Keeping Current in Early Childhood Education

Send us Fan Mail Ever feel like your office door never gets a moment's peace? You're not alone — and this week, we're tackling it head-on. We sat down with Sue Kurtovich, one of the most trusted voices in early childhood education, to work through the real, sometimes tricky questions leaders ask us about building team capability. Like this one: "My teachers constantly interrupt...

Send us Fan Mail Ever watched a toddler throw something for the tenth time and wondered, “is this just chaos, or is there something more going on?” In this episode, we sit down with early childhood educator and advocate Kimberley Crisp to unpack the powerful urges driving toddler behaviour and what it really means to support them. Kimberley challenges us to move beyond managing behaviour and start...

Send us Fan Mail Sleep. It seems simple, until a parent hands you a sleep plan at drop-off. In this episode, we sit down with Alex Weehuizen, sleep consultant and early childhood teacher, to unpack one of the most common tensions in early childhood education: what happens when home sleep routines meet the realities of care. From settling struggles to the "please wake my child after 20 minutes...

Send us Fan Mail How the way a mentor sees, the lens they bring to a student teacher, and to the learners in their classroom, shapes practice in ways that ripple far beyond a single placement. From supporting teachers new to Aotearoa, to seeing neurodiversity as strength rather than deficit, this episode explores what it really means to look closely and lead with that. Proudly sponsored by NZTC.

Send us Fan Mail What if the moments we rush to fix are actually where the deepest learning happens? In this episode, we explore how educators can step back and support children to navigate conflict on their own. Through practical strategies and grounded in child development theory, you’ll learn how to guide without taking over - helping children build confidence, empathy, and lifelong problem-sol...

Send us Fan Mail This podcast session brought to you by NTZC in partnership with ECE Learning Unlimited, supporting Associate Teachers in your important work with student teachers. Mentorship has the power to shape careers, confidence, and the future of teaching itself. The Art of Inspiring Mentorship explores what meaningful, values-driven mentorship looks like for both associate teachers and stu...

Send us Fan Mail In this easy-listening, laugh-while-you-learn episode, Jess - mum of three young kids (including twins) and long-time ECE teacher and leader - lifts the lid on what leadership really feels like. She explores why some leaders accidentally send staff into fight-or-flight mode, and how emotionally steady, human-centred leadership can completely change the vibe of a centre. With humou...

Send us Fan Mail When the room goes feral and every adult looks like they’re one noise away from crying, it’s time for a reset. In this funny and instantly useful episode, Jess shares how to calm the chaos by resetting the adults first, then the environment, then the children. Real, practical, and totally relatable for anyone who’s ever walked into a room and thought, “Absolutely not.”

Send us Fan Mail This podcast session brought to you by NTZC in partnership with ECE Learning Unlimited, supporting Associate Teachers in your important work with student teachers. In this episode, we sit down with the always-inspiring Kimberley Crisp for a hearty and thought-provoking conversation about one of early childhood education’s most debated practices: mat time . Should we have them, or...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wondered what the world looks like through the eyes of a young child? In this episode, we dive into groundbreaking research with Dr. Chloe Keegan, who handed GoPro cameras to young children in their early childhood centers, capturing their experiences firsthand. What she uncovered about children’s rights to power and participation will challenge everything you thought you kne...

Send us Fan Mail Young children thrive on predictability, and in early childhood education (ECE), routines are the key to creating a secure and supportive environment. In this episode of Creatures of Habit: How Routines Help Children Thrive in ECE, we explore why consistent daily rhythms are essential for emotional well-being, learning, and smooth transitions—especially during the settling-in peri...

Send us Fan Mail Friend, Foe or just another passing fad?

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we dive into the heart of what every child needs most: secure attachment. Alex shares practical insights and strategies to help educators foster these essential bonds in ECE settings, creating environments where children can thrive emotionally, socially, and academically. Whether you're a teacher, caregiver, or parent, this conversation is packed with wisdom...

Send us Fan Mail Join us for an inspiring conversation with Dr. Kath Cooper as we explore the essence of intentional leadership in early childhood education. Dr. Cooper shares her journey as a leader, her passion for supporting Rainbow Families, and her expertise as a Gallup Strengths Coach. This episode dives into the power of understanding individual strengths, fostering inclusive environments,...

Send us Fan Mail The Documentation Dilemma: Are Learning Stories Still Worth It? In this episode, we’re diving headfirst into a topic that might ruffle a few feathers—documentation in early childhood education. Grab a coffee and brace yourself as we unpack the good, the bad, and the downright chaotic world of learning stories, portfolios, and documentation overload. Once the gold standard, learnin...

Send us Fan Mail One of the most common questions we are asked at ECE Learning Unlimited is "How can I engage my team in professional learning to improve practice?" In this short lunch bite episode, we bring you five strategies you can implement to increase the engagement of your educators in professional learning that leads to improved outcomes in teaching and learning. 

Send us Fan Mail Science in the early years curriculum is often underrated and overlooked. We may have a nature area, do volcanoes in the sandpit and do the odd science experiment sometimes. But there is so much more that we can do with science if we only knew how. Today I am joined by the vibrant author and science teacher Rachel Rohloff to talk about her books and also how we can create exciting...

Send us Fan Mail Most early years educators will work with children on the autism spectrum at some stage of our careers. Having an understanding of what life is like for the whole family and how we can work effectively with children and families is an important part of our role.  In this episode, I speak with Jo Blair - artist, teacher, centre owner and mum to three boys one of whom has autism. Jo...

Send us Fan Mail As ECE leaders and managers,  conducting a formal investigation is one of those things we all hope we NEVER have to do. Yet, we may sadly find ourselves in this exact situation at some point in our career. And if we do, it is critical that we know what to do.  In this episode I am joined by Ainsley Palairet from Fix HR, who talks us through this tricky stuff, and helps ECE manager...

Send us Fan Mail One of the most frequently lamented issues I hear from early childhood leaders and managers is how to get their team on the same page and performing like superstar teachers. In this episode I share 10 pieces of an important puzzle that you can put together to ensure your teachers are not only meeting your expectations, but also thriving.  This podcast is one of our "lunch bit...

Send us Fan Mail This is one of my favourite interviews ever!  In this interview I spoke with the most inspiring, passionate, knowledgeable teacher I have ever met.  Adrienne Thomson has been the pedagogical leader at Magic Garden in Auckland for over 18 years.  If you want to build your understanding of what underpins the Reggio approach and how this amazing early childhood centre has applied the...

Send us Fan Mail After more than thirty years in early childhood education, I speak from experience when I say that I have seen over and over again how much better it is for children and their parents when early childhood services put into place a well planned and well considered induction process for new families. In this episode I remind early childhood professionals just why induction is so imp...

Send us Fan Mail Settling new children into ECE can be a hairy time for everyone. Some children will slip into being at your place easy peasy, and will barely wave goodbye to their parents. And some children will really struggle.  But how we settle new children is incredibly critical to their wellbeing, and we HAVE to get this right! In this episode I give you ten strategies for settling new child...

Send us Fan Mail Sadly bullying is more prevalent than ever in the early childhood education work place. In this episode I am joined by Ainsley Palairet from Fix HR who breaks down what bullying is, and how leaders and managers can manage this in their ECE service. 

Send us Fan Mail Resettling a child back into your early childhood service after an absence can be a challenging, emotional time for everyone involved. Especially if the child is struggling with this. As early childhood teachers we all want the best for the children in our care, but sometimes we just need some support ourselves to achieve this.  In this lunch bite episode I answer a letter from a...