Reimagine Childhood

My guest today is Melissa Leach, the owner, and president, of Leach Literacy Training (LLT), Melissa is a sought-after literacy change leader for her knowledge of literacy and her ability to make success in every component feel achievable. Melissa has been a dynamic classroom teacher, a state-level Literacy Specialist, a Professional Learning Designer for the District of Columbia Public Schools, and a K-12 ELAR and SLAR Specialist. She currently works full-time alongside her team of literacy staff developers to run Leach Literacy Training from her home state of Texas. It is Melissa’s life work to make an impact on student achievement. Leach Literacy blends the research and knowledge of best practices and hands-on application to real-life classroom settings. Melissa’s excitement about early childhood and the joys of learning with young children shines through in this episode.

Today we are discussing "sharing the pen" with young children in early childhood classrooms. It involves co-constructing messages and writing experiences with students, allowing them to contribute letters and words to build confidence and joy in the writing process. We will journey through key factors in this process like providing a consistent, permanent space (e.g. name chart) where children can find and interact with letters and words; Using tools like "booboo tape" sparingly to fix mistakes, focusing more on the process than perfection; Engaging the whole class in the writing experience through multisensory activities and verbal prompts; Tailoring support for more reluctant writers by providing visual aids and sharing the pen responsibilities; and Emphasizing the "pre" in preschool by reimagining early childhood experiences as joyful, developmentally-appropriate learning rather than narrow preparation for school.

There are many great nuggets of information in this episode with Melissa and I can’t wait for you to dive in and grab for yourself.  

Visit Melissa’s website or connect with Melissa on Instagram and Facebook

As always, we would love to connect with you on Instagram and on Facebook

Today’s episode will be valuable to all of you at this time of year.  I’m looking forward to introducing you to Claire Turner.  As an educator with two decades of experience, Claire provides a unique perspective on positive behavior interventions, collaborative communication, and other valuable team-building topics. Claire is a Kindergarten teacher and serves as the Director of Programs and Lead Educator for W.I.L.D., a ministry of SUMMIT focused on equipping women to root, bloom, and flourish while disciplining others along their journey of leadership development. Claire strives to inspire personal and professional growth in leaders and educators through interactive training courses, including everything from conferences to camping trips. 

 Claire and I are talking about the motivation behind behavior in young children today.  This episode is a little bit longer than usual, but I think you’ll be glad you listened in. We’ll focus on attention-seeking behaviors as well as control-seeking behaviors and what you can do in your classroom to reinforce specific positive behaviors. We will also spend some time on the four main motivations of behavior: escape, sensory input, attention, and esteem. 

 I think what we will really learn is there are underlying motivations in all of our behaviors – adults included. This time of year with more candy, more celebrations, more everything (except sleep!) children can be a little extra challenging…and we have a little patience for their behavior.  I hope this episode gives you a few new tools to use as you help these little ones learn healthy behavior patterns to meet their needs.

Additional Resources: 

Find Claire online at SummitLead.org and on Instagram

As always, we would love to connect with you on Instagram and on Facebook 

Our guest today is Samantha Phillips, aka, That Sparkly Insurance Chic! She’s spent over a decade coaching childcare leaders about risk management and empowering them to make wise business protection choices.  She is nationally recognized as an advocate for early childhood, breaking ground by educating educators in an often overlooked area. She’s not just an insurance expert (although she definitely is that), she is a valuable resource and a beacon in the early childhood community adding a sparkly touch to the vital task of protecting what matters most! She’s also the VBS coordinator at her church and teaches a Kindergarten Sunday School class. She’s passionate about doing what’s best for children in early childhood so I’m excited to bring you this conversation with Samantha Phillips.

Today, she is going to share her insights on Insurance companies that are dropping childcare centers, leading to concerns about insurability. Samantha will also discuss with us why classroom teachers need to understand the impact of insurance on their job security and what can be done to increase insurability (like thorough documentation of procedures and compliance, property maintenance, and proactive measures). Samantha is going to share her heart with us on why Insurance is critical for early childhood programs, and following procedures and policies is essential!

I know insurance is not something most of us think about regularly, but have you ever thought about the fact that your school has to carry a pretty substantial insurance policy just to be in business at all?  With so many things having the potential of becoming a lawsuit these days, we’ve got to take some things more seriously.  So, your part in all of this is to be intentional in asking yourself, am I doing my very best to be sure that there is the least amount of risk possible to me and the children in my care? Maybe even take a moment and see if there’s something YOU see that your director might not have thought of yet that would make a difference in the safety and security of your children. Take compliance with licensing standards seriously – even the ones that you think are ridiculous. Every school must have insurance and If compliance is low, insurance opportunities will disappear.  

Links from today’s episode:

Samantha has provided a free narrative template for you as you help your church prepare for Insurance renewal - View it HERE

Email Samantha at [email protected]

Find her on Facebook

As always, we would love to connect with you on Instagram and on Facebook 

Stacy Benge is an ECCN favorite.  She is a frequent presenter at our events and we enjoy having her on the podcast from time to time.  She’s the author of “The Whole Child Alphabet: How Children Actually Develop Literacy” – linked in the show notes.  She is passionate about whole-child development and shares her knowledge readily with practical, engaging, and fun content.  Stacy has a master of science degree in Human Development, over a decade of experience in the classroom, and another twenty years of consulting, training, and research in early childhood spaces.  

Our conversation today focuses on physical development as a foundation for literacy development! Stacy is going to share with us just how important it is to allow children to engage in free movement and play to develop the necessary physical skills for literacy. We will touch on topics such as the long-term consequences of restricting physical movement in early childhood and the need for early childhood educators to understand and communicate the value of physical development to parents and administrators. Through the conversation today, we will learn that trusting children's intuitive need for movement is key to supporting their overall development.

Stacy’s focus on whole child development just makes sense when you think about how God designed little bodies to grow. In our quest to help children reach their full potential, we sometimes skip to the things that we can control, right?  Stacy always reminds me that the simple things matter – sometimes they matter the most! Crawling, climbing, spinning, running, leaning, reaching, grasping…all of these simple things that happen when children are playing are actually the foundation of literacy skills. When we curate environments that allow and encourage movement in children, we’re actually helping them become better readers and writers in the future.

Additional Resources: 

The Whole Child Alphabet 

Stacy's website, Instagram, and Facebook 

Child-Centered Learning: A Discussion of Emergent Curriculum (a course on our website!)

As always, we would love to connect with you on Instagram and on Facebook

My guest today is Melissa McKenzie.  Melissa holds a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from Stephen F. Austin University and is one of our favorite presenters at live conferences every year. She is an Early Childhood Professional who is committed to making learning a joyful journey. She has written faith-based and movement curricula and taught in a large Early Childhood Center, she was the FCS Childhood Guidance/Human Resource Practicum Teacher, and Preschool Director for Cypress Ranch Preschool for the last seven years. Today, she is a new grandmother and takes care of her grandson while his parents are at work.

In this podcast episode, I get to ask Melissa about her passion for teaching young children about God's word. She is going to emphasize the importance of making the Bible concrete and relatable for children, rather than just telling them stories, and share with us her conviction that children rely on adults to teach them about God and it is an important task we shouldn’t take lightly. Melissa shares practical examples of how she teaches the Bible to babies and toddlers, using object lessons and active participation. She also will discuss the importance of praying with young children and making it a personal and meaningful experience for them. She will give us insight into how repetition and reinforcement of lessons through various methods, such as weekly notes home and monthly activities for families can help as a tool. Overall, Melissa emphasizes the need for adults to approach teaching children about God with creativity, passion, and a deep understanding of the impact it can have on their lives.

It’s easy to tell that Melissa is passionate about teaching young children the truth of God’s word at their level. I hope you will be inspired (maybe even a little bit convicted) to do better as you teach these little souls who God is.  Weave spiritual truth into your everyday interactions as much as you can and also be intentional about what you’re teaching.  Melissa is a wonderful resource and you can find her on her website (linked below).  We’d love to hear how YOU make God more real to the young children in your care!  Let us know your best ideas via email or our social media channels.  We’d love to connect.

Melissa’s website: https://mosaicconceptions.com/

As always, we would love to connect with you on Instagram and on Facebook

In today’s episode, I had a great conversation with Jennifer McCarville, founder of Marvelously Made - The School for Young Children just outside of San Antonio, TX.  Jennifer has spent three decades studying early childhood education and child development. She is a steadfast and unapologetic advocate for children and their right to a play-filled and developmentally appropriate education. Her work training teachers and educating parents is equipping others to understand how children learn and what they need to thrive. Known for her genuine respect for young children and her trust in the God-designed process of growing and learning, Jennifer is changing the conversation around early education and the importance of saving childhood.

Today Jennifer is going to discuss the importance of creating beautiful spaces for children and the role of process art in early education. She will share with us her heart for children to get to experience nurturing and visually appealing environments that help stimulate their creativity and learning–as well as her discernment on the difference between process art, which focuses on the child's experience and exploration, and product-based art, which is more about the end result. We are going to talk about the potential concerns of choosing to not implement process art and what can be done to help introduce it in the classroom. Together we will share our thoughts on how teachers can shift their mindset from being instructors to being observers of children's learning and to embrace the process of learning and growth.

After listening to today’s episode, we would love to hear your thoughts…What would your next step be in your classroom in trying out some process art?  How would you communicate to a parent what their child learned?  I hope you will be challenged to step back and evaluate your own classroom and activity plans.  Let us know how you do art in your classroom!

Links from the episode: 

Marvelously Made - The School for Young Children - https://marvelouslymadeschool.com/

Save Childhood - https://www.savechildhood.org/

Root & Twig - The Marvelously Made Store - https://rootandtwigstore.com/

As always, we would love to connect with you on Instagram and on Facebook

Our guest today is Lauren Osborne. Lauren has a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University as well as a Master’s of Education from the University of Texas at Arlington. She was a teacher for eight years, both in the public and private sector, and has been a Christian Independent Consultant/Speaker for over fifteen years. She deeply desires to encourage and refresh women to live in the freedom that comes with believing and obeying God fully. 

 Today, Lauren and I will be talking about separation anxiety in young children. Lauren will walk us through how separation anxiety can manifest in a multitude of ways, such as crying or withdrawing, and it stems from the fear of being separated from their primary caregiver. She will emphasize the importance of understanding what is happening in the child's brain and body during this time. Creating a safe and nurturing environment is imperative to help children calm down and soothe their separation anxiety. Together, we will discuss the role of parents and teachers in supporting children through this process, including providing practical tools like social stories and involving parents in the classroom strategies. We will also discuss the significance of consistent attachment figures and the importance of pointing children toward God as their ultimate attachment figure. Lauren will finish our time by sharing her perspective on reimagining childhood, highlighting the benefits of spending time outdoors for children's mental health and overall well-being.

 Young children are attached to the person who meets their survival needs and they are connected to the people who bring fun and joy. We want both for the children in our care.  These young children coming into your classroom for the first time are terrified that their mommy might never come back or that someone or something will get them in your classroom. They’re not just being brats! Give them some time, some consistency in routine, and a little bit of novelty every day and you’ll be enjoying so much joy and learning and discovery in no time.  You’re building patterns of resilience in each child who struggles through the hard and into the wonderful! Don’t forget it. We are praying for stamina during these few weeks of school. Keep taking steps forward. The Lord will sustain you and you’ll be laughing and playing in no time!  

Additional Resources:

Get more helpful resources from Lauren at https://youaremytreasure.com/

Find her on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/deuteronomy14.2/

As always, we would love to connect with you on Instagram and on Facebook

Diane Goyette, is a Child Development Specialist with over 30 years of early education experience, teaching children in public school, university laboratories, faith-based preschools, and child care programs.  She has taught adults as an adjunct professor and as the owner of Early Childhood Specialties, she develops and presents training and provides consulting for early childhood professionals.   She holds a master’s degree in Child Development and a Lifetime Texas Educator Certificate for Pre-K and Kindergarten.  Diane is especially passionate about the important role of relationships, fostering children’s social and emotional development, and helping teachers work with children who exhibit challenging behavior.

 We’ve got a great conversation ahead for you on helping children build self-regulation skills.  In this episode, Diane discusses her four Cs framework for emotional support in children. The framework is based on the work of several experts and focuses on providing children with the support they need when they are upset or distressed. The first C is Connection, emphasizing the importance of building a caring relationship with children. The second C is Calming, which involves helping children find strategies to calm down when they are upset. The third C is Compassion, which involves showing empathy and a desire to help relieve the child's discomfort. The fourth C in her framework is Capacity, which is the building of self-regulation and resilience. Together, we will discuss the need for adults to provide support and nurture for all children, especially those exhibiting challenging behavior.

Diane has done so much research around this topic of helping children when they are exhibiting BIG emotions. I hope you’ll use this framework as another tool in your toolbelt this school year. 

Diane's company - Early Childhood Specialties - https://www.earlychildhoodspecialties.com/

Early Childhood Specialties Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/earlychildhoodspecialties/

The EEPWorm website - http://www.eepworm.com/

EEPworm instagram - https://www.instagram.com/eepworm/

As always, we would love to connect with you on Instagram and on Facebook

Dr. Sharon R. Jackson is a life-long early childhood advocate and a seasoned professional with experience in local, state, and national presentations throughout her career. She is an encourager by nature…From a background that includes public schools, military childcare centers, faith-based organizations, and for-profit settings, her experience is not only wide-ranging but also deeply grounded in appropriate practice and respect for young children. Dr. Jackson has held positions of leadership in her community and in the organizations in which she has been employed. She earned her PhD from Texas A&M University and is currently a professor of early childhood education at Blinn College in College Station.

Today, we’re talking about the importance of the environment as the third teacher – the philosophy that spaces can significantly influence development and learning. Sharon will emphasize just how important the environment is–It’s not just physical objects like books and toys; it also includes the emotional well-being of the children. While we discuss the third teacher that originated from the Reggio philosophy, we will also talk about the role of parents as the child's first teacher. We’re also going to chat about the adult in the classroom as the second teacher. Second teachers have the important job of giving comfort, consistency, and connection in creating a supportive social-emotional environment for young children. Together, we’ll discuss the benefits of a well-laid-out environment, such as promoting learning, language development, and creativity, as well as building children's confidence! We will address the challenges of creating an appropriate environment, including the pressure to focus on academics and parental expectations.

Recognizing the needed respect for children in the stage that they are in, being who they are, rather than pushing and rushing them toward some other agenda is so valuable. What a difference that mindset shift could make in creating environments for the children in our care. I hope this episode makes you pause for a moment and think about your classroom environment a little differently. And I hope you’ll “get on your knees at the door” and consider the children’s perspective and also…God’s perspective on this adventure in early childhood. 

Dr. Jackson's article on Environments

Curating Play - https://curatingplay.com/

Early Essentials - https://earlyessentials.org/

As always, we would love to connect with you on Instagram and on Facebook

Today’s guest is Prerna Richards, a conference attendee favorite!  Prerna is an international speaker, coach, and consultant who has been in the early childhood field for almost four decades. She founded Together We Grow a few years ago as a coaching and education provider for early childhood educators and parents. She believes every child is born capable and intelligent and deserves the best start in life and this starts with the teachers being trained in the latest research on child growth and development. Her educational philosophy is grounded in a play-based approach along with a strong social-emotional foundation. Prerna is on a mission to transform learning from stressful to joyful, one classroom at a time.  You will love hearing some simple techniques that will get your classroom off to a great start this school year. 

In this podcast episode, we discuss strategies for reducing stress and creating a joyful classroom environment at the start of a new school year. Prerna shares with us the importance of understanding the impact of stress on the brain and how it affects decision-making and learning and suggests practical strategies. Things like cheers to create a positive and collaborative classroom atmosphere, incorporating playful and fun activities during circle time, using cognitive transitions to engage the brain during transitions, and using positive and playful language to create a more enjoyable learning experience. Together we highlight the importance of mindset and the role of the teacher in creating a joyful learning environment. Overall, Prerna shares her heart on the importance of bringing joy and playfulness into the classroom to enhance learning and reduce stress.

I always learn so much from Prerna.  She makes some profound statements in this episode!  I LOVE it when she says the joy should bubble up, gurgle out, and overflow into your daily life.  Wouldn’t you rather be in a classroom where the joy is bubbling, gurgling, and overflowing than one where the stress is heavy? Even though this podcast included so many very practical ways to bring joy and fun back into your classroom, we know the only true source of Joy is found in a relationship with Jesus. I hope that as you prepare for your classroom this fall, you’ll spend some intentional time cultivating your relationship with Jesus even before you meet your sweet students! Then, once you have the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy down in your heart….you’ll be ready to let it bubble up, gurgle out, and overflow onto your students and coworkers as well.  

Our team at Early Childhood Christian Network is here to support you in your journey with young children. We are praying for you and for the impact you’ll make this year! We’d love to interact with you on our social media channels (Instagram & Facebook) or via email at [email protected]. 

Additional links:

Prerna's website- https://togetherwegrow.online/

Dr. Jean's cheers - https://www.drjean.org/html/activityPg.html#gsc.tab=0

Some call-response ideas - https://www.teachstarter.com/us/blog/call-and-response-classroom-ideas/