Blooming Curious

Not all questions are created equal. In this episode we discuss how open-ended questions stimulate critical thinking and curiosity. We explore strategies to move away from giving direct answers and instead, encourage exploration and inquiry. The episode emphasises the significance of waiting for children to formulate their responses and using concrete materials to help them understand concepts. Ad...

This is a replay of episode 40 - Should educators be decorating their classrooms or learning spaces? Before you start stressing over classroom decor and spending your own hard earned cash, or worrying about what to do to start off your homeschooling journey, have a listen to top tips that will help you kick off the new year with confidence. You don't need more resources or more stuff, you need som...

We welcome back Jessica Vance, passionate inquiry educator and author, to discuss her latest book, 'Evidence of Inquiry.' The book offers a hands-on guide to making learning visible and building a culture of inquiry through learning walls. Jessica shares her journey and thought process behind writing the book, offers practical advice on creating and using learning walls, and highlights the benefit...

In this episode, discover how to seamlessly weave literacy into every subject without adding more prep time. Learn three practical strategies: using picture books to create cross-curricular connections, implementing a vocabulary spiral to reinforce key terms, and leveraging the reading-writing connection in subjects like math, science, and social studies. Get actionable tips for starting small and...

Ignite your classroom with 5 Simple Inquiry Strategies to Spark Classroom Curiosity and Engagement! In this episode, Edwina provides practical, down-to-earth ways to bring inquiry-based learning to life. Discover how to replace textbook questions with real-world problems, embrace the messy middle of student exploration, and use simple tools like “Notice, Wonder, Next” to make thinking visible. Lea...

In this episode, Edwina explores the importance of harnessing children's natural curiosity through everyday moments. She offers practical advice for homeschooling parents and anyone wanting to create a curiosity-rich learning environment at home. Key strategies include becoming a professional question-asker, modelling curiosity by wondering out loud, and following children's natural fascinations i...

In this episode of Blooming Curious, Edwina discusses how adults can model curiosity to help children become curious learners. She highlights that children's curiosity mirrors that of the adults around them and provides five practical strategies to foster a curious mindset. 🔗 For links mentioned: Get the Curiosity Toolkit 🆓 Download the FREE e-guide How to Nurture Natural Curiosity HERE ✍️ To si...

Discover the missing ingredient in early learning environments that can transform how children learn. Edwina reveals a teaching experience that changed everything, and how this experience ignited a passion for learning in her students. Learn how to integrate curiosity into teaching with a downloadable toolkit designed to shift from compliance-based teaching to connection-based learning. Tune in to...

Summer break, is not just as a time for recovery, but also an opportunity for a mindset reset towards intentional growth. The episode offers practical tips for true rest, reflective journaling prompts, and book recommendations to reignite and recharge for a human-centred return to teaching. Tune in to learn how to embrace rest, reflection, and inspiration this summer. 🔗 Links mentioned: Get the C...

Introducing the ultimate engagement strategy... The Curiosity Toolkit: A simple way to engage children and foster curiosity. In this episode, Edwina shares the experience that changed everything for her. She introduces the Curiosity Toolkit, a resource designed for home and classroom educators to easily incorporate curiosity into their teaching practice. This toolkit doesn't require a complete ove...

In this episode, we look at the challenges faced by educators today, from disengaged students to a stifling curriculum. We discuss the results of a recent survey highlighting these issues and propose a pivotal change: focusing on curiosity, creativity, and adaptability to prepare students for a future integrated with AI. If we are to prepare students for a unknown future, then we must face the rea...

In this episode, Edwina looks at how to turn a 'Wonder Wall' from a static classroom decoration into a dynamic part of the learning process. By using students' questions for guided inquiry, educators can make Wonder Walls meaningful and interactive. This episode provides practical steps for incorporating inquiry-based learning into the curriculum through Wonder Walls. 🔗 Links: Listen to this inte...

Transform Your Teaching: Integrated Learning with The Tiger Who Came to Tea. This episode addresses the common frustrations that educators face with lesson planning, and offers a solution through integrated learning using picture books. I share my personal experiences and insights from my teaching career, highlighting the effectiveness of using picture books to create comprehensive, hands-on lesso...

Curiosity as the foundation of learning. Edwina reflects on the insights shared by various experienced educators like Sally Haughey, Claire Warden, Jessica Vance, Tonya Gilchrist, and April Zajko, about the decline of curiosity in children. Edwina critiques the prevalent easy-route teaching methods such as scripted lessons and reliance on worksheets and urge educators to deeply reflect on their te...

In this episode of Blooming Curious, I welcome Sally Haughey, (pronounced Hoy) the founder and CEO of Wunderled, formerly known as Fairy Dust Teaching. Sally shares her journey from beginning her teaching career in 1996 to building a global community of over 240,000 educators across 120 countries. Sally Emphasises a play-based philosophy inspired by Waldorf and Reggio Emilia approaches, she discus...

Ben Scholl and David Berlinski, founders of Toolbox Education, discuss their initiative to equip children with evidence-based tools for improving children's mental health. The conversation covers the importance of social-emotional learning, strategies to help kids manage anxiety, regulate emotions, and resolve conflicts. The duo also emphasizes the evolving role of teachers in fostering students’...

How do we build children's confidence in mathematics to combat math anxiety? Following up on last week's discussion with Dr. Aditya Nagrath, who highlighted that many children entering kindergarten are already behind in math skills, we explore practical strategies that parents and educators can use to establish a solid mathematical foundation in young children. From incorporating positional langua...

Dr. Aditya Nagrath, author of 'Treating Mathematics Anxiety' and founder of the Elephant Learning Mathematics Academy, joins the podcast to discuss his mission to remove mathematics anxiety and empower children in their learning. Dr. Nagrath explains how deficits in early childhood mathematics lead to future difficulties, the importance of understanding mathematical language, and provides insights...

Shana Roberts, a multi-talented educator, author, and podcast host of 'Talk and Coffee.' Shana shares her 20-year journey in education, emphasising the importance of building strong connections with children to help navigate through difficult situations and emotions. She discusses her work as a trauma-informed educator using the Berry Street education model and offers practical strategies for teac...

Using loose parts as a key educational strategy to spark children's curiosity. Loose parts is a favourite approach among numerous educators, including Janelle McArdle from My Teaching Cupboard who makes a guest appearance on the show. We explore how these open-ended materials benefit child development across creativity, motor skills, problem-solving, collaboration, and more. With insights from Jan...

Welcome to Alex Peterson, a dedicated Montessori teacher who shares her insights and experience in a Montessori classroom online as @missnearingsmontessori. Alex reveals the creative teaching strategies, hands-on activities, and key differences between Montessori and traditional education methods. She discusses the unique structure of Montessori classrooms, the importance of preparing the environm...

How can Maslow's hierarchy of needs be harnessed to motivate children to love learning? This discussion stems from a popular blog post on the same topic. We explore the hierarchy from the foundational requirements such as physiological needs and safety, to how love, belonging, and self-esteem play pivotal roles in setting kids up for success, ultimately leading to self-actualization and a genuine...

Understanding Sensory Processing: Insights from Early Childhood Consultant Veronica Green In this episode Veronica Green, an early childhood consultant and mother to a neurodivergent child, shares her journey from becoming an ECE in 2012 to founding Cultivating Confidence, an early years consultancy focused on creating inclusive environments where children and educators thrive. Through her persona...

Reasons and benefits of inquiry-based learning (IBL) as a teaching strategy. Inquiry-Based Learning enhances student motivation, critical thinking, and creativity, and links learning to real-world contexts. IBL can furthermore foster a lifelong love for learning, and is the prefect strategy to help students connect knowledge to other subject areas and their own life experiences. Additionally, I ad...

Tonya Gilchrist, an International Education Consultant and Learning Strategist shares her journey towards advocating inquiry-based learning, discusses how to effectively implement inquiry practices within classrooms, and addresses misconceptions around inquiry and agency. She dives into the challenges of standardised testing and talks about her work in transforming educational approaches in school...