Hi! I’m Amanda Morgan, and this is Not Just Cute.
It’s a place where I take all those ideas that run around in my head and get them down into writing. For me, writing is just a natural component of my thinking process. Once a thought crawls into my mind its only exit seems to be through the written word.
I love to write.
Just not about myself.
Unfortunately, I hear that’s what this page is for.
About Me
I’m a native Oregonian who (somewhat reluctantly) traded the Big Sky Country on the eastern side of the state for the imposing mountains of the Wasatch Front in Utah. (I’ve since fallen in love with those darn mountains that were blocking my view.)
After completing a dual major in Elementary and Early Childhood Education, I continued on for a MS in Human Development, focusing on childhood, all at Utah State University. (Go Aggies!)
But that was just the beginning of my education.
After many different teaching opportunities in private, public, and migrant schools, I am now the mother of FOUR amazing boys. And they help me to learn something new every day. No classroom assignment was ever as tough as being a mother, but none was ever as rewarding either!
I have also been blessed with an amazing husband who serves as a constant sounding board for this blog, and who I will admit, is the true genius around here.
I’ve left the classroom for now, and recently completed five years working a flexible part-time gig as a trainer and consultant for an outstanding non-profit children’s organization. I currently enjoy training parents and teachers through my blog, ebooks, ecourses, and speaking engagements.
We’ve recently made the move as a family up to the Puget Sound area, and are enjoying the trees, the beaches, and yes, even the rain.
When I’m not capturing my thoughts in writing before they can scatter like the crumbs on my kitchen floor, I enjoy running, reading, and consuming copious amounts of chocolate. Often while hiding in my pantry. (I wouldn’t want the kids ruining their appetites!)
About Not Just Cute
Not Just Cute was born in the hallowed halls of Utah State University while I was doing my graduate work.
As supervising teachers in the child development lab, my cohort and I would often lament that if we heard one more student teacher describe an activity on her lesson plan as “cute” our heads might literally explode.
Cute is not a developmental objective. Our kids deserve so much more than “cute” when it comes to their education and development. (I can expound on that for you here.)
So Not Just Cute became a place to escape Intention Deficit Disorder, and come to understand the powerful purposes behind simple things like play.
Additionally, as an aforementioned graduate student, I vividly remember sitting in one of my classes vigorously discussing some fascinating research on child development. I was suddenly struck by the thought: “What does all of this matter, if no one gets it to the people who are actually down on the floors with the kids? Who will take this research and make it interesting, understandable, and accessible for parents and teachers so that it can really mean something to real kids in real life?”
And then I decided. I would.
I embrace my inner nerd here and share tidbits of research, philosophy, news, resources, and activities and roll it all together in a way that’s intended to be easily digestible.
Because childhood’s not just cute. It’s powerful, it’s priceless, and it’s often over much too soon.
Are you interested in me as a speaker? Get more information here!
Would you like to check out some of my writing samples? Find some of my favorites here!
Resources For upcoming engagements:
Find introduction bio samples here and photos here , here, and here.