Community Voices - June 15, 2026

Let Us Play is a video-based advocacy effort committed to informing those who care for children about the magic of play. This is accomplished by capturing authentic examples of children engaged in free and guided play and through interviews with researchers, teachers and academics who share their perspectives on the role of play in learning and development. The result is videos of varying lengths and formats that show play in all its forms and applications. These videos can be used with families, staff, college students, or anyone you want to convince of the importance of play.

Let Us Play is currently at work on two one-hour early learning training modules. One on play and curriculums will show teachers how to integrate play into their daily routines and the other on natural learning spaces will help programs intentionally develop outdoor learning environments.

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Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann introduced the Spiral of Silence Theory in 1974. The theory suggests that people are social beings who fear isolation. Because of this fear, individuals often conform to what they perceive as the majority opinion and suppress their own perspectives to avoid social exclusion.

You might wonder how this applies to education. Although the Spiral of Silence was originally used to analyze media influence during political elections, it can also help explain why educators sometimes remain silent in professional settings. Teachers and staff who possess knowledge and expertise may choose not to speak up in order to protect their jobs, avoid conflict, or maintain harmony. Over time, this silence can contribute to frustration, burnout, and reduced staff morale. More importantly, it can affect students and families by limiting the range of perspectives and ideas that shape school decisions.

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Is the new work generation lazy as popular opinion often says it is, or is the older generation in the workforce lacking the desire to build them up? The question may be, is the older generation not interested in being a mentor to the younger generation entering their field, and therefore are they actually the lazy generation? Can we work to change this?

The way for decades was that a new employee, or new graduate, would gain practical experience from having an apprenticeship. Practical skills and work practices were taught to the new professional from the older generation, but these tried-and-true ways of passing on knowledge have been minimized due to many reasons. So we might contemplate this hypothesis: If the younger generation regularly received an apprenticeship as a method of professional development experience to learn from the older generation, would they still be considered lazy or lacking in work ethic as is often currently defined by older generations? Between the two generations of Baby Boomers and Generation X, it seems like the younger generation entering the workforce is having a tough time fitting in because they are often not receiving the help they need.

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