We need to bring back the ideas and philosophies of Mister Rogers into our early childhood classrooms. Self-regulation is also the key!

1. Mister Rogers Was Right!
Keep It Simple!
Keynote Presentation
Concordia Early Childhood Conference
March 2015
Drew D. Gerdes

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3. Thanks for joining me!
Today I hope you:
Learn something new
Are affirmed
Smile
Reflect
Fill your bucket!

4. Teaching…Yesterday…

5. Teaching…Today…

6. What Happened?
Kids are different
Families are different
Society/Culture is different
Pressure/Stress
So many outside influences
are impacting our
classrooms.

7. How Do You Feel?
Stressed?
Frustrated?
Agitated?
Crazy?
Tired?
Ready for the adventure?!?!

8. Criers, Whiners, and
I-don’t-want-to-ers
Does this describe you or
some of your students?
How can we make our job –
our ministry – more
enjoyable?
For kids and adults

9. Allies and Partners
I want to be your ally.
I want to be your partner.
I want to make sure you
love what you do and are
able to effectively meet the
individual needs of
students.

10. We need to meet the needs of all our students.
Don’t teach the class – TEACH THE KIDS!!!
Each child must feel like they have an IEP – in a good way.
Get to know your students SO WELL that each of them feels
you are individually teaching just to them!
Meeting Their Needs

11. Learning to self-regulate attention and behavior is one
of the major developmental milestones to childhood.
There are substantial implications for educational
opportunity and achievement.
Self-regulation is the ability focus attention away from a
less-desirable behavior to one that is more favorable.
Self-Regulation Skills

12. Self-Regulation
Teachers and classroom
environments play a highly
critical role in the success of
children’s self-regulatory
learning.
Remember to put the needs
of students first!

13. Self-Regulation
Effective teachers support
the development of self-
regulation by organizing
their classrooms as a means
of managing children’s
behavior, incorporating
strategies that are
interesting to children, and
my cultivating strong
relationships.

14. Make It Happen!
By intentionally making sure
there is “less”
…distractions
…behavioral interruptions
…stress
…boredom
You and the kids will have
MORE!!!

15. Slow Down
Mister Rogers…
Never raised his voice
Never rushed
Never criticized
Always spoke calmly &
gently
Always spoke with sincerity

16. Slow Down Even More
The Yellow Light Tolerance of delay
Small pauses in dialogue…
Allow children to think and
respond.
Helps children pay attention
better and remember more.
Strengthens self-regulation!

17. The Big Question…!!!
What will you
do to help
your students
succeed?

18. Teaching Just To Them…Individually!
When children watch Mister
Rogers, there is a magical
feeling about the
conversation.
It’s like he’s speaking
individually just to one child.
Genuine care and attention!
Can you talk just like him?

19. You can have the best facility, toys, furniture, etc…
But…the atmosphere and climate of the environment is
what is most important.
Kids can tell when you aren’t prepared, are having a bad
day, don’t like something, etc.
Be proactive in everything you can!
The Best Atmosphere

20. Our Neighborhood
Our neighborhood is the
classroom environment.
Each person is genuinely
loved, valued, and well-
cared for.
Anyone is welcome at any
time. There are no
interruptions.

21. Our Neighborhood Friends

22. Our Routine
The importance of a
predictable routine in the
lives of young children…
How do you encourage
children to be successful in
what they do?
Age-appropriate “jobs” and
“responsibilities”…

23. Our Course
Our course of action is
determined by:
Goals and objectives
The children!!!
Sometimes the children will
take a path that we never
even thought of.

24. Our “Little Things”
Often times the “stress” of
being a teacher, getting
everything done, and trying
to make sure the children
are learning gets in the way
with what really is
important.
Its often that one little,
simple thing that makes the
biggest difference.

25. Our Minds
Mister Rogers always has
topical pieces that were
informative and discussed
issues centered around
children.
Age-appropriate
A Garden of the Mind
Things grow nicely, or
whither away.
We need to grow the right
things and develop them.
Cultivating the mind

26. Our Creativity
Mister Rogers asks a lot of
questions: open-ended
questions…
What do you think?
How would you feel?
Exploration
Creativity builds self-esteem

27. Our Imagination
The Land of Make-Believe
Characters were named
after people in his family.
There is a clear distinction
between real-life and make-
believe.
The imagination is one of a
child’s greatest gifts.
Imagination builds much
more than block towers.

28. Our Social Interactions

29. Mister Rogers Top 10
Accept others.
Recognize how unique you
are.
Expressing emotions is okay.
Teach by example.
Everyone should make the
world a better place.
It’s not what you possess that
matters, but rather what you
do with it.
Teach gently and articulately.
Be kind.
Remember others’ feelings.
Loving someone is the
hardest, and best, kind of
work.

30. What would Mister Rogers do?
My Reflective Question…

31. Never Forget…

32. Drew D. Gerdes
Early Childhood Director
Messiah Lutheran School
Weldon Spring, Missouri
Email: dgerdes@messiahnetwork.org
Facebook: EducationEase
Twitter: @ddgerdes
Contact Me: