Author: Cynthia Kaye

5-minute read


Cynthia B. Kaye
Early Education Advocate | EdTech Innovator | CEO, Alive Studios

I recently spent a day at a dynamic Workforce Summit, listening to business leaders and organizational experts discuss the current talent gap. The conversation was immediate, candid, and focused on one key area: Soft Skills are the new hard skills.

The panel’s consensus was striking. Employers aren’t just looking for technical proficiency; they need people who excel at fundamental workplace behaviors. The most critical skills currently missing in the workforce are:

Communication & Collaboration: The ability to work constructively in a team, listen actively, articulate ideas clearly, and solve problems effectively.
Professionalism & Drive: Showing up on time, demonstrating ownership, and handling stress and feedback maturely.

This perspective was powerfully reinforced by our special guest, Dr. Stephen Kamanú Ichatha, a Seasoned Technologist and Organizational Behavior expert from Google. Dr. Ichatha confirmed that many workers lack these basic professional behaviors, stressing that organizations need creative strategies to bridge the skills gap between education and real-time business needs.

The Real Question: Where Do We Start Building?

Hearing those highlights from the C-suite and Dr. Ichatha got me thinking: If these essential human skills are missing in the workforce, where did the foundation break down?

The truth is, we wait too long to start building these critical competencies. The core of professional success is laid long before college or a job interview; it begins in early childhood.

This is exactly why I developed the “7 C’s of Future Readiness.”

The skills employers demand today, Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, are not skills you fix in a two-day workshop. They are skills you build very early in life.

If we want tomorrow’s employees to be great problem-solvers, resilient, and collaborative, we must treat early childhood education as the strategic workforce development investment it truly is. A strong start is the only solution for a strong finish.

To dive deeper into how the foundation for these essential skills is built, I invite you to read my previous article: Building Tomorrow’s Talent: The Unseen Power of Early Childhood and the 7 C’s


What skills will they need to master to interact and be successful with AI and with other people? While we can’t predict the future, we can prepare our children by equipping them with a foundational set of timeless, human-centric competencies. These skills are not just technical, but deeply social, emotional, and cognitive. Let’s call them the “7 C’s of Future Readiness”:

Curiosity: A deep desire to learn and explore, which fuels lifelong learning and innovation.
Critical Thinking: The ability to analyze information, question assumptions, and form reasoned judgments.
Creativity: The capacity to generate new ideas and solutions, a uniquely human trait that AI cannot replicate.
Collaboration: The skill of working effectively with others to achieve a common goal, an essential part of any team.
Communication: The ability to articulate ideas clearly and listen actively, both with people and with technology.
Character: The capacity to understand and share the feelings of others while making ethical decisions, a moral compass for a world of advanced technology.
Cognitive Control: The ability to manage attention, emotions, and thoughts to achieve goals and navigate challenges. This is the foundation of emotional intelligence and resilience.

These competencies are not just buzzwords; they are the bedrock upon which our children will build a future where they are not just users of technology, but its thoughtful creators, collaborators, and masters.

Why Start So Early?

Think of a child’s learning like building a house. You don’t want to find yourself in the fourth grade, frantically trying to fix a crumbling foundation that should have been built years earlier. We all know that a house with a weak foundation will never be truly sound. The same is true for a child’s learning.

We frequently hear about the skills gap, the need for workforce development, and the challenges facing our colleges and trades. Yet, the conversation often begins too late. The truth is, the foundation for tomorrow’s successful college student, skilled tradesperson, and innovative employee is laid long before kindergarten. It begins in the earliest years of life.

This perspective is also shared by my colleague, Dr. John Green of JPG Consulting, Dr. Green adds to this conversation by highlighting that: “Early learning from birth to five plays a crucial role in nurturing natural intelligences of emotion and imagination, which leads to the development of what Cynthia terms as the ‘7 C’s for future readiness.’ This period lays the foundation for children to trust their instincts, express feelings, and dream creatively. By supporting these core aspects of development, we empower children to adapt, form healthy relationships, and approach challenges with innovative thinking throughout their lives.”

For too long, early childhood education has been viewed primarily as a social service or a benefit for families. While it is certainly both, this perspective misses its most profound economic truth: investing in early learning is the most strategic workforce development initiative our nation can undertake. It is imperative that we ensure our youngest learners build strong foundations in literacy, numeracy, and these 7 C’s from the start. It is not just a moral imperative; it’s a strategic workforce development priority that prepares our children for a life of purpose and success in a world we can only begin to imagine.

Call to Action

I encourage educational leaders, business executives, and policymakers to initiate conversations and forge partnerships that will strategically invest in early learning initiatives. Let’s build a robust talent pipeline by empowering our youngest learners with literacy, numeracy, and the vital 7 C’s.

What skills do you believe are the most critical to solve the current talent gap? Share your thoughts below!

➡️ Share this with your Peers and Administrators!

6-minute read


Cynthia B. Kaye
Early Education Advocate | EdTech Innovator | CEO, Alive Studios

I recently listened to a great podcast, “Back to Basics: Why Student Engagement Remains a Core Priority.” It features Kevin Hogan of Tech & Learning interviewing Madeleine Mortimore from Logitech.

They were discussing a study by Logitech in collaboration with THE Journal, involving over 100 educators and IT leaders. I captured the key highlights:

• • 81% measure the success of educational technology (EdTech) primarily through student engagement levels.
• • 91% expect interactive tools to significantly boost student participation.

This data gives us a clear mission: our EdTech investments only pay off if they pull students toward genuinely deeper, visible participation. But what does that crucial “active engagement” actually look like in your busy classroom?

Engagement Defined: The Five Things We Look For (The Study)

The Logitech/THE Journal study identified five key actions that educators see as solid evidence of a student being engaged. These are great, easy-to-spot metrics, especially when kids are working together:

• • Participation: Students jump into classroom or online discussions.
• • Collaboration: Students actively work together in small groups using shared digital tools.
• • Curiosity: Students ask questions or show clear interest in what they are learning.
• • Presentation: Students confidently present projects, often using classroom tools like document or web cameras.
• • Volunteering: Students actively offer to share their work, observations, or thoughts aloud or through digital tools.

The NAEYC Alignment: The Standard for Active Tech for Early Learners

This focus on visible, active participation echoes the long-standing guidance from early learning experts. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) in partnership with the Fred Rogers Center has consistently emphasized that for technology to be developmentally appropriate, it must meet three core criteria:

• • It Must Be Active: The child is in control of the technology, not a passive viewer.
• • It Must Be Hands-On: Technology should augment (add to) hands-on exploration and play, never replace it.
• • It Must Be Intentional: The tool must have a clear, learning-focused purpose and be used by a skilled educator to support learning goals.

Essentially, if the technology isn’t leading to active, hands-on, creative learning, it’s missing the mark, and it certainly won’t deliver the engagement you need.

Kindergarten Student using Math alive® from Alive Studios

Beyond Participation: Three Deeper Metrics for Early Learning

While the study’s list focuses on academic participation that’s easy to count, early childhood educators know that the most effective engagement often runs deeper than just raising a hand. It’s tied to full focus, multi-sensory learning, and feeling safe enough to try.

Drawing from years of research into effective early learning practices, here are three additional, foundational ways to measure true student engagement, especially in the early years:

• • Sustained, Joyful Immersion: The best measure of engagement is how long a student stays focused and the visible joy or wonder they show while working. If a tool keeps them hooked and smiling with minimal redirection, their brains are totally ready to learn.
• • Making the Abstract Real: True engagement happens when a learning tool successfully takes a tough concept (like a letter sound or number) and turns it into something concrete, hands-on, and interactive. We measure this by their ability to actually do something with the concept and explain their understanding through that action.
• • Better Behavior (Less Friction): When a learning activity is deeply engaging and exciting, you see a measurable drop in classroom disruptions with fewer kids off-task, less frustration, and better overall behavior.

This tells you their full energy is directed toward the academic task, leading to success and a natural desire to learn more.

The New Mandate for EdTech

The data is undeniable: educators expect interactive tools to deliver participation. Our job now is to make sure the EdTech we invest in doesn’t just clear the low bar of getting kids involved, but achieves the highest level of sustained, brain-friendly engagement that guarantees long-term mastery, better behavior, and a genuine love of learning.

Does the technology you use in your classroom pass the engagement test?

➡️ Share this with your Peers and Administrators!

We’d love to hear your comments or questions below:

6-minute read


Cynthia B. Kaye
Early Education Advocate | EdTech Innovator | CEO, Alive Studios

For over a decade, we have collaborated directly with educators to address a fundamental question: How can we truly captivate young learners and amplify their mastery of foundational skills? The answer, meticulously developed over 13+ years of dedicated augmented reality (AR) innovation in the classroom, lies in creating learning experiences that are not just engaging but deeply rooted in educational science.

This isn’t about technology for technology’s sake. It’s about harnessing the immersive power of AR to deliver a “Superboost” to the Science of Reading (SOR) and also to numeracy instruction—a pedagogical approach validated by brain science and evidence-based studies.

The Brain Science: Why AR Transforms Early Learning Engagement
Our extensive development and research confirm that AR’s unique ability to merge digital content with the physical classroom environment creates an unparalleled learning dynamic, directly impacting cognitive processes:

Multi-Sensory Pathway Activation
When an AR zoo animal, like a majestic lion, dynamically appears within the classroom space as students explore the letter ‘L’, it activates multiple sensory modalities—sight, sound, and a powerful sense of presence. This rich, multi-sensory input is crucial for cementing neural connections in the developing brain, leading to more robust memory formation.

Enhanced Novelty & Sustained Attention
The inherent novelty of AR dramatically captures and sustains children’s attention far beyond traditional methods. This heightened focus reduces cognitive load and redirects mental energy towards the learning task itself, fostering deeper engagement that our teacher partners consistently report.

Active, Immersive Participation
Unlike passive viewing, AR encourages active interaction. Children can “feed” the animals, trace letters in the air alongside them, or observe behaviors, transforming abstract concepts into concrete, interactive experiences. This hands-on, immersive participation is a cornerstone of constructivist learning theory and is vital for meaningful retention.

Through this carefully engineered integration, AR bridges the gap between abstract instruction and tangible experience, making learning indelible.

From Research to Reality: A Classroom-Proven, SOR-Aligned Solution
The development of our AR learning tools has been an iterative process, refined over years of collaboration with early educators. This commitment ensures that our “Superboost” goes beyond mere novelty:

Rigorous Science of Reading Alignment
Every AR experience is meticulously designed to integrate seamlessly with structured literacy principles. From explicit phonics instruction to vocabulary acquisition and comprehension strategies, our tools ensure that the collaborative technology consistently supports evidence-based pedagogical practices.

Independent Validation & Classroom Efficacy
Our approach is not just brain-friendly; it’s data-proven. Backed by independent research from the University of West Georgia and extensively field-tested and validated in diverse classroom settings, our AR solutions demonstrate significant improvements in student engagement, skill acquisition, and retention.

Strategic Impact for Educational Leaders and Educators
This unique blend of educational expertise and innovative technology offers profound benefits:

For leaders, this represents a strategic investment in innovation that directly addresses core challenges: student engagement, literacy outcomes, and teacher empowerment. It’s about providing a tool that excites educators and consistently delivers impact, justifying resource allocation with demonstrable efficacy. It’s about future-proofing your early learning environments with truly next-generation tools.

For educators, it’s about rediscovering the joy of teaching and transforming potentially abstract concepts into vivid, unforgettable encounters. This technology empowers you to make literacy and numeracy accessible, exciting, and sticky for every child, fostering a love of learning that lasts a lifetime. There is nothing else out there that engages kids like this.

I am hosting a webinar with Mr. Greg, a fantastic Kindergarten teacher, who will demonstrate how he uses augmented reality to enhance phonics, vocabulary, and comprehension instruction.

Feel free to join us on this webinar to see how Mr. Greg truly augments the learning process, creating environments where foundational skills flourish through unparalleled engagement.

➡️ Share this with your PreK-1 Peers and Administrators, and register for the webinar to see the innovation for yourself!

To join our FREE webinar, click here to learn more and register your spot.

We’d love to hear your comments or questions below:

6-minute read


Cynthia B. Kaye
Early Education Advocate | EdTech Innovator | CEO, Alive Studios

“What you do in your child’s first five years of life… profoundly influences how he or she will behave as an adult.” That compelling statement, articulated by developmental molecular biologist Dr. John Medina, is no longer just a nice idea, it is a proven fact backed by decades of hard numbers. The evidence comes from one of the most extraordinary social experiments ever conducted: the HighScope Perry Preschool Study, which patiently followed more than 100 low-income, at-risk preschoolers for over four decades. For businesses and education leaders alike, the findings offer the unshakeable data we need, showing the profound and lasting impact of giving every child the foundation they need for a successful life.

The Unshakeable Proof: A 40-Year Look at the Perry Preschool Project

Back in 1962, a visionary group led by psychologist David Weikart in Ypsilanti, Michigan, started the HighScope Perry Preschool Project. They asked a simple, yet profound question: “Does participation by underserved children in a high-quality early education program actually improve their long-term outcomes?”

They followed 123 children over four decades. The findings are no longer a theory; they are irrefutable proof that when we invest early, we unlock a lifetime of potential for a child, securing a stronger future for all of us.

The Dual Return: Dignity and Dollars

The HighScope study confirms that an investment made in a three- or four-year-old yields life-long results that pay immense dividends for everyone. This success isn’t just about early academics; it’s about developing the non-cognitive skills like perseverance, self-control, and motivation that drive success decades later.

The longitudinal study tracked participants through age 40 and found that those who experienced the high-quality preschool program were dramatically better off.

They were:

   • More likely to graduate from high school (65% vs. 45% for the control group).

   • More likely to maintain employment and have higher earnings.

   • More likely to own a home and a car, reflecting true economic stability.

   • Less likely to commit crimes and be involved in the criminal justice system.

   • Less likely to experience teenage pregnancy, a massive factor in reducing intergenerational poverty.

Now, let’s look closer at the human and economic outcomes that translate into a massive ROI for society:

Educational Attainment & Unlocking Potential
The ultimate goal is to equip every child with the tools they need to pursue their dreams. Program participants were substantially more likely to graduate from high school and required significantly fewer special education services. This is about building confidence and capability from day one.

Economic Stability & Self-Reliance
By giving children a strong start, we give them the path to a stable, contributing adult life. Participants were more likely to be employed (76% vs. 62% at age 40) and reported higher lifetime earnings, increasing their personal wealth by an estimated $156,490 more per person. This translates into dignity, homeownership, and true economic self-reliance.

Crime Prevention & Community Safety
The most powerful illustration of societal impact is the staggering reduction in crime. By investing in guidance and structure early, participants were far less likely to commit crimes, leading to enormous cost reductions in the criminal justice system. The study calculates that a massive $171,473 in crime savings alone was generated for society per participant.

When you add up the benefits, higher tax revenue, education savings, and crime reduction the study indicates an astounding $12.90 return for every $1 invested in the program.

The Heckman Curve: The Power of Timing (and WHY We Must Act Early)

While the HighScope Perry Preschool Study provided undeniable proof of staggering long-term benefits, it was Nobel laureate Dr. James Heckman who provided the profound economic framework in the Heckman Equation, which explains why these early investments yield such extraordinary, multigenerational returns. His meticulous analysis of the Perry data and other human development research led to the creation of the Heckman Curve.

This powerful concept fundamentally reshaped our understanding of human capital development, revealing the critical window for impact.

This curve shows that the rate of return on investment is highest at the earliest ages (birth to five) and steadily declines as children get older. Why? Because skills beget skills. Investing early builds the cognitive and socio-emotional foundation (the “hard wiring”) that makes future learning in school, in college, and on the job easier, cheaper, and more effective.

This proves that an investment in high-quality early learning is not just one investment; it is a catalyst for every subsequent positive investment made in a child’s life.

A Legacy That Lifts Generations

Dr. Heckman’s research also confirmed the profound truth of intergenerational success. The stability and positive outcomes achieved by the original Perry participants resulted in them creating more supportive and enriching home environments for their own children. This powerful second-generation effect means that by lifting up one child through early education, we set the trajectory for an entire family, successfully breaking the cycle of generational disadvantage.

As leaders, we must stop viewing early learning as an expense or a separate charitable effort. It is a strategic and critical investment in human capital. The Perry Preschool Project, reinforced by Dr. Heckman’s essential economic analysis, stands as a powerful testament to the fact that when we prioritize and invest in providing high-quality early education for all children, we are ensuring the success, dignity, and future prosperity of our entire community.

Points to Ponder

Consider the impact you could have: What conversations can you initiate? What partnerships can you find within your local school system or business community to make this foundational investment a reality?

You can start with something as simple as sharing this article.

We’d love to hear your comments or questions below:

5-minute read


Cynthia B. Kaye
Early Education Advocate | EdTech Innovator | CEO, Alive Studios

In the high-stakes world of education, few questions resonate as profoundly as: “How do we truly engage our youngest learners?” While the answer can seem elusive, neuroscience offers a powerful roadmap. By understanding how the brain naturally thrives, we can design early educational experiences that aren’t just fun, but are deeply impactful, laying robust foundations for lifelong literacy and numeracy.

When students are completely engaged, their minds are open for learning—that’s brain science. The role of the amygdala is like a gate, and creating the right environment and experiences is what opens that gate, allowing the mind to learn.

Leading experts in brain science, such as developmental molecular biologist Dr. John Medina and neurologist-turned-educator Dr. Judy Willis, consistently point to a few core principles. These aren’t just theories; they are the brain’s “secret sauce” for optimal engagement, fostering environments where learning isn’t just possible, but inevitable.

1. Emotional Safety: The Foundation of All Learning
Perhaps the most critical, yet often overlooked, ingredient in the engagement sauce is emotional safety. The human brain, particularly in its earliest stages, prioritizes survival above all else. If a child feels stressed, anxious, or threatened, their brain’s alarm system—the amygdala—takes over, shunting resources away from the prefrontal cortex, the hub of higher-order thinking, memory, and learning.

Dr. Judy Willis frequently emphasizes this in her work: “Learning will always be compromised when students feel threatened or stressed because the brain’s priority is survival.”

This means that before any academic content can be effectively absorbed, children need to feel secure, valued, and understood. A warm, predictable, and supportive classroom environment is not a luxury; it’s a neurological prerequisite for genuine engagement. When children feel safe, their brains are open to novelty, curiosity, and the vulnerability required for true learning.

2. Novelty and Curiosity: The Brain’s Natural Drive
The young brain is a relentless explorer, constantly seeking new information to make sense of its world. Novelty acts as a powerful stimulant, grabbing attention and initiating the learning process. Dr. John Medina highlights this innate drive in Brain Rules for Baby, discussing how children are scientists at heart: “Children are natural scientists, driven by curiosity to experiment and explore.”

Speaking of novelty, meet Randy Rooster, an engaging “3D augmented reality” friend making the letter ‘R’ unforgettable! When learning is this much fun, children aren’t just memorizing; they’re connecting with content in a way that truly sticks.

When educators introduce concepts through varied approaches—a different sensory experience, a new game, an unexpected story, a hands-on experiment, or —they tap into this natural curiosity. This isn’t about constant overstimulation, but about strategic moments of surprise and fresh perspectives that capture and sustain attention. Novelty helps release dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and motivation, further solidifying the learning experience.

3. Active Participation & Experiential Learning: Wiring the Brain Through Doing
Passive reception of information is rarely effective for deep, lasting learning, especially in early childhood. The brain learns by doing, by interacting with its environment, and by constructing its own understanding. This principle is central to many brain-based learning advocates.

Dr. Willis champions active learning strategies that engage multiple senses: “The brain learns by linking new information to prior knowledge and through active engagement. When students are physically and emotionally involved, learning is more robust.”

This translates into hands-on activities, collaborative play, movement, and opportunities for children to explore, manipulate, and experiment. For example, rather than just telling a child about shapes, allow them to build, cut out, or draw shapes, which can wire their brains to understand geometric concepts more completely. Similarly, for literacy, engaging children in dramatic play builds essential neural pathways. Some ideas for this are: storytelling, interacting with letters, words, and sentences in a fun way, or having children “write” their own short stories.

4. Intentional Language and “Serve and Return”: Building Robust Neural Pathways
While not explicitly named as a “secret sauce” principle in isolation, the quality and quantity of language interaction is a cornerstone of early brain development, directly impacting literacy. Dr. John Medina emphasizes the profound impact of parent-child “serve and return” interactions—the back-and-forth dance of communication—on a child’s brain architecture: “The number and variety of words a parent speaks to a child directly impacts the child’s IQ and vocabulary.”

This concept extends seamlessly into the early education environment. Educators who engage children in rich conversations, ask open-ended questions, describe observations, and read aloud with expressiveness are actively building the neural pathways for language acquisition, vocabulary development, and comprehension—all crucial precursors to strong literacy. This intentional use of language helps bridge the gap between spoken words and their eventual written form.

Conclusion
A Recipe for Success: Investing in early education, guided by these neuroscientific principles, is not just a noble cause; it is a strategic imperative for improving literacy and numeracy scores for all children. By creating emotionally safe environments, fueling curiosity with novelty, facilitating active, hands-on participation, and immersing children in rich language, we provide the brain with precisely what it needs to flourish. The “secret sauce” for engagement isn’t a complex, expensive formula; it’s a commitment to understanding and respecting how the young brain is wired to learn, ensuring that every child has the strongest possible start.

Call to Action
I invite you to take these brain-based principles back to your classroom. As you work with your students each day, observe and see for yourself: When are they most engaged? Which activities spark the most curiosity? By seeing these principles in action, you can continue to create the kind of learning environment that helps every child thrive.

We’d love to hear your comments or questions below:

3-minute read


Cynthia B. Kaye
Early Education Advocate | EdTech Innovator | CEO, Alive Studios

As a parent and a grandparent, I often think about the skills our children will need to succeed in a world defined by AI and constant technological change. A strong foundation is what they’ll need to build their lives on—a foundation rooted in solid literacy, numeracy, and a set of critical human skills.

What skills will they need to master to interact and be successful with AI and with other people? While we can’t predict the future, we can prepare our children by equipping them with a foundational set of timeless, human-centric competencies. These skills are not just technical, but deeply social, emotional, and cognitive. Let’s call them the “7 C’s of Future Readiness”:

Curiosity
A deep desire to learn and explore, which fuels lifelong learning and innovation.

Critical Thinking
The ability to analyze information, question assumptions, and form reasoned judgments.

Creativity
The capacity to generate new ideas and solutions, a uniquely human trait that AI cannot replicate.

Collaboration
The skill of working effectively with others to achieve a common goal, an essential part of any team.

Communication
The ability to articulate ideas clearly and listen actively, both with people and with technology.

Character
The capacity to understand and share the feelings of others while making ethical decisions, a moral compass for a world of advanced technology.

Cognitive Control
The ability to manage attention, emotions, and thoughts to achieve goals and navigate challenges. This is the foundation of emotional intelligence and resilience.

These competencies are not just buzzwords; they are the bedrock upon which our children will build a future where they are not just users of technology, but its thoughtful creators, collaborators, and masters.

Why Start So Early?
Think of a child’s learning like building a house. You don’t want to find yourself in the fourth grade, frantically trying to fix a crumbling foundation that should have been built years earlier. We all know that a house with a weak foundation will never be truly sound. The same is true for a child’s learning.

We frequently hear about the skills gap, the need for workforce development, and the challenges facing our colleges and trades. Yet, the conversation often begins too late. The truth is, the foundation for tomorrow’s successful college student, skilled tradesperson, and innovative employee is laid long before kindergarten. It begins in the earliest years of life.

This perspective is also shared by my colleague, Dr. John Green of JPG Consulting, Dr. Green adds to this conversation by highlighting that: “Early learning from birth to five plays a crucial role in nurturing natural intelligences of emotion and imagination, which leads to the development of what Cynthia terms as the ‘7 C’s for future readiness.’ This period lays the foundation for children to trust their instincts, express feelings, and dream creatively. By supporting these core aspects of development, we empower children to adapt, form healthy relationships, and approach challenges with innovative thinking throughout their lives.”

For too long, early childhood education has been viewed primarily as a social service or a benefit for families. While it is certainly both, this perspective misses its most profound economic truth: investing in early learning is the most strategic workforce development initiative our nation can undertake. It is imperative that we ensure our youngest learners build strong foundations in literacy, numeracy, and these 7 C’s from the start. It is not just a moral imperative; it’s a strategic workforce development priority that prepares our children for a life of purpose and success in a world we can only begin to imagine.

Call to Action
I encourage educational leaders, business executives, and policymakers to initiate conversations and forge partnerships that will strategically invest in early learning initiatives. Let’s build a robust talent pipeline by empowering our youngest learners with literacy, numeracy, and the vital 7 C’s.

We’d love to hear your comments or questions below:

4-minute read


Cynthia B. Kaye
Early Education Advocate | EdTech Innovator | CEO, Alive Studios

As an educator, I know you face immense pressure to improve literacy scores and manage behavior. It’s a national crisis that weighs on all of us. I felt this deeply when I was trying to teach my own children to read, and I discovered that the traditional tools simply weren’t enough. That experience led me on a journey to find a better way, and what I discovered is that the solution isn’t just about trying harder, but about trying differently.

From Personal Struggle to Unexpected Discovery
My journey began with a personal struggle. My husband and I adopted two boys from an orphanage in Latvia. I had an optimistic view of our future, but teaching them to read was an enormous challenge. As an elementary education graduate, I tried everything—public and private schools, interactive whiteboards, and the latest phonics software. But the resources were passive and not engaging enough, and we often ended up in tears, not breakthroughs.

It was during this time that a young support technician at my old company introduced me to something that would change my life: augmented reality (AR). He slid a piece of paper with a black square under a document camera, and the Eiffel Tower appeared in 3D. In that moment, I had a wild idea. What if we could use this technology to make learning come alive for kids? What if a giraffe could pop out of a card to teach the letter “G”? This idea became my “why,” and it led to the creation of Alive Studios.

Beyond the Gimmick: The Power of Augmented Reality
Augmented reality isn’t like virtual reality (VR), which requires a headset and closes you off from the world. AR integrates digital content into a real-world environment. It takes something not-real, like a 3D animal, and brings it into your classroom right in front of your students. But does it actually work?

When a professor from the University of West Georgia approached me to conduct an independent study on my new program, Letters alive®, I agreed. The condition was that they would publish the results, whether positive or negative. I was prepared to close up shop if it didn’t work. The results, however, were astonishing. The study revealed:

• 48% increase in letter naming and a 112% increase in letter sound knowledge compared to non-users
• All students in the study experienced learning gains
• Improved student behavior and increased attention spans

These weren’t isolated findings. Subsequent studies from various institutions have shown that AR develops peer relationships, fosters collaborative problem-solving, and keeps children from passively “staring and pecking” at a screen. Instead, they are actively engaged and facilitating the learning process together.

The Brain Science of Joyful Learning
Dr. Judy Willis, a renowned neuroscientist, has reinforced the power of AR. Dr. Willis teaches that the more modalities we use to teach, the more neurological pathways we create in the brain, leading to better memory and recall. AR engages multiple senses at once:

• Visual: Seeing a 3D animal appear in their space
• Auditory: Hearing the letter sound or a story
• Kinesthetic: Physically holding the card and interacting with the scene
• Emotional: The element of surprise and delight when an animal comes to life triggers a positive response that strengthens memory

This is all tied to the amygdala, the “gatekeeper” of our brain’s learning centers. When students are bored, stressed, or disengaged, the amygdala closes the gate, blocking learning. But when they feel safe, joyful, and connected, that gate opens wide. AR creates this state of joyful engagement, leading to increased confidence, better focus, and a willingness to participate.

Many of us use scripted Science of Reading (SOR) lessons with movement, which is highly beneficial. However, what if we could add an additional layer of engagement to that instruction? This AR technology is designed to do just that—to totally pull children into the learning experience and open the gate to their minds. It’s not a replacement for proven methods, but an enhancement that makes them more powerful.

My boys did become good readers, and I am incredibly proud of that. While their journey was filled with challenges, their ability to connect with learning through Letters alive was a profound victory. Their struggles and eventual breakthrough were my motivation.

If it wasn’t for their challenges, I wouldn’t have had the drive to develop this new approach. Their personal story is the reason Alive Studios exists. It taught me that genuine success isn’t always easy or perfect; sometimes it’s the quiet victory of a child finally making a connection. That is the mission that continues to inspire us every day.

We’d love to hear your comments or questions below:

4-minute read


Cynthia B. Kaye
Early Education Advocate | EdTech Innovator | CEO, Alive Studios

Like many parents and grandparents, I’m always thinking about the best ways for our children to interact with technology. It’s becoming a bigger part of our lives every day, and with 90% of a child’s brain developing by age five, figuring out how to use it appropriately is incredibly important. We all want joyful learning experiences in our classrooms, and we want to use the best tools to make that happen.

Working alongside countless educators and researchers in this field, I’ve come to believe something profound: not all screen time is created equal. While passive, isolated screen time can be a distraction, the right kind of technology can be a powerful catalyst for connection, collaboration, and learning.

Redefining Screen Time: From Passive Consumption to Active Collaboration
This is where we must distinguish between two very different types of screen time. The NAEYC/Fred Rogers Center position statement on technology and interactive media confirms a critical truth: the effectiveness of technology depends on how it is used.

The “Me” Screen (Limited Use)
This is the passive, individual screen time that educators and parents are rightly concerned about. It can lead to isolation and is best used sparingly and with a specific purpose.

The “We” Screen (The Classroom Catalyst)
This is the model that prioritizes human connection. In this model, technology is used to facilitate group experiences and is led by the teacher.

This approach creates a teacher-as-guide model, which the NAEYC/Fred Rogers Center supports, as it allows educators to build stronger relationships with their students because they are navigating and experiencing the content together, asking questions, and discussing what they see.

The Brain Science of Engagement
The key to understanding technology’s role lies in brain science. As neurologist Dr. Judy Willis explains, a child’s brain is highly sensitive to stress and boredom. When students are disengaged, their brains can trigger a stress response that blocks effective learning and memory.

However, the brain also seeks pleasure and novelty. The right kind of interactive technology can trigger a dopamine release—the brain’s feel-good chemical—by creating a shared experience that involves prediction, choice, and positive social interaction. This is the foundation of joyful learning.

The right kind of technology prompts movement and discussion. For example, children might move their bodies to act out a story from a large screen or discuss a character’s emotions with their peers. This active participation keeps their brains engaged and minimizes the opportunity for disruptive behavior. It also encourages collaborative problem-solving. When a well-designed program is used, students can work together to solve a problem on screen or share ideas with their classmates, strengthening both social-emotional and cognitive skills.

The NAEYC document states that effective uses of technology are active, hands-on, engaging, and empowering. By making technology integrated and intentional, the learning activity becomes the focus, not the device itself. This seamless approach supports the social and cultural contexts of children, reinforcing the idea that technology should always foster community and shared experiences.

The Result: Engaged Students, Happy Teachers
When technology is used to spark curiosity, movement, and dialogue, it creates a joyful classroom climate. It also offers a powerful, research-backed solution to one of the biggest challenges in education: student behavior. When children are actively engaged in learning, there is less misbehavior, which directly reduces teacher stress and burnout.

The right technology is not a distraction; it’s an engagement engine that turns potential behavioral problems into learning opportunities. It helps educators build not just stronger students, but stronger relationships with those students, creating a better experience for everyone.

I’d love to hear your comments or questions below:

3-minute read


Cynthia B. Kaye
Early Education Advocate | EdTech Innovator | CEO, Alive Studios

I’ve spent years developing educational technology, but the biggest lesson I’ve learned isn’t about software or apps. It’s about people—specifically, the incredible potential of our youngest minds. Our most critical investment isn’t in technology, but in the brains of our youngest citizens.

Our country’s future hinges on the foundation we build for our children, and that foundation is laid in the first five years of life. This isn’t just a feel-good statement; it’s a matter of proven brain science.

The Brain’s Astonishing Growth Spurt: Birth to Age 5
From the moment of birth, a child’s brain is an incredible, active construction site. By age three, a child’s brain has reached nearly 90% of its adult size. During this period, synapses—the connections between neurons—are forming at a rate of over one million per second. This rapid-fire development is a “use it or lose it” process, meaning that the experiences a child has will directly shape the architecture of their brain.

This is the period of “synaptic pruning,” where the brain strengthens the pathways that are used frequently and eliminates those that aren’t. Positive, stimulating, and nurturing interactions—like talking, reading, and playing—literally build a stronger, more resilient brain. Conversely, a lack of such stimulation can have a lasting negative impact. The early years are a unique window of opportunity that we cannot afford to miss.

From Brain Science to National Success
So what does this mean for us as a society? It means that investing in high-quality early education isn’t a luxury; it’s a strategic necessity. By providing children with rich learning environments during this critical period, we are:

Lifting Literacy and Academic Scores
Early exposure to language, books, and interactive learning tools, directly strengthens the neural pathways for reading and comprehension, setting the stage for lifelong academic success.

Fostering Social and Emotional Intelligence
A quality early education program teaches children how to interact with peers, share, problem-solve, and manage their emotions. These skills are essential for success in school and beyond.

Building a Stronger Workforce and Economy
Numerous studies have shown that for every dollar invested in early education, we see significant returns in the form of reduced crime rates, lower health costs, and a more productive and skilled workforce.

Promoting Equity
Quality early education helps to close the achievement gap before it even has a chance to widen. It gives every child, regardless of their background, a fair shot at a successful future.

A Call to Action
We have the knowledge and the technology to make a difference. The conversation about our country’s future must begin with our youngest learners. It’s time to move past the rhetoric and make a unified, national commitment to investing in early education—not just as a moral obligation, but as the smartest economic and social decision we can make.

This isn’t just a national issue; it’s a personal one. My commitment extends to the local level right here in my community. Organizations like Building Babies Brains in Gwinnett County are doing incredible work, and I’m proud to be part of this effort. It’s a powerful reminder that supporting local groups can make a direct impact on our communities.

And on a national level, we have a responsibility to act. Congressional leaders are making key decisions for FY2026, and programs like Head Start and IDEA early childhood services are at stake. It’s time to add our voices to this conversation. You can join me and NAEYC and its partners in telling Congress to protect these critical investments.

Take Action Today: Tell Congress to invest in our kids’ future.

Let’s work together to build the strongest possible foundation for every child’s brilliant mind.


We’d love to hear your comments or questions below:

7-minute read




Cynthia B. Kaye
Early Education Innovator, EdTech Pioneer, CEO – Alive Studios Zoo

The latest NAEP results (Nation’s Report Card) bring alarming but unsurprising news – reading scores have dropped again. Fourth-grade literacy proficiency is continuing to decline, reinforcing a growing crisis in early literacy.

As an educator, you see this firsthand. Students enter your classroom with a wide range of abilities, some struggling to recognize letters or connect sounds to words. You work tirelessly to meet their needs, but traditional methods alone aren’t enough to fully engage today’s learners. So, how can we turn this around?

What’s Holding Students Back?
Early literacy is the greatest predictor of future academic success. When children don’t develop strong foundational reading skills in their earliest years, they fall behind – not just in reading, but across all subjects.

Despite best efforts, many students still struggle with:
???? Limited engagement – Worksheets and rote memorization don’t spark curiosity.
???? Difficulty retaining phonics and word recognition – Some learners need multi-sensory experiences to make connections.
???? Short attention spans – Keeping young students focused is harder than ever.

The challenge isn’t what we’re teaching – it’s how we’re reaching students. What if we could make reading feel like an adventure instead of a task?

Using Interactive, Play-Based Learning to Boost Literacy
Research consistently shows that active, engaging learning experiences help students grasp and retain literacy skills more effectively. When children see, hear, and interact with content, their brains form stronger connections.

One approach that is gaining traction in early literacy is Augmented Reality (AR) – a tool that brings letters, words, and sounds to life in ways that feel like magic to young learners.

Highlights from Letters alive®

What Does the Research Say?
A recent study in Preschool Education found that Augmented Reality:
✅ Creates an engaging, interactive learning environment
✅ Boosts motivation, attention, and concentration
✅ Improves phonics, word recognition, and memory retention
✅ Helps students grasp literacy concepts more quickly

This isn’t about adding more technology for the sake of it – it’s about using research-backed tools to make early literacy instruction more effective.

Bringing Learning to Life in the Classroom
Imagine this: A child struggling to identify letters and letter sounds suddenly sees the letter “Aa” transform into an 3D animated alligator, which moves, hisses, and interacts. Instead of trying to memorize new information, the child is now actively engaging with phonics in a way that makes connections, and sticks.

Highlights from Letters alive®

Teachers who have introduced interactive, play-based learning – including Augmented Reality tools report:
???? Stronger letter and sound recognition
???? Higher engagement and motivation
???? More focused and excited learners

In another Independent Study, students using AR-enhanced literacy tools saw a 48% improvement in letter naming and a 112% boost in letter sound recognition.

What Can You Do to Help Your Students Right Now?
The literacy crisis is growing, and we can’t afford to wait for change. But there are steps you can take right now to better support your young learners:
???? Incorporate multi-sensory learning – Look for ways to include movement, visuals, and hands-on activities in your literacy instruction.
???? Make phonics instruction interactive – Instead of static worksheets, introduce playful, engaging activities that reinforce letter-sound connections.
???? Explore research-backed tools – Whether it’s Augmented Reality, storytelling, or play-based learning, find tools that make reading fun and meaningful for your students.

Let’s Turn Early Literacy Around – Together
Your role as an educator is more important than ever. You have the power to ignite a love for reading and set students on a path to success.

Want to explore how interactive learning can help your students? Let’s chat! We’d love to share research, classroom ideas, and ways to make early literacy more engaging.

???? Click here to connect and explore even more creative, research-backed ways to support your young learners. ???? ???? ????

This article was generated with the assistance of AI and reviewed by our Zoo Crew to ensure accuracy and relevance.