Parent Teacher Interview

Some conversations are worth coming back to, and this is one of them!

A little over a year ago, I sat down with Anna O'Connor from Sound Slam to talk about early literacy and the foundations children need to become confident readers. Revisiting that conversation, I was reminded just how much there is to take away from it.

In this episode, we explore the skills that sit underneath learning to read, why phonological awareness is so important, and how much of this learning can happen through the everyday conversations, games and experiences we share with our children.

We unpack the Big Six of Reading, including oral language, vocabulary, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency and comprehension. Anna explains what these skills look like in the early years and shares some practical ways families can help build them long before children pick up their first reader.

We also talk about decodable readers, the importance of continuing to read rich picture books, and why everyday experiences – from playing games in the car to a trip to the supermarket or even a visit to Bunnings – can provide some wonderful opportunities for learning.

Anna also shares the story behind Sound Slam, the card game she created with Lucy Campbell to help families develop early literacy skills through play.

One of my favourite reminders from this conversation is that supporting children's learning doesn't always need to mean sitting down and doing extra work. Sometimes it's the little things we do together that provide the richest opportunities.

Whether you're a parent, teacher or simply interested in how children learn, I hope you enjoy this one.

What we discuss

• The Big Six of Reading and how the different components work together.

• Why oral language and vocabulary are so important in the early years.

• Phonological awareness, including rhyming, syllables, initial sounds, blending and segmenting.

• The difference between phonological awareness and phonics.

• How everyday conversations and play can help build early literacy skills.

• Decodable readers, picture books and the importance of reading broadly.

• How parents and teachers can work together to support children's reading development.

• The story behind Sound Slam and how families can use the game.

• Simple ways to bring more language, vocabulary and learning into everyday family life.

Find out more about Sound Slam

Sound Slam is a card game created by Anna O'Connor and Lucy Campbell, designed to help children develop phonological awareness through play.

🌐 Website: https://soundslam.com.au/

🃏 Sound Slam card game: https://soundslam.com.au/products/sound-slam-card-game

📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soundslamau/

Resources and further reading

A few of the resources and ideas that came up in our original conversation:

The Big Six of Reading – Deslea Konza

The Big Six framework explores six interconnected components of reading: oral language, phonological awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension.

• NSW Department of Education – Literacy in Early Childhood: https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/curriculum/early-learning/professional-learning/literacy-in-early-childhood

• Deslea Konza – Teaching Reading: Why the "Fab Five" Should Be the "Big Six": https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1047077

Connect with Parent Teacher Interview

📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parent_teacher_interview_pod/

If you've enjoyed this episode, please consider following the podcast, sharing it with another parent or educator who might find it useful, and leaving a rating or review wherever you listen.

Thanks for listening to the Parent Teacher Interview Podcast – the space between home and school.

Music credits

Music sourced from Uppbeat: ⁠https://uppbeat.io/⁠

🎵 “Ember” – The Lakes
🎵 “Green Leaves” – The Lakes

In this episode of the Parent Teacher Interview Podcast, I'm joined by Cheri from WonderGlow OT for a conversation about what occupational therapy can look like in everyday life.

We explore how OTs work alongside children and families, why parent coaching can be just as important as working directly with a child, and how the right support depends on the individual child, their family and the environments they spend time in.

We also discuss the importance of collaboration between families, teachers and allied health professionals — and some of the practical challenges that can get in the way.

In this episode, we explore:

• What occupational therapy is and some of the misconceptions surrounding it.

• Why therapy isn't about fixing a child, and why understanding the reasons behind a challenge matters.

• The role of parents and caregivers in supporting progress beyond the therapy session.

• Why goals need to reflect a child's priorities, capacity and circumstances.

• Common areas of support, including emotional regulation, transitions, handwriting and self-care.

• How OTs can work in homes, schools and clinics to understand a child's everyday environment.

• The challenges of communication between teachers and allied health professionals, and how whole-class strategies can help create more inclusive classrooms.

• Pathways families may explore when seeking occupational therapy, including private services, Medicare rebates, private health insurance and the NDIS.

• The uncertainty around changes to disability and early childhood support, including Thriving Kids, as discussed in the episode.

  
  

A key takeaway from this conversation is that meaningful support is rarely the responsibility of one person alone. When we understand what a child is finding difficult, listen to what matters to them, and work together across home and school, we can make everyday participation more achievable.

About Cheri

Cheri is an occupational therapist who supports children and families. Through WonderGlow OT, she provides client services and develops resources. She also created the Charge Your Mind regulation program and the Battery Boot Camp book, and co-hosts the podcast OTs Figuring It Out.

Find Cheri's work

• WonderGlow OT: https://www.wonderglowot.com.au/

• Charge Your Mind: https://chargeyourmindprogram.com/

• OTs Figuring It Out: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2556273

  
  

A note on funding: This episode includes a discussion of Australian Medicare, private health insurance, the NDIS and Thriving Kids. Funding rules and eligibility can change, so please confirm current requirements with the relevant service or official government source before making decisions.

Thanks for listening to the Parent Teacher Interview Podcast — the space between home and school.

Music Credits

• “Ember” — The Lakes

• “Green Leaves” — The Lakes

Music sourced via Uppbeat.

In this solo episode, I'm reflecting on a couple of recent conversations on the podcast and the ideas that have stuck with me long after the microphones were switched off.

After chatting with Danica from Little Bloom Consultancy and Craig Smith from Universal Sandpit, I've been thinking about what it means to be a good enough parent and educator, why asking for help can be so difficult, and how small moments of joy can change the way we move through a challenging day.

I also revisit some of the ideas Craig shared about AI, empathy and the ways we interact with technology. From thinking differently about people whose experiences aren't the same as our own to using AI to help make sense of our kids' Japanese homework, these conversations have given me plenty to consider — particularly as a parent and teacher trying to work out how we help children engage with AI safely and responsibly.

This isn't about having all the answers. It's about noticing the ideas that stay with us, questioning some of our assumptions and working out what we might do differently as a result.

In this episode, I reflect on:

• What it means to be a good-enough parent and educator.
• Why asking for help matters, and why it can feel so hard.
• Finding the micro-moments of joy in busy and challenging days.
• The double empathy problem and understanding different perspectives.
• AI, relationships and the ways people use technology to connect, learn and grow.
• Helping children develop safe and responsible ways of interacting with AI.

I'd love to hear what has stuck with you from a conversation, a piece of advice or something you've read recently. What have you been thinking about, questioning or trying to put into practice?

Come and join the conversation over on Instagram at @parent_teacher_interview_pod.

If you enjoy the podcast, follow or subscribe so you don't miss an episode.

AI and the Human Side of Learning

Season 2, Episode 14 — with Craig Smith

AI is a topic that can divide a room pretty quickly.

For some, it represents exciting possibilities for the way we learn, work and support one another. For others, there are important questions around safety, privacy, creativity, critical thinking, the environment and what we might lose as these technologies become a bigger part of our lives.

In this episode, Josh sits down with Craig Smith, Manager of Technology and Innovation at Positive Partnerships, educator, author and international speaker, and creator of The Universal Sandpit.

Rather than trying to find all the answers, this conversation explores some of the questions.

Josh and Craig talk about:

• How AI might support executive functioning, including planning, organisation, task initiation and managing thoughts.
• Craig's idea of the “administration team of the brain” and what this might help us understand about the challenges some students experience.
• Using AI as a tool for reflection, conversation and scaffolding, rather than simply outsourcing our thinking.
• Neurodiversity and AI, and why different people may experience and use technology in very different ways.
• The idea of double empathy and how it might change the way we think about AI, social interaction and what we consider “normal”.
• How we can support children to understand what AI actually is, rather than treating it as a magical black box.
• Finding the balance between safety and experimentation when children and young people are learning about new technologies.
• Craig's “mountain” analogy and the importance of allowing children to develop their own thinking rather than using AI as a shortcut.
• How AI can support creativity and play, including Craig's experience of creating a video game with his son.
• The Universal Sandpit and the practical AI tools Craig has developed to support inclusive education.
• The potential for AI to help educators connect students' strengths and interests with classroom learning.
• The ethical questions surrounding AI — including the potential environmental, social and workplace impacts — alongside the possible benefits for inclusion and accessibility.

One of the ideas we keep coming back to is that two things can be true at the same time: AI can create significant challenges, while also offering opportunities that may genuinely benefit some students and educators.

And perhaps that's the point of this conversation. We don't have all the answers yet — but there is value in asking the questions, exploring what is possible and trying to understand how different people experience these technologies.

Where to find out more about Craig

The Universal Sandpit — Craig's collection of AI-powered tools and resources for inclusive education. The site currently includes tools for educators and students covering areas such as executive functioning, lesson planning, differentiation, visual supports, task analysis and more.

The Universal Sandpit

Craig Smith on LinkedIn — Craig regularly shares his experiments, ideas and work around AI, education, neurodiversity and technology.

Craig Smith on LinkedIn

Find out more about Craig

Music Credits

🎵 “Ember” — The Lakes
🎵 “Green Leaves” — The Lakes

Music sourced from Uppbeat.

What happens when the person responsible for helping children regulate is struggling to regulate themselves?

In this episode, I sit down with Danica See from Little Bloom Consultancy for a conversation about one of the parts of education we don't always talk about enough — the emotional weight carried by the educators doing the work.

Danica shares her journey through early childhood education, from a difficult first year of teaching to discovering behaviour guidance and eventually creating Little Bloom Consultancy, where she supports educators to bridge the gap between what we know about children and what that can actually look like in practice.

We talk about educator burnout, emotional regulation, the pressure to be the “perfect” teacher, and why creating safe spaces for children also means creating safe spaces for the adults who care for them.

Little Bloom Consultancy
A space supporting early childhood educators and leaders with children's behaviour, big feelings, emotional development and educator wellbeing.

Little Bloom Consultancy

📱 Instagram — @littlebloom.consultancy
Follow Little Bloom Consultancy on Instagram

🎙️ The Bloom Room: An Early Childhood Podcast
Danica's podcast exploring behaviour, emotions, relationships and the realities of working with young children.

Listen to The Bloom Room on Apple Podcasts

Music

“Ember” — The Lakes
“Green Leaves” — The Lakes

Music sourced from Uppbeat - https://uppbeat.io/

Connect with the Parent Teacher Interview Podcast

🎙️ Parent Teacher Interview Podcast

📱 Instagram: @parent_teacher_interview_pod

If you've enjoyed this episode, we'd love for you to follow the podcast, share it with another educator or parent who might find it useful, and leave us a review wherever you listen.

For the first time on Parent Teacher Interview, Joshua is stepping out from behind the questions and sitting down for a solo episode.

In this episode, Joshua shares a little about his own journey as both an educator and a parent, and the questions that led him to start Parent Teacher Interview in the first place.

After years of teaching and navigating the highs, challenges and mistakes that come with parenting, Joshua reflects on why he has never felt like having all the answers was the point. Instead, the podcast began as a way to ask questions, learn from others and hopefully become a little better along the way.

Joshua also shares a key takeaway from the previous episode with Jacinta and Alicia from Little Potion Co. — a reminder to slow down, look for the little moments, and find opportunities for connection, curiosity and a little bit of magic in everyday life.

This episode is a little different. It's just Joshua, the microphone, and a chance to share some of the experiences and reflections that sit behind Parent Teacher Interview.

If there are topics you'd like us to explore, people you think we should speak to, or if you'd like to hear more solo reflections like this one, we'd love to hear from you.

Music Credits

“Ember” — The Lakes
“Green Leaves” — The Lakes

In this episode of the Parent Teacher Interview Podcast, I’m joined by sisters Jacinta and Alicia, the founders of Little Potion Co, a business creating mindful magic potion kits designed to encourage children to play, imagine, build confidence and connect with the people around them.

What began with Jacinta creating a potion kit for her young son has grown into a business with a much bigger purpose. We talk about the importance of sensory and open-ended play, the role of positive affirmations in developing children's self-belief, and how creating opportunities for imaginative play can help families slow down and reconnect.

Jacinta and Alicia also share the care that goes into developing their products, including their approach to sustainability and product safety, why they spend so much time crafting the words and stories that accompany their potions, and what they have learned from building a business together as sisters and mums.

We also hear about some of the teachers who have had a lasting impact on their lives and their children, and the exciting story behind Little Potion Co's collaboration with Fleur Harris and the Enid Blyton team to create a Magic Faraway Tree Potion Kit.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why imagination and a sense of magic can be so important during childhood
• The benefits of sensory and open-ended play
• How potion play can encourage confidence, resilience and emotional wellbeing
• The role of positive affirmations in helping children develop self-belief
• Why the words and stories behind their potions are so carefully considered
• The importance of creating opportunities for parents and children to play and connect together
• Sustainability, biodegradable glitter and the choices behind their ingredients and packaging
• Why product safety testing has been such an important investment for Little Potion Co
• Building a business as sisters, mums and business partners
• The teachers who have influenced Jacinta and Alicia and their children
• The story behind the Little Potion Co collaboration with Fleur Harris and the Magic Faraway Tree

About Little Potion Co

Little Potion Co creates Mindful Magic Potion Kits designed to support children's confidence, resilience and emotional wellbeing through imaginative play, potion making and positive affirmations.

Find out more about Little Potion Co:

The Little Potion Co website

The Little Potion Co on Instagram

Music

Ember – The Lakes

Green Leaf – The Lakes

In this episode, Joshua is joined by Isabelle from PDA Perspective to explore what PDA (Persistent Drive for Autonomy) is and how it shapes everyday family life. Through her lived experience raising a daughter with a PDA profile of autism, Isabelle shares the diagnosis journey, the realities of low-demand parenting, navigating education, and the importance of trusting parental instincts. This is an honest conversation for parents, educators and anyone wanting to better understand PDA.

What We Discussed

- What PDA is and why many people now use the term Persistent Drive for Autonomy.

- Early signs that led Isabelle to seek an autism assessment.

- The diagnosis journey and the emotions that followed.

- How PDA has influenced family life and sibling relationships.

- Common misconceptions about PDA.

- Why low-demand parenting can be more effective than traditional approaches.

- Finding a school that understands and supports PDA.

- Considering homeschooling and flexible education pathways.

- The impact of PDA on work, routines and daily family life.

- Why Isabelle created PDA Perspective to support other families.

Resources & Links

PDA Society

https://www.pdasociety.org.uk/

PDA Perspective (Instagram)

https://www.instagram.com/pdaperspective/

Parent Teacher Interview Podcast (Instagram)

https://www.instagram.com/parent_teacher_interview_pod/

Music Credits

'Ember' by The Lakes via Uppbeat

'Green Leaf' by The Lakes via Uppbeat

Thanks for listening to the Parent Teacher Interview Podcast.

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider following the show, leaving a rating or review, and sharing it with someone who may find it helpful.

Every child communicates differently. In this episode, we explore how creativity can become another pathway for children to express themselves, process emotions and build connection.

In this episode of the Parent Teacher Interview Podcast, Joshua sits down with registered Creative Arts Therapist Rebecca Iona to unpack what art therapy really is—and perhaps more importantly, what it isn't.

Together they explore how creativity can become a powerful tool for communication, emotional regulation and healing, particularly for children who struggle to express themselves verbally. Rebecca also shares practical insights into neuroaffirming practice, trauma-informed care and how parents and educators can create environments where children feel safe to be themselves.

Whether you're a parent, teacher or someone who works with children, this conversation offers practical ideas and a fresh perspective on supporting young people.

In this episode we discuss:

• What art therapy actually is (and what it isn't)
• Why creativity can help children communicate when words are difficult
• The difference between therapeutic art and art therapy
• How art therapy supports emotional regulation
• Neuroaffirming practice and supporting neurodivergent children
• Trauma-informed approaches in therapeutic settings
• Sensory needs and creating safe environments
• The importance of qualified Creative Arts Therapists
• Practical regulation tools for home, school and therapy
• The Māori concept of Takiwātanga ("in their own space and time")

Connect with Rebecca

🌿 Website
https://www.thearttherapist.co.nz/

📸 Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/thearttherapistnz/

Resources mentioned

ANZACATA (Australian, New Zealand and Asian Creative Arts Therapies Association)
https://www.anzacata.org/

Whitecliffe College (Creative Arts Therapy programme)
https://www.whitecliffe.ac.nz/

Connect with Parent Teacher Interview

📸 Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/parent_teacher_interview_pod/

🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

🎵 Music Credits

Intro Music
Ember – The Lakes (via Uppbeat)

Outro Music
Green Leaf – The Lakes (via Uppbeat)

What makes a teacher unforgettable?

In this episode of Parent Teacher Interview, Josh sits down with Deputy Principal Ethan Ford from Melbourne to explore the moments that truly shape a child's experience at school.

Drawing on years of classroom teaching and school leadership, Ethan shares why genuine relationships are at the heart of great education. From greeting students at the classroom door to understanding the story behind challenging behaviour, this conversation is a powerful reminder that the little things teachers do every day often leave the biggest impression.

Together, Josh and Ethan discuss the importance of consistency, creating a sense of belonging, supporting student wellbeing, and why being fully present for the children in front of us is one of the greatest gifts an educator can give.

Whether you're a teacher, school leader, pre-service teacher or parent, this episode offers practical insights and heartfelt reminders about the lasting impact we can have on the lives of young people.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Ethan's journey into primary school teaching and school leadership.
• Why relationships are the foundation of effective teaching.
• The importance of being present and creating positive daily interactions with students.
• Understanding behaviour through curiosity rather than judgement.
• Supporting children from diverse backgrounds and experiences.
• Why consistency helps children feel safe and ready to learn.
• The role of male teachers in primary education.
• Balancing student wellbeing with academic learning.
• Lessons from parenthood that have shaped Ethan's leadership and teaching.
• Advice for graduate teachers entering the profession.
• Why the smallest moments can have the biggest impact on a child's life.

If this episode resonated with you, please consider following Parent Teacher Interview, leaving a rating or review, and sharing the episode with a colleague, friend or fellow parent.

Follow the podcast on Instagram:
📱 @parent_teacher_interview_pod

Music Credits:
Ember – The Lakes (via Uppbeat)

Green Leaf – The Lakes (via Uppbeat)