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
Dec 14, 2016 • 28min
Role of regulatory bodies in early childhood education
In this week’s episode we discuss the role of regulatory bodies in early childhood education by serving and protecting children and families with registration requirements, setting ethical and professional standards for ECEs, and governing member conduct. Our guest, Melanie Dixon, is herself a Registered Early Childhood Educator, and is the Director of Professional Practice at The College of Early Childhood Educators in Ontario. Melanie sheds light on the purpose of a regulatory body, how and why it was created in Ontario, and the College’s current and future priorities. If you’re interested in learning more about how a regulatory body can serve the public interest, as well enhance the status of early childhood educators through a professional designation, then stay tuned for this week’s episode of The Preschool Podcast!
Dec 13, 2016 • 28min
Science behind language development
In this week’s episode we discuss the science of language development, including the role of culture in dual-language learning and the importance of linking language learning to real life experiences. Our guest, Karen Nemeth, is an advocate for early childhood education, an author on the topic of language development, and operator of Language Castle that helps preschool programs provide better early education for dual language learners. If you’re interested in learning more about how you can enable stronger language development, in particular with dual language learners, then stay tuned for this week’s episode of The Preschool Podcast!
Dec 6, 2016 • 22min
Learning the language of music
In this week’s episode we discuss how providing children in your preschool programs with meaningful exposure to pitch can help them to learn the language of music at an early age. Incorporating musical education helps children sing in tune and understand rhythms, as well as reinforce skills like sequencing and patterning. Our guest, Rob Young, is the host and creator of Preschool Prodigies, a fun, colourful and accessible program for teaching children music. Rob studied music technology at NYU and after teaching preschool in Delaware he realized that this early age was the right time in a child’s life to start learning about the language of music. If you’re interested in learning about the cognitive benefits of meaningful exposure to pitch and practical tips on how to implement musical education in your preschool then stay tuned for this week’s episode of The Preschool Podcast!
Nov 28, 2016 • 32min
Challenging behavior in young children
In this week’s episode we dive into an issue that all early childhood professionals will encounter in their career – young children with challenging behavior. We discuss how to understand the behavior, preventative strategies, and responding effectively to challenging behavior when it happens in your preschool or daycare programs. Our guest, Barbara Kaiser, is the co-author of Challenging Behavior in Young Children, published by Pearson and available through the National Association for Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Her writings are based on research, as well as her own personal experiences applying strategies in the classroom as an Early Childhood Educator. If you’re looking for practical information about how to understand, prevent and respond to challenging behavior in your preschool or childcare programs, then stay tuned for this week’s episode of The Preschool Podcast!
Nov 20, 2016 • 24min
Advocating for early childhood education
In this week’s episode we examine advocacy in early childhood education – what it means, methods, implications, trends and channels – with someone who is, herself, a passionate advocate for quality early education for all children, regardless of socioeconomic status. Our guest, Viktoria Bitto, a Registered Early Childhood Educator, works with the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care and as part of her advocacy work has initiated projects such as Portraits of Child Care that uses art as a form of advocacy. We also delve into the relationship between advocacy for child care and advocacy for woman’s rights, including wages and working conditions for early childhood educators. If you’re interested in hearing first-hand from a passionate young leader about how you can put yourself out there, stay true to what you fundamentally believe in, and advocate with a clear, honest and genuine message, then stay tuned for this week’s episode of The Preschool Podcast!
Nov 14, 2016 • 34min
Reflective practices to challenge your beliefs
In this week’s episode we explore how the simple concept of opening yourself up to change and challenging your beliefs as an early childhood educator can have a significant impact on your relationships with children. While all early childhood educators want to do what is best for children and often feel as though they are doing what is best for children, reflecting on your practices both as an individual and with your peers is a liberating experience. We speak with Tanya Farzaneh, an Early Childhood Educator and Teacher at Seneca College in Toronto. We discuss the impact that the ‘How Does Learning Happen’ document has had in Ontario by guiding child care and early learning programs to be reflective, but we also discuss how to implement theory in practice with leadership and accountability. If you’re interested in learning more about the reflective practices of a highly progressive lab school program then stay tuned for this week’s episode of The Preschool Podcast!
Nov 6, 2016 • 42min
Sharing your educational learnings online
In this week’s episode we have an insightful conversation about continuous professional learning as an early childhood educator and the importance of sharing your learnings and stories with others in the early years community, in particular online. We speak with Deborah Stewart, the owner and operator of Teach Preschool blog, as well as The Children’s Studio preschool in Indiana. We explore how Deborah has used The Children’s Studio as a lab school for learning about children’s development and the Teach Preschool blog for sharing her learnings with others on the Internet for the forward progression of early childhood educators as professionals. To get inspired by an early childhood educator who is always learning and find out how and where you can share your work as an early childhood educator, stay tuned for this week’s episode of The Preschool Podcast!
Nov 1, 2016 • 29min
Taking action to mobilize change for early childhood educators
In this week’s episode we discuss how early childhood educators must take an active role in turning theory to action on positive change for the profession. We speak with Chanequa Cameron, a Master’s degree student at Ryerson University in Ontario and an active Member of the Board of the Association of Early Childhood Educators Ontario, about the stakeholders that must work together in order to close the widening early childhood professionalization gap where expectations of early childhood educators are increasing while wages and working conditions are stagnant. To learn more about how you can take a more active role as a leader and spokesperson for early childhood educators in your community or even at the state or provincial level, stay tuned for this week’s episode of The Preschool Podcast!
Oct 25, 2016 • 30min
Immigrant and refugee children in childcare
In this week’s episode we discuss the complex issue of managing immigrant and refugee children in the childcare and preschool setting. Children new to your home country may experience culture shock, especially those who have experienced difficult circumstances in their past. Our guest, Julie Dotsch, is an expert and an author on the subject of adapting programs for immigrant and refugee families. She discusses strategies for helping children to deal with change, including the importance of encouraging the use of their first language and just how critical parent presence is when managing child transitions into preschool through gradual separation. To learn more about how to adapt your childcare programs to help immigrant and refugee children successfully transition into a new environment, stay tuned for this week’s episode of The Preschool Podcast!
Oct 17, 2016 • 28min
Inclusive preschool environments for LGBTQ families
In this week’s episode we talk about how Early Childhood Educators can create an environment that is inclusive for all families, including LGBTQ or “Rainbow” families. We delve into why visibility of LGBTQ families is important in the preschool context, how educators can promote inclusivity in their curriculum, and how best to communicate diversity with ALL families in your program. Our guest, Shelley Secrett, has been an Early Childhood Educator for over 12 years and is currently an ECE at Emmanuel at Brighton Child Care Centre in Waterloo, Ontario. She is also the owner of Secrett Events, which helps organize non-profit events highlighting local talent, people and shared experiences to bring community together. To learn more about having an inclusive environment in your preschool and working with LGBTQ families, stay tuned for this week’s episode of The Preschool Podcast!
