The Educator's Edit

What does genuine inclusion actually look like in an early learning environment? 💜

In Part 1 of our conversation with educator, play therapist and inclusion advocate Emma Rattenbury, we go beyond the theory to unpack what inclusion means in practice, and how we can create environments that work for children rather than expecting children to fit into them.

Emma joins Jackie and Tiana to chat about neurodiversity, rethinking developmental expectations, understanding behaviour, and why we need to get curious instead of jumping straight to labels. We also explore the power of play, the importance of connection, and why sometimes the best thing we can do is step back and give children the space to figure things out for themselves.

Plus, Emma shares an exciting update about her upcoming play therapy clinic, Joyful Connections, and how she hopes to help children and families feel supported, understood and celebrated.

If you're an educator who wants to challenge the way you think about inclusion and take practical ideas back into your everyday practice, this one's for you.

💜 Tune in to The Educators Edit, where we're spilling the tea on the conversations that matter in early education.

Supervision. We all do it every day, but are we really thinking about what it means?

In this episode, Jackie and Tiana sit down with Robert from Childcare Experts to unpack supervision beyond head counts, ratios and sight lines. They chat about what it means to be physically present but mentally somewhere else, why connection with children is such a huge part of effective supervision, and how knowing the children you're working with can completely change the way you supervise.

From setting up the environment with individual children in mind to recognising when a child needs connection, not correction, Robert challenges us to rethink supervision as something more than a compliance requirement.

Plus, the team puts Robert to the test with some real-life supervision scenarios, covering risky play, emotional needs, team communication, new educators and the age-old question: who is actually supervising right now?

Because maybe supervision isn't just about knowing where children are. Maybe it's about knowing how they're doing. 💜

Find Childcare Experts:

🌐 Website: childcareexperts.com.au
 📸 Instagram: @childcareexperts
 🎵 TikTok: @childcareexperts

Assessment and rating. Compliance. Documentation. Exceeding.

If those words alone make you want to close your laptop and pretend you never saw this episode… you’re not alone.

In this episode, Tiana and Bec chat with TGA’s Quality Assurance Manager, Nat, about what quality actually looks like in an early education service, and why it might be a lot simpler than we make it.

From the pressure to have the perfect documentation display, to wondering whether you’re “doing enough” for assessment and rating, Nat breaks down what assessors are really looking for, what the difference between meeting and exceeding actually means, and why the everyday things you’re already doing can matter more than the big, impressive stuff.

We’re talking relationships, team culture, continuous improvement, self-assessment, compliance, family feedback and that dreaded question: “But how do I explain what we do?”

Plus, Nat has some VERY relatable thoughts on quality vs compliance and why educators are probably more prepared for assessment and rating than they think.

Basically, stop panicking. You’re probably doing more right than you realise.

Dress-ups, costumes, themed activities and special celebration days are a huge part of life in early childhood education. But have you ever stopped to ask… do children actually understand why we're celebrating?

This week, Bec and Tiana sit down with Simone, founder of Aware Bear, to unpack the meaning behind celebration days like Book Week, Harmony Week, NAIDOC Week and more. Together, they explore how educators can move beyond the dress-up box and create meaningful, age-appropriate experiences that help children develop a deeper understanding of identity, culture, belonging and community.

In this episode, we chat about:
✨ Why Book Week is about more than costumes and favourite characters
✨ Helping children understand the meaning behind celebration days
✨ Building inclusive and authentic learning experiences
✨ Supporting educators to feel confident talking about culture and diversity
✨ The inspiration behind Aware Bear and the beautiful resources designed to spark meaningful conversations

Whether you're planning for Book Week or reflecting on how your service celebrates important days throughout the year, this episode is packed with thoughtful ideas and practical inspiration.

Because sometimes the most important question we can ask is… why are we celebrating this?

Connect with Simone & Aware Bear

🌐 Website & Shop: Home - Aware Bear
🧸 Purchase the Aware Bear Pack: Available via the website, including Aware Bear, celebration patches, 15 storybooks and downloadable educator resources aligned with the EYLF and My Time, Our Place.
📸 Instagram: @‌awarebearofficial
📘 Facebook: Aware Bear Official

If you bring Aware Bear into your service, don't forget to tag Simone and share how you're making celebration days more meaningful in your learning community!

It's Science Week! 🔬🧪

And what better time to ask: what does STEM actually look like in early learning?

You might picture complicated experiments, test tubes and educators who somehow know the answer to every "WHY?" a child throws at them. But STEM doesn't have to be complicated, expensive or intimidating.

In this Science Week episode of The Educators Edit, Tiana and Jackie chat with Ellie from Ranger Jamie about the science, technology, engineering and maths learning that's already happening all around us.

We unpack how educators can follow children's curiosity, encourage them to make predictions, embrace the "I don't know, let's find out" moments and allow children to experience failure as part of learning.

We also explore how STEM looks different across age groups, why babies and toddlers are already natural scientists, and how something as simple as water play, building with cardboard or pressing a button can become an opportunity for scientific thinking.

And because no TEE episode would be complete without a little controversy, Ellie takes on our STEM Hot Takes. 👀

So whether you're a self-proclaimed STEM nerd or someone who hears "science" and immediately thinks that's not really my thing, this episode might change the way you see STEM in your room.

🎧 Listen now and celebrate Science Week with us!

🦘 Find Ranger Jamie Tours

Want to see more from Ranger Jamie Tours? Follow along:

🌐 Website: Australia's #1 Excursion Provider | Ranger Jamie Tours

📸 Instagram: Ranger Jamie Tours (@rangerjamietours) • Instagram profile

📘 Facebook: Ranger Jamie Tours

▶️ YouTube: Ranger Jamie

What do you do when a child's behaviour feels overwhelming, transitions become a daily battle, or you're just not sure what to try next?

In this episode of The Educators Edit, we're joined by Kirsten, The Grove Academy's Behaviour Therapist, for a practical and honest conversation about some of the real challenges educators face every day.

From children struggling with transitions and arrival, to supporting big emotions, co-regulation, group times, sensory needs and those tricky conversations when families say, "But they don't do that at home!" Kirsten shares practical strategies and a different way of looking at behaviour.

We also chat about the emotional load on educators, how leaders can recognise when their teams need more support, and why sometimes the best thing we can do is stop trying to fix everything and start looking at what's happening underneath the behaviour.

Expect plenty of practical takeaways, real educator scenarios and advice you can take straight back into your room.

This week on The Educators Edit, we're flipping the script.

Tiana is back in the podcast studio while on maternity leave and preparing for a brand new experience - searching for childcare for her own little one.

After years of welcoming families into centres, she's now the parent walking through the door, asking the questions, noticing the little things, and trying to find the right fit.

Together, Jackie, Bec and Tiana chat about:
💛 What families are really looking for on centre tours in 2026
🏡 The small things that leave a lasting impression
🚩 Green flags, red flags… and the ones that could be both
👶 How becoming a parent changes your perspective as an educator
✨ Why trust, relationships and feeling matter more than ever

Whether you're an educator giving tours, a leader supporting enrolments, or a parent starting your own childcare search, this episode is a reminder that behind every enrolment enquiry is a family simply looking for somewhere their child will be loved, safe and belong.

Tune in for an honest, relatable and surprisingly emotional conversation about seeing our sector through a different lens.

This week, Jackie and Bec dive into the topics that always spark debate in early childhood education. From screen time and sustainability to food play, educational philosophies, under-the-roof ratios, risky play and those Pinterest-perfect expectations, nothing is off the table.

No drama. No "right" answers. Just honest conversations, different perspectives and plenty of laughs along the way.

Whether you're nodding along, disagreeing out loud or rethinking your own practice, this episode is guaranteed to get the staffroom talking.

What's your biggest educator hot take? We'd love to hear it.

This week on The Educators Edit, Jackie sits down with Tayla and Vanessa from TGA Oatley to unpack the heart behind their newly reworked centre philosophy, “Every Step Matters on Their Journey Up.”

More than just words on a wall, this philosophy was created collaboratively by their entire team, drawing from real educator experiences, challenges, growth, relationships and the everyday moments that shape life in early childhood.

Together, they chat about:

• What makes a philosophy feel genuine and lived, not just laminated
• Why educator growth deserves just as much recognition as children’s development
• The quiet moments in ECEC that often have the biggest impact
• Building a strong team culture in early childhood
• Supporting educators through confidence, reflection and growth
• The importance of relationships, connection and belonging within a service

A thoughtful, emotional and inspiring conversation for anyone working in early childhood.

In this episode of The Educators Edit, Bec sits down with TGA Behaviour Specialist Kirsten to unpack one of the biggest challenges educators face every day - behaviour.

From emotional regulation and communication breakdowns to inclusion, sensory needs and supporting families with compassion, this conversation is full of practical strategies and mindset shifts that every educator can take back into the room.

Kirsten shares her journey from studying in the UK to working across schools, clinics and early learning settings, and explains why behaviour should never be viewed as “naughty”, but instead as communication.

They chat about:

• supporting dysregulated children in the moment
• why proactive strategies matter more than reactive ones
• the power of visuals, routines and environment setup
• building educator confidence
• navigating conversations with families
• what true inclusion actually looks like in practice

This episode is a reassuring reminder that educators are not failing - they just need the right support, guidance and tools.

A must-listen for educators, leaders and anyone working alongside children with diverse needs.