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
Jan 28, 2020 • 22min
The Impact of Real-Time Communication on Parenting
This is a very special episode with Joshua McVey, a HiMama parent and employee. Josh shares his experience using a child care app and how having insight into his son’s activities in child care has supported his experience as a single dad. He also talks about how he’s gained an appreciation for the hard work that educators put in every day from his experience as a parent and working with child care professionals through HiMama. Resources: Connect with Josh at joshua@himama.com HiMama Blog
Jan 21, 2020 • 20min
A Reggio Preschool At The Zoo
The Buffalo Zoo runs a Reggio-inspired preschool program that uses the zoo as a learning environment. In this episode, we get the opportunity to chat with Anna Ileto, Program Specialist, about what it means to run a program that collaborates with zookeepers. She also shares her experience and tips on how teachers can leverage a child’s natural curiosity about nature as a stepping stone to teach them preschool skills. Resources: Buffalo Zoo Preschool Welcomes Fall The “Pet Project” - Channel 7 Feature 2019 Fall Newsletter The Spider Project
Jan 14, 2020 • 26min
Turning Passion Into Quality Programming
The Early Childhood Educator of The Year Award recognizes early educators for their hard work and the impact that they have on their communities. Nery Payne, 2019 ECE of The Year, shares her story about being kidnapped with her son in her home country, finding her way to Canada, and how she found her passion for working with children through that experience. She shares how she built her curriculum using online resources and how a can-do mindset is all you need to build a rich environment for children to learn in.
Jan 7, 2020 • 16min
Practicing Mindfulness When Working With Children
Early education can be emotional and stressful. In this episode, we interview Richard Cohen, consultant and coach about how he uses his meditation practice to support his professional work. We also discuss how this translates to being more present when playing with kids and why that is important in this line of work. Resources: Richard’s website Contact Richard at richard@richardcohen.com
Dec 24, 2019 • 27min
Change The Status Quo With Quality Child Care
The Early Learning Neighbourhood Collaborative (ELNC) is making strides in the Grand Rapids community by supporting accessible early childhood education with its model that prioritizes local learning environments, cultural competence, and involving dual-generations in the early learning process. We chat with Dr. Ezeh, CEO of ELNC, about her drive, vision, and strategies to empower low-income communities with the resources needed to support their youngest and most vulnerable. Resources: ELNC
Dec 16, 2019 • 20min
Managing Children's Feelings By Understanding Your Own
Early childhood years are formative for emotional development and affect people into their adult years. In this episode, we interview Dr. Tamar Jacobson and explore how our own childhood experiences inform the way we think about children when we discipline them. Dr. Jacobson shares the importance of reflecting on how we react to children as adults and why it’s important to consider the influence of our own childhood experience!
Dec 10, 2019 • 22min
Age-Appropriate Preschool Planning
Planning age-appropriate activities is key to having a successful preschool program. In this episode, Cheryl Hatch, founder of the blog Preschool Plan It, shares her tips for working with preschoolers. She emphasizes the importance of contextual learning, scaffolding and supporting preschoolers through this learning stage! Resources: Preschool Plan It Preschool Directors Facebook Group
Dec 3, 2019 • 26min
Supporting Children And Families With ADHD
Working with children with autism and ADHD often means working intimately with their families. In this episode, we have a conversation with Umesh Jain, child psychiatrist at SickKids Hospital, about the biology and psychology of children with autism. He shares tips on how to identify children with autism in the early years, and how to work with families to support their development. Resources: Canadian ADHD Resource Alliance Autism Society of Canada
Nov 26, 2019 • 21min
Innovative Business Model To Retain Talent
Turnover is one of the biggest challenges of running a child care business. In this episode, Marnie Forestieri, CEO of Young Innovators, shares how she implemented an innovative business model that encourages ownership, promotes accountability and has improved her staff turnover, program quality, and income. If you’re a child care entrepreneur looking for a new way to improve your business, this is a must listen for you! Resources: Young Innovators Academy Website The Kumon Dropouts: Using Maker-Centered Education to Help Your Child Discover Their Interests [Blog] Follow Marnie on: Facebook InstagramTwitter
Nov 19, 2019 • 20min
Taming Terrific Toddlers
Caring for toddlers is one of the more challenging stages of early childhood development. In this episode, we chat with Raelene Ostberg, Founder of Thriving Together, about how toddlers are often difficult to work with because they are misunderstood. She shares her tips for reframing our approach of engaging with toddlers to work with them in a constructive way. This is a MUST listen if you’re working with toddlers in any capacity as an educator or a parent! Resources: Thriving Together Diffusing Nighttime Stress Get Toddlers to Listen! Naptime Nuggets (YouTube Playlist) Zero to Three Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning
