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/

I'm looking forward to introducing you to our podcast guest today. Julie Hammer is a Christ-follower, wife, mom, and minister to preschoolers and kids - in that order! She serves as Children's Minister and Interim Preschool Minister at First Baptist Church Lewisville, Texas, where she oversees weekday ministry. Julie also leads conferences for Texas Baptists and serves as a part of the Texas Baptist Conclave Next Gen Planning Team.

In today's episode, we are discussing the challenges and importance of sharing classroom space between weekday preschool programs and weekend church programs! We dive into just how important it is for both sides to see themselves as one ministry working together for the same goal of ministering to families and children. Julie shares with us her thoughts on the importance of clear communication, cooperation, and organization in shared spaces (and the need for a well-organized resource room). We also shed light on the importance of teamwork, prayer, and assuming the best of each other in order to create a harmonious and effective shared space. We finish our conversion reminding listeners of the ultimate goal of showing love and unity to families and children as representatives of Christ.

Listen, sharing classroom spaces, office spaces, and hallways can be really challenging. However, I really think if we can shift our mindset to remembering that we're all in this together for the benefit of children and their families, we can do this a lot better than we have been. Some of y'all are rockstars and you have an amazing partnership with your children's ministry team. And some of y'all are struggling in this area. I want to challenge you today…if your weekday program feels really separated from your weekend church preschool ministry, YOU be the one to take the first step to build a relationship. Sharing space is hard. But there are some practical things you can do to make it easier – whether you're the teacher in a classroom or whether you're the director of the weekday program or the children's ministry leader. Evaluate your attitude. Pray. Then take a step toward building relationships. We can do this!

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

Today, there is no special guest, all you have is me, Monica Healer, your host. Today, we're discussing the importance of play for adults by prioritizing activities that bring joy. I know the realities of stress and burnout that many early childhood leaders and teachers experience are real. This is why engaging in activities that stimulate creativity and improve brain functionality is so important. In this episode, we'll discuss activities that we can do to alleviate stress, such as reading for pleasure, playing games, practicing a musical instrument, or spending quality time with family. We will also talk about the negative impact of social media and how it impacts our joy. But of course, the Bible points us to where true joy comes from–the Lord.

A resource on this topic can be found in our Course Library, "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun"! You can access the link for it HERE.

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

I'm chatting with another of our summer keynote presenters today – Shaneil Yarbrough, affectionately known as "PJ" in her circles! You are going to love her. PJ has a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education with a minor in early childhood education from Southern Arkansas University. Her professional career spans over twenty years within the education field, with children at the heart of her work. She is intentional about striving for effectiveness, empathy, and equality for all children and her colleagues. She is currently a training advisor with the University of Arkansas Early Care and Education Projects (ECEP). She's a pastor's wife and women's ministry leader as well! AND she's written three books. Y'all, she is well qualified and she has such a sweet heart for the Lord.

In this podcast episode, PJ and I discuss the various roles and responsibilities of early childhood educators. She shares the many hats childhood educators wear, including (but not limited to) teacher, nurse, coach, safety supervisor, creator of the environment, promoter of diversity, facilitator of learning, and enjoyer of children. Together, we emphasize the importance of valuing childhood and nurturing the development of young children's brains, relationships, and spirituality. We also hone in on the value of finding balance and relying on God's help in wearing each hat.

One of the biggest takeaways from this conversation for me is that it's so important for us to really LOVE being with children – to laugh at their silly antics, to marvel at their unique perspective as they discover their world, to join in on the pretend adventures! Which hat is the most difficult for you to balance? For me, it's probably either the Creator of Environments or the Promoter of Diversity. I can definitely have a good attitude most days, but it's harder for me to create an inviting physical environment that is organized but still fun. And, if I'm really honest, promoting diversity – really learning about the culture and traditions of others requires more intentionality than I wish it did. It's pretty easy for me to be comfortable with myself. It's harder to step outside of that comfort zone and be intentional about celebrating differences and incorporating new traditions. What about you? Which of these hats is almost always on – it just comes naturally to you? And which one do you have to really be intentional about putting on? We'd love to hear about it. Send us an email at [email protected] or connect with us on social media! We'd love to hear from you.

You can find PJ on her website at https://www.shaneilpjyarbrough.com/

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

Our guest today is Stacy Benge. If you've attended any of our summer conferences over the last few years, you've probably heard from Stacy! She is an early childhood speaker who approaches learning in the early years with practicality and common sense. Standing firm on the truth that children learn best through simple, authentic experiences, Stacy advocates for child-led play to build solid foundations for child development. In addition to a Master of Science degree in Human Development and Family Studies, Stacy spent a decade teaching children ages birth to five and has spent the last two decades sharing her passion for child development with fellow early learning professionals with enlightening and informative presentations, and is the author of "The Whole Child Alphabet." We dive deep into the topic of school readiness versus child development.

Stacy and I start the conversation by discussing the importance of prioritizing child development and child-led play over school readiness and academic instruction. Stacy shares an emphasis on the need to focus on the foundations of literacy and other developmental skills before introducing formal instruction. She also shares with us her thoughts on the myth of pre-packaged curriculums and the importance of designing curricula around the interests and needs of individual children. Together, we highlight the significance of respecting and valuing children's play as a crucial aspect of their learning and development.

I just love Stacy's passion and advocacy for whole-child-development. She really wants what's best for children to be the top priority in our decision-making and in our daily practice in the classroom. I'm so excited for y'all to meet her in person at our summer state conferences this year. She'll be one of our Thursday keynote speakers! Stacy regularly shares helpful information about child development and best practices for the whole child. What I love about today's conversation with Stacy is the regular reminder that children are learning All. The. Time. Not just when they're being "instructed." It's wild to think about that – every single experience a child has is forming them into who they will eventually be. Trying to force them to learn to read or write before they are developmentally ready will actually slow down their academic progress later on and could lead to lifelong frustration with literacy. It's mind-blowing to think about all the development that needs to happen before a child can successfully read and write. My challenge to you is that you take a moment and just slow down…what are the children learning in your classroom right now? How does that link to literacy? I BET you can name 10 ways after today's conversation!

You can connect with Stacy via her Instagram or her website

Stacy also has a course in our Learning Library!

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

Today I'm chatting with Dr. Mimi Larson, Executive Director of the Center for Faith and Children and Assistant Professor at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Mimi, a scholar-practitioner and advocate for children's spirituality, brings over 25 years of experience in ministry and curriculum development. She focuses on children's faith formation, in particular, how young children make meaning of their faith. Most recently, she has been exploring children's engagement in sacred play in worship environments. She holds advanced degrees from Wheaton Graduate School, Covenant Theological Seminary, and Concordia University. What I really love about Mimi is her desire to equip everyone who spends time with young children – whether a parent, a Sunday morning volunteer or an early educator - she wants everyone to understand and value the importance of bringing the spiritual into our everyday.

In this episode, we discuss how physical spaces impact learning and spiritual development in young children. Mimi gives us a wonderful insight into the importance of both the physical environment, such as furniture and toys, and the overall atmosphere and relationships within the space. We explore what it looks like for educators to create a welcoming and safe environment that is child-centered and conducive to learning and the importance of integrating spiritual elements into the classroom, such as prayers, blessings, and discussions about God's creation. Together, we offer advice for schools that share space with Sunday school and emphasize the importance of teamwork and communication. Children are valuable in society and we need to prioritize and value them in our actions, not just in our words!

I just love listening to Dr. Larson's calming and peaceful voice. She has such a heart for children and forming faith within them. I especially loved her practical tips for being intentional in considering a child's perspective when we're setting up classroom spaces. Sit on the floor and look around; get on your knees and look around. This is what children see. Is it helpful for their learning? Is it inviting and welcoming? Is it appropriate? In case you sped through the promo, I want you to know that Mimi will be one of our keynote speakers this summer at our state conference in Austin and Dallas. I really hope you'll join us at one of those locations as she talks about the 8 ways we can nurture young children's faith.

When was the last time you sat down on the floor in your classroom? What did you see? Send us an email at [email protected]

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

Today's guest is Sarah Scrivens. Sarah has over 15 years of diverse experience in the education field. She has served as an early childhood consultant, preschool director, and classroom teacher. For the past several years, Sarah has provided educators across the nation with professional development and instructional coaching through Building Brains. Sarah is passionate about spreading the importance of early childhood education. She's also mommy to 2 littles – ages 1 and 3 - so she is in the trenches with young children on the daily!

In this episode, we discuss the many benefits and uses of play-dough in early childhood education! Playdough is a versatile tool that can be used for various age groups and across different subjects. Sarah shares with us the importance of oral language development and how playdough can be used to encourage conversation and build brain connections. We also provide ideas on playdough for fine motor skill development, social-emotional skills, math, literacy, and science. Today Sarah provides tips and ideas for incorporating playdough into different activities and themes, as well as the importance of environmental print and labeling in the classroom. Together, we find just how important it is for educators and parents to engage with children through the creativity of playdough.

Sarah mentions several resources that we have linked below for you, and we've created a fun one-page PDF with the playdough recipe and lots of ideas for add-ins or tools to use in your classroom! How many ways can you think of to use playdough to reinforce a story you're reading to your class this week? I hope you're inspired to try something new!

Connect with Sarah via her website or social media!

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

Episode Resources:

Playdough Recipes and tools download

Plastic Cutting Mats

30 Million Words: Building a Child's Brain

CLI Infant-Toddler Classroom Environment Checklist

Texas PreK Guidelines