Taking Time to Slow Down with Dr. Clara Fiorentini

✨Shaping minds, connections and creativity through play, playfulness and playful learning for all✨Welcome to The Playful Lens - the podcast where curiosity, creativity and coffee fuel big conversations about learning, wellbeing and play.Hosted by Gillian (@the_glitter_and_coffee_teacher) and Helena (@experiential.wellbeing). In this episode, Dr. Clara Fiorentini (@claramariafiorentini) discusses her journey in literacy education, emphasising the importance of play in early literacy development. She looks at the current rush to teach phonics in early childhood education and advocates for a whole school approach that values language development over immediate reading skills. Clara highlights the need for cultural shifts in how literacy is perceived and taught, encouraging educators to slow down and focus on the process of learning rather than just the end product. She also addresses the challenges of initiative overload and teacher burnout, urging teachers to reflect on their practices and prioritise what truly benefits their students.Follow the conversation on Instagram @the_playful_lens_podcast and subscribe wherever you listen!We hope you enjoy Gillian and [email protected]