Why This Teacher Starts EVERY Day with Play (And You Should Too!)

In this S1E8 interview, teacher Mary Anne Camel reveals how starting each school day with 75 minutes of intentional play revolutionizes classroom management, student engagement, and builds independence in young learners. With over 20 years of teaching experience, Mary Anne shares proven behavior strategies that turn morning transitions from chaotic to joyful.What You'll Learn:✅ How play-based mornings eliminate disruptive students and behavior challenges✅ Effective teaching strategies for managing students through structured choice✅ Classroom control techniques that build student motivation naturally✅ Innovative teaching approaches for active learning and student participation✅ Instructional strategies that work for difficult students and low engagement✅ Teacher coaching insights for inspiring students and maintaining attention in class✅ Inclusive teaching methods that support the whole child approachPerfect for: teachers, education coaches, school administrators, parents, homeschoolers, teacher mentors, instructional leaders, new teachers seeking professional development, and anyone interested in education transformation.Mary Anne's pro-kid mindset and culturally responsive teaching create thriving students through empowered educators. Discover how this approach builds home-school connection and supports family partnerships while maintaining effective classroom behavior management.Episode Mentions:Olivia’s Article Highlighting Mary Anne’s Work Around Play:Wahl, Olivia. (2018). Why Every Kindergarten and First-Grade School Day Should Begin with Inquiry and Imaginative Play. Heinemann, Online. Video Clips“Creating Citizens for the World — Early Educators Speak Out”“The Work of Play”“The End of Play: Why Kids Need Unstructured Time”“The High Quality Early Learning Project”“MIT Brain Study: Back-and-Forth Talk Key to Developing Kids’ Verbal Skills”“Kindergarten in the Wild”“Welcome to the School Where Kids Have Recess 4 Times a Day”Chapters00:00 - Introduction: Meet Mary Anne Camel00:27 - The Power of Play in Early Education01:21 - Learning from Mom: The First Teacher02:17 - Why Every Day Should Start with Play03:24 - Morning Routine: Setting Up for Success04:33 - How Students Choose Their Play Areas05:22 - Exploring Classroom Play Centers07:08 - Teaching Independence Through Clear Expectations09:07 - Using Questions to Spark Curiosity in Block Play10:31 - Managing Snack Time During Play12:03 - Coaching Children Without Solving Problems13:10 - Navigating Conflicts: When Kids Want the Same Area14:29 - The 75-Minute Play Block: Making Time Work15:28 - Community Cleanup: Building Responsibility17:16 - Long-term Impact: From Kindergarten to Fourth GradeWhen teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.