Roslyn Hill @Tim Tindle @Wendy Lee-Chu @Yu-Tzu Huang

I was reading this article about teenage brain development this morning and how the teen pruning process I discussed in the playful shift episode might not be entirely accurate. For those of you working in this area, I’d love your thoughts. Article link attached. @Des Cooke @Adam Cyster @Lisa Vanderveen @Celia Kibler https://scitechdaily.com/new-brain-discovery-challenges-long-held-theory-of-teenage-brain-development/

I'm working on the classroom content but for those who missed today's session, here's the recording. I'm babysitting today so I'll be offline most of the day. Let's start the conversation- what questions do you have about the brain and play? What tips do you have? Where do we need to go deeper?

In an achievement-driven world, we often use questions to "check for understanding." We ask things we already know the answer to ("What color is that? How many blocks are there?") just to see if our kids know it, too. This puts them in the "hot seat" and reinforces the idea that their value is tied to being "correct." But the most powerful questions are the ones where you don’t know the answer. When we ask curiosity-led questions, we move from being a judge to being a co-explorer. This creates a safe space for "The Muck" that messy middle ground where ideas are formed and mattering is felt. By changing how we ask, we give our children the freedom to wonder out loud. Your challenge today is to go the entire day without asking a "closed" question (one that can be answered with a simple 'Yes,' 'No,' or a single fact). Your Tool: "Notice & Wonder" If you get stuck, use these two simple sentence starters: 1. "I noticed that..." (Observation) 2. "I wonder..." (Curiosity) The Special Twist: The "Three-Second Rule" After you ask a question, count to three in your head before saying anything else. This "wait time" gives your child’s brain the space to move from performance-panic to creative thought. Tips for Tailoring Your Questions by Age: Ages 3–5 (Sensory Search): Connect their bodies to the moment. Example: "I noticed the mud feels squishy today. I wonder what would happen if we added more water?" Ages 6–8 (Logic Bridge): Explore how things work without the pressure of being right. Example: "I noticed the tower fell toward the left. I wonder what we could put on the right side to balance it out?" Ages 9–11 (Perspective Pivot): Building empathy and systems thinking. Example: "I noticed that character seemed really quiet in that scene. I wonder what they were thinking that they didn't say out loud?" Ages 12–14 (Agency Anchor): Giving them the "steering wheel." Example: "I noticed you have a lot on your plate this week. I wonder what part of the schedule feels the heaviest to you right now?"

We live in a world of "Big Data." Every day, we, along with our kids are hit with statistics, "trends," and algorithms. The most important math skill for a modern adult isn't long division, it’s the ability to look at a number and ask, "Is this actually true, or is it just a fluke?" Probability is the math of "What if?" It teaches kids to manage expectations and understand risk. When we play with probability, we help them move from "black and white" thinking to a more nuanced understanding of the world. We are teaching them to be critical consumers of information, rather than passive recipients of "facts." Time to apply this at home! Let’s play “The Kitchen Coin Toss” where we see if "random" is actually as random as it seems. Gather Your Gear: A coin and a piece of paper. Get Started: 1. Ask your child: "If I flip this coin 20 times, how many heads will I get?" Most will say 10. 2. Have them flip the coin 20 times and record the results. 3. If the result isn't 10/10 (it rarely is), ask them why. Does the coin have a "favorite" side? Does the person flipping it have a "lucky" thumb? 4. Try to "rig" the results. Can you flip it in a way that always produces tails? Options for Older Kids: For Ages 12–14: The Sports Stat Audit. Pick a favorite athlete. Look up their "average" for a season. Then look at their last 5 games. Why is there a difference? Does the "average" tell the whole story, or is it hiding the "slumps" and "streaks"? For Ages 15–17: The Algorithm Audit. Have them spend 5 minutes on their favorite social media feed and count how many "suggested" posts relate to a single topic. Ask: "What data did you give the app to make it 'guess' that you like this?" This is probability used by tech to predict human behavior. Your Turn: What was your 20-flip ratio? Did your "older" kids find the Algorithm Audit eye-opening or annoying? How about you, did you try the algorithm audit on your favorite social media? What did you learn?