The Everything ECE Podcast

Think websites are just for business owners? Think again.

In this episode, Carla chats with Chelsea Denny, founder of Early Childhood Creative, about why every educator (from classroom teachers to program owners) can benefit from having a professional online presence.

You’ll learn: ✨ How your website can work for you 24/7 💡 Why automation saves you hours every week 🌐 The difference between owning your website and relying on social media 💰 How a great site can help you fill spaces, attract the right families, or land new opportunities

Chelsea also shares practical, approachable steps to get started, even if tech feels overwhelming, and how your website can truly become your best employee.

LINKS  

Website: earlychildhoodcreative.com

Free five page Squarespace website template

LinkedIn: @chelsea-denny

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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

The ECE Latte Lounge

Email Newsletter: ⁠⁠Click Here⁠

Website: carlatheece.com

Instagram: @carlatheece

Conflict doesn’t have to be scary or negative. In this short and powerful episode, Carla explores how reframing conflict can transform classroom challenges into opportunities for connection and growth.

From cloakroom chaos to tidy-up time, she shares practical language shifts that help educators move from correcting and directing to connecting. Learn how your tone, words, and mindset can turn moments of tension into teachable moments that strengthen relationships with children.

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 Latte Lounge

Email Newsletter: ⁠⁠Click Here⁠

Website: carlatheece.com

Instagram: @carlatheece

Play isn’t just cute. It’s critical. In this episode, Carla sits down with Amanda Morgan, educator, author, and founder of Not Just Cute, to uncover the real power of play in early childhood education. Together, they explore how play supports mental health, brain development, and lifelong learning, and how educators can communicate its value to families and administrators.

Amanda shares research-backed insights from her new book, Not Just Cute: How Powerful Play Drives Development in Early Childhood, and reminds us that when passion meets purpose, play becomes unstoppable.

 Tune in to learn how to champion play with confidence, connect with children through curiosity, and keep joy at the center of learning.

Amanda Morgan

Amanda Morgan holds a BA in Elementary and Early Childhood Education and an MS in Child Development. She is deeply committed to supporting intentional, whole-child development through her blog Not Just Cute and its companion podcast, Not Just Cute: The Podcast. With a blend of scientific insight and compelling stories, Amanda demonstrates how everyday moments—like play, relationships, and conversations—are far more than just “cute”; they're powerful tools for growth and learning. For over 15 years, she has worked with early childhood groups across the U.S. and Canada, sharing her passion and expertise. Her first book, Not Just Cute: How Powerful Play Drives Development in Early Childhood, was released earlier this year. When she’s not traveling, speaking, or writing, Amanda enjoys home life with her husband and four boys a few miles from Puget Sound, where she's still holding out hope for a not-too-close encounter with an orca.

LINKS 

Book: Amazon Link

Website: notjustcute.com

Instagram: @Amanda_NotJustCute

Facebook: @NotJustCute

Podcast: Not Just Cute the Podcast

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 Latte Lounge

Email Newsletter: ⁠⁠Click Here⁠

Website: carlatheece.com

Instagram: @carlatheece

What if your documentation could do more than check a box?

In this episode of The Everything ECE Podcast, Carla Ward shares 5 documentation strategies to bring ECE learning to life: practical, heart-centred ways to make documentation meaningful, authentic, and a natural part of your teaching practice.

You’ll discover how to: ✨ Capture the small, everyday moments that reveal big learning ✨ Empower children to take part in documenting their own stories ✨ Use multiple mediums like photos, voice notes, and displays to make learning visible ✨ Reflect with purpose before you write (and save yourself time!) ✨ Share documentation that builds stronger connections with families and your team

Whether you’re an early childhood educator, program lead, or supervisor, this episode will help you move from “doing documentation” to living it. Learn how to make learning visible, deepen reflection, and transform the way you see your practice.

🎙️ Tune in and discover how to reignite your love for documentation, because when we bring learning to life, we bring our teaching to life too.

LINKS 

The ECE Latte Lounge

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

Email Newsletter: ⁠⁠Click Here⁠

Website: carlatheece.com

Instagram: @carlatheece

Stress shows up in our work, but it doesn’t have to take over.

In this episode, Carla Ward sits down with Cameile Henry, award-winning author and CEO of Strengthen Hands Educational Resources Inc., to explore how reflection, awareness, and kindness help educators navigate stress before it leads to burnout.

This conversation reminds us that calm is a skill, kindness is a practice, and both are essential in early childhood education.

CAMEILE HENRY

Cameile Henry is an award-winning author of 12 empowering children’s books and the CEO and Co-Founder of Strengthen Hands Educational Resources Inc. With over 25 years of experience as a Registered Early Childhood Educator and 17 years as a Professor at Sheridan College, she is deeply committed to fostering resilience, affirmation, and self-compassion in children and families. Through books, workshops, and handmade crochet characters, she creates meaningful learning experiences that support children, parents, and educators alike. Recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Black Women to Watch in 2024, continues to inspire communities across Canada and the United States.

Website: strengthenhands.com

Instagram: @strengthenhands

YouTube: @StrengthenHandsEDU

LINKS 

The ECE Experience- Link

Strengthen Hands Book- 🍁Amazon

Strengthen Hands Book- 🇺🇸 Amazon

BOOKS MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE

Eat Mangos Naked

⁠Learn to Play: The Four Pillars Learning System⁠ by Susie Beghin

The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson

Bruce Perry Books

Raising a Secure Child

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

Email Newsletter: ⁠⁠Click Here⁠

Website: carlatheece.com

Instagram: @carlatheece

There are four little words that we, as educators, use far more often than we realize — and they might be quietly holding children back.

These words aren’t harsh or negative. In fact, they sound completely ordinary. But the truth is, they shape how we see children, how we interpret their behaviour, and how we respond in the moment.

In this episode, Carla dives deep into the power of language —how simple words can limit our perspective, close off possibilities, and unintentionally define a child’s potential. You’ll leave this conversation reflecting on your own practice, rethinking how you describe behaviour, and ready to see children in a whole new light.

🎙️ Listen now to uncover the four words that change everything.

LINKS 

The ECE Experience- Link

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

Email Newsletter: ⁠⁠Click Here⁠

Website: carlatheece.com

Instagram: @carlatheece

In this powerful episode, Carla welcomes Dawn Montecalvo, CEO of the Guadalupe Center in Immokalee, Florida, to discuss what it really means to go all in when early learning is on the line. From shifting the educator mindset from “job” to “career” to reducing turnover through professional development and support, Dawn shares how her team is creating real, lasting change in a community with tremendous needs.

We explore how strategic partnerships, intention in language, and reinforcing early childhood as a nonnegotiable investment are transforming outcomes—one child, one educator, one classroom at a time.

If you believe early learning is more than a program—it’s a movement—you won’t want to miss this conversation.

🎧 Dive in now and get inspired to go all in for early learning where you are.

DAWN MONTECALVO

For more than two decades, Dawn Montecalvo has dedicated her career to expanding educational opportunities for underserved children in Southwest Florida. As President & CEO of Guadalupe Center since 2016, she has led the organization’s growth to serve over 2,000 students annually, expanding campuses, adding CCPS satellite locations, and strengthening philanthropic partnerships. Previously, she served as Executive Director of the Naples Children & Education Foundation and founded Montecalvo & Associates, helping nonprofits with fundraising and strategic development. A compassionate and visionary leader, Dawn unites donors, volunteers, and educators around a shared mission to create life-changing opportunities for generations of students.

LINKS MENTIONED IN THE PODCAST

Guadalupe Centre- www.guadalupecenter.org 

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/guadalupe_center 

Youtube- https://www.youtube.com/@TheGuadalupeCenter 

All in for Early Learning- https://www.allinforearlylearning.com/ 

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

Email Newsletter: ⁠⁠Click Here⁠

The ECE Experience- Link

Website: www.carlatheece.com

Instagram:  @carlatheece

In this episode of The Everything ECE Podcast, Carla sits down with Rebecca Parlakian, child development and parenting specialist at ZERO TO THREE, to shine a spotlight on the incredible world of infants and toddlers.

Together they unpack:

• The key developmental milestones across social-emotional, cognitive, communication, and physical domains

• Why everyday moments (like laundry, sunlight, or stirring with a spoon) are powerful learning opportunities

• How infant programs can be more intentional in designing environments that truly support growth

• The role of educators and parents as “detectives” decoding cries, cues, and needs

• The advocacy work ZERO TO THREE is leading—bringing families and even policymakers into the conversation about babies
  

If you’ve ever wondered how to support our youngest learners- or needed a reminder of the magic in the everyday- this episode is for you.

REBECCA PARLAKIAN

Rebecca Parlakian is Senior Director of Programs at ZERO TO THREE, where she leads work on child development, parenting, and early education. With more than two decades of experience, she has co-authored five curricula, published widely on parenting and early learning, and is a regular contributor to NAEYC’s Young Children. A recognized voice in national media, Rebecca is dedicated to advancing the power of relationships in shaping children’s earliest years.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-parlakian/

ZERO TO THREE

LEARN Conference: https://www.zerotothree.org/learn-conference/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zero-to-three/

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZEROTOTHREE/

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

Email Newsletter: ⁠⁠Click Here⁠

The ECE Experience- Link

Website: www.carlatheece.com

Instagram: @carlatheece

In this engaging conversation, Debbie shares her journey as an early childhood educator and how her experiences have shaped her understanding of the profession. She discusses the natural coaching abilities of educators, the importance of reflective inquiry, and the transformative power of vision boards and manifestation in both personal and professional contexts. Debbie emphasizes the significance of a positive mindset, the impact of a single word on organizational culture, and practical strategies for managing classroom chaos while fostering child development through play-based learning. The discussion culminates in a call to action for educators to embrace intentionality in their teaching practices and create engaging learning environments for children.

TAKEAWAYS

• Debbie has over 30 years of experience in early childhood education.

• Early childhood educators possess natural coaching skills.

• Reflective inquiry is a key skill for educators and coaches.

• Vision boards can serve as powerful tools for manifestation.

• A single word can transform organizational culture.

• Positive mindset influences the environment and outcomes.

• Classroom chaos can be managed with intentional strategies.

• Understanding child development is crucial for effective teaching.

• Intentionality in teaching enhances student engagement.

• Creating an engaging learning environment is essential for child development.

DEBBI SLUYS

Debbi Sluys is a Christian, mom of four, wife and grandma. Debbi is founder of Dare to Declare™, a coach, trainer, author and speaker who specializes in helping people expand their brain’s potential to see what is possible for their future with Vision boards.

As a former Child Care Director, Debbi has studied personal development for over 30 years and has facilitated and witnessed science at work by guiding thousands of clients to identify and declare their Vision both online and in-person at workshops and retreats. 

Her mission and life purpose is to support individuals to declare their truth and create the life of their dreams.

Debbi hosts The Dare to Declare Podcast, where giant manifestors come to share how they've turned their visions and goals into reality!

Website: https://debbisluys.com/ 

Instagram: @debbisluys

Facebook: Debbi Sluys

LinkedIn: Debbi Sluys

Conference: Link

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

Email Newsletter: ⁠⁠Click Here⁠

The ECE Experience- Link

Website: elfoundations.com

Instagram: @elfoundations

The words we choose with children matter more than we realize. In this episode of The Everything ECE Podcast, Carla Ward explores The Language of Encouragement and how it shapes a child’s self-esteem, resilience, and inner voice.

Discover:

✔ The difference between praise and encouragement

✔ Why connection before correction preserves dignity

✔ How adding the word yet builds growth mindset

✔ Practical phrases you can start using in your classroom right away

Your language has lasting impact. Learn how to shift from empty praise to authentic encouragement that empowers children for life.

🎟️ Don’t miss Carla’s live event in Mississauga, ON — The ECE Experience on November 8th. Tickets: https://elfoundations.thrivecart.com/the-ece-experience-2025/ 

LINKS MENTIONED IN THE PODCAST

The ECE Experience- Link

The Third Teacher Book- Link

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

Email Newsletter: ⁠⁠Click Here⁠

Website: elfoundations.com

Instagram: @elfoundations