In May, Teacher Tom Hobson, a Fremont Arts Council volunteer and, for 15 years, early childhood educator at the Woodland Park Cooperative School (located in the Fremont Baptist Church building,) published a collection of short essays about teaching, and learning from preschoolers, entitled, ‘Teacher Tom’s First Book.’
Released by Peanut Butter Publishing and based on Teacher Tom’s Blog this work is, by turns, hilarious, thought-provoking, and moving. Hobson, one of the world’s leading practitioners of ‘democratic play-based’, writes about his experiences and lessons in early education. Hobson’s approach, supported by decades of research, takes children’s play seriously. “A play-based education is one in which children educate themselves by asking and answering their own questions,” Hobson has written, “This is how human beings are designed to learn.”
A sought-after public speaker, around the globe, Hobson has also been writing about early childhood education, teaching and parenting since 2009. According to Hobson, “The kids I teach are learning the way humans are meant to learn: taking risks, falling down, making their own choices, getting dirty, agreeing to their own rules, and engaging in real life experiences like growing food and dealing with conflict.” The Woodland Park Cooperative School is known for its ‘junkyard playground,’ enthusiastic parent participation and a state-of-the-art urban farming program.
Learn more about democratic, play-based education, and Teacher Tom’s work with children of our community, by purchasing his ‘First Book’ directly through the ‘Teacher Tom’s First Book’ website – and support high-quality, community based early education.