Every Child's Champion
34 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 2 years ago - ★★★★★ - 3 ratingsFor Early Childhood Teachers and the Instructional Leaders who support them. This podcast gives you a thoughtful, informative look at the most important issues and topics in the ECE field. Hosted by a 30+ year veteran with wide ranging experience in Head Start, Child Care, and public schools, Every Child's Champion brings teachers and those who care about them needed supports, encouragement, inspiration, and FUN. Each week you will be challenged to take something specific back into your workplace and put it into practice. A great place to boost your reflective practice and absorb some new info and ENERGY for the most difficult work on the planet!
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Episodes
Preventing and Responding to Challenging Behaviors: The Pyramid Model, with Deidre Harris
June 10, 2022 22:00 - 48 minutes - 33 MBTeachers at all levels are seeing unprecedented levels of challenging behavior in the classroom due to the pandemic and societal changes. Fortunately, researchers have identified exactly which teacher practices will work best to prevent most negative behaviors, and which practices are most effective when teachers do need to intervene. The Pyramid Model was born from research and is continually adapting, as our knowledge of things like trauma, adverse childhood experiences (ACES), and effecti...
Keys to Building Strong Relationships with Parents of the Most At-Risk Children
May 27, 2022 21:00 - 42 minutes - 29.1 MBEngaging parents of our most "at-risk" children can be super hard. Grant-funded programs serving poor and disadvantaged, or otherwise at-risk families utilize a weighted eligibility scale for making enrollment decisions, to ensure that the neediest children are served. But what if the neediest families don't know your program exists? One program in Mattoon, IL has created the solution to this issue, by establishing a presence within the community and making strong connections with teens a...
These kids are STILL driving me crazy!
April 22, 2022 23:00 - 42 minutes - 29 MBThis episode is a replay of my all-time highest listened to podcast ever and here we will be talking about classroom management. While you're listening, you might think about next year and plan ahead. Try to ask these questions: - What routines do you need to put in place? - What are your classroom rules going to be? - What things do you have to really work on explicitly teaching the children during the early weeks of school? These questions would greatly help dur...
Parent Engagement through the Power of Touch: The Beauty and Benefits of Infant Massage
April 07, 2022 23:00 - 54 minutes - 37.5 MBAs we've shared in other podcasts, the prenatal to 3 period of development is all about incredible amounts of brain development that is occurring at this time, with billions of new connections forming the very architecture of the brain not only during the prenatal period but for the entire span of these early years. The sensory inputs (not the least of which is touch) a child is receiving throughout this period is what makes this development happen. In this Sensori-motor period, the ability ...
Mindfulness for Champions: Take Care of You!
March 18, 2022 14:00 - 17 minutes - 7.19 MBToday’s podcast message goes to all children’s champions out there. Sara is sharing ideas and resources for our own emotional and mental health. Difficult times will always be ahead of us even post pandemic and still, teachers are really hit the hardest. So, how are you all holding up emotionally and physically? When our minds are under stress, it is really difficult to focus. So in this episode, Sara will take you to a place of mindfulness, of simply paying attention to the experiences of...
Mindfulness for Champions: Take Care of You!
March 18, 2022 14:00 - 17 minutes - 7.19 MBToday’s podcast message goes to all children’s champions out there. Sara is sharing ideas and resources for our own emotional and mental health. Difficult times will always be ahead of us even post pandemic and still, teachers are really hit the hardest. So, how are you all holding up emotionally and physically? When our minds are under stress, it is really difficult to focus. So in this episode, Sara will take you to a place of mindfulness, of simply paying attention to the experiences of...
Anxiety, Depression, and the Polyvagal Theory: My Story
March 04, 2022 11:00 - 48 minutes - 19.6 MBIn this podcast, Sara shares her own personal history with trauma, depression, and anxiety, and introduces what she has learned about the different ways children cope with trauma. Why do some children have hairpin triggers, lashing out at their classmates, teachers, and virtually anyone else who tries to set limits on their behavior? On the other hand, why are some children “walled off,” aloof, or mostly disconnected from others, socially? Humans are social beings, and we all need other peo...
Anxiety, Depression, and the Polyvagal Theory: My Story
March 04, 2022 11:00 - 48 minutes - 19.6 MBIn this podcast, Sara shares her own personal history with trauma, depression, and anxiety, and introduces what she has learned about the different ways children cope with trauma. Why do some children have hairpin triggers, lashing out at their classmates, teachers, and virtually anyone else who tries to set limits on their behavior? On the other hand, why are some children “walled off,” aloof, or mostly disconnected from others, socially? Humans are social beings, and we all need other peo...
A Play Therapist’s Perspective on the Impacts of Trauma on Children’s Behavior
February 25, 2022 23:00 - 50 minutes - 20.2 MB“You need to work on building your relationship with that child.” How many times have you heard this from a supervisor or coach, when trying to get support for dealing with extremely challenging behavior? What more do we have to DO, beyond what we do with all students? Our guest today will answer this question, as we explore the reasons why the RELATIONSHIP you build with a challenging child is the KEY to healing their heart and changing their behavior. In today’s podcast, play therapist Me...
Children and Trauma: A Look at Resilience in Early Childhood Development, with Allen Rosales
February 18, 2022 22:00 - 47 minutes - 19.1 MBThe incidence of childhood trauma is higher than most people think: many, many of our children have experienced what experts refer to as “developmental trauma,” meaning the cumulative effects of chronically dangerous and stressful environments and daily life circumstances. Often, we teachers are unaware of the fact that challenging behaviors in the classroom are actually symptoms of this early trauma. There are strategies available to help teachers and children alike in developing resilience...
Children and Trauma: A Look at Resilience in Early Childhood Development, with Allen Rosales
February 18, 2022 22:00 - 47 minutes - 19.1 MBThe incidence of childhood trauma is higher than most people think: many, many of our children have experienced what experts refer to as “developmental trauma,” meaning the cumulative effects of chronically dangerous and stressful environments and daily life circumstances. Often, we teachers are unaware of the fact that challenging behaviors in the classroom are actually symptoms of this early trauma. There are strategies available to help teachers and children alike in developing resilience...
Push Past It! An interview with Dr. Angela Searcy
February 11, 2022 22:00 - 50 minutes - 20.3 MBResearch has shown that teachers who provide high levels of emotional support for their students (create a positive climate, are highly sensitive, and support children’s autonomy and individuality) AND who provide high levels of classroom organization interactions (supporting behavior management, productivity, and engagement levels), these classrooms have lower levels of aggressive behaviors! Dr. Angela Searcy, the researcher, professor, speaker, and author of the book “Push Past It: A Pos...
Equity and Implicit Bias, Part 1
February 12, 2021 23:00 - 28 minutes - 19.5 MBEverywhere we look, on every news channel, all our social media feeds, all around us, we see race-related actions and expressions, both hate-charged and promoting of unity and healing. Racial attitudes have become blatant and polarized, more so than many of us can ever remember. And now we even have an extensive research base supporting the notion that many of our policies in education and child care have been influenced by racial bias. In this the first part of a multi-episode podcast, we l...
018_Returning to School During Covid19: Getting off to a Great Start!
October 08, 2020 20:00 - 31 minutes - 21.4 MBSo your program is re-opening after a long period of quarantine. So much to do to get ready- so much stress! In this episode of the Every Child's Champion podcast, Sara gives you several key areas of focus and stresses the most important things you can do to ensure a smooth and healthy return for everyone. She shares a plethora of great resources for helping kids understand new routines, systems, and protocols; providing clear rules and routines; and building positive relationships right fro...
017_Helping Children Learn to Self Regulate
September 17, 2020 21:00 - 44 minutes - 30.4 MBIn this episode, Sara will explain the executive function skills of self regulation. Self Regulation capacities involve calming the physical body, understanding and expressing emotions, and having some problem-solving skills. Although developing self regulation depends on brain development, we know that brain development itself is highly dependent upon the relationships and interactions children experience with parents and teachers. In addition to providing a safe, nurturing place to grow, t...
016_Helping Children Learn to Self Regulate
September 17, 2020 21:00 - 44 minutes - 30.4 MBIn this episode, Sara will explain the executive function skills of self regulation. Self Regulation capacities involve calming the physical body, understanding and expressing emotions, and having some problem-solving skills. Although developing self regulation depends on brain development, we know that brain development itself is highly dependent upon the relationships and interactions children experience with parents and teachers. In addition to providing a safe, nurturing place to grow, t...
How to Actually Enjoy Your Job During Stressful Times
September 09, 2020 17:00 - 52 minutes - 35.7 MBThis week we are reviving part of our first broadcast on "How to enjoy your job". A year ago, we would have thought things couldn't get any more stressful when it came to the work we do and juggling it all with families, education, etc.....None of us was prepared for a pandemic! Our world has really changed, and so has teaching! So it is a great time to revisit the topic of stress reduction, and getting our mindsets in a positive place about the work we're doing. Never was creating a safe, c...
Think Up! Becoming a More Intentional Teacher
August 07, 2020 20:00 - 59 minutes - 40.9 MBDrawn from the e-book “Think UP! Developing High Level Instructional Supports – A Guidebook for Coaches and Instructional Leaders,” (which is currently in development!) this episode looks at teacher intentionality. The ultimate goal is for all teachers to become conscious and competent practitioners. In this podcast, Sara discusses the benefits of pushing oneself, as a teacher, to become more intentional, and what this means. Using some real classroom examples, we promote taking the initiat...
Create the Wonder! Science in the Early Childhood Classroom
July 27, 2020 22:00 - 57 minutes - 39.4 MBLions, and tigers, and bears – Oh My! Water, and sand, and air – what flies!? Flowers, and weather, and bugs – these too! Planets, and textures, and weights – computers, machines, and tunnels and ramps! Hot and cold, smooth or sticky. Skin, fur, feathers, and scales! Experimenting, mixing, and cooking! All of these things fit in the category of science teaching and learning. It’s about things that that live, things that grow, things that move, things that happen, causes and effects, tools a...
How to Slay the ECERS-3 Math Items! Part 2
June 20, 2020 21:00 - 36 minutes - 24.9 MBMath is a subject alot of teachers either shy away from or don't really know how or what to teach. Yet, research has shown that early Math skills are predictive of later math AND reading achievement; there is a strong tie between children's expressive vocabulary and their math learning in Pre-K. In this two-part podcast (episodes 012 and 013), Sara looks at the number and math items from the ECERS-3, and goes into depth on teaching math in meaningful ways. She reviews the many math concepts ...
How to SLAY the ECERS-3 Math Items! Part 1
June 12, 2020 23:00 - 1 hour - 43.6 MBMath is a subject alot of teachers either shy away from or don't really know how or what to teach. Yet, research has shown that early Math skills are predictive of later math AND reading achievement; there is a strong tie between children's expressive vocabulary and their math learning in Pre-K. In this two-part podcast (episodes 012 and 013), Sara looks at the number and math items from the ECERS-3, and goes into depth on teaching math in meaningful ways. She reviews the many math concepts ...
"I don't want to get sick!" What New Procedures Will We Need To Adopt?
May 15, 2020 14:00 - 1 hour - 42.2 MBThis podcast episode reviews the many health, safety, and sanitation recommendations recently issued by the Centers for Disease Control. These are the current recommendations; ultimately it will be the job of child care centers, Early Head Start and Head Start centers, and public and private preschool programs to meet the guidelines that are adopted by each state. The question is, how will these new practices, material goods, and capacity reductions be funded? This remains to be seen.Operati...
Not Feeling Appreciated?? We Need to Change That!!
May 04, 2020 23:00 - 46 minutes - 32.1 MBIt’s Teacher Appreciation Week - and never before have parents had such a window in to their children’s teachers nor have they been so tied in to the actual learning process. Suddenly, parents have to manage their children’s days, make sure they get online at the right times, and then figure out how to keep their kids occupied for large stretches of time each day. After Covid19 will our society be more appreciative of teachers? What can you do to make yourself even more important and win the...
How Trauma and Toxic Stress Impact Preschoolers and What You Can Do To Help Them Heal
April 27, 2020 01:00 - 52 minutes - 35.9 MBThe COVID19 Pandemic is wreaking havoc on our individual and collective mental health in this country and around the world. As scary, stressful and anxiety producing as the quarantine has been on all of us, we can anticipate that there are some real consequences for young children and their development. Preschoolers' brains are still in a rapid period of development, and that is directly dependent upon children's experiences and relationships. We know that "serve and return" interactions wit...
Prevent 90% or More Challenging Behaviors with These KEY Strategies!!
March 10, 2020 19:00 - 46 minutes - 32.1 MBLots of teachers these days are asking "What the heck is going on with all of these insane behaviors kids are bringing in? Teachers are dealing with high levels of aggression, fighting, arguing, swearing and name calling -- on a DAILY BASIS! Whether it is because of trauma, electronic babysitters and parenting in the electronic age, lack of limits at home, or something we haven't identified yet--we are seeing a huge upswing in children who simply cannot handle the rules and interactions of t...
How to Make Teaching a Ton More Fun! Engaging with Kids in Concept Development
February 12, 2020 00:00 - 52 minutes - 36 MBAre you looking for a way to enjoy teaching more? Do you find kids disengaging from group time, acting bored, messing around when they should be listening? This podcast will challenge you to engage kids in "higher-order-thinking processes" as a way to get them more engaged, and deepening everyone's understandings much, much more! Asking "how" and "why" questions, comparing and classifying are a few of the "analysis and reasoning" practices we talk about in this podcast. When you challenge ch...
Why The Best Teachers Talk To Themselves All Day Long: Supporting Language Development
January 24, 2020 21:00 - 57 minutes - 39.6 MBThis episode looks at how to support language development in preschoolers, by intentionally modeling language, specifically through the use of Self and Parallel Talk. Language is how people communicate. Without a way to communicate, children have to 100% rely on behaviors to communicate their needs, wants, emotions, and everything else. In the hearing world, we use speech, or verbal language, to communicate. Researchers estimate that children learn between 2,000 and 3,600 words per year (and...
Creating a Classroom Community
December 13, 2019 18:00 - 53 minutes - 36.9 MBThe emotional climate of the classroom is established by the teachers, and not the students! YOU get to decide what values are most important in your classroom. Things like kindness, patience, helpfulness, acceptance, and friendship are values you have to intentionally teach, promote, and reinforce on a daily basis, if you want them to be exemplified in your classroom. Establishing a positive climate begins with your Relationships with the children - which have to be thoughtfully cultivated!...
Creating a Classroom Community
December 13, 2019 18:00 - 53 minutes - 36.9 MBThe emotional climate of the classroom is established by the teachers, and not the students! YOU get to decide what values are most important in your classroom. Things like kindness, patience, helpfulness, acceptance, and friendship are values you have to intentionally teach, promote, and reinforce on a daily basis, if you want them to be exemplified in your classroom. Establishing a positive climate begins with your Relationships with the children - which have to be thoughtfully cultivated!...
Routines, Routines, Routines!!
December 05, 2019 00:00 - 44 minutes - 30.4 MBResearch studies have shown that schedules and routines definitely impact children’s social, emotional, and intellectual development. For example, predictable and consistent schedules in preschool classrooms help children feel secure and comfortable. Also, we know that when you explicitly teach children about the daily schedule and the steps to the everyday routines, this reduces the frequency of behavior problems, such as tantrums and acts of aggression. In this episode, Sara will give you...
"These Kids Are Driving Me Crazy! Getting a Grip on Classroom Management"
November 25, 2019 02:00 - 46 minutes - 32.2 MBOne of the most common issues for PreK teachers is figuring out Classroom Management. Classroom Management encompasses a wide array of practices, from managing the daily schedule, to routines, rules, and behavior. Such a huge topic that we are taking more than week to discuss it all! Children adjust to PreK and go along with our routines when they are clearly spelled out, explicitly taught, and consistently followed. Lots of visuals helps children to know what's coming next. Remembering that...
"These Kids Are Driving Me Crazy! Getting a Grip on Classroom Management
November 25, 2019 02:00 - 46 minutes - 32.2 MBOne of the most common issues for PreK teachers is figuring out Classroom Management. Classroom Management encompasses a wide array of practices, from managing the daily schedule, to routines, rules, and behavior. Such a huge topic that we are taking more than week to discuss it all! Children adjust to PreK and go along with our routines when they are clearly spelled out, explicitly taught, and consistently followed. Lots of visuals helps children to know what's coming next. Remembering that...
How to Actually Enjoy Your Job -- It's Your Choice!
November 13, 2019 00:00 - 50 minutes - 34.9 MBWe all know that teachers these days are super stressed. Every day in classrooms, teachers are dealing with thousands of needs, challenging behaviors like never before, inadequate staffing levels, high demands for keeping up with quality measures, paperwork and the latest initiatives, and not to mention inequitable salaries. So in the face of all of that stress, how is it possible that some early childhood teachers still actually enjoy their jobs? This podcast looks into that question and p...
Best Early Childhood Teacher Podcast on the Planet
November 01, 2019 06:00 - 14 minutes - 9.67 MBIntroductory episode tells us what the Every Child's Champion Podcast is all about: who it's for, and what we'll be doing here each week. We'll tell you about the first 10 episodes and giving you a preview of our guests and topics. Start here!