

The Preschool Podcast
Ron Spreeuwenberg
The Preschool Podcast, brought to you by HiMama, is a platform for learning from leading professionals in early childhood education. If you work in a daycare, childcare or preschool setting, The Preschool Podcast will provide you with both practical advice for managing your organization, center or classroom, as well as thought provoking content and insights about the field of early childhood education.
Each week, we chat with leaders in early childhood education, from teachers and educators in the classroom with innovative curriculum approaches, to directors who are excelling at empowering their team, and leaders outside of the child care environment that are passionate about making a positive impact on outcomes for young children.
Our goal with The Preschool Podcast is to provide knowledge and inspiration to the future leaders of early childhood education by speaking with experienced and insightful leaders in the world of preschool and early learning today. At HiMama, it is our belief that leadership within early childhood education is crucial to the future of the childcare sector and, of course, the future of our most important asset in this world, our youngest children.
Each week, we chat with leaders in early childhood education, from teachers and educators in the classroom with innovative curriculum approaches, to directors who are excelling at empowering their team, and leaders outside of the child care environment that are passionate about making a positive impact on outcomes for young children.
Our goal with The Preschool Podcast is to provide knowledge and inspiration to the future leaders of early childhood education by speaking with experienced and insightful leaders in the world of preschool and early learning today. At HiMama, it is our belief that leadership within early childhood education is crucial to the future of the childcare sector and, of course, the future of our most important asset in this world, our youngest children.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 18, 2020 • 29min
Teaching Race & Inclusion In Child Care
Teaching about race starts in child care. As a leader in ECE, you are in a unique position to be a resource for your staff, the parents that you support, and the children in your care. In this episode, we interview Re’Shaun Webb, Founder of Rainbow Institute of Childcare Education, about different strategies to educate all the stakeholders that are part of her center’s social ecosystem. She shares her tips and advice on how to create a safe and racially inclusive space for everyone to learn in. Resources: R.I.C.E. Website Connect with Re'Shaun at RainbowChildcareLearning@gmail.com

Aug 11, 2020 • 25min
Alternative Care & COVID-19
COVID-19 has put a lot of independent child care owners in a problematic position. In this episode, we talk to Amanda Munday, CEO and Founder of The Workaround, a co-working space that also offers quality child care. She talks about the challenges she's facing with reopening her business and the financial reality of running a child care business during the pandemic.

Aug 4, 2020 • 24min
Teaching & Parenting Young Children In A Crisis
Teaching and parenting young children is the hardest and most important job in society. In this episode, we interview Richard Biegel, Founder of MindEDU about the free science-based course that is taught by researchers from top education institutions to support early childhood development even in a crisis. Resources: Parenting In A Crisis Course

Jul 28, 2020 • 24min
How To Pivot Your Family Child Care Business During COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has created opportunity for family child care providers to pivot their businesses by offering smaller group care for parents looking for accessible care in their neighbourhood. In this episode, Jerletha McDonald, CEO of Arlington DFW Child Care Professionals and entrepreneur shares her experience and tips on how to build a high quality and sustainable child care business that will succeed in the ‘new normal’.

Jul 21, 2020 • 23min
How The T.E.A.C.H. Scholarship Supports Early Educators
The early education workforce is key to providing a solid foundation for the youngest in our society. In this episode, we interview Marsha Basloe, President of the Child Care Services Association (CCSA) about the state of the workforce and learn more about the TEACH Early Childhood Scholarship program and WAGE$ program that supports educators in levelling up their own education as well as provides financial incentives for doing so. Resources: Child Care Services Website

Jul 14, 2020 • 33min
Learnings From Running A Child Care During COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a huge challenge for child care providers. In this episode, we talk to Tirusha Dave, Owner & Director of Ellie’s Academy in New Jersey about her experience during the entire pandemic. She shares her experience with reduced enrollment, increased costs, and her journey since March from the start of lockdown to phase 2 of reopening.

Jul 7, 2020 • 27min
The Future Of Play
The COVID-19 pandemic puts forward a real challenge for play-based learning methods in childcare. In this episode, we chat with Tob Hobson (aka Teacher Tom) about his thoughts on how early educators can work together to face the challenges of reopening, while maintaining the engagement that children get from learning through play. We talk about the Play First Online Summit that he is hosting on July 20, which is a gathering of the brightest minds in play to figure out where to go from here. Resources: Sign up for The Play First Summit Teacher Tom’s Blog

Jun 30, 2020 • 25min
Recruit, Train & Retain Childcare Staff
Recruiting and retaining staff in child care has become even more challenging during the pandemic. In this episode, we interview Dr. Thomasa Bond, author, consultant and early childhood advocate, about the realities of staffing in childcare during this time. She offers strategies on how to collaborate with other centers in your local community and how to take a proactive approach towards building your professional network to find the right people to work with on an ongoing basis. Resources: Build Your Dream Team (book) Dr. Thomasa’s Website Connect with Dr. Thomasa on: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn

Jun 23, 2020 • 23min
Child Care Finances Tips During COVID-19
Strong finances is key to providing quality care. In this episode, we interview Rachelle Calina, Managing Director of Honest Buck accounting services, on key things to pay attention to when managing your childcare finances, how to get creative about reducing costs through collaboration, and practical steps to take to be proactive about your finances during and beyond the pandemic. Resources: https://honestbuck.adorationllc.com/

Jun 16, 2020 • 24min
Learning About Different Cultures Through A Second Language
Teaching young children to celebrate cultural differences is key to raising a racially conscious society. In this episode, we interview Sarah Farzam, CEO and Founder of Bilingual Birdies, a program that uses music, movement and puppetry to teach children a second language. We talk about how learning a new language can be a great first step to engaging with a new culture and why it is important to have age-appropriate conversations with young children about race. Resources: Bilingual Birdies Website Social media: Facebook | Instagram