EdsUp!

We talk with Jake Rudisill, Early Learning Channel Manager at Pitsco (https://www.pitsco.com/) about STEM (and expanded programs), ways to integrate methods into children's education outside of the classroom and so much more!

We speak with Kathy Thornburg, Ph.D.: Dr. Thornburg has over 50 years' experience in education, including teaching early childhood and policy courses at the Universities of Kentucky and Missouri, directing programs serving children from 6 weeks of age through 4th grade, and conducting state and national research projects. She has published over 100 referred journal articles. Currently she is working to adapt Military Child Development Program policies, procedures, and other program materials to support states in developing a unifying child care system that addresses affordability, availability, quality, and accountability across the U.S.

We interview Dr. Valora Washington, an internationally recognized authority in early childhood education, she is known for conceptualizing, leading, and executing significant change initiatives impacting policy, programs, and practice in higher education, philanthropy, and national nonprofits. She currently serves as the CEO of the CAYL Institute. During her decade tenure as CEO of the Council for Professional Recognition, Dr. Washington advanced and professionalized the field of early childhood education with her leadership of the largest credentialing program for early educators in the United States, the Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential. She formerly served as Vice President at Antioch College and the Kellogg Foundation and as a tenured faculty member at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Listen to our talk with Dr. Mariana Souto-Manning, who became Erikson's 5th President in September 2021. Mariana has served as professor of education at Teachers College, Columbia University and held additional academic appointments at the University of Iceland and King's College London. Committed to the pursuit of justice in early childhood teaching and teacher education, Mariana's research centers the lives, values, and experiences of intersectionally-minoritized people of Color. An Afro-Latina first-generation immigrant, Mariana earned her bachelor's, master's, and PhD at the University of Georgia, after having started her higher education journey at Dekalb Community College. Mariana has (co-)authored 10 books, dozens of book chapters, and over 80 peer-reviewed articles.

We talk with Adam Alson, a third-generation grain farmer from Rensselaer. He holds an undergraduate economics degree from the University of Chicago and worked as a bond trader for Bank of America in New York City before returning home to run the family farm in 2011. In 2020, Adam and his wife, Carlee Tressel Alson, founded the nonprofit Appleseed Childhood Education to address the shortage of early childhood education programming and quality child care options in Jasper County, Indiana. Appleseed will open a 70-seat, high-quality early learning center in Rensselaer in 2022. Adam also serves on the advisory and finance committees of the Jasper Newton Foundation, and in his ample leisure time, he enjoys growing garden produce and cultivating a small orchard of 10 varieties of apples.

We talk with Joan Lombardi, Ph.D., a Senior Scholar at the Center for Child and Human Development at Georgetown University and Director of Early Opportunities LLC. Over the past 50 years Joan has made significant contributions in the areas of child and family policy as an innovative leader and policy advisor to national and international organizations and foundations and as a public servant. Her work focuses on young children, families and communities, and the intersection of health, education, and family support. She currently serves as the Chair of the RAPID-EC study. Joan served as the first Deputy Assistant Secretary for Early Childhood during the Obama Administration and the first Director of the Child Care Bureau during the Clinton Administration.

EdsUp! talks with Dr. Allen Pratt, the executive director of the National Rural Education Association. He has served in this role for several years. The focus of his work is providing a unified voice for rural schools and communities. His work in the past has been in the areas of workforce development, school reform, professional learning communities, and rural education initiatives.

We talk with Dr. Bonnie Zucker, a licensed psychologist and director of Bonnie Zucker & Associates in Rockville, Maryland, just outside of Washington, DC. She specializes in the treatment of anxiety disorders and OCD in children, teens, and adults. Bonnie is the author of several books, including Anxiety-Free Kids, Take Control of OCD, and Something Very Sad Happened: A toddler's guide to understanding death.

Hear our conversation with Dr. Dan Wuori, Senior Director of Early Learning at The Hunt Institute and oversees The Institute's early childhood supports to state elected and administrative policymakers across the nation. A former kindergarten teacher and school district administrator, Dan served as the Deputy Director of South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness – the state's comprehensive, public-private early learning initiative – from 2005-2018. In this role he worked alongside elected leaders to develop significant, bipartisan support for early childhood education and oversaw system innovations including the delivery of public prekindergarten in private, community- and faith-based preschools, improvements to the state's IDEA Part C early intervention system, the creation of statewide program accountability standards, and the expansion of evidence-based home visiting programs. A Past President of the SC Early Childhood Association, Dan was honored as South Carolina's Champion for Children in 2018.

Carol Garhart (Mooney) began her teaching career in the inner city of Richmond, Virginia. She volunteered in 1965 at the first trial run of Head Start Programs in Washington, DC. Later, Carol worked for nearly 15 years for Head Start programs in New Hampshire, and supervised both student and practicing educators for more than 25 years. Carol received the Distinguished Faculty Award for Teaching at Granite State College, was twice named Early Educator of the Year, and won New Hampshire Press Woman's Awards.

Our guest is Dr. Thomas Moore, nationally recognized as an early childhood consultant, keynote speaker, workshop leader, and children's recording artist. He has given more than 800 speeches and workshops in the United States and abroad. From a keynote address to 1,200 K-12 teachers at Harvard University, to teacher-training workshops in Denmark, Italy, Germany, and Nigeria.

EdsUp! talks with Dr. Abby Lane, Senior Research Associate/Prenatal-to-3 Policy Clearinghouse Team Lead, LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin, about policy and funding programs for Early Childhood. Contact: pn3policy@austin.utexas.edu

EdsUp! talks with Steve Gross, M.S.W., the founder and chief playmaker of the Life is Good Kids Foundation, a non-profit that spreads the power optimism to kids who need it most. Steve’s signature approach has been widely adapted across the country and throughout the world in response to the social and emotional needs of children deeply impacted by poverty, violence and illness. In addition to his work in the social sector, Steve has worked with many corporations such as Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Million Dollar Roundtable Club, and IBM to demonstrate how optimistic leaders can inspire people and organizations through times of change.

We talk with Dr. David Hill< an adjunct assistant professor of pediatrics at the UNC School of Medicine, a pediatric hospitalist in Goldsboro, NC, and a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Council Management Committee. He is the immediate past chair of the AAP Council on Communication and Media, Associate Medical Editor of Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5, author of Dad to Dad: Parenting Like a Pro, and co-author of Co-Parenting Through Separation and Divorce: Putting Your Children First. He also co-hosts the AAP’s podcast, Pediatrics On Call, which can be found here: https://ihr.fm/3bYoDrT

Listen to or download our conversation with Pedro A. Noguera, the Emery Stoops and Joyce King Stoops Dean of the USC Rossier School of Education. A sociologist, Noguera’s research focuses on the ways in which schools are influenced by social and economic conditions, as well as by demographic trends in local, regional and global contexts. He is the author, co-author and editor of 13 books. Prior to being appointed Dean of the USC Rossier School of Education, Noguera served as a Distinguished Professor of Education at the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles.

EdsUp! talks with Iheoma U. Iruka, Ph.D., a Research Professor in the Department of Public Policy and Fellow at FPG Child Development Institute at UNC-CH after her 3-plus years as Chief Research Innovation Officer and Director of The Center for Early Education Research and Evaluation at HighScope Educational Research Foundation.

EdsUp! talks with Raymond C. Pierce, President and CEO of the Southern Education Foundation, where he leads the organization’s historic mission of advancing educational opportunities for African American and low-income students in the southern states. Since joining SEF in January 2018, Pierce has focused the organization on policy research, education legislation and leadership development. SEF has also launched a workforce development initiative and is expanding its efforts for strengthening parental engagement in support of improving student learning.

We talk with Camille Catlett, a consultant based in Carrboro NC. In her years in the early childhood field, she held positions in public school, professional association, federal government, and higher education settings. Camille currently supports early intervention and early childhood colleagues through technical assistance, research, presentations, writing, and product development.

Janet Lansbury is a former actress and model who is now a parent educator, author, and speaker who takes a proven approach to dealing with young children that is based on the science of brain development. Trained by renowned infant expert Magda Gerber, Janet is the author of two books, No Bad Kids and Elevating Child Care, hosts a very popular podcast, Unruffled, and supports parents worldwide through her website, JanetLansbury.com.

A wonderful conversation with Heather Martin! Heather is the statewide Vroom® coordinator for the Child Health Development Project also known as Mississippi Thrive! Heather has spent the past 16 years working primarily in early childhood and teaching in public schools in Northeast Mississippi. Everyone has what it takes to help nurture their child's mind. Vroom® turns everyday moments with your child into brain building moments! Vroom® is an initiative of the Bezos Family Foundation, born out of early childhood research that shows that the first five years of life are critically important to children’s future learning and success. Learn more about Vroom® here: https://www.vroom.org/

EdsUp! talks with Dr. Libby Doggett, who has over 40 years of leadership and management experience in schools, Head Start, and child care and is currently working to build public support and strong, diverse local coalitions to improve children’s readiness for kindergarten in Texas. She served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Early Learning at the US Department of Education where she provided birth to age eight expertise and policy guidance to the Secretary and served as the Department of Education’s early learning liaison to the White House, the Department of Health and Human Services, and other federal and state agencies.

EdsUp! talks with Jackie Mader, Social Media Editor for The Hechinger Report [https://hechingerreport.org/] about parenting a young child with special needs and teaching issues during the COVID-19 pandemic.

EdsUp! talks with Dr. Becky A. Bailey, an award-winning author, renowned teacher and internationally recognized expert in childhood education and developmental psychology. Conscious Discipline has impacted an estimated 20M children. A pioneer in social and emotional learning, Dr. Bailey has a proven track record of success spanning more than 30 years. Discussing "Teaching At Home" during the pandemic and more, this podcast shares plenty of information. (Ep 21 recorded 100% online with all participants self-isolated.)

EdsUp! talks with Dr. Shu-Chen "Jenny" Yen, (as of this recording) an associate professor in the Department of Child and Adolescent Studies, California State University, Fullerton. She has written "Something Strange Happened in My City", a social story about the coronavirus pandemic for children and parents. Find the free digital copy of this book and Dr. Yen's contact information on the NACYE website at https://bit.ly/2WqmIo3 and find multiple translations PLUS the customizable version Dr. Yen speaks about in the podcast at https://socialstorycenter.com/social-stories/

EdsUp! talks with Lucy Recio, NAEYC Senior Analyst, Public Policy and Advocacy, concerning Census 2020. With the Coronavirus Pandemic creating a multitude of issues, some ideas and solutions are presented in this podcast. Access the resources mentioned in this episode at https://countallkids.org/

EdsUp! talks with Dr. Patricia Kuhl, co-director of the Institute for Brain and Learning Sciences at the University of Washington. She's internationally recognized for her research on early language and brain development, and studies that show how young children learn. Download and enjoy this interesting conversation!

Dr. Jerlean Daniel is a former Executive Director of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the nation’s largest organization of early childhood education professionals and is constantly involved in efforts to support and strengthen our children, families, and communities. Equalizing opportunities to learn is a foundation of Dr. Daniel's work.

Greg Jacobs and Jon Siskel co-directed (with Danny Alpert from Kindling Group) No Small Matter, the first feature documentary to explore the power and potential impact of early childhood education. Completed in late 2018, No Small Matter has been moving the needle on the issue at a national scale through hundreds of screenings and an ambitious impact campaign. Listen to Greg's insight on the film, and how to set up a viewing for a group, etc!

In Episode 15, EdsUp! talks with Lindsay E. Jones, the President and CEO of NCLD, a national nonprofit organization that seeks to improve the lives of the 1 in 5 individuals with learning disabilities and attention issues. Lindsay has been with NCLD for over 5 years and previously served as NCLD’s Vice President, Chief Policy & Advocacy Officer. In that role, she designed and implemented NCLD’s legislative strategy in Washington, DC, aimed at advancing government policies that support the success of individuals with learning and attention issues. Find her at https://www.ncld.org/about/team/lindsay-e-jones-esq/

Dr. Ed Greene shares stories, thoughts and opinions on technology and it's effect on early learning. Episode 14 is a humorous and thoughtful discussion, taking place at a NAYCE conference (explaining any background noise you may hear). Download and enjoy this podcast, and follow us on https://www.facebook.com/EdsUpPodcast

From the EdsUp! Interview Archive, we talk with Cindy Oser, well-respected nationally as a leader in the field of early childhood development and recognized for her work in comprehensive birth-5 service delivery systems; maternal-child health; infant and early childhood mental health (IECMH) and early intervention; and federal and state early childhood policy. Ms. Oser has nearly 40 years of experience focused on improving health and developmental outcomes for young children and families. Just in time for Thanksgiving weekend, our Lit Bit has a Pilgrim theme! Learn more about Cindy Oser at https://www.zerotothree.org/our-team/cindy-oser

EdsUp! spoke with Dan Habib, an American documentary film director, producer, and cinematographer based in Concord, New Hampshire. His award-winning films on disability-related topics include Who Cares About Kelsey?, Including Samuel, Restraint and Seclusion: Hear Our Stories, and Intelligent Lives. In 2014, he was named a member of the President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities by the Obama administration.

As educators, vendors and others get ready for the 2019 NAEYC Conference in Nashville next month, we would like to highlight a conversation with Cate Heroman, Early Childhood consultant, and author of "Making and Tinkering with STEM: Solving Design Challenges with Young Children" (Info Here: https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/books/making-and-tinkering-with-stem)

EdsUp! talks with Ruby K. Payne, Ph.D. Dr. Payne is the founder of aha! Process and an author, speaker, publisher, and career educator. Recognized internationally for A Framework for Understanding Poverty, her foundational work, Dr. Payne has helped students and adults of all economic backgrounds achieve academic, professional, and personal success

EDSUP! talks with former Senior Policy Advisor at the U.S. Department of Education, Steven Hicks. Stevens currently serves as Assistant State Superintendent for the Division of Early Childhood Development at the Maryland State Department of Education.

EdsUp! gets a moment with Dr. Bruce D. Perry at the 2019 Second Annual Early Childhood Speaker Series, where he was a speaker. Dr. Perry is an American psychiatrist, currently the Senior Fellow of the Child Trauma Academy in Houston, Texas and an Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, Illinois.

EdsUp! Welcomes Luis Hernandez from WKU as he speaks about his own story of coming to North America, the effects on current news topics regarding children and immigration. Recorded in Washington, DC at the 2018 Annual NAEYC Conference.

EdsUp! talks with Hannah Matthews about the effects on children, seen as a result of being separated from their parents. Also the differences between legal and illegal intent when trying to cross the US/Mexico border. Although recorded in 2018, it touches on several hot-button topics in current news.

Dr. Tonja Rucker, Program Director-Early Childhood Success at National League of Cities (https://www.nlc.org) discusses how communities and community leaders can work together to invest in the future of children, along with other topics.

Dr. David Rose, co-founder of CAST, speaks on Universal Design for Learning. Find more online at http://www.cast.org/

Podcast guest is Steven Levingston, Non-Fiction Editor of The Washington Post and author of the book, "Kennedy And King, The President, The Pastor and the Battle Over Civil Rights" The actual interview was conducted shortly after the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, and that event, along with it's aftermath, is discussed in conjunction with topics covered in Mr. Levingston's book.

Author Sara Zaske talks about her book, "Achtung Baby" along with some differences in how children are directed and taught in Germany vs the USA. Sara is very entertaining, and can be found at https://sarazaske.com/

Dr. Cathy Grace and Dr. Melody Musgrove introduce you to their podcast, EdsUp! Hear some of their struggles, their successes, their experiences with the Education System and more.