Early Childhood Chatter

Dr. Ariel Sylvester talks about her experience in the field of early childhood education and what has led her to become an entrepreneur and leader in the field of ECE. Dr. Sylvester explains why it is important for early education leaders to support current educators in the field to help improve their practice. She explains how she does this through her early education consulting business. Dr. Sylvester has also created an empathic studies curriculum and will speak about the inspiration behind this curriculum and what she hopes early educators and students will gain through this curriculum. In her role at DePaul University, she mentors, advises and instructs future early educators while also advocating for student parents to have access to affordable child care while on college campuses. Dr. Sylvester concludes this session by speaking about her hopes for the future of ECE.If you would like a closed captioning version of this podcast, please contact Stephanie.heald@uagc.edu.

Kristina Lucia shares about the importance of healthy communication. Identifying and understanding both our own feelings and those of others is a skill that requires continuous practice and nurturing. When we develop this awareness, we can empathize more deeply and connect with others, strengthening our communication. Effective communication fosters healthy relationships. Kristina Lucia offers simple, practical daily exercises to help integrate these skills into your routine, setting the foundation for meaningful and effective communication with your child.If you would like a closed captioning version of this podcast, please contact Stephanie.heald@uagc.edu.

Rex Kreuder explains why it is vital for teachers to personally connect with parents of the children in their classroom.  Good two-way communication between families and school is necessary for student success.  This collaboration leads to informed decision-making about the child's learning experiences and helps ensure that the child's individual needs are met both at home and in the school setting.  By encouraging a student's family to help complement what the child is learning at school it is a win-win situation for all.   

Join Dr. Melissa Smith as she debunks common myths about process art in early childhood education, from concerns about messiness to doubts about its educational benefits and how to showcase student creations. Discover how to reframe these misconceptions, balance process, and product art, and implement practical strategies that foster creativity while maintaining structure. Whether you're a process art advocate or just exploring the approach, this episode will inspire you to embrace exploration, celebrate individuality, and say yes to the mess!If you would like a closed captioning version of this podcast, please contact Stephanie.heald@uagc.edu.

Dr. Michelle Otstot explains the "Walk the Line" activity, a key Practical Life exercise in a Montessori early childhood classroom. The activity is designed to foster motor development, concentration, coordination, emotional regulation, and cognitive skills. She emphasizes how this simple exercise aids children's independence and social awareness while promoting a sense of balance, both physically and emotionally.

Jessica Sager discusses the child care cliff that educators and families are facing following the expiration of pandemic relief funds in September. If you would like a closed captioning version of this podcast, please contact Stephanie.heald@uagc.edu.

Breanna Boyd, Founder and CEO of FeedWells, a nationally recognized organization, addresses food insecurity by nourishing students' bodies and minds. Through student-curated, locally-sourced nutritious meals and educational initiatives, FeedWells empowers students with both sustenance and knowledge. If you would like a closed captioning version of this podcast, please contact Stephanie.heald@uagc.edu.


Melissa Thiebaut inspires us with an overview of The Project Approach. If you would like a closed captioning version of this podcast, please contact Stephanie.heald@uagc.edu.


Celeste Venezuela shares that partnerships are everything! Building parent-teacher partnerships are essential for the success, development, and growth of a child. The more we build connections with parents, the more we can help create balance between home and school. This will in turn create consistency and stability for child and parent. Together we can do so much more. If you would like a closed captioning version of this podcast, please contact Stephanie.heald@uagc.edu.


Dr. Rhonda Idris delves into early intervention for children with developmental needs, offering insights from her roles as a parent, educator, and early childhood professor. She emphasizes the importance of addressing developmental delays openly, reducing parental guilt, and expanding awareness of screening and monitoring resources. Her approach encourages families and educators to leverage available support systems, empowering children to build emergent literacy skills and reach their developmental potential. If you would like a closed captioning version of this podcast, please contact Stephanie.heald@uagc.edu.


Collette Hiller shares several ways to help children develop their vocabularies using good, rich words. If you would like a closed captioning version of this podcast, please contact Stephanie.heald@uagc.edu.

Andrea Lara shares how academic conversations have changed engagement in the classroom. Engaging in academic conversations encourages students to think critically, analyze information, and evaluate different perspectives. Academic conversations provide students with opportunities to enhance their language skills. Through discussions, students learn to articulate their thoughts, express ideas clearly, and use academic vocabulary, which is essential for academic success. Participating in academic conversations requires students to actively engage with the material. Academic conversations often involve collaboration among students, which fosters a sense of community in the classroom, encourages peer-to-peer teaching and learning, and helps students develop teamwork and communication skills.If you would like a closed captioning version of this podcast, please contact Stephanie.heald@uagc.edu.


Carla Ward shares how the more ECE podcasts there are, the more the voices of Early Childhood Educators are heard around the world. Podcasting is an opportunity to empower other educators. It is a way for us to support each other on a bigger scale, sharing strategies and experiences that others can learn from. And it aligns with ECEs commitments to continuous learning and improving Early Childhood Education.

Kate Barrand, President & CEO of Horizons for Homeless Children, is here to share her experience of how offering STEM-based learning activities has positively impacted the lives of children experiencing homelessness. Many children, especially those living in poverty or who are members of linguistic and ethnic minority groups, lack exposure to STEM opportunities. It's critical we better recognize how we can close this opportunity gap and its consequences.   If you would like a closed captioning version of this podcast, please contact Stephanie.heald@uagc.edu.


Dr. Michelle Otstot discusses how to differentiate learning using the “Stretch Your Brain” strategy.  Specifically, this strategy is theoretically grounded by Gardner's Multiple Intelligences and leans heavily on Universal Design for Learning.If you would like a closed captioning version of this podcast, please contact Stephanie.heald@uagc.edu.


Claire Kabine talks about the five “F”s to being an A + Administrator.If you would like a closed captioning version of this podcast, please contact Stephanie.heald@uagc.edu.


Tanya Wright shares with us about her book Good Night, Hairette.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-eP9klTCas
If you would like a closed captioning version of this podcast, please contact Stephanie.heald@uagc.edu.

Ron Shuali, M.Ed., shares how to choose to create a win-win classroom environment.
If you would like a closed captioning version of this podcast, please contact Stephanie.heald@uagc.edu.




Chrissy Chen, of Boys & Girls Clubs of America, will delve deep into insights about youth development and ways for young learners to fall in love with learning and in turn reach their full potential. Boys & Girls Clubs offer engaging, impactful youth development experiences to more than 3.6M youth. Club programming, including arts, education, health and wellness, sports and recreation, leadership and service, and workforce readiness combined with high-quality youth development practice is designed to enable all young people to reach their full potential and experience academic success, good character, and citizenship, and a healthy lifestyle.

Dr. Meghan L. Green shares how resilience and self-care are interconnected concepts that contribute to our overall well-being and ability to cope with challenges. Resilience refers to our capacity to bounce back from adversity, adapt to change, and maintain a positive outlook. Self-care involves engaging in activities that promote an individual's physical, mental, and emotional well-being, while communal care focuses attention on the holistic needs of everyone. As early childhood staff members continue to shoulder the brunt of challenges throughout these stressful times, it has become imperative that we (re)frame the narrative of resilience to one that shifts our thinking from surviving to thriving.

Dr. Sam Hubley shares how he is leading a novel collaboration with Pixar Animation Studios to adapt the Disney/Pixar film Inside Out into a social emotional learning program called InsideU. InsideU is a cost-free, web-based application designed for 6–12 year-olds that includes online learning modules on emotional awareness and regulation. InsideU employs the conceptual model of Entertainment Education and includes a series of episodes that are interactive, choose your-own-adventure stories. https://www.colorado.edu/crowninstitute/insideu

Veronica Green shares how to lead children in loose play experiences and build environments that truly create authentic play experiences.

Dr. Amy Johnson shares the ABCDs of Writing Lesson Objectives.

Drs. Heald and Shipley take a moment to reflect on the past 100 episodes and give you a glimpse of what's to come! Thank you so much for sharing this time and space with your friends at Early Childhood Chatter. We appreciate you so much. :) Steph and Tisha

In this episode, Cindy Terebush shares how we can begin building positive partnerships with families in early childhood education.

Jose Florido shares how AI has certainly shaken up the education sector and many teachers are looking to learn how to tactfully capitalize on this technology. For educators, AI brings a unique opportunity to break from the traditional mold of lesson plans and incorporate creative audio-visual storytelling to better connect with students while saving time in lesson preparation; ultimately maximizing the amount of time teachers can dedicate to actively interacting with students. Jose, strongly believes in the importance of combining education and technology to elevate learning and AI is the latest tech that can push this initiative forward.

Dr. Michelle Simecek knew firsthand parents often want to help their children become better readers, but did not always know how to do so. As a Reading Specialist, the one question she received over and over was "How do I help my child learn to read"? This episode explores some easy ways that parents can support their child's reading development at home without stress.

Dr. Maura Kelley knows every day is different in education. Every learner is different and may require varying ways to engage with the material. This episode covers strategies that can reach all students and get them involved in their learning.

Heidi Harris discusses how we can empowers families and stay connected for positive partnerships in ECEA.

Tonya Hayes share excellent strategies for using sign language in the ECE classroom.

Michele Benyo shares the importance of teaching self-care in the ECE setting.

Jessica Horn shares inspirational ideas to engage children and families in gardening.

Jane Hildenbrand shares, ways peace and happiness can be supported in the early childhood education environment.

Dr. Savannah Thomas, founder of Lumikidz, kids shares ways to prepare students for the digital world

Ann McKitrick, MS, the founder of Nurtured Noggins shares now we have the ability to speak into children's lives, educate and change their mindset through relationships.

Camille Lacher discusses best practices in quality care for early childhood education.

Leah Walker shares how we can build family and community partnerships that deliver access, excellence, and equity for all learners.

Willie Spears, critically acclaimed speaker shares an innovative and relevant approach to understanding and positively supporting mental wellness.

Dr. JaNay Brown-Woods inspires us to share diverse books with young readers!

Cynthia Burnett explains what an early childhood Tinker Lab is, and the benefits for our youngest learners! Check out her website for some great resources and opportunities for future opportunities. http://www.purposefulplaytraining.com/

Tonya Hayes discusses why the brain loves sign language, and why you should be using it more to support children learning of expressive language! https://sproutpeds.com/resources-for-families/

Jada McGlothin shares practical strategies that can be used at home to help children with autism.

Nick Young, early childhood music and movement specialist, shares ways we can get children involved in music and movement at home and in school.

Diane Salazar shares inspirational ways to connect and build, creative, relaxing, and positive relationships with your children over the summer without using screen time.

Dr. Toni Sturdivant discusses how early childhood educators can foster positive identity development in early childhood education.

Maxwell Roach is the Founder of JonAyves Learning Club, a forward-thinking tutoring service and a serial entrepreneur who values the need to "fill the industry gaps" by way of disruption and modern solutions. He shares the importance of 1-on-1 time with children.

Norda Lewis shares some ways educators and families can help guide children toward desired behaviors in their environment.  

Paula Walshe shares ways to develop and maintain a community of practice and profession in ECE. 

Natalie Royer shares how to let children BE!

Cindy Terebush shares some ways to make the most out of circle time in the ECE classroom!

Dr. Jessica Thompson shares how educators can collaborate with librarians to make libraries are for more than just checking out books!