Play Studio for Teachers is a project of the USF Preschool for Creative Learning, a laboratory school in the USF College of Education. Through video, resources, and real classroom moments, we share how an inquiry- and play-based approach helps children learn as active thinkers and creators, and how teachers and play leaders can bring that approach to life.
Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education, USF
Curriculum Advisor, USF Preschool for Creative Learning
Jolyn Blank, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education at the University of South Florida. Her scholarship examines the relationship between children’s meaning-making and teachers’ pedagogical reasoning in early childhood classrooms. Through studies of play, inquiry, creative expression, and multimodal communication, she investigates how children develop and communicate ideas and how teachers recognize, interpret, and respond to children’s thinking. Her work also considers the social and policy contexts that shape educational practice.
Dr. Blank’s scholarship has contributed to conversations about play pedagogy, teacher noticing, documentation, and children’s multimodal meaning-making. She also teaches courses in play and learning, creativity and the arts, cognitive development, and qualitative research methods, preparing future educators and researchers to thoughtfully support young children’s learning and development.
Director, USF Preschool for Creative Learning
Cassidy Lee, M.Ed., is Director of the USF Preschool for Creative Learning, the University of South Florida’s educational research center for child development. In this role, she leads teacher inquiry, provides mentoring and job-embedded professional development, and works with USF’s Early Childhood Education program to support the preparation of future early childhood educators.
Prior to becoming director, Cassidy served as a preschool teacher and curriculum specialist. Across these roles, she has supported educators in using play and the Project Approach as powerful frameworks for teaching and learning. Her work focuses on mentoring teachers as they design learning experiences that honor children’s intellectual capacities, using project work and purposeful play to support inquiry, multimodal expression, symbolic representation, and creative thinking.
The USF Preschool for Creative Learning is a research-based early childhood setting where children are encouraged to learn through play, inquiry, creativity, and hands-on exploration. The preschool provides a meaningful environment for young learners while also serving as an important space for observation, reflection, and research in early childhood education.
Play Studio for Teachers is connected to this spirit of learning by highlighting the ways teachers and play leaders can support children’s ideas, extend their thinking, and create environments where play becomes a powerful part of education. Visit the preschool’s website to learn more about its approach, programs, and role within the USF College of Education.
USF’s Early Childhood Education programs prepare future educators to support young children during some of the most important years of development and learning. Through coursework, field experiences, and research-informed practice, students learn how to create thoughtful, responsive, and engaging learning environments for children.
These programs connect closely with the values of Play Studio for Teachers by emphasizing intentional teaching, child-centered learning, and the importance of play, creativity, and inquiry in early education. Explore USF’s Early Childhood Education programs to learn more about pathways for future teachers and professionals in the field.
