Episode 5 | Aug 18, 2021
Learn through play.
Meghan Fitzgerald
Meghan Fitzgerald is the Chief Learning Officer of Tinkergarten, a company she co-founded with her partner Brian. Together, they support families to help kids learn via well-designed, outdoor play experiences. Meghan’s experience, both within Tinkergarten and as a long-time educator and learner herself, inspires the story she crafts with David in this episode of The Storying Project.
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Prior to creating Tinkergarten, Meghan was a teacher specializing in early math and science. Her career in education, which included serving as an elementary school principal, spanned over eighteen years. During this time, her partner Brian worked at a start-up focused on the power of adaptive learning through tech. Informed by their backgrounds, the two...
More About the Guest:
Prior to creating Tinkergarten, Meghan was a teacher specializing in early math and science. Her career in education, which included serving as an elementary school principal, spanned over eighteen years. During this time, her partner Brian worked at a start-up focused on the power of adaptive learning through tech. Informed by their backgrounds, the two began to identify fundamental features of learning. Specifically, they noticed common core experiences that often begin early in life and occur organically through outdoor unstructured play. Thus, Meghan and Brian founded Tinkergarten to help families create space for that kind of learning. This approach often breaks through rigid structures and allows children to learn through play.
More About The Conversation:
During their conversation, David and Meghan begin to revisit impactful stories from childhood. Specifically, Meghan recalls her grandmother’s old Irish folktales. These tales were occasionally rooted in superstition and dreams. They were often tactile enough to offer wisdom relevant to the real world. Anchored in both the magical and the factual, stories like this open us up to all sorts of lessons and concepts.
About the Story:
When David asks, “What do you think children need to hear right now?” Meghan’s answer focuses on connection. Our culture shifts more and more toward isolation. By contrast, the natural world creates spaces for connection, empathy, and collaboration. Reminding us that both giving and receiving are part of connection, Meghan and David investigate the concept of empathy. They explore the importance of instilling a practice of kindness. This reinforces our true human superpower: the ability to connect with one another.
The resulting story centers on a curious and confident starfish (aptly named Star). Star’s world gets bigger and better with every new friend they make, learn from, and help.
Explore more from the episode:
Read more about MIT’s Lifelong Kindergarten Research Group.
Learn more about Emilia Reggio, and the Emilia Reggio Approach to teaching infants and toddlers.
Read the David Sobel article Meghan referenced in the conversation.
This episode was recorded on March 21, 2021.
Episode 5 | Aug 18, 2021
Learn through play.
Meghan Fitzgerald
Meghan Fitzgerald is the Chief Learning Officer of Tinkergarten, a company she co-founded with her partner Brian. Together, they support families to help kids learn via well-designed, outdoor play experiences. Meghan’s experience, both within Tinkergarten and as a long-time educator and learner herself, inspires the story she crafts with David in this episode of The Storying Project.
Stream Now:
Share:
Transcript:
- Read More
- Read Less
Prior to creating Tinkergarten, Meghan was a teacher specializing in early math and science. Her career in education, which included serving as an elementary school principal, spanned over eighteen years....
More About the Guest:
Prior to creating Tinkergarten, Meghan was a teacher specializing in early math and science. Her career in education, which included serving as an elementary school principal, spanned over eighteen years. During this time, her partner Brian worked at a start-up focused on the power of adaptive learning through tech. Informed by their backgrounds, the two began to identify fundamental features of learning. Specifically, they noticed common core experiences that often begin early in life and occur organically through outdoor unstructured play. Thus, Meghan and Brian founded Tinkergarten to help families create space for that kind of learning. This approach often breaks through rigid structures and allows children to learn through play.
More About The Conversation:
During their conversation, David and Meghan begin to revisit impactful stories from childhood. Specifically, Meghan recalls her grandmother’s old Irish folktales. These tales were occasionally rooted in superstition and dreams. They were often tactile enough to offer wisdom relevant to the real world. Anchored in both the magical and the factual, stories like this open us up to all sorts of lessons and concepts.
About the Story:
When David asks, “What do you think children need to hear right now?” Meghan’s answer focuses on connection. Our culture shifts more and more toward isolation. By contrast, the natural world creates spaces for connection, empathy, and collaboration. Reminding us that both giving and receiving are part of connection, Meghan and David investigate the concept of empathy. They explore the importance of instilling a practice of kindness. This reinforces our true human superpower: the ability to connect with one another.
The resulting story centers on a curious and confident starfish (aptly named Star). Star’s world gets bigger and better with every new friend they make, learn from, and help.
Explore more from the episode:
Read more about MIT’s Lifelong Kindergarten Research Group.
Learn more about Emilia Reggio, and the Emilia Reggio Approach to teaching infants and toddlers.
Read the David Sobel article Meghan referenced in the conversation.
This episode was recorded on March 21, 2021.