Actions of Play

In this episode of Actions of Play, Heather Jackson is joined by Jeff Turner, Cassandra Keller and Megan James of Tree Top Academy and How We Reggio in Jupiter, Florida.

Together, they explore what it looks like to move beyond trying to replicate Reggio Emilia and instead build a practice that reflects your own children, educators, community and context. They share the evolution of Tree Top Academy, their journey to Reggio Emilia, the creation of How We Reggio, and why professional learning, experimentation and permission to get it wrong have been so important along the way.

The conversation explores slowing down enough to truly notice children's thinking, using Visible Thinking Routines to deepen investigations, and the idea of “research in everyday life.” Jeff also shares one word from their experience in Italy that beautifully captures the work: savour.

How might we savour children's questions, ideas and everyday moments rather than rushing toward the next activity?

This conversation is an invitation to notice more, listen longer, go deeper and find your own way of bringing Reggio-inspired principles to life.

LINKS

How We Reggio — their main website and hub for the Reggio-inspired community, learning resources and conference.

Embracing the Reggio Emilia Approach: A Beginner’s Guide for Teachers — the book Heather discusses in the episode.

Tree Top Academy — the Jupiter, Florida school behind How We Reggio.

How We Reggio Study Tours — information about visiting Tree Top Academy and observing their Reggio-inspired practice.

How We Reggio Conference & Learning Opportunities — current conferences, workshops and other professional learning opportunities.

How We Reggio Instagram

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Instagram: @thesunflower_studio

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-jackson-17b0b455/ 

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In this episode of Actions of Play, host Heather Jackson speaks with Cassie St. Amand, founder of Applejacks Preschool, about recognizing and responding to play schemas in early childhood environments.

Together, they explore how repeated patterns of play offer educators a window into children’s thinking, why observation must come before intervention, and how the Reggio Emilia approach and schema-based play naturally complement one another. They also challenge product-focused programming, rigid planning boxes, and the pressure to prepare children for school rather than asking whether schools are prepared for children.

This conversation is an invitation to slow down, look more closely, and create environments where children experience the safety, belonging, and freedom they need to learn.

LINKS

• Applejacks Preschool

• Applejacks Preschool on Instagram

• Cassie St. Amand on LinkedIn

• Actions of Play by Lisa Agogliati and Heather Jackson

• How Does Learning Happen? Ontario’s Pedagogy for the Early Years

  
  

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In this solo episode of Actions of Play, host Heather Jackson reflects on The Sunflower School’s 2026 educator conference, The Uncertainty of an Idea. She explores why uncertainty is not a failure of planning but an essential part of meaningful learning.

Heather shares how educators can resist the pressure to rush toward polished outcomes, make room for unfinished thinking, and use play as a form of inquiry. She also discusses the importance of slowing down, building children’s relationships with materials, and creating environments where questions, experimentation, reflection, and creative risk-taking are valued.

Because sometimes the measure of success isn’t a finished answer—it’s a better question.

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In this episode of Actions of Play, Heather Jackson welcomes registered early childhood educator, consultant, and author Cathy Turalinski to explore one of the most important and often misunderstood stages of child development: toddlerhood.

Drawing on more than 45 years of experience in early childhood education, post-secondary teaching, family support, leadership, and consulting, Cathy shares the inspiration behind her guide Child Care Through the Eyes of an 18-Month-Old. Together, Heather and Cathy challenge educators to rethink transitions, behaviour, attachment, and emotional safety from a toddler's perspective.

In this episode, you'll learn about:

• Why toddlers are often the most misunderstood age group in early childhood education• How transitions into child care affect a young child's developing brain• The importance of attachment, consistency, and emotional safety• Why behaviour is communication• Creating home-like environments that foster belonging• Supporting toddlers through movement, sensory experiences, and responsive relationships• Helping families understand what a toddler experiences during their day in child care• Why empathy is one of an educator's greatest tools

This conversation is a thoughtful reminder that toddlers aren't giving us a hard time—they're having a hard time. When we understand what they're experiencing, we can respond with greater compassion, patience, and intention.

LINKS

Cathy Website: https://childcaresolutions.ca/ 

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/catherine-anne-turalinski-265882154 

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In this episode of Actions of Play, host Heather Jackson welcomes Victoria Armstrong, founder of Side by Side Consulting, to explore how process art can transform children's learning, creativity, and relationship with materials.

Drawing from over 20 years in early childhood education and her work integrating professional artists into licensed child care programs, Victoria challenges the traditional focus on crafts and products, inviting educators to rethink what meaningful art experiences can look like.

Together, Heather and Victoria discuss:

• Why process art is simply authentic art

• Moving beyond pre-cut crafts and template activities

• How children build relationships with materials like clay, paint, and wire

• Why quality materials matter more than quantity

• The educator's role in observing, questioning, and scaffolding children's thinking

• Supporting creativity through open-ended exploration

• The importance of documentation in making children's learning visible

• Why "less is more" when designing art experiences

This conversation is a thoughtful reminder that art isn't about producing identical masterpieces.

LINKS

Website: https://sbsconsulting.ca/ 

Instagram: @sbsconsultingservices

Resources Mentioned:

• The Language of Art by Ann Pelo

• Children, Meaning-Making and the Arts by Susan Wright

• The Children's Music Studio: A Reggio-Inspired Approach by Wendell Hanna

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In this thoughtful episode of Actions of Play, Heather Jackson sits down with Chaylene Clarke, kindergarten educator and creator of The Unhurried Classroom, to explore what happens when we slow down enough to truly notice children.

Together, they discuss unhurried, uninterrupted play, revisiting experiences, documentation, and the importance of resisting the constant pressure to rush children from one activity to the next. Chaylene shares how motherhood and her classroom have shaped her belief that meaningful learning happens when children are given time to wonder, revisit ideas, and develop confidence at their own pace.

Whether you're an early childhood educator, kindergarten teacher, or educational leader, this conversation is a gentle reminder that slowing down isn't about lowering expectations—it's about creating the conditions for deeper thinking, stronger relationships, and more joyful learning.

LINKS

Instagram: Unhurried Classroom- @theunhurriedclassroom

LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/theunhurriedclassroom

Book: When We are Kind by Monique Gray Smith- Link

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In this episode of Actions of Play, Heather Jackson welcomes Dr. Louisa Penfold, Professor and Chair of Arts and Learning at Harvard Graduate School of Education, researcher, author, and internationally recognized advocate for children's creativity and play.

Drawing on her work across Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, Louisa shares how museums, schools, artists, educators, and families can work together to create rich learning environments where children are empowered to explore, create, imagine, and express themselves.

Together, Heather and Louisa discuss:

• Why play is not an "extra" but a fundamental human activity• The connection between art, creativity, and children's learning• Moving beyond product-focused art experiences• The importance of materials, movement, sound, and sensory exploration• How artists can inspire children's thinking and creativity• The role of pedagogical documentation in making learning visible• Children's rights to play, creativity, and cultural participation• Why access to arts education matters now more than ever

Louisa also shares insights from her groundbreaking ArtPlay research project and offers a glimpse into her upcoming book, Every Child is an Artist, which explores how families can cultivate creativity through simple, artist-inspired experiences at home.

LINKS

Website: www.louisapenfold.com

Instagram: @louisapenfold 

Art Play Children Pedagogy Blog 

Bill Lucas- A Five Dimensional Model of Creativity and its Assessment in Schools

Naomi Lott- Book- The Right of the Child to Play

Magic Acorns

Rita Evans - Instagram 

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Instagram: @thesunflower_studio

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-jackson-17b0b455/ 

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In this episode of Actions of Play, host Heather Jackson sits down with pedagogical leader, consultant, and registered early childhood educator Jessica Karpathios to explore what curriculum building can look like when relationships, curiosity, and critical thinking are at the centre.

Drawing from her experiences working internationally, leading pedagogical change within a nature-based program, and supporting educators across Canada, Jessica shares how pedagogical leadership can transform both educator practice and children's learning experiences.

Together, Heather and Jessica discuss:

• What a pedagogical leader actually does and why the role matters• Moving beyond theme-based programming toward meaningful curriculum design• The difference between children's interests and deeper learning inquiries• Why play is often misunderstood—and how educators can advocate for its value• The connection between educator agency, joy, and professional growth• Using pedagogical documentation as a tool for reflection and curriculum development• The growing role of social media in elevating the profession of early childhood education

This conversation is a powerful reminder that curriculum is not something we deliver to children. It's something we build alongside them.

LINKS

Jessica’s Website: https://www.jessicakarpathios.com/ 

Jessica’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/curiouseducatorcollective 

The Sunflower School: https://thesunflowerschool.ca/ 

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CONNECT WITH HEATHER

Instagram: @thesunflower_studio

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-jackson-17b0b455/ 

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Keri Best's path from placement student to director at The Sunflower School in Ontario didn't happen by accident. It was built on a clear philosophy: give children power, build community, and never stop learning. In this episode, she traces her 12-year journey at The Sunflower School, sharing the pivotal moments, mindset shifts, and daily practices that shaped her into the leader she is today.

Whether you're just starting out or eyeing your next step, Keri offers a grounded, honest roadmap for growing in this field. From Reggio-inspired curriculum and nature-based play to transforming staff spaces into places of genuine connection — this conversation is for anyone who believes that how we lead adults starts with how we honour children.

LINKS

Podcast: The CEO Sage (Formerly Leadership is Feminine)

Keri Instagram: @teaching.authentically

The Sunflower School: https://thesunflowerschool.ca/ 

BOOKS MENTIONED:

The Importance of Being Little

Radical Candor

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What if "program planning" is the very thing holding your practice back? Rosalba from Acorn Collaborative makes a compelling case for retiring the term altogether and replacing it with something far more intentional: designing curriculum that genuinely honours children's curiosity, culture, and agency. It's a small word swap with enormous implications.

This conversation digs into the slow pedagogy movement — observing gestures, sitting with silence, documenting struggle, and asking better questions. Rosalba challenges educators to step out of the role of planner and into the role of researcher, co-constructing meaning alongside children rather than delivering content at them. If you've ever felt trapped by rigid schedules or disconnected from the "why" of your work, this episode offers a way back to what matters.

LINKS

Rosalba Bortolotti- Instagram

Acorn Collaborative- Website

The Sunflower School: https://thesunflowerschool.ca/ 

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

If you found this episode valuable, we invite you to subscribe and leave a review. Your support helps us reach more educators who are committed to deepening their practice and creating meaningful learning experiences for children.

CONNECT WITH HEATHER

Instagram: @thesunflower_studio

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-jackson-17b0b455/ 

Take a Virtual Tour: Click Here