That Early Childhood Nerd

Have you ever noticed that most of the theorists and philosophies in our early childhood textbooks are the same handful of men-plus-Montessori? Heather got curious....who are the women (past and present) who are influencing and informing the work we're doing with young children. So, here's the first installment of a new tradition--episodes in May that invite some of my favorite women in early childhood to talk about the women who guide our work. In this episode, Heather is joined by Rixa Evershed, Carol Garboden Murray and Lizz Nolasco to discuss how Robin Wall Kimmerer, Carol Gilligan, Janet Gonzalez Mena and Rhoda Kellogg inspire them.

Heather is TIRED of non-expert stakeholders trying to tell her what is and isn't "quality" for young children's spaces and experiences. In this episode, she invites Carol Garboden Murray and Richard Cohen to help her process how problematic it is when we lose sight of children's current, lived experiences in favor of placing the weight of solving adult problems on those children's shoulders.

If there's one thing host Heather Bernt-Santy loves, it's a nerdy panel discussion! And this one is a good one...including Heather, Richard Cohen (Zen and the Art of Early Childhood), Nancy Rosenow (author of Encouragement Every Day), Carol Garboden Murray (author of Illuminating Care: The Practice and Pedagogy of Care) and Stacy Benge (author of The Whole Child Alphabet: How Young Children Actually Develop Literacy). Listen in as we talk about what we think we should call ourselves as we work with young children--teacher? Developmentalist? Caregiver?

This week host Heather Bernt-Santy welcomes Dartmouth sociologist Dr Casey Stockstill, author of the book False Starts: The Segregated Lives of Preschoolers. In her book, she describes and discusses what she learned while conducting research in two different early childhood programs: a Head Start program and an affluent private preschool. "False Starts suggests that as we continue to invest in preschool as an anti-poverty policy, we need a fuller understanding of how segregated classroom environments impact children's educational outcomes and their ability to thrive."

Join host Heather Bernt-Santy and fellow nerd Lizz Nolasco as they explore this quote from an article by Beth Blue Swadener and Shirley Kessler: "Of significance among reconceptualist perspectives is the social, historical and political context of the early childhood curriculum. Underlying this rethinking of curriculum planning is the study of the relationship between what we teach in school and the unequal outcomes of schooling based on social class, race, language or dialect, and gender. According to this perspective, schools are seen not as the equalizer in society, as Horace Mann envisioned, but as a means of reproducing the race, class, and gender inequities which persist in society today."

The idea of loose parts is often misunderstood and misrepresented in early childhood spaces and conversations. In this conversation, Heather talks to authors Suzanne Axelsson and Miriam Beloglovsky to explore the origin of the idea, the reasons and ways it gets mixed up, and how to get back to the beauty and possibility of filling our spaces with the "stuff" of child exploration and creativity.

Join host Heather Bernt-Santy as she talks to Stephanie Goloway, author of the Redleaf Press book Happily Ever Resilient: Using Fairy Tales to Nurture Children Through Adversity. Discover how "we can transform our best practices surrounding play, stories, and nurturing relationships into the protective factors for resilience: attachment, initiative, self-regulation, and cultural affirmation." Order the book here: https://www.redleafpress.org/Happily-Ever-Resilient-Using-Fairy-Tales-to-Nurture-Children-through-Adversity-P2648.aspxFind Stephanie here: www.imaginationonthemove.com

In a post on his Substack, Peter Gray wrote, "the rules of play provide boundaries within which the actions must occur, but they do not precisely dictate the actions. The rules always leave plenty of room for creativity." In this episode, Mike Huber joins Heather to discuss rules in children's power play.

We've heard and read over and over again that children need "structure," but too often what that translates into in practice with young children is attempts to "control." Host Heather Bernt-Santy and Nerd Favorite Lisa Murphy are here to unpack the difference.

In play, children stay connected to their childhood capacities that support creativity and innovation. Just like children, when adults engage in play and creative endeavors, they can find that childlike center that cultivates happiness and joy. Play is affirming because it allows us to enter a natural, safe, and caring environment in which we freely explore our inner thinking and desires. Join host Heather Bernt-Santy and author Miriam Beloglovsky for more!

Author Nancy Rosenow, advisor at Dimensions Educational Research Foundation, joins host Heather Bernt-Santy to discuss her new book, Encouragement Every Day, "a collection of 366 quotes and daily nuggets thoughtfully curated by Nancy...as she journeys along with you. A little something for everyone -- offering support, joy and high fives as you embrace your year.Order the book from Exchange Press, and get 15% off when you use the code ECENERD: https://www.exchangepress.com/catalog/product/encouragement-every-day/3600590/

Heather Bernt-Santy talks with Carol Garboden Murray about the ways that idealizing or romanticizing children or childhood can prevent us from seeing them as fully human.

In this episode, Heather is joined by Mike Huber, who has some thoughts about young children, power, and play.Thanks for listening! If you'd like to help support the show, you can do that here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/heatherf

"Human rights belong to everyone from cradle to grave and everywhere in between, irrespective of who we are or where we come from." (Alison Tonkin)Join host Heather Bernt-Santy and Guest Nerd Lisa Murphy for a conversation of play as a child's human right, and what that means for us in the big picture as well as in our daily work. Find more on Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child here: https://ipaworld.org/childs-right-to-play/article-31/

FINALLY! It's been so long since Lisa Murphy was on the show! After hanging out at the NAEYC conference Expo/Vendor Hall, Lisa and host Heather Bernt-Santy have some thoughts about the priorities and messages of the Vendor Hall, teacher developmental stages (sort of) and what we WISH had been there.Want more Lisa? (Of course you do!): https://www.ooeygooey.com/Want to Buy Me a Coffee to support my work? https://www.buymeacoffee.com/heatherf

You've heard Stacy Benge on a previous episode, but we had to bring her back! This book is SO GOOD, folks. Join host Heather Bernt-Santy, Mike Huber and Stacy for this discussion of visual perception, how it differs from "eyesight," and why it matters for our developmentally informed support of children's literacy.Use code ECENERD for 15% off The Whole Child Alphabet by Stacy Benge here: https://exchangepress.com/Buy Heather a Coffee to support her work here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/heatherf

"Childhood is full of invisible intentions. The ones that, without listening, would bloom and die without our knowledge." -Ron GradyTune in to hear Ron talk more about these intentions, the relational energy of materials in early childhood spaces, and honoring the moment with children to host Heather Bernt-Santy. Find more about Ron's blog and/or buy his books here: https://www.childology.co/Want to support Heather's work? You can "Buy Her a Coffee" here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/heatherf

Did you know that some early childhood folx have strong feelings AGAINST pushing children on swings? What started as text chat between Mike Huber and Carol Garboden Murray (and was then shared with host Heather Bernt-Santy) turned into a really good episode about child development, adult roles and a "serve and return" that is both literal and theoretical. Want to support Heather's work? You can "Buy Her a Coffee" here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/heatherf

Host Heather Bernt-Santy and visiting Nerd Carol Garboden Murray are so excited to present this episode for you! Dr Alison Clark, author of Slow Knowledge and the Unhurried Child: Time for Slow Pedagogies in Early Childhood Education. You can buy the book here: https://shorturl.at/uDFS4Want to support Heather's work? You can "Buy Her a Coffee" here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/heatherf

It's a question that comes up whenever Heather talks about play--what do we do when children don't know how to play? Listen in as she talks through some possibilities with beloved Nerds Richard Cohen, Bethany Corrie, Mike Huber, and special guest-who-didn't-know-she'd-be-a-guest-when-she-logged-in, Annie Friday!