“We have forgotten that children are designed by nature to learn through self-directed play and exploration, and so, more and more, we deprive them of freedom to learn, subjecting them instead to the tedious and painfully slow learning methods devised by those who run the schools.” – Dr. Peter GrayFor decades, the American education system has prioritized standardized test scores by increasing “content” minutes and decreasing recess, physical education, and fine arts programs, despite numerous data showing us the harmful effects of this education structure on our students’ and teachers’ mental and physical health. Not to mention, test scores have only gone down! We can’t keep ignoring this. This week, Dr. Rhea sits down with Professor in Psychology and Scholar, Dr. Peter Gray, for an exciting discussion diving into these serious issues that they both have been fighting against for many years, as well as a common-sense approach to increasing play in schools called Let Grow Play Club, founded by Dr. Gray himself.  Dr. Peter Gray is a research professor of psychology and neuroscience at Boston College who has conducted and published research in behavioral biology, developmental psychology, anthropology, and education. He is author of an internationally acclaimed introductory psychology textbook (Psychology, Worth Publishers, editions 1-6), which views all of psychology from an evolutionary perspective. Much of his research focuses on the role of play in human evolution and how children educate themselves through play and exploration, when they are free to do so. He has expanded on these ideas in his book, Free to Learn: Why Unleashing the Instinct to Play Will Make Our Children Happier, More Self Reliant, and Better Students for Life (Basic Books), which has been translated into 18 languages. He also author of a Substack series entitled Play Makes Us Human.  He is one of the founders of the nonprofit Let Grow, the mission of which is to renew children’s freedom to play and explore independently of adult control. You can follow him on Facebook and find many of his published articles on his website .

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