Emily Thomas is a Technology Integrator and Trainer for Northeast Metro Intermediate School District 916 in Minnesota. Her most recent project is an accessible STEAM Mobile Makerspace that provides differentiated activities for students from pre-K through post-high school. Tune in to this episode to find out how Emily is bringing accessible makerspace activities to the learners in her school district.

Access Emily's Makerspace activities in the full show notes at: https://kgeducation.ca/21emilythomas

Dear Teacher, you’re wonderful just the way you are. But we’ve come up with three creative ways to help you be an even better teacher in 2023….and they might not be the kind of things that immediately come to mind. We’re not talking about boosting literacy scores or strengthening your classroom management, but we are confident that these three suggestions will make the new year a great one.

Free 7 Day Journalling Challenge available here

Free Teacher Wellness Toolkit available here

"Programs don't teach kids. Teachers teach kids."

Join us for the 2022 Holly Jolly Holiday Connection – a simple and free online project we created to connect you with other students and teachers while generating some holiday spirit. This will be the third year we’ve hosted this project and we are excited to see the greetings start rolling in from different places!

Find out more at kgeducation.ca/hollyjolly 

Interested in our Kindergarten Essentials webinar? Learn more about how to foster playful learning in Kindergarten on Sunday, November 20, at 10 am CST. 

In this episode, Leah shares 3 things you need to know about coding and computational thinking.  What is coding?  What is computational thinking?  Why might you want to integrate them in your classroom?  Leah will address these questions and share her experiences with teaching coding and computational thinking.  

Access the resources mentioned at: https://hourofcode.com/ca

In this episode, we share why classroom connections are important and the simple and accessible tools you can use to connect your classroom. We also discuss some of our favourite projects to provide you with inspiration and ideas for connecting with other classrooms, organizations, and experts for powerful and authentic learning. 

Find out more at Kindergarten Diva or KG Education. 

Register for Kindergarten Essentials webinars here. 

Welcome to the third season of Cultivating Connection!

There are many benefits to integrating yoga into your early years classroom. It’s the perfect movement break, it’s non-competitive, and can be practiced without any equipment. Research has demonstrated that yoga enhances children’s ability to self-regulate and sustain attention, and it can be useful for managing anxiety. Wondering how to get started with yoga in the classroom? Tune in to this new episode of Cultivating Connection for the all ideas and tips!

Find out more about the Kindergarten Essentials webinar series here

Blog post about getting started with yoga available here

Namaste Kid for yoga scripts and other resources

Yoga pose flash cards: my favourite set

As we wrap up the current school year, our thoughts turn to summer holidays and a very well-deserved break. However, a small (or big) part of our mind is already thinking about the upcoming school year and what we can do to make it better or different. This podcast episode is for all the educators teaching early years next year who are wondering how to start off next fall in the best possible way. Keep listening...we've got four practices to save your sanity and set you up for success!

Blog post with links and resources available here. 

Register for Kindergarten Essentials webinar on July 28 at 10 am CDT here. 

Katie and Megan are teachers and best friends from Edmonton, Alberta. They're also planner designers and business owners who have developed an amazing line of planners and accessories based on their own experiences of what busy teachers and moms need to stay organized. In this episode of Cultivating Connection, Katie and Megan tell us all about how their business got started and how they got their name (it's a good story), their favourite features that make their planners unique and super useful, and their best tips for keeping it all together and living their best lives. 

This teacher-entrepreneur duo shares how they do everything locally in their business and how much their ever-growing community means to them and it's nothing short of inspiring. 

You can find Katie and Megan on social media at @twoplannerbabes and online at twoplannerbabes.com. 

Show notes available at: https://kgeducation.ca/twoplannerbabes/

In this episode of the Cultivating Connection podcast, you’ll hear from educator Jana Gerard. Jana works as the coordinator of the EDvolution Center at Southeast Missouri State University. In this role, she supports pre-service teachers and faculty with developing digital competencies.  She's passionate about the intentional and purposeful use of technology in education.  Listen to this episode for some inspiration on how we can use technology effectively in education.