Being Your Child’s First Teacher with Amanda Blair MacDonald

Being responsible for your children’s education can feel high pressure - from fostering brain development to choosing schools. Today’s guest will help you zoom out from the details to help you focus on what’s important to you as you incorporate learning in your home. Children’s learning is a whole-self activity, and you might be surprised at the simplicity of the things you can do together that help them grow and develop! This week, episode 41 of Poised & Powerful Podcast reassures you that you have what you need to be your child’s first teacher! 

Do you find yourself needing extra time to recover from your weekend or time to prepare your mind and body for the week ahead? Join me for a restorative practice where we’ll release tension in our necks, back, and shoulders. Clear your mind so you’ll feel reset and re-energized for yourself and your family. Drop into the online Sunday Scaries Support group class: https://poisedpowerfulparenthood.com/take-a-break

Amanda Blair MacDonald (she/her) is an educator, speaker, and consultant based in Chicago, IL. Amanda uses decision-making analysis (MPA), Alexander Technique, and developmental movement to help you gain self-mastery and optimal performance. 

 

In this episode of Poised & Powerful Podcast, Amanda and I discuss the following:

  • How developmental movement, play, and daily activities can help children learn - no elaborate materials needed! 

  • How Amanda’s perspective as an Alexander Technique trained teacher meshed with the Montessori philosophy when she was hired at a Montessori school. She gives an educator’s insight on scaffolding children’s learning so they can master skills with confidence, and the emotional and kinesthetic skills that are vital for their development. 

  • Amanda compares the independence of her daughter's education with her own schools, which were more authoritarian and grades-focused. 

  • Collaborative problem-solving with kids, and how that develops as they get older. 

  • We hear from Amanda’s daughter about what she values in her education - you can hear her sense of ownership of her learning experience at a young age. 

We hope this conversation gives you the valuable perspective of the “big picture” of supporting children’s learning, and has you thinking about what you value in education, and gets you excited about sharing that with your family. 

 

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to follow, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

Learn more about Poised & Powerful and Sarah at https://poisedpowerfulparenthood.com/interviews 

 

CONNECT WITH AMANDA BLAIR MACDONALD:

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CONNECT WITH SARAH MAYHAN:

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LINKS MENTIONED:

Brain-Compatible Dance Education/ Anne Green Gilbert







Click Below for the Episode Transcript (COMING SOON)





PodcastSarah Mayhan