The Everything ECE Podcast

In this episode of The Everything ECE Podcast, Carla is joined by Mark Rocamora to ask a deceptively simple question: What does your classroom say to children before you say a word?

Mark is a Registered Early Childhood Educator with 18 years of frontline experience. Alongside his classroom practice, he teaches future educators and supervises field placements. He is especially interested in the environment as a third teacher and in the ways documentation can make children's thinking visible.

Together, Carla and Mark look beyond tidy shelves and welcoming posters to consider what children actually experience in a space. They discuss materials children can reach for themselves, visual schedules that support participation, and documentation that shows how an idea developed over time. They also talk about family representation and why educators should ask families how they wish to be seen, especially when circumstances are complex. Mark extends the question to placement students: what does the environment tell a new educator about the children and the practice they are entering?

This conversation will make you want to walk into your classroom with fresh eyes and notice what the space communicates about belonging, capability and respect.

ABOUT MARK

Mark Rocamora is a Registered Early Childhood Educator with 18 years of frontline experience. He also teaches part time in ECE and supervises field placements. Mark advocates for play-based learning, documentation and spaces that communicate respect for children.

LINKS

Website: Coming Soon

Professional page: https://sites.google.com/view/mark-rocamora-rece/home

SPONSOR

This episode of The Everything ECE Podcast is sponsored by PleaseNotes.

You can go to the gym to build muscles, but where do you go to build confidence? And this is why PleaseNotes began.

Their guided journals, affirmation cards, notepads and other gifts have been created to help you reimagine the life you could have if you were the person you always wanted to be, and practise being them every single day.

Five minutes. One page. One step toward your favourite version of you.

PleaseNotes founder Cheryl Sutherland is also a speaker at The ECE Entrepreneur Experience on November 14, 2026.

Visit https://www.pleasenotes.com and use the code CarlaECE at checkout to receive 15% off your order.

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In this Dear Carla episode of The Everything ECE Podcast, Carla responds to a letter from an educator in Finland who is struggling with guilt and frustration over not having enough time with the part-time children in their classroom.

Drawing from her own experience running a program with children attending on different schedules, Carla explores the expectations educators place on themselves, the challenges of building connections with limited time, and what it really means to be doing enough.

She also shares practical suggestions for supporting children's sense of belonging, creating environments that encourage connection, and working with families when attendance varies.

An episode for any educator who has ever wondered whether they're giving the children in their care enough of themselves.

ASK CARLA

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Website: carlatheece.com

Instagram: @carlatheece

In this episode of The Everything ECE Podcast, Carla is joined by author, speaker and executive coach Kate Woodward Young for a conversation about the authority early childhood educators have already earned.

Kate has spent more than 30 years building businesses, training leaders and coaching professionals. Her work challenges people to recognize the expertise they have developed through experience and to use their voices without waiting for someone else to grant permission.

Carla and Kate talk about the habit of saying “I'm just an ECE,” and why that phrase can make educators overlook the judgment they use every day. They discuss what happens when women defer to someone else's voice in a room, the ambitions that can be set aside while caring for others, and why wanting more for your career does not mean being ungrateful for the work you do now. They bring the conversation back to a familiar classroom moment: when a family asks why children are “just playing,” how can an educator explain the thinking behind that practice with confidence?

Kate will also be speaking at The ECE Entrepreneur Experience in November. This conversation is a chance to get to know her ideas before then, whether or not you plan to attend.

ABOUT KATE

Kate Woodward Young, M.Ed., PCC is an author, speaker and executive coach with more than 30 years of experience building businesses, training leaders and coaching professionals. Her work helps people recognize their expertise, exercise judgment and own their voice.

LINKS

Book: Authority Without Apology

ECE Entrepreneur Experience: https://carlatheece.com/ece-entrepreneur-experience 

Website: https://katewoodwardyoung.me

Instagram: @katewoodwardyoung; @childcareconversations

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If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review. Your support helps us reach more ECEs who are in the thick of it! Thanks for tuning in to The Everything ECE. See you next week!

CONNECT WITH CARLA

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Website: carlatheece.com

Instagram: @carlatheece

In this episode of The Everything ECE Podcast, Carla Ward welcomes Ann Kay, co-founder of the Rock 'n' Read Project, for a conversation about the connection between music, brain development and early literacy.

Together, they explore why singing, rhythm and musical play matter so much in early childhood, including how babies begin responding to musical experiences long before they can speak.

Ann shares the importance of active music-making, how rhythm and movement support learning, and why educators don't need to be trained musicians to make music a meaningful part of their programs.

This conversation is a reminder that music is so much more than a transition tool or a fun activity. It's an important part of how children learn and develop.

MEET ANN KAY

Ann Kay is the co-founder and education coordinator of the Rock 'n' Read Project, a Minnesota-based nonprofit dedicated to helping children develop the foundational skills needed for reading through music. Her background includes teaching music and directing choirs.

Connect with Ann and the Rock 'n' Read Project

Website: https://www.rocknreadproject.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rocknreadproject/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rocknreadproject.org

Thank you to our episode sponsor, The ECE Exchange!

The ECE Exchange is a new marketplace connecting early childhood education trainers, coaches and consultants with child care programs looking for their expertise.

Whether you're an ECE professional growing your consulting business or a program director looking for professional learning opportunities for your team, The ECE Exchange is helping make those connections easier.

Learn more at https://TheECEExchange.com

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If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review. Your support helps us reach more ECEs who are in the thick of it!. Thanks for tuning in to The Everything ECE.  See you next week!

CONNECT WITH CARLA

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Website: carlatheece.com

Instagram: @carlatheece

In this Dear Carla episode of The Everything ECE Podcast, Carla responds to Boarded Out in Early Learning, who asks whether parent-governed boards are still an effective model for childcare organizations, particularly larger and multi-site centres.

Having spent most of her career working with boards of directors, Carla has seen the value they can bring, as well as the challenges that arise when governance and day-to-day leadership blur.

Drawing on her experience as a childcare supervisor and board member, Carla explores the benefits of bringing diverse professional perspectives to the table, the complications of parents serving as both families and employers, and the importance of clearly defining responsibilities between boards and centre leadership.

She also considers alternative governance structures, including skills-based boards and parent advisory councils, that could preserve meaningful family involvement while supporting the increasingly complex responsibilities of childcare organizations.

At the heart of this conversation is recognizing and respecting the expertise of early childhood educators and the leaders responsible for their programs.

ASK CARLA

Have a question? Ask here

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If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review. Your support helps us reach more ECEs who are in the thick of it!. Thanks for tuning in to The Everything ECE.  See you next week!

CONNECT WITH CARLA

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Website: carlatheece.com

Instagram: @carlatheece

In this episode of The Everything ECE Podcast, Carla is joined by Vicki Salazar and Emily Massey of The Educator's Table for an honest conversation about the relationship between families and early childhood educators.

Vicki brings the perspectives of a child care centre owner and parent, while Emily speaks from her experience in the classroom. Together they created The Educator's Table to bring those perspectives into the same conversation and build more understanding between home and child care.

Carla, Vicki and Emily talk about the ordinary moments that establish trust before a difficult conversation is needed. A genuine greeting at drop-off can matter more than it seems. They discuss helping newer educators find their voice with families, the assumptions made on either side of the classroom door, and Carla's own experience with the greeting rotation a mentor asked her to try early in her career. They also consider what happens when a family shares something an educator cannot solve alone, and how to respond with care while respecting professional boundaries.

This episode is a reminder that strong family relationships grow through everyday contact, not only when there is a concern to address.

ABOUT THE GUESTS

The Educator's Table was created by Vicki Salazar and Emily Massey to bring families and early childhood educators into the same conversation. Emily is an early childhood educator, while Vicki is a parent and child care centre owner. Together they discuss child development, parenting and the realities of early learning.

LINKS

• Website: https://educators-table.com/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.educators.table/

• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the.educators.table

• Podcast: https://educators-table.com/#podcast

• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-educators-table/id1896054006

  
  

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If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review. Your support helps us reach more ECEs who are in the thick of it!. Thanks for tuning in to The Everything ECE.  See you next week!

CONNECT WITH CARLA

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Website: carlatheece.com

Instagram: @carlatheece

In this episode of The Everything ECE Podcast, Carla is joined by Jessica Karpathios, founder of The Curious Educator Collective, to make pedagogical leadership feel less like an abstract title and more like the work that happens in a classroom.

Jessica is a Registered Early Childhood Educator whose experience includes working with toddlers, supervising child care programs, teaching future educators and supporting professional learning across organizations. She brings those perspectives to a conversation about what educators need when a familiar routine is no longer serving the children in front of them.

Together, Carla and Jessica explore the shift from habit to intention. Instead of stopping at “no running inside,” what can educators learn by asking why a child is running and what the environment may be communicating? They discuss observation, reflection with a team and the value of a fresh set of eyes that helps educators think rather than arriving with a list of fixes. They also talk honestly about the time this role requires and why adding it to an already full supervisor's workload can make the work harder.

This conversation offers a clearer picture of pedagogical leadership and another possibility for experienced ECEs wondering where their work could grow.

ABOUT JESSICA

Jessica Karpathios is a Registered Early Childhood Educator, pedagogical leader and founder of The Curious Educator Collective. Her experience spans early learning programs in Canada and abroad, child care supervision and field faculty work at Humber College. She partners with organizations to support pedagogical growth.

LINKS

Website: https://www.jessicakarpathios.com

Instagram: @curiouseducatorcollective

LinkedIn: Jessica Karpathios 

Pedagogical Leader Mentor Guide: https://www.jessicakarpathios.com/pedagogicalleadermentoringguide  

Book: Creating a Culture of Reflective Practice, The Role of Pedagogical Leadership in Early Childhood Programs. And it's written by Anne-Marie Coughlin and Lori McGee Barrett. LINK

Transcript

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In this Dear Carla episode, an educator writes in about confidence, imposter syndrome and the pressure they feel to appear confident while leading their team.

Carla challenges the idea that good leadership requires having all the answers and talks about what it actually takes to build confidence over time. From doing things scared and paying attention to your own self-talk to collecting the “receipts” that remind you of what you’re capable of, this conversation is about learning to trust yourself, even when that little voice gets loud. 

With ideas inspired by Mel Robbins, Brené Brown, Brendon Burchard and Stephen Covey, this episode offers practical places to start without pretending confidence has a quick fix.

Maybe it’s time to stop faking it till you make it and start practising it until you believe it.

Resources mentioned:

The High 5 Habit — Mel Robbins

Brené Brown — Dare to Lead

High Performance Habits — Brendon Burchard

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People — Stephen R. Covey

Dear Gabby meditation — Gabby Bernstein

ASK CARLA

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If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review. Your support helps us reach more ECEs who are in the thick of it!. Thanks for tuning in to The Everything ECE.  See you next week!

CONNECT WITH CARLA

Email Newsletter: ⁠⁠Click Here⁠ 

Website: carlatheece.com

Instagram: @carlatheece

In this episode of The Everything ECE Podcast, Carla Ward explores block play, provocations, three-dimensional learning, problem-solving, and what can happen when children are given more time and space to build, experiment and figure things out.

From rethinking the way we respond when structures come crashing down to considering what hands-on learning offers children in an increasingly digital world, this episode is an invitation to take another look at the block area in your early learning environment.

In this episode:

• Block play beyond building towers

• Using provocations to extend children's thinking

• Three-dimensional learning and spatial awareness

• Supporting problem solving and resilience through play

• Rethinking safety without unnecessarily limiting children's ideas

• Block play in a world of screens, technology and AI

• Simple ways to add curiosity to your block area

Books

Iggy Peck Architect

Resources mentioned:

Purdue University — Block play could improve your child’s math skills, executive functioning: https://www.purdue.edu/research/features/stories/block-play-could-improve-your-childs-math-skills-executive-functioning/

Research article on block play and mathematics:https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7954229/

Transcript

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If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review. Your support helps us reach more ECEs who are in the thick of it!. Thanks for tuning in to The Everything ECE.  See you next week!

CONNECT WITH CARLA

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Website: carlatheece.com

Instagram: @carlatheece

In this episode of The Everything ECE Podcast, Carla is joined by Pat Rumbaugh, better known as the Play Lady, for a conversation about why play belongs to adults as much as it does to children.

Pat spent 30 years as a physical education teacher and coach before helping start a community play day in Takoma Park, Maryland. That work grew into Let's Play America, a nonprofit that organizes free play events and helps other communities make room for people of all ages to play.

Together, Carla and Pat talk about giving children real choice in their play, what happens when adults join in, and the joy of bringing different generations together through games. Pat shares what an adult play day can look like, while Carla reflects on how they met at a workshop about play for grown-ups. Their conversation moves from community events to small, everyday invitations: hopscotch on a walk, a game with friends, or simply making time for something you enjoy.

If you spend your days protecting children's opportunities to play but rarely think about your own, this episode may help you find your way back to it.

ABOUT PAT

Pat Rumbaugh taught physical education and coached at Washington International School from 1981 to 2011. She founded a play committee in Takoma Park in 2009; it became the nonprofit Let's Play America in 2014. Pat has written two children's books on play, given two TEDx talks and organized 49 Play Days.

LINKS

Let's Play America: https://www.letsplayamerica.org

Instagram: @lets.play.america

Facebook: @letsplayamericaltd

TikTok: @letsplayamerica

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review. Your support helps us reach more ECEs who are in the thick of it!. Thanks for tuning in to The Everything ECE.  See you next week! 

CONNECT WITH CARLA

The ECE Entrepreneur Experience

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Website: carlatheece.com

Instagram: @carlatheece