On episode 46 of the show, we talk about the importance of supporting men in childcare with Soren Gall, Infant/Toddler specialist at the Denver Early Childhood Council. Soren is one of the founders of the Men in Childcare Colorado Digital Story Project where he spent 6 months interviewing and documenting the experiences of men in the field around the world. In our conversation, we talk about the experience of being a male early childhood educator and the struggles that come along with it. Soren emphasizes that it is important to support and build the confidence of men who are already in the field. He believes that it is important to foster a community where men in the profession can come together to have productive conversations about their experiences.
On episode 45 of the show, we talk about the impact of authentic core values in an organization with Jenny Volpe, Executive Director of Make Way for Books, a not for profit that provides books to under-resourced sites and offers early literacy workshops to educators and parents in Tucson, Arizona. In our conversation, we talk about how meaningful core values are developed as a team-effort and upholding them is a process of conscious reflection. Make Way for Books believes in empowerment and applies it not only to staff and volunteers but in every aspect of what they do, especially when it comes to the communities that they serve, be it educators, parents, teachers and of course, the children.
On episode 44 of the show, we talk about emotional intelligence in early childhood education with Holly Elissa Bruno, an award-winning author, international keynote speaker and seasoned team builder. In our conversation, we learn about the importance of emotional authenticity when working with children. Holly Elissa emphasizes that children are extremely perceptive to non-verbal cues and unpacks the neuroscience behind emotional development. She shows us how a large component of early childhood education is about modelling to children how to express their feelings honestly to resolve conflict in a productive manner. In order to do this, educators themselves require a firm grasp on their own emotions in their interactions with other adults.
On episode 44 of the show, we talk about emotional intelligence in early childhood education with Holly Elissa Bruno, an award-winning author, international keynote speaker and seasoned team builder. In our conversation, we learn about the importance of emotional authenticity when working with children. Holly Elissa emphasizes that children are extremely perceptive to non-verbal cues and unpacks the neuroscience behind emotional development. She shows us how a large component of early childhood education is about modelling to children how to express their feelings honestly to resolve conflict in a productive manner. In order to do this, educators themselves require a firm grasp on their own emotions in their interactions with other adults.
On episode 43 of the show, we talk about nurturing growth mindsets at an early years level with Pam Rinn, Program Director for Community Professional Development (Instruction) at Camp Fire First Texas. We learn about the Thrive{ology} framework, which is a research-based, measurable approach to learning and development that emphasizes a balance between work, health and love. Pam shows us how the approach inspires learning in a safe environment that allows children to take risks while developing the skills needed to achieve their goals. All this builds a foundation for creative thinking and problem solving at an early age.
On episode 42 of the show, we talk about music as a vehicle for holistic child development with Galina Zenin, founder of the Bonkers Beat early years curriculum from Melbourne, Australia. The curriculum focuses on integrating song and movement into daily teaching practices. In our conversation, we learn about Galina’s journey into early education as she began her career as a professional musician and has successfully combined her passion for music with research in child development. Galina tells us about how she develops her pedagogical approach in her own kinder, and runs wellness summits for educators and parents on how to use music as a teaching tool.