Medfield Public Schools
The Office of Social Emotional Learning
Dr. David Worthley, Director
Chasing Childhood Virtual Screening
Good Morning Medfield Parents and Families,
I hope the New Year finds you healthy, happy, and well. The Medfield Public Schools are happy to partner with Medway Public Schools to bring you a virtual screening of Chasing Childhood.
“Chasing Childhood is a feature-length documentary that explores a phenomenon affecting kids from a broad range of socioeconomic backgrounds. Free play and independence have all but disappeared, supplanted by relentless perfectionism and record-high anxiety and depression. What’s lost goes well beyond our idyllic conceptions of childhood past. When kids don’t play unsupervised by adults, they don’t gain critical life skills: grit, independence, and resourcefulness. Though they may appear more accomplished on paper, by the time they get to college they are often falling apart, lacking the emotional tools to navigate young adulthood. The film explores how we got here and how we might empower our kids. Potential solutions are offered by the leaders of this movement, including former Stanford Dean and author of How to Raise an Adult, Julie Lythcott-Haims, biological psychologist Peter Gray and others.”
Here is how this will work: From Friday, January 14th until Wednesday, January 19th, families will be invited to screen the documentary at home. If you feel it is developmentally appropriate, you may want to watch it with your kids, as it is sure to initiate some rich conversation. At 12:00 PM on Wednesday, January 19th, Ryan Sherman, Ph.D.(Director of Wellness for the Medway Public Schools) and Dave Worthley, Ed.D.(Director of Social and Emotional Learning for the Medfield Public Schools) will host Dr. Peter Gray for approximately 60 minutes to discuss the following:
Play Deficit Disorder: A National Crisis and How to Solve It Locally.
Research has revealed a dramatic decline in children’s free play—especially their free outdoor play—over the past several decades. This decline in play has been accompanied by dramatic increases in childhood depression, anxiety, suicide, and declines in internal locus of control and creativity. College mental health facilities in recent years have been overwhelmed because of the emotional fragility of incoming students.
In this talk, Dr. Gray will present the logic and evidence behind his theory that the decline in free play is a, if not the major cause of these deleterious effects on children's and emerging adults’ emotional, social, and intellectual wellbeing. Dr. Gray will also suggest ways by which families, schools, neighborhoods, and communities can restore children’s opportunities for play. He will also provide a brief summary of the film Chasing Childhood and will leave plenty of time for parent Q&A.
To register for access to the film and the discussion session and to see the documentary trailer, please use this link: Chasing Childhood Registration. You will register for the film in the “About” tab, and for the following Webinar discussion in the “Q+A” tab. I will also post this email on my website if you would like to go back to it there: www.medfieldsel.com
We have been informed that the discussion session will be recorded and will be able to be viewed at a later date. We were able to register, and the “ticket” appeared in our Update tab from “Show and Tell.”
I have been informed that there is a group of parents in Medfield that is a part of the “Let Grow Play Club” community, which follows the program created by Peter Gray, Ph.D. At this time they are not associated with the schools, so they do playgroups in neighborhoods and playgrounds. If you are interested in learning more about that group, please contact Megan Devendorf.
We hope that you will be able to join us as we reflect on our own parenting habits and philosophies, explore differing points of view and work to provide our kids with the healthiest, most balanced, and happiest childhood possible.
Be Well,
Dave Worthley, Ed.D.
Director of Social and Emotional Learning
Medfield Public Schools
I hope the New Year finds you healthy, happy, and well. The Medfield Public Schools are happy to partner with Medway Public Schools to bring you a virtual screening of Chasing Childhood.
“Chasing Childhood is a feature-length documentary that explores a phenomenon affecting kids from a broad range of socioeconomic backgrounds. Free play and independence have all but disappeared, supplanted by relentless perfectionism and record-high anxiety and depression. What’s lost goes well beyond our idyllic conceptions of childhood past. When kids don’t play unsupervised by adults, they don’t gain critical life skills: grit, independence, and resourcefulness. Though they may appear more accomplished on paper, by the time they get to college they are often falling apart, lacking the emotional tools to navigate young adulthood. The film explores how we got here and how we might empower our kids. Potential solutions are offered by the leaders of this movement, including former Stanford Dean and author of How to Raise an Adult, Julie Lythcott-Haims, biological psychologist Peter Gray and others.”
Here is how this will work: From Friday, January 14th until Wednesday, January 19th, families will be invited to screen the documentary at home. If you feel it is developmentally appropriate, you may want to watch it with your kids, as it is sure to initiate some rich conversation. At 12:00 PM on Wednesday, January 19th, Ryan Sherman, Ph.D.(Director of Wellness for the Medway Public Schools) and Dave Worthley, Ed.D.(Director of Social and Emotional Learning for the Medfield Public Schools) will host Dr. Peter Gray for approximately 60 minutes to discuss the following:
Play Deficit Disorder: A National Crisis and How to Solve It Locally.
Research has revealed a dramatic decline in children’s free play—especially their free outdoor play—over the past several decades. This decline in play has been accompanied by dramatic increases in childhood depression, anxiety, suicide, and declines in internal locus of control and creativity. College mental health facilities in recent years have been overwhelmed because of the emotional fragility of incoming students.
In this talk, Dr. Gray will present the logic and evidence behind his theory that the decline in free play is a, if not the major cause of these deleterious effects on children's and emerging adults’ emotional, social, and intellectual wellbeing. Dr. Gray will also suggest ways by which families, schools, neighborhoods, and communities can restore children’s opportunities for play. He will also provide a brief summary of the film Chasing Childhood and will leave plenty of time for parent Q&A.
To register for access to the film and the discussion session and to see the documentary trailer, please use this link: Chasing Childhood Registration. You will register for the film in the “About” tab, and for the following Webinar discussion in the “Q+A” tab. I will also post this email on my website if you would like to go back to it there: www.medfieldsel.com
We have been informed that the discussion session will be recorded and will be able to be viewed at a later date. We were able to register, and the “ticket” appeared in our Update tab from “Show and Tell.”
I have been informed that there is a group of parents in Medfield that is a part of the “Let Grow Play Club” community, which follows the program created by Peter Gray, Ph.D. At this time they are not associated with the schools, so they do playgroups in neighborhoods and playgrounds. If you are interested in learning more about that group, please contact Megan Devendorf.
We hope that you will be able to join us as we reflect on our own parenting habits and philosophies, explore differing points of view and work to provide our kids with the healthiest, most balanced, and happiest childhood possible.
Be Well,
Dave Worthley, Ed.D.
Director of Social and Emotional Learning
Medfield Public Schools
RISE Student Artwork
Medfield Learning Day
Student Advisory
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Challenge Success
We are committed to educating
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RISE Classroom
One Love Foundation
Project Purple
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The Office of Social Emotional Learningworks to maintain and support
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Meet Dr. David Worthley, Director
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Dr. Worthley has spent his career working in the field of psychiatric crisis - whether on adolescent units, in maximum security prisons, or at several schools in Massachusetts. He is passionate about his work with the adolescent population, and understands well the importance and value of a solid educational foundation. |
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