Olivia Wahl Coaching & Consulting January 2025 Newsletter

Learning Together

Every December, I look forward to the Edutopia article written by Youki Terada and Stephen Merrill that highlights the 10 Most Significant Education Studies of that year. I am welcoming this new year, leaning into one of the studies that calls for revisiting the power of recess. The benefits of recess are time-tested, yet despite the research, most schools do not prioritize it throughout the day for children. Youki and Stephen offer two recent studies (2025 & 2023) that I want to extend to you, with the hope that we can ensure our children spend as much time as possible outside this year––playing and exploring while naturally regulating their bodies and minds throughout the school day.

Beyond recess, we can also advocate for beginning our youngest learners’ day with play in the classroom. I share research and a step-by-step guide in my article, Why Every Kindergarten and First-Grade School Day Should Begin with Inquiry and Imaginative Play: Setting the Tone for the Day. Classrooms that center oral language development through storytelling, exploration, inquiry, social interaction, and play are where our children thrive.

It’s important to remember that we do not have to fight alone against our children’s days being dominated by scripted, direct instruction. A perfect example of collective action (that I hope inspires you) is a recent proposal drafted by a group of NYC educators––founders/principals of learner-centered schools, faculty of the City College School of Education and Bank Street College of Education, and teacher/parent activists for learner-centered education. Their proposal shares recommendations for the NYC Public Schools that they hope the Mamdani administration will consider and implement. Read and offer feedback about their proposal here.

I’ll leave you with two questions from Katie Keier that I see as our call to action for 2026:

“Do our classrooms honor children, who they are, and who they are becoming? Do they honor the ideas, ethics, attitudes, and cultures of the children and the teachers, as a community?”

Adventures in Risky Play

by Rusty Keeler

In his book, Adventures in Risky Play, Rusty Keeler beautifully captures how letting children embrace calculated risks—from climbing trees to testing their limits—builds the confidence, resilience, and decision-making skills they need to navigate life's challenges.

Shake Up Shared Reading

by Maria Walther

Maria Walther helps us bridge the gap between magical read-alouds and confident independent reading through 100 laser-focused shared reading bursts that transform students into joyful, skilled readers who can't wait to dig deeper into stories.

Upcoming Schoolutions Episodes

Schoolutions Teaching Strategies hit over 600 YouTube subscribers in December, and I am grateful for our growing community. Here’s my updated release schedule for the rest of Season 5:

Monday: Part I of my guest conversation with a fun lightning round (15-20 min)
Wednesday: A 60-second highlight reel—the perfect bite to share with a friend
Friday: Part II of my guest conversation with three bonus takeaways to wrap the week (15-20 min)

I can't wait for you to join our conversations! Don’t forget to join our Schoolutions Teaching Strategies podcast community, if you haven’t already, by clicking this link.

01/05 Season 5, Episode 19
From no to yes: How messy corners and adventure zones are sparking a play revolution in schools worldwide.

Rusty Keeler shares how reimagining recess with loose parts like cardboard boxes, tires, and traffic cones transformed school playgrounds into spaces where creativity thrives and new leaders emerge. He reveals why the biggest barriers to risky play aren't insurance or liability—they're often phantom fears in our own minds.

01/12 Season 5, Episode 20
When students see themselves in the stories, learning shifts from compliance to connection.

Dr. Michelle Chanda Singh reveals how one Spanish teacher's cultural pride transformed her invisible immigrant experience into belonging—and why storytelling is the missing foundation that makes curriculum human. She shares practical tools like Canva and the power of student-led interviews that preserve family histories while democratizing education for every child.

01/19 Season 5, Episode 21
Building the bridge from "read to me" to "I can read"—one joyful shared experience at a time

Veteran teacher Maria Walther reveals how to transform beloved read-alouds into powerful bridges toward reading independence through short, laser-focused shared reading bursts. Discover the simple scaffolding that moves students from passively listening to actively discovering literacy skills, all while keeping the joy and community at the center.

01/26 Season 5, Episode 22
“I want my story to live forever!” What happens when kindergarteners become authors.

Kindergarten teacher Katie Keier shares how Writers Playshop transforms five-year-olds into confident authors from day one - no prompts needed. Discover why trusting children's innate storytelling abilities through play, choice, and loose parts creates the most joyful writing time of the day.

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Learning Together

What I’m Reading Now

Adventures in Risky Play

Shake Up Shared Reading

Upcoming Schoolutions Episodes

01/05 Season 5, Episode 19 From no to yes: How messy corners and adventure zones are sparking a play revolution in schools worldwide.

01/12 Season 5, Episode 20When students see themselves in the stories, learning shifts from compliance to connection.

01/19 Season 5, Episode 21Building the bridge from "read to me" to "I can read"—one joyful shared experience at a time

01/26 Season 5, Episode 22 “I want my story to live forever!” What happens when kindergarteners become authors.

01/05 Season 5, Episode 19
From no to yes: How messy corners and adventure zones are sparking a play revolution in schools worldwide.

01/12 Season 5, Episode 20
When students see themselves in the stories, learning shifts from compliance to connection.

01/19 Season 5, Episode 21
Building the bridge from "read to me" to "I can read"—one joyful shared experience at a time

01/26 Season 5, Episode 22
“I want my story to live forever!” What happens when kindergarteners become authors.