The DEY Podcast with Kisha Reid

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A discussion-styled podcast led by Kisha Reid and featuring educators, advocates and other changemakers about their grassroots projects, innovations in education and reimagining early childhood environments. Our goal is to amplify these voices so we can

Kisha Reid


    • Apr 16, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 32m AVG DURATION
    • 27 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from The DEY Podcast with Kisha Reid

    EP 27: Educated by Play

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2025 29:31


    In this episode Carly Bedard shares her work as a play facilitator for adult early educators and how self-active play can transform your practice.

    Ep 26: Starting with Yourself First

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2025 18:13


    In this episode, Denisha Jones talks about the new DEY framework, Fostering Healthy Identity in Young Children. Supporting positive identity development in the early years begins with important self-work and unpacking your fears. 

    EP025: Slowing Down with Kisha Reid

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2024 30:41


    In this episode, Kisha Reid talks with Denisha Jones about her new nature-based discovery child care program, her visions for inspiring more teachers to choose the power of play, and her plans to slow down.

    EP 024: The Children Will Always Show Us What to Do

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2023 53:57


    In this episode, Jesse Coffino and Krystina Tapia shed light on the evolution of true play in Anji County. True play is not just about providing children with open-ended materials but also about creating a culture of love, risk, joy, engagement, and reflection.

    EP023: Learning from Children and the Natural World

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2023 26:56


    In this episode, Rukia shares her evolution to a nature-centered early childhood program that fosters young children's kinship with the earth and harmony with the land. 

    EP22: Community of Care

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2023 36:49


    In this episode, Alya Stoffer Koloszyc shares how she builds community through her farm school program in New York. 

    EP21: Melinda Marshall - Growing Kids, not Grass

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 14, 2023 27:34


    Melinda Marshall shares the wonders of her unique family program. 

    EP020: Growing Up Co-op

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2023 31:21


    Kisha Reid Talks with Jocelyn Robertson about her journey from Co-op kid to Co-op Director. Her Journey shines a light on the unique style of family engaged early childhood education. 

    EP018: The Wonderful Journey to Play

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2023 25:16


    In this episode, Kisha and Kisa talk about the wonderful journey to play. Through her story, Kisa shares how she has shifted her mindset and program as well as the minds and hearts of her parents and her community about what young children need to be doing with their time. 

    E017: Sylvan Taylor- BIG KIDS NEED PLAY TOO!

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 24, 2023 34:20


    In this episode, Kisha talks with Sylvan Taylor about her unique role as the Enrichment Teacher in a public school. Sylvan shares her unique perspective on how to leave space, time, permission, and materials for true play in public school with school-age children.

    Spark a Revolution

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2022 27:37


    In this episode Kisha speaks with Rae Pica, asking WHAT IF?  "What if Everybody Understood Child Development" and "What if We Taught The Way Children Learn."  Rae Introduces her new book "Spark A Revolution In Early Childhood Education: Speaking up for Ourselves and the Children"

    EP015: Jacky Howell- Rituals and Traditions

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2022 29:11


    In this episode, Kisha and Jacky reminisce about how they met many many years ago when Kisha was a young student and Jacky was her teacher.  They go on to discuss Rituals and Traditions in Preschool classrooms and Jacky tells stories of how to create a sense of community within programs and classrooms. 

    Ep014: Denisha Jones and The Future of DEY

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2022 27:29


    DEY's Executive Director, Denisha Jones, joins Kisha Reid to discuss hew new role and plans for the future. 

    EP013: Really Seeing Children- Deb Curtis

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2022 51:12


    This month, Kisha Reid interviews Deb Curtis, the co-author of many resourceful early childhood books, including "The Visionary Director", "Art of Awareness", and "Children's Lively Minds". Her forty years of experience working with young children informs her work with adult early educators and directors. Together we discuss The Art of really seeing children and the practice of helping them see each other. #reallyseeingchildren, #observation, #DebCurtis, #docuementation, #teacherrole #socialsupport #seeingeachother, #intentional, #SEL

    EP012: Jane Elgin- Taking Play Public

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2022 33:28


    Jane Elgin joins Kisha Reid as they discuss play in public schools. Jane tells stories and gives practical advice about infusing play into your practice, even in a public elementary school. 

    EP011: Carol Garboden Murray- Illuminating Care

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 3, 2022 40:01


    In this episode, Kisha is joined by Carol Garboden-Murray, a long-time early educator and the author of Illuminating Care: The Pedagogy and Practice of Care in Early Childhood. They share a lively discussion about the importance of keeping the CARE in child CARE.

    EP010: Nicolette Sowder- Wilder Child

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2022 37:31


    Kisha Reid is in conversation with Nicolette Sowder about the wonderful story behind her journey to creating "Wilder Child" and "Wild Schooling". They discuss how her observations of her child's needs for movement and connection along with her need to reconnect with the land inspired her to create these nature-based communities she so passionately calls Village-led. 

    child village nicolette sowder
    EP009: Alissa Mwenelupembwe- Advocating from Within Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2022 24:05


    Alissa Mwenelupembe has worked in early childhood education for the past twenty years. She began her career as a classroom educator working with toddlers and over time transitioned into center leadership roles. Alissa holds a master's degree in Early Childhood Education and is currently working on her doctorate.  Her dissertation focuses on the experiences of Black women navigating the career ladder in the early childhood profession.

    EP008: Alissa Mwenelupembwe- Advocating from Within Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2022 24:19


    Alissa Mwenelupembe has worked in early childhood education for the past twenty years. She began her career as a classroom educator working with toddlers and over time transitioned into center leadership roles. Alissa holds a master's degree in Early Childhood Education and is currently working on her doctorate.  Her dissertation focuses on the experiences of Black women navigating the career ladder in the early childhood profession.

    EP007: Leigh Ann Yuen: Creating Community With and For Children

    Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2022 34:53


    Leigh Ann Yuen is the Co-founder, director, and lead teacher at Garden Gate Child Development Center on Martha's Vineyard, providing children with opportunities to be seen and heard through creative exploration and expression for more than 25 years. She has been teaching and advocating for children during this time.  She and Kisha are going talk about her experiences in workshops and retreats for educators wishing to deepen their practice.

    EP006: Becky Gamache- Equitable Access to Play and Nature

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2022 25:18


    Kisha Reid is joined by Becky Gamache, an education coordinator for Duluth Public Schools. Becky has been an early childhood educator for the past 25-years and is a fierce advocate for play-based learning and play equity. She and her team have recently been focused on implementing play-based practices and increased outdoor experiences for Head Start and the universal preschool programs in her school district. She is an advocate for developmentally appropriate experiences for young children and believes that children learn best through hands on experiences and are motivated through their own interests and ideas. She and Kisha are going to discuss Becky's participation in an initiative to make natural playscapes accessible to economically disadvantaged children.

    EP005: Renee Dinnerstein- Investigating Choice Time

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2022 25:08


     Renee is known for her work as an early childhood educator. She has over 50 years of experience, having taught both in Italy and the United States.  She and Kisha talk about her work around "Choice Time" and supporting  NYC public school teachers as they design play conducive classrooms for school-aged children. 

    EP004: Mr. Chazz - Healing Generational Trauma

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 16, 2022 50:10


    His mission is to help adults truly See, Guide and Trust children. He is pushing the needle a little closer toward world peace. He goes by, “Mr.Chazz” and he even has a song to prove it.  He has been a teacher of teachers and parents for a decade. He has worked with many schools, thousands of teachers and thousands of children as an Educational Specialist.  He earned his Master's in Executive Leadership at American University. His specialty is self-regulation, and he has found inspiring ways to teach his techniques to teachers and parents. Join us to learn more.

    EP003: Peter Gray- Defining Play

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2022 47:51


    In this episode Kisha Reid is in conversation with Dr. Peter Gray as he breaks down the definition of the word Play. Through  the  five characteristics Peter Gray clarifies the meaning and scope of true play and it's importance for young children's healthy development.

    EP002: Atiya Wells- Backyard Basecamp/BLISS Meadows

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2022 24:11


    Kisha is in conversation with Atiya Wells, a nurse and a mother of two, who developed a community resource with the mission of reconnecting Black, Indigenous, and People of color to land and nature.  Atiya shares her story and offers concrete tips and advice for others who are interested in creating a sense of community around nature. 

    EP001: Suzanne Axelsson- Interaction Imagination. Original Learning Approach

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 27, 2021 30:18


    Defending the Early Years' first podcast episode.  Kisha Reid, our host, chats with Suzanne Axelsson.  Suzanne is a pedagogical consultant working on the EY Program at the Department of Child and Youth Studies, Stockholm University. She and Kisha will discuss the ways she uses listening and philosophy with children as tools to improve democratic learning and play spaces in early childhood education.

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