The Child Care Directors Chair Podcast

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Are you really leading your teachers, or are you just managing your program?

Some of the most important leadership moments don't happen in meetings or behind an office door. They happen in the classroom, during challenging transitions, unexpected staff callouts, and everyday moments when your educators need to know you've got their backs.

In this episode of The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast, Erica Saccoccio sits down with Mariela Lopez, Director of the Preschool Lab at Miami Dade College, for an honest conversation about what it really means to lead from the classroom floor.

We're talking about more than stepping in when a teacher calls out. We're talking about building trust, recognizing burnout before it happens, developing confident educators, and creating a culture where staff feel supported instead of supervised.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why an open-door policy isn't enough if leaders aren't building real relationships.
• The difference between supporting teachers and simply monitoring their performance.
• Why directors need to spend time in classrooms to understand what's really happening.
• How your attitude, body language, and communication set the tone for your entire program.
• Why constantly solving problems for your team can actually prevent educators from growing.
• How meaningful one-on-one conversations build trust, accountability, and stronger teams.
• Why leadership challenges sometimes start at the top, not in the classroom.

Mariela also shares a personal leadership experience that changed how she approaches supporting educators and building a stronger team.

Here's something to think about: If your teachers only see you when something goes wrong, what message are you sending?

This episode is for childcare directors, owners, administrators, and emerging leaders who want stronger teams, better communication, and a workplace where educators feel valued, supported, and inspired to stay.

Because the culture of your program isn't built by what you say in a staff meeting. It's built by how you show up for your people every single day.

Don't just listen. Share this episode with a fellow educator or director who needs to hear this conversation!

Visit www.childcaredirectorschair.com for more real conversations, leadership strategies, and practical solutions for early childhood education.

Support the show

The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast is proudly powered by WatchMeGrow, our premier podcast sponsor and a trusted partner in early childhood education.

WatchMeGrow helps child care programs strengthen family engagement through secure live-streaming, classroom video access, and communication tools that build transparency, trust, and peace of mind for families. Their innovative technology empowers programs to enhance safety, strengthen relationships, and showcase the incredible learning happening in their classrooms every day.

To learn more about how WatchMeGrow can support your program, visit www.watchmegrow.com.

Thank you to WatchMeGrow for supporting our mission to inspire, equip, and empower child care leaders around the world.

Send us Fan Mail

What if the answer to some of your biggest classroom behavior challenges isn't another rule, reward chart, or consequence? What if children simply need more opportunities to MOVE?

The child who can't sit still, the one constantly crashing into things, or the child struggling through every transition may be telling us something important. And as educators, we need to start paying attention.

In this episode of The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast, Erica Saccoccio sits down with Preston Blackburn, founder of Pop, Hop & Rock and Pivot to Play, to challenge the way we approach behavior, movement, and learning in early childhood classrooms.

Preston shares how purposeful physical activity supports children's self-regulation, attention, body awareness, and readiness to learn. We're talking about real classroom challenges and simple solutions educators can start using tomorrow, without expensive equipment or completely changing their schedules.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why children who struggle to sit still may need more movement, not more consequences.
• How movement supports brain development, behavior, and classroom learning.
• Simple activities like bear crawls, frog jumps, and animal walks that help children reset.
• How to make movement part of transitions, circle time, and everyday routines.
• When children may benefit from additional occupational therapy support.
• What directors can do to help teachers create environments that support children's individual needs.

Here's the question every educator should be asking: Are we expecting children to control their bodies before we've given them enough opportunities to use them?

This conversation will have you looking at classroom behavior, daily schedules, and the power of play a little differently.

Learn more about Preston Blackburn and her work at Pivot to Play:
https://pivottoplay.com

If you're a childcare director, preschool teacher, or early childhood professional, this is an episode you'll want to share with your entire teaching team.

Don't just listen. Share this episode with a fellow educator! Let's get more classrooms moving and give children the opportunities they need to thrive.

Visit www.childcaredirectorschair.com for more conversations about early childhood education, leadership, and practical solutions for our field.

Support the show

The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast is proudly powered by WatchMeGrow, our premier podcast sponsor and a trusted partner in early childhood education.

WatchMeGrow helps child care programs strengthen family engagement through secure live-streaming, classroom video access, and communication tools that build transparency, trust, and peace of mind for families. Their innovative technology empowers programs to enhance safety, strengthen relationships, and showcase the incredible learning happening in their classrooms every day.

To learn more about how WatchMeGrow can support your program, visit www.watchmegrow.com.

Thank you to WatchMeGrow for supporting our mission to inspire, equip, and empower child care leaders around the world.

Send us Fan Mail

What if the behavior you're trying to stop is actually a child trying to tell you something?

Supporting children with autism in early childhood programs takes more than patience. It takes understanding, the right classroom strategies, and educators who feel confident and supported.

In this episode of The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast, Erica sits down with  Matt Clifford from the Trudeau Center. We talking about what directors and teachers need to know to help children with autism thrive. From understanding behaviors and sensory needs to creating inclusive learning environments, navigating transitions, and building stronger partnerships with families, we're getting into the real challenges happening in our classrooms.

We're also talking about the support our educators need. What training should staff receive? What strategies actually help? And how can directors make sure teachers have the resources and guidance they need instead of leaving them to figure it all out on their own?

Every child deserves an opportunity to succeed, and every educator deserves the tools to help make that happen.

Tune in, then share this episode with a fellow educator. These are conversations we need to be having across early childhood education.

Support the show

The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast is proudly powered by WatchMeGrow, our premier podcast sponsor and a trusted partner in early childhood education.

WatchMeGrow helps child care programs strengthen family engagement through secure live-streaming, classroom video access, and communication tools that build transparency, trust, and peace of mind for families. Their innovative technology empowers programs to enhance safety, strengthen relationships, and showcase the incredible learning happening in their classrooms every day.

To learn more about how WatchMeGrow can support your program, visit www.watchmegrow.com.

Thank you to WatchMeGrow for supporting our mission to inspire, equip, and empower child care leaders around the world.

Send us Fan Mail

Every childcare director knows the feeling. It's 6:00 a.m., your phone starts ringing, two teachers have called out, and suddenly you're rearranging classrooms, calling everyone on your contact list, and wondering how you're going to make it through the day while maintaining ratios.  Sound familiar?  In this episode of The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast, we're talking about one of the biggest challenges facing early childhood leaders: finding reliable substitute teachers when you need them most. 

 We're exploring the future of substitute staffing, the challenges facing today's early childhood workforce, and a potential solution that could change how directors and owners handle those unexpected absences.  Could we finally be moving toward a better way to manage staffing without the daily scramble?  If you're an owner, director, or administrator who's ever spent a Monday morning desperately searching for coverage, this conversation is for you.  Don't just listen—share this episode with a fellow early childhood leader who knows exactly what those Monday mornings feel like!

To learn more about our guest and their services visit: teachersfortoday.com

Support the show

The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast is proudly powered by WatchMeGrow, our premier podcast sponsor and a trusted partner in early childhood education.

WatchMeGrow helps child care programs strengthen family engagement through secure live-streaming, classroom video access, and communication tools that build transparency, trust, and peace of mind for families. Their innovative technology empowers programs to enhance safety, strengthen relationships, and showcase the incredible learning happening in their classrooms every day.

To learn more about how WatchMeGrow can support your program, visit www.watchmegrow.com.

Thank you to WatchMeGrow for supporting our mission to inspire, equip, and empower child care leaders around the world.

Send us Fan Mail

What does it really take to bring hundreds of early childhood professionals together, and are conferences like these helping move our profession forward?

I'm sitting down with RIAEYC President Joe Pinsonneault for a behind-the-scenes conversation about the planning, passion, and people behind Rhode Island's early childhood conference. But we're going beyond the conference floor to talk about the bigger picture: where early education is succeeding, where we're still struggling, and what needs to happen next.

Whether you're leading a program in Rhode Island, Texas, California, or anywhere in between, this is a conversation about the future of our profession and the role we all play in shaping it.

Support the show

The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast is proudly powered by WatchMeGrow, our premier podcast sponsor and a trusted partner in early childhood education.

WatchMeGrow helps child care programs strengthen family engagement through secure live-streaming, classroom video access, and communication tools that build transparency, trust, and peace of mind for families. Their innovative technology empowers programs to enhance safety, strengthen relationships, and showcase the incredible learning happening in their classrooms every day.

To learn more about how WatchMeGrow can support your program, visit www.watchmegrow.com.

Thank you to WatchMeGrow for supporting our mission to inspire, equip, and empower child care leaders around the world.

Send us Fan Mail

If you work in early childhood education, you know how much of this work happens in the little moments—helping a child feel safe, showing up for your team, and making a classroom feel like a place where everyone belongs .In this episode, Erica Saccoccio talks with a Rhode Island educator and child care director who has worked across the field, from the classroom to leadership. Together, they get real about what children and teachers need, how directors can support staff without micromanaging, and why consistency, recognition, and strong relationships matter so much. Whether you’re an educator, a director, or someone who cares about the future of early learning, we hope this conversation helps you feel seen and reminds you that the work you do makes a difference. Please share this episode with a fellow educator—and let’s help ECE Voices reach 6,000 downloads by the end of October!

Support the show

The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast is proudly powered by WatchMeGrow, our premier podcast sponsor and a trusted partner in early childhood education.

WatchMeGrow helps child care programs strengthen family engagement through secure live-streaming, classroom video access, and communication tools that build transparency, trust, and peace of mind for families. Their innovative technology empowers programs to enhance safety, strengthen relationships, and showcase the incredible learning happening in their classrooms every day.

To learn more about how WatchMeGrow can support your program, visit www.watchmegrow.com.

Thank you to WatchMeGrow for supporting our mission to inspire, equip, and empower child care leaders around the world.

Send us Fan Mail

What does early childhood leadership look like when someone has done every job in the building? Erica Saccoccio sits down with a Rhode Island director who started in toddler classrooms, moved through preschool, and now leads with the rare kind of empathy that only comes from truly having been there.

Together, they unpack why the work has changed so much since pre-COVID kids, why social-emotional development matters more than ever, and how great educators are doing far more than what fits on a lesson plan. This conversation makes a powerful case for recognizing the invisible math, learning, and emotional work that happens in everyday moments.

You'll hear how small “ripples” shape a child’s relationship with school, why consistency can be the difference between burnout and stability for staff, and what it really means to be the safe place some children need. They also get honest about compensation, state-level investment, and the reality of competing with neighboring states that pay more.

Erica and her guest also break down the difference between a supportive director and a bad one, how to lead without micromanaging, and why showing up matters more than anything else. If you’re a director, teacher, owner, or advocate who wants a clearer picture of what strong early childhood leadership actually looks like, this one is essential listening.

Support the show

The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast is proudly powered by WatchMeGrow, our premier podcast sponsor and a trusted partner in early childhood education.

WatchMeGrow helps child care programs strengthen family engagement through secure live-streaming, classroom video access, and communication tools that build transparency, trust, and peace of mind for families. Their innovative technology empowers programs to enhance safety, strengthen relationships, and showcase the incredible learning happening in their classrooms every day.

To learn more about how WatchMeGrow can support your program, visit www.watchmegrow.com.

Thank you to WatchMeGrow for supporting our mission to inspire, equip, and empower child care leaders around the world.

Send us Fan Mail

What do you do when leadership gets hard, business gets heavy, and the path forward does not look anything like you expected?

Dr. Jamie Lewis joins Erica Saccoccio for a powerful conversation about resilience, rebuilding, opportunity, and making your next move with intention.

As one of the featured speakers at Culture Shock: Bust a Move, Jamie shares what called her to bring her story of resilience to a larger stage, what she hopes leaders take away from her message, and why she believes some of our greatest opportunities can come during the seasons that challenge us most.

Erica and Jamie also talk about Jamie’s recent Evening of Opportunity, the importance of creating doors instead of waiting for them to open, and what early childhood owners should be thinking about as the industry continues to change.

They also look ahead to the Culture Shock Ownership Track, where leaders will roll up their sleeves and have real conversations about business, growth, sustainability, opportunity, and what it means to make bold moves in early childhood.

If you are an owner, director, entrepreneur, or leader who knows something needs to change but has not figured out your next move yet, this episode will give you plenty to think about.

Join us at Culture Shock: Bust a Move and hear Dr. Jamie Lewis live.

https://childcarecultureco.com/bustamove

Support the show

The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast is proudly powered by WatchMeGrow, our premier podcast sponsor and a trusted partner in early childhood education.

WatchMeGrow helps child care programs strengthen family engagement through secure live-streaming, classroom video access, and communication tools that build transparency, trust, and peace of mind for families. Their innovative technology empowers programs to enhance safety, strengthen relationships, and showcase the incredible learning happening in their classrooms every day.

To learn more about how WatchMeGrow can support your program, visit www.watchmegrow.com.

Thank you to WatchMeGrow for supporting our mission to inspire, equip, and empower child care leaders around the world.

Send us Fan Mail

Great teachers don’t always leave because of the labor market. Sometimes, they leave because of their experience at work. On this episode of The Child Care Directors Chair, Erica Saccoccio challenges childcare directors and owners to look beyond the staffing crisis and ask a harder question: Why would a great educator want to stay here? Drawing on her experience operating childcare programs, Erica explores how unclear expectations, inconsistent communication, favoritism, and over-reliance on dependable staff can affect retention. She also explains why appreciation matters—but can’t replace meaningful support—and why giving a talented teacher more tasks isn’t the same as developing them as a leader. You’ll hear practical questions to help you understand turnover, check in with the employees you most want to keep, and build a culture where people feel heard, supported, and able to grow. Because while leaders can’t solve every workforce challenge, they can take an honest look at the experience their teams are having. A candid conversation for childcare owners, directors, administrators, and emerging leaders ready to reflect on leadership, culture, and staff retention.

Support the show

The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast is proudly powered by WatchMeGrow, our premier podcast sponsor and a trusted partner in early childhood education.

WatchMeGrow helps child care programs strengthen family engagement through secure live-streaming, classroom video access, and communication tools that build transparency, trust, and peace of mind for families. Their innovative technology empowers programs to enhance safety, strengthen relationships, and showcase the incredible learning happening in their classrooms every day.

To learn more about how WatchMeGrow can support your program, visit www.watchmegrow.com.

Thank you to WatchMeGrow for supporting our mission to inspire, equip, and empower child care leaders around the world.

Send us Fan Mail

This weekend, Rhode Island’s early childhood community is coming together—and this episode is about more than just attending another conference.

Erica shares what to expect at the 2026 RIAEYC Early Childhood Conference, including keynote speaker Anthony “Ant” Toombs Sr., breakout sessions, networking, resources, and opportunities to connect with educators and leaders from across the field.

But the real conversation is about what happens when we get outside of our own programs, meet new people, exchange ideas, and remember that we are part of something bigger.

The Child Care Director’s Chair Podcast will also be recording live at the conference, giving educators, directors, owners, students, and advocates a chance to step up to the mic and share their voices.

If you are heading to Warwick this Saturday, come ready to learn, connect, and make a few waves of your own.

Get your tickets here:Rhode Island Early Childhood Conference 2026 Tickets, Saturday, October 10  •  8 AM - 4 PM | Eventbrite

Support the show

The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast is proudly powered by WatchMeGrow, our premier podcast sponsor and a trusted partner in early childhood education.

WatchMeGrow helps child care programs strengthen family engagement through secure live-streaming, classroom video access, and communication tools that build transparency, trust, and peace of mind for families. Their innovative technology empowers programs to enhance safety, strengthen relationships, and showcase the incredible learning happening in their classrooms every day.

To learn more about how WatchMeGrow can support your program, visit www.watchmegrow.com.

Thank you to WatchMeGrow for supporting our mission to inspire, equip, and empower child care leaders around the world.