Today I am chatting with Prerna Richards, an early childhood education consultant and keynote speaker with 38 years of experience in ECE. Prerna started her own company called Together We Grow, providing professional development, behavior coaching and NAEYC consulting. She believes in empowering and uplifting educators and does that through training and strength-based behavior coaching. She’s a firm believer that when we know better, we do better. In this episode, we will chat about the connection between brain behaviors and play.    Key Takeaways:  Play as the Cornerstone: Bot ..read more

Today I am chatting with Kayla Souza who opened a small play and nature based preschool that she runs from my home and backyard after working for 20 years in traditional classrooms. In this episode we talk about one of my current favorite things to talk about and that is letting go and freeing the glue!  Key Takeaways:  Getting Creative With Glue: Kristen and Kayla talk about ways to encourage children's creativity by providing a variety of materials for them to explore with glue, such as recycled lids, egg cartons, wooden pieces from games, and puzzle pieces. Exploring Different Ty ..read more

Today I am chatting with Jess Teixeira, a certified speech-language pathologist in Massachusetts who specializes in supporting gestalt language processors and their families through direct services and parent and professional consultations and coaching. Have you ever heard of Gestalt Language Processing? If not, you have to listen in because this information can help us understand children so much more!  Key Takeaways:  What is Gestalt Language Processing: Jess explains Gestalt language processing as a different way children develop language, emphasizing that it's a normal variation ..read more

Today I am chatting with Stacy Benge, an early childhood speaker who approaches learning in the early years with practicality and common sense. Stacy is the author of the new book, The Whole Child Alphabet: How Young Children Actually Develop Literacy, published by Exchange Press. Listen as we talk about how young children actually develop literacy skills.  Key Takeaways:  Understanding the Role of Alphabet in Literacy: Stacy and Kristen emphasize that while the alphabet is important for literacy, it's just one component among many. Shifting Perspective on Alphabet Learning: Stacy s ..read more

Today I am chatting with Megg Thompson, a neuro-affirming behavior consultant that uses LOVE-based strategies to help kids be their absolute best! In this episode we talk about doing away with behavior charts, stickers, rewards, and more. Tune in to find out what we can do differently!  Key Takeaways: Behavior Charts and External Motivation: Megg and Kristen emphasize that behavior charts, stickers, tokens, and other external motivators diminish internal motivation in children. These strategies may seem effective in the short term but can lead to long-term issues and undermine true learn ..read more

Today I am chatting with Em about all things research! Emily Clark, M. Ed is an international early childhood education advocate with teaching certifications from both the US and the UK. She founded EarlyEdEm.com to bring real early childhood research to the real educators who need it most.   Key Takeaways:  Access to Research: Research can feel overwhelming and inaccessible to many educators, and Kristen and Em talk about how having access to research can empower teachers to deepen their understanding of classroom practices and make informed decisions. Empowering Practice: They tal ..read more

Today I am chatting with Ana Valle Rivera, a proud mother of three, a public speaker, a consultant, and the founder of Early Years Thriving. In this episode, we explore the significance of pedagogical documentation in early childhood education, emphasizing its role in understanding and supporting authentic play-based learning experiences while offering insights into fostering effective educator-parent communication. Key Takeaways:  Role in Play-Based Learning Environments: Ana and Kristen talk about what pedagogical documentation is and how it plays a crucial role in understanding the le ..read more

Today I am chatting with Melysa Mei who is a preschool teacher that practices an open-ended child-led philosophy through play and is also the founder and CEO of Pre-K Spot. We discuss how to meet the requirements for using boxed curriculum in a play-based setting.    Key Takeaways:  Flexibility Within Structure: Melysa emphasizes the importance of understanding and leveraging the flexibility within structured curriculums. While there are requirements to meet, finding ways to infuse play and creativity is crucial. Observation and Documentation: Deep diving into documentation, su ..read more

Today I am chatting with Lindsey Nickoles who has been in the Early Childhood Development field for almost a decade and just started a new journey of being a Newborn Care Specialist and Parent Educator! We will be talking about the importance of personalized care, collaboration, and understanding the impact of sleep on a child's well-being and development. Key Takeaways: Individualized Approach: Kristen and Lindsey talk about how to recognize that each child is unique, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution to sleep.  Parent-Provider Collaboration: Kristen and Lindsey talk about how ..read more

Today I’m chatting with Finn Menzies, former early childhood educator turned family coach. We discuss how vital it is to shift from traditional teacher performance to authentic and real connections with caregivers. Discover the pivotal roles that play, trust, and open communication play in creating a more authentic educational experience for children and families.  Key Takeaways: Balancing Playfulness and Boundaries: Kristen and Finn share about the challenge of balancing playfulness and setting boundaries in parenting. Finn shares personal experiences, including playful interactions, wh ..read more