The Council Table Podcast

And how are the children? That is the question Dr. Tonia Durden leaves with us as Season 2 of the Council Table comes to a close. Dr. Calvin E. Moore, Jr. sits down with Dr. Tonia Durden, clinical professor at Georgia State University and outgoing NAEYC president, for a forward-looking conversation about what it would take to build the future early childhood education deserves — bold, equitable, a...

Season 2 of the Council Table has come to a close — and we are so grateful you pulled up a chair. Dr. Calvin E. Moore, Jr., closes out the season with a personal thank you to every listener who has been part of these conversations. There is always room for you at the table — and Season 3 is coming. Subscribe so you never miss an episode.

Leadership is not about waiting for permission. Dr. Calvin E. Moore, Jr. sits down with Dr. Keon Berry and Tatjyana Elmore — two emerging leaders with non-traditional journeys into early childhood education — for an honest conversation about what it takes to lead before the field is ready to hand you the keys. From running from leadership to becoming president of a 45-year-old nonprofit, their sto...

What does it take to transform an organization? In this solo episode, Dr. Calvin E. Moore, Jr., walks through the leadership decisions that shaped the Council for Professional Recognition into the organization it is today — from building a culture of servant leadership to reimagining the CDA credentialing process. Honest, reflective, and grounded in decades of ECE leadership across the classroom,...

What makes a teacher truly excellent? Dr. Calvin E. Moore, Jr. sits down with Dr. Dina Walker-DeVose, professor at Georgia Southern University, for a conversation about cultural wisdom, teacher identity, and what it takes to build authentic connections with every child in the classroom. Through the framework of exposure, experience, and empathy, Dr. Dina invites educators to do the reflective work...

The statistic is stubborn. Two to three percent of early childhood educators are men, and when you remove kindergarten and first-grade teachers, it is even more dire. Dr. Calvin E. Moore, Jr. sits down with Dr. William White and Simeon Lehmann for a conversation about the protective factors that allow men to enter, persist, and belong in early childhood education. From mentorship and critical mass...

The myths are costing the field more than we realize. Dr. Calvin E. Moore, Jr. sits down with Erica Phillips, Executive Director of the National Association for Family Child Care, for a conversation about the misguided narratives that shape how society values and funds early childhood education. From the babysitting myth to the economics of family child care programs subsidizing quality out of the...

America says it values early childhood education. The compensation data tells a different story. Dr. Calvin E. Moore, Jr. sits down with Susan Gale Perry, CEO of Child Care Aware of America, for an honest conversation about what it truly costs educators to work inside a fractured system and what it will take to build something better. From the racial and gender dynamics underlying decades of deval...

Educator wellness is everyone's responsibility. So why does it so rarely get done? Dr. Calvin E. Moore, Jr., welcomes back Ant Toombs, founding member of the Life is Good Playmaker Project and one of the Council Table's most requested returning guests, for a deeper conversation about what it truly means to lead with joy, who is accountable for educator wellness, and what happens when nobody claims...

The early childhood field has a language problem. And it is costing educators more than most people realize. In Episode 2 of the Council Table Season 2, Dr. Calvin E. Moore Jr. sits down with Marica Cox Mitchell, Chief Program Officer at the Bainham Foundation and nationally recognized futurist in early childhood education, to unpack the identity crisis at the center of the profession. They get in...

The CDA® credential has opened doors for over a million early childhood educators across all 50 states. But too often it is treated as a stopping point rather than a starting point. In the first episode of Season 2, Dr. Calvin E. Moore Jr. sits down with Dr. Bisa Batten Lewis, Director of ECE Competence and Practice at the Council for Professional Recognition, to explore what the CDA really means...

Season one was just the beginning. Season two of the Council Table is here, and the conversations we have planned are ones the early childhood education field needs to hear. This season, Dr. Calvin Moore is going deeper — exploring educator wellness, men in ECE, and the intersection between the work educators do every day and the systems they find themselves in. Joining the table this season: Ant...

Season One of The Council Table comes to a close as Dr. Calvin E. Moore, Jr. reflects on the conversations, insights, and voices that shaped our first season. From leadership and workforce innovation to policy, representation, wellness, and educator voice, this episode looks back at what we learned together and looks ahead to what’s next. As we prepare for the next season, one truth guides the wor...

Part 2 of our Council Table Live experience from the Region IV Head Start Leadership Institute explores the next chapter of workforce development, credentialing, and leadership for both Head Start and the Council. Dr. Calvin E. Moore, Jr. and moderator Myra Ingram discuss the future of the CDA®, the newly introduced CDP Credential, early educator pipelines, adaptive leadership, self-care, and how...

In this special live episode of The Council Table , recorded at the Region IV Head Start Leadership Institute, Dr. Calvin E. Moore, Jr., and guest moderator Myra Ingram explore leadership, workforce challenges, and the enduring connection between the CDA® Credential and Head Start. Dr. Moore shares personal reflections from his earliest years as a Head Start child and CDA holder to his current rol...

Wellness isn’t an add-on to early childhood education; it’s a requirement. In this week’s episode of The Council Table , Dr. Calvin E. Moore, Jr., speaks with Ant Toombs about what it truly takes to create learning environments where educators and children can thrive. From burnout and “burn-in” to the importance of joy, presence, and human connection, this episode offers a grounded and honest look...

The Council for Professional Recognition and Head Start have always been connected in purpose — from the creation of the CDA® Credential to today’s work supporting educators and families across the country. In this episode of The Council Table , Dr. Calvin E. Moore, Jr., talks with Zuly Vásquez, Senior Manager of Online Professional Development at the National Head Start Association, about how the...

Registries are more than data systems; they’re the connective tissue of the early childhood education profession. In this episode of The Council Table , Dr. Calvin E. Moore, Jr., talks with Dr. Kimberlee Belcher, Executive Director of the National Workforce Registry Alliance, about how registries are transforming workforce visibility and creating stronger connections across states, educators, and...

What happens when policy starts by listening to the people doing the work? In this episode, Dr. Calvin E. Moore, Jr. talks with Yvette Sanchez Fuentes, Vice President of National Policy at Start Early and former Director of the Office of Head Start. Together, they explore how early childhood systems can move from ideas on paper to meaningful change in classrooms and communities. Yvette shares how...

What will it take to bring more men into early childhood education, and help them thrive once they’re there? In this episode, Dr. Calvin E. Moore, Jr. talks with Dr. Keon Berry and Dr. Leah Austin about the state of men in ECE. They explore the personal, systemic, and cultural barriers that influence who joins and stays in the profession, and share ideas for building stronger leadership pipelines...

For Dr. Calvin E. Moore, Jr., leadership is a full-circle journey. In this episode, Dr. Moore shares his personal story — from teaching in early childhood classrooms to becoming the CEO of the Council for Professional Recognition. He reflects on lessons learned, defining moments, and the educators who shaped his vision along the way. A conversation about purpose, perseverance, and the importance o...

Pull up a chair — The Council Table is open. In this inaugural episode, host Dr. Calvin E. Moore, Jr., CEO of the Council for Professional Recognition, introduces listeners to a new space for real conversations about the people and stories shaping early childhood education. Learn what to expect this season as we explore leadership, innovation, and the powerful community of educators creating chang...