Shána speaks with another international guest, Jill Dianne Bittinger, about the core values behind the Montessori approach, what it looks like in the classroom and why taking into account the WHOLE child is crucial for their development.

The beginning of a new school year can be a real challenge for children with separation anxiety. Shána invites her colleagues and friends, Julia and Louise, to come and talk about the theories behind attachment, the different types to look out for and how we as parents and practitioners can support our children through settling in time.

Link to attachment theory presentation here

Talking about emotions can be a challenge for some children. Wendy has a wonderful resource she developed from her experience as a childminder to help us all articulate and demonstrate our feelings.

It's a term we are all familiar with, educators and parents alike. But what does it actually mean? Shána busts some myths about what it takes for children to REALLY be 'ready' to go to school.

Twinkl School Readiness Wiki Page

Being School Ready - PACEY

Are you an ECT starting in an Early Years class or setting? Perhaps you have worked in another Key Stage and have been told you are joining Nursery or Reception from September? Join Shána, Ashleigh from Twinkl ECTs and 2 guest practitioners who share their experience and know-how to help you feel prepared!

Top Tips for New Staff Blog

Forest school, Outdoor Learning, the Nature Based Approach. We have mostly all heard of these terms, but what do they actually mean? Shána is joined by leading Forest School Practitioner Marina Robb on the importance of nature based learning and its impact on our children's development.

Emotional literacy and regulation is a challenging and yet important skill for children to develop. How do we support our children in being aware of and communicating their emotions? How do we support ourselves to do the same? Shána speaks with Jenna Moniz from the HeartMath institute about, quite literally, the heart of the matter.

Shána talks with Lesley Berrington, published author of Hattie & Friends book series, about representation in children's books and why they are a must-have in any Early Years setting.

Website: https://hattieandfriends.com/

Twitter: @hattiesfriends

Instagram: @hattieandfriendsauthor

Facebook: @Hattieandfriendsauthor

LinkedIn: @lesley-berrington-0252b425

In the UK, only 3% of EYFS practitioners are male. Join Shána as she chats with Tom, Matt C, Mat S, Mat M & Matthew (Yes, that is a lot of Matthews..) as they open up about the challenges they have faced in the work place, just because of their gender. How can we make sure our EYFS settings are welcoming for all?

Tom Noakes - @mrnoakes_teachingjourney

Mathew Stevenson - @eyfs_with_mr_s

Matthew Chatburn - @mattchat004 and @MrChatburn_eyfs

Mathew Middleton - @TheMFASP

Matthew Crouch - @mr_c_classroom and @mrcclassroom

1 in 10 of us will have some form of Dyslexia. That includes Early Years educators. In this episode, Shána explores the challenges that practitioners face in the classroom while having a form of Dyslexia, shares research and links on how to support yourself or your colleagues and speaks to Kelly Harris, a Dyslexic teacher, about her experiences getting diagnosed, trained and supported through her career.

Supporting Dyslexic Trainee Teachers: University of Southampton

Blog: The Gift of Being A Dyslexic Teacher by Matthew Friday

Supporting Teachers with Dyslexia: Engage Education