As the head of a school in Manhattan I often speak to anxious parents seeking admission to pre-school. I often begin by asking them what qualities they most admire in others.

Still, one mother's lengthy and impassioned defense of her child rearing and approach to literacy speaks volumes about the intersection of education policy and parental anxiety.

Kids need to stop racing. By granting them the privilege of boredom, we must let them start hopping, skipping, jumping, and wandering instead.

What do kicks, Play-Doh, fun and a design challenge have to do with kids and learning? An opportunity to use play to help develop creative and analytical thinking skills in young people.

Nature offers children not just physical room to play, but mental and emotional room as well.

While the nation gnashes its teeth waiting for Superman to visit failing schools we may be doing a more grave disservice to the kids who seem to be succeeding.

While I doubt that more play will singlehandedly "solve" the problem of bullying once and for all, it's an essential step. And it's not as hard as you might think.