The LiiNK Project: Past, Present, and the Future of Our Children’s Health & Well-Being

The LiiNK Project began as a research intervention to bridge the gap between academics and the whole child. Dr. Rhea has partnered with many school districts over the past 12 years to implement four 15-minute unstructured play breaks (recess) daily and a 15-minute character lesson daily.  The research has shown many positive mental, physical, social, and emotional health results for the children and adults in school settings. Despite having this large library of evidence-based, published research, it can still be difficult to convince schools districts that this is the right direction if they want to improve the whole health of their students and staff. In today’s episode, we’re flipping the script yet again, putting Dr. Rhea back in the hot seat with our good friend and colleague, Dr. Michelle Bauml, as the interviewer! Listen in as Dr. Rhea breaks down the essential policies and procedures that are needed to succeed, why this type of change is so challenging for schools to grasp, and what needs to happen if we are going create a healthy school environment for children to thrive. Dr. Michelle Bauml is a Professor of Early Childhood Education in the Department of Teaching and Learning Sciences at TCU with an emphasis in social studies education. As a former elementary teacher, Dr. Bauml’s research and teaching reflect her beliefs that children need ample opportunities for creative expression, play, and meaningful instruction in today’s schools. She conducts qualitative research aimed at helping teachers navigate professional complexities to make thoughtful, effective curricular and instructional decisions in order to promote student learning.LiiNK Website:https://liinkproject.tcu.edu/