Center for Whole-Child Education | Arizona State University Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College

Student voice is critical to meaningful learning and engagement. Students are not just recipients of learning — they are co-creators of it. When student voice is centered, engagement, belonging, and academic outcomes improve. Listening isn’t extra. It’s essential, especially to literacy and whole-child development. #wholechild #education #literacy #studentvoice

The 7th Annual Early Childhood Conference is this Saturday, March 21, from 9 a.m. to noon! It’s not too late to register to join us for this free, virtual event. Featuring over 30 knowledgeable presenters, the conference brings together MLFC early childhood students, alumni, educators and community members to share fresh ideas and impactful practices shaping the future of early childhood education. Meet a few of this year’s presenters: ✨ Emily Cadiz, Educator and Founder, Prelude Early Learning ✨ Anakaren Maldonado, Community Engagement Specialist, Child & Family Resources, Inc / Child Care Resource & Referral ✨ Patsy Rethore-Larson, M.Ed., Early Childhood Education Program Specialist, Arizona Department of Education Conference sessions will explore topics including learning, belonging, play, teacher development, inclusion, literacy and the arts. Participants who attend the full conference will receive three hours of professional development credit! Register now and view the full list of speakers: https://cvent.me/z20qqM

There is no such thing as an average student or average reader. Adolescent development is nonlinear and deeply individual, especially their literacy development. Students bring unique strengths, experiences, and timelines to literacy learning. Equity means designing learning that flexes — not forcing students to fit a single path. #cwce #wholechildeducation #adolescentliteracy #brainscience

🌟 Over the past month, I’ve had the opportunity to participate in two important national conversations Arizona State University, one focused on rethinking school safety through the SHARE convening, and another on Future-Proofing Human Flourishing at the convergence of AI, education, and industry.   ❣️ While the topics may seem different, a common thread emerged: the future of education must be grounded in human development.   Whether we are designing safe and supportive learning environments or navigating the rise of AI, the science of learning and development offers a critical compass for how systems can support belonging, cognitive growth, and well-being.   💫 At the Center for Whole-Child Education | Arizona State University Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, we are working to translate this science into practical tools and systems that help schools create the conditions where young people—and the adults who support them can truly flourish. 💛 Tami Hill-Washington   #WholeChildEducation #SoLD #HumanFlourishing #FutureOfEducation #EducationLeadership

✨ Future-Proofing Human Flourishing Convening ✨   ❣️ AI may transform how we learn and work, but it cannot replace the conditions humans need to develop, belong, and flourish.   Last week (Feb 24–26), I participated in the convening “Future-Proofing Human Flourishing: The Convergence of AI, Education, and Industry” at Arizona State University. I joined a panel on “Building a Shared Foundation: Leveraging the Science of Learning and Development to Accelerate Human Flourishing in the Age of AI.”   ❤️🔥 As AI continues to reshape education and the workforce, the question becomes clear: how do we ensure human development stays at the center of how we design learning environments and systems?   🧠 The science of learning and development offers an essential foundation for answering that question. 💛 Tami Hill-Washington with/Erin Mote, Dean Carole Basile, Carolyn Trager Kliman, Punya Mishra, MLFC, and Andrew Maynard #HumanFlourishing #AIinEducation #SoLD #EducationLeadership #FutureOfLearning #EDSAFEAI

Earlier this month (Feb 5–6), I joined colleagues at Arizona State University for the inaugural SHARE Initiative convening, bringing together leaders from across the country to rethink school safety. 🌠 One message stood out: students cannot learn if they do not feel safe. Safety includes more than physical security—it also means belonging, supportive relationships, and environments designed for healthy development.   🧠 At the Center for Whole-Child Education, Arizona State University Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation, this is why we ground our work in the science of learning and development—helping schools design the conditions where students can truly flourish. 🔗 Link here- https://lnkd.in/gpebJ6Xe. 💛 Tami Hill-Washington #WholeChildEducation #SchoolSafety #SoLD #ASU #MLFC #TDENNYSANFORDSCHOOL

🧠 There is no “academic brain” separate from a “social-emotional brain.” Learning is integrated — cognitive, social, and emotional systems work together as brain networks, not isolated parts. ✨ We can’t separate decoding from regulation, or comprehension from belonging. 📚 Whole-child literacy reflects how brains actually learn. #cwce #wholechildeducation #relationshipsmatter #literacy

🧠 Stress changes how the brain learns. Chronic, unbuffered stress floods the brain with cortisol — making focus, memory, and literacy harder. ❤️🔥 Trusting relationships increase oxytocin, which helps turn down stress and open the brain to learning. Relationships don’t just feel good. They work at a neurobiological level. #adolescentbrain #brainscience #relationshipsmatter #cwce

Powerful insight from Dr. Pamela Cantor. At the Center for Whole-Child Education, we know that relationships fuel the brain’s ability to learn. Human connection is not an “extra” — it is foundational to development, well-being, and academic growth. Reducing screen time matters, but what young people need most are environments grounded in belonging, trust, and strong relationships. That’s the work of whole-child education. #WholeChildEducation #ScienceOfLearningAndDevelopment #StudentWellBeing

🧠 Brain development doesn’t happen in isolation. ❤️🔥 During adolescence, social experiences play a major role in shaping how the brain develops, regulates stress, and engages in learning. 🥰 Relationships aren’t an “add-on” to instruction — they are the context that makes learning possible. 📚 Literacy grows where trust lives 📚 #adolescentbrain #cwce #literacy #relationshipsmatter