Ep. 20: The Impact of Parenting and Faith on Student Behavior with Chad Oliver

Our guest on this episode is Chad Oliver, an elementary school PE coach in McKinney, Texas. This is his 26th year in education. Chad and Monica serve together in student ministry at their home church of First McKinney.  Chad is passionate about children's health and learning and he shares Jesus however he can.  He currently teaches in a Title I elementary school where many parents are absent – some by choice due to addiction, incarceration, etc and some by necessity as they work multiple jobs just to make ends meet.  He shares some unique insights into what he is experiencing with kindergarteners as they enter school for the first time.     Chad notes that many kindergartners lack basic social skills and struggle to interact with both adults and peers. He attributes this to excessive screen time and a lack of parental guidance in teaching children how to share, respect others, and follow instructions. Chad emphasizes the importance of minimizing screen time and encouraging outdoor play to develop social skills. He also mentions the positive impact of faith-based education in teaching children about Jesus and promoting kindness and respect.    Listen in to this conversation on the importance of our work in early childhood in preparing students to enter elementary school.  The work that you're doing is noticeable and so necessary.  As we do our jobs really well in early childhood by facilitating experiences for children to practice problem-solving and social interactions, we're actually setting them up for success in life!  We know that the most powerful learning happens when children are allowed to play in healthy, fun, age-appropriate environments with educators who are willing to engage in with children as much as possible. As always, we would love to connect with you on Instagram HERE and on Facebook HERE.