In this episode, Shaddai Tembo is joined by Joss Cambridge-Simmons, the UK’s leading ‘super manny’ and founder of ‘Jossy Care’, for the first of the conversations on gender and the need for more diversity in the Early Years. 

Joss discusses his experiences as a male nanny working in early years and delves into the challenges and biases that some male practitioners face. He explains how patriarchy is part of the reason that more men aren’t working in childcare and that we need to see a change in society so that men can be true to their identity.  

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To round up the 4th episode with Professor Gina Rippon, Shaddai asks Gina to share her thoughts on how practitioners can communicate more effectively with parents and the local community to overcome and challenge gender biases. 

Parent engagement is critical to make a difference and this regular communication with parents on the initiatives taking place in the setting, ensures that the work continues at home and amongst the wider community. 

Sharing guidance and inspiration on simple changes that make all the difference, Gina gives examples such as, ensuring that during the festive period Santa Claus offers gender neutral gifts, instead of categorising by gender. Additionally, when communicating with parents about key dates such as World Book Day, encourage families to think outside of the box, rather than focusing on the gendered stereotypical characters and outfits.

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In this episode, Shaddai Tembo is joined again by Professor Gina Rippon, Emeritus Professor of Cognitive Neuroimaging at the Aston Brain Centre, Aston University, to discuss what early years settings can do to promote a more gender inclusive practice. 

 Gina shares with listeners some of the practical steps and strategies that can be taken to challenge gender stereotypes that children naturally pick up and are exposed to in the early years. From regularly auditing the environment and resources, using appropriate and inclusive language, to having a gender champion representative within the setting, Gina and Shaddai discuss simple solutions that promote a gender inclusive practice.

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Throughout this episode, Shaddai Tembo is joined again by Professor Gina Rippon, Emeritus Professor of Cognitive Neuroimaging at the Aston Brain Centre, Aston University, to continue the conversation of keeping gender on the agenda in the early years. 

Touching on her own research and experience, Gina reiterates just how important the first five years are in shaping a child’s brain. Referring to children as ‘gender detectives’ both Gina and Shaddai discuss how play-based experiences have a huge impact on children’s understanding and perspective of gender and sex differences, as well as their social skills and emotional awareness. 

Overcoming gender biases and stereotypes in children’s play is crucial to promoting inclusive practice and this episode offers practical guidance and ideas to help educators challenge gender biases and stereotypes in the early years.

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Throughout this episode, Shaddai Tembo is joined by Professor Gina Rippon, Emeritus Professor of Cognitive Neuroimaging at the Aston Brain Centre, Aston University, for the first of the conversations on gender in children’s play and overcoming gender biases. 

Before delving into the recent shift changes in research and the neuroscientific knowledge of gender, Gina explains to listeners the difference between the terms ‘gender’ and ‘sex’. Gina shares how recent neuroscience developments have contributed to a much more contemporary understanding of gender and sex differences and why keeping gender on the agenda is so important in today’s modern world.

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Shaddai Tembo is joined by Dr. Sharon Colilles for one final time to wrap up their incredibly insightful discussion on inclusive practice in the early years. Throughout this episode, we explore how practitioners can challenge their practice to make positive changes. 

Sharon shares what advice she would give to practitioners trying to implement inclusive pedagogy within their settings. 

Reflecting on previous conversations with Shaddai, Sharon touches on the importance of time to reflect, but also the power the resources being used can hold within the learning environment. Do the resources enable children to think about their ethnic origin and culture? Can they see themselves in their environment? It is so crucial for practitioners to reflect on the resources that are already in the setting.

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Throughout this episode, Shaddai Tembo is joined by Dr. Sharon Colilles to discuss why reflective practice is so important when adopting an inclusive approach. 

Sharon touches on the power of being present within the moment and really taking time away from the day-to-day routines is crucial to adapt and ensure inclusivity is embedded. The diversity of children is fluid, and it changes all the time. Therefore, the routine and the environment need to change and adapt, which can only be recognised through self-reflection but also peer to peer reflection too.

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Throughout this episode, Shaddai Tembo is joined by Dr. Sharon Colilles, to further explore the topic of inclusive practice in the early years. In this episode, Sharon and Shaddai talk all things observation and reflection, to enable practitioners to incorporate each child’s ethnic and cultural experience in the context of the setting. 

Focusing on the voice of the child and how important tuning into the child’s needs are, Shaddai asks Sharon to share her thoughts on how practitioners can learn and adapt their practise to be more inclusive based on children's own knowledge and language. 

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For the first episode of this season, Shaddai Tembo is joined by Dr. Sharon Colilles, a senior lecturer in Early Childhood studies at Bath Spa University and associate trainer for Early Education. To kick off the first episode of season 3, Shaddai and Sharon introduce what inclusive pedagogy is and why this is so important in the early years. 

Sharon shares her perspective on inclusion and why it’s critical to consider each diverse learner individually. Ensuring their voice is heard and their perspective on decisions that are made about them within the curricular. Sharon adds that it is important to lead with a rights-based approach while also incorporating play as a vehicle for ensuring individual rights are maintained. 

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Alice is joined by Liz Ludden and Sue Egersdorff for one final time in the very last episode of series 2! In this episode, Alice asks Liz and Sue to reflect on their experiences of intergenerational practice so far and why they're so passionate about a lifelong future for this approach to learning and care. 

Liz and Sue reflect on the joyful moments they continue to experience each day, alongside the enhanced learning outcomes visible in children who are exposed to this approach. Although further research, understanding and resource is needed to roll this out nationally and globally, Liz and Sue are confident that conversations such as this will help to make a difference and transform our approach to early years education. 

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