An inspiring space for cozy conversations about all things Early Childhood Education and Care.
Listen, learn, reflect, enjoy!
We know how impactful professional learning can be on the quality of care early childhood educators and early years professionals provide to children and families. At the same time, we recognize that committing to a professional learning session can feel like too much on top of your other responsibilities and obligations.
The intention of this podcast is to bring professional learning to you. Our hope is to share the thoughtful, pedgagogical conversations were are privileged to engage in within our Strive committees and communities in a way that is fun, engaging, and easily consumable.
You can engage at your own pace, when and where it is convenient for you. Tune in while you’re out for a walk or having a snack or on your commute!
Have an awesome podcast topic idea? Reach out to the Strive Team on social media (@striveswo on all platforms) or by email (podcast@striveswo.ca).
Minisode: 04 – June 2023 Professional Learning Update
In this minisode, join Meaghan, Strive Professional Learning Lead, as she outlines the upcoming professional learning events for June 2023. Check out all of our current events HERE!
Episode: 07 – Practicing Mindfulness with Mike Masse
Welcome to Leading Inspired Learning: A Strive Podcast! In this episode, Olivia is joined by Mike Masse, also known as Mindful Mike, for lots of laugh, story sharing, and reflection on mindfulness practice. Listen, learn, reflect, enjoy!
Mike Masse is a mindfulness consultant, public speaker, and best-selling author who specialized in mindfulness based stress reduction.
For over a decade, he has been teaching adults, youth and children mindfulness skills to help reduce their levels of stress and anxiety. Mike has become a highly sought after trainer; facilitating workshops with educators, first responders, health care providers, and others who work in high-stress environments. Mike’s engaging and encouraging teaching style will have you feeling excited and hopeful about what mindfulness can do to transform your well-being and your professional practice.
Episode: 06 – Creating a Culture of Relationships with Lauren Goosens
Welcome to Leading Inspired Learning: A Strive Podcast! In this episode, Ally is joined by Lauren Goosens, RECE, to dive into all things relationships. Together, they discuss the importance of cultivating positive connections with children, colleagues, and families. Listen, learn, reflect, enjoy!
Links
- Leaders for Change St. Thomas-Elgin – Facebook
- Leaders for Change St. Thomas-Elgin – Instagram
- Critical Friendship – Technology Rich Inquiry Based Research
- The power of vulnerability – Brene Brown TED Talk
- Love Builds Brains – Dr. Jean Clinton
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle – London Public Library
- The Preschool Podcast: For Leaders in Early Childhood Education
Lauren Goossens is an RECE and child care leader in Elgin County. She has been working in the early years for the past 15 years and is currently the Director at Orchard Park Early Learning Centre.
Lauren is incredibly passionate about Early Childhood Education and Care and extends those passions to advocacy and community development. She is Chair of Elgin’s Professional learning Committee and an Executive member of the Elgin Children’s Network. Lauren is also one of the founders of St.Thomas Leaders For Change, a local advocacy group aimed at transforming child care and early learning in St. Thomas-Elgin.
Lauren LOVES her work but the most rewarding role she gets to play is as a Mom to her wonderful son and wife to her supportive husband.
Minisode: 03 – May 2023 Professional Learning Update
In this minisode, join Meaghan, Strive Professional Learning Lead, as she outlines the upcoming professional learning events for May 2023. Check out all of our current events HERE!
Episode: 05 – Wonder & Awe with Sheryl Third
Welcome to Leading Inspired Learning: A Strive Podcast! In this episode, Ally is joined by Sheryl Third, RECE, MA, to discuss how we can come back to ourselves and our why through wonder and awe. Listen, learn, reflect, enjoy!
Links
- Louie Schwartzberg – Moving Art
- A Sense of Wonder by Rachel Carson – ECE Professional Resource Centre
- Dr. Hopi Martin – A Seasonal Pedagogy
- The little mouse, the red ripe strawberry, and the big hungry bear by Don Wood – London Public Library
- Just B with Bethenny Frankel Podcast
- Brene Brown Podcast Archive
- We Can Do Hard Things with Glennon Doyle Podcast
Related Professional Learning Events
- Movie Night: Gratitude Revealed (PAST EVENT)
- How Gratitude Leads to Connection, Wonder, Awe, and Joy (PAST EVENT)
Special Guest Bio:
Sheryl has been active in the Childcare community in London since 1986. In 2003, she became a fulltime faculty member at Fanshawe College in the Early Childhood Education Program. Sheryl completed her Master of Arts in Educational Studies, in 2015. Her research interest is in reflective writing and practice in the field of early childhood education, writing papers on Mentoring and reflective practice as tools for professional learning.
As part of this work, she currently writes a blog – My Reggio Inspired Journey and has just completed an Open online Textbook – Reflective Practice in Early Education.
Sheryl has a passion for teaching and learning and is active in her community as Co-chair of Strive and she is a member of the Professional Learning Committee.
Finally, but most importantly, Sheryl is a mother of three adult sons and a proud Nana to two granddaughters.
Episode: 04 – The Power of Connection with Sue Bechard and Kirsti Cheese
Welcome to Leading Inspired Learning: A Strive Podcast! In this episode, Ally is joined by Sue Bechard RECE, Family Resource Support and Community Connector, and Kirsti Cheese, Community Connector System Coordinator, to discuss the family-centered service system and the power of connection. Listen, learn, reflect, enjoy!
Special Guest Bio:
Sue Bechard, RECE
Sue is a Registered Early Childhood Educator, and works as a Family Resource Support at the Westmount Family Centre. She has been working as an educator for over 29 years but the last 15 year as a connector within the Family Centred Service System. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends especially if it is outside!
Kirsti Cheese
As Community Connector System Coordinator (CCSC) at Childreach, Kirsti Cheese is responsible for leading a city-wide team of Community Connectors that successfully connects families to programs and services within London’s Family-Centred Service System.
Using the diverse skills of a winding career path that includes museum management, and journalism, Kirsti works with Community Connectors at Family Centres. Together, they hone skills and best practices to make effective and responsive referrals with families, providing timely help that mitigates barriers they may be facing in accessing supports and services. She is deeply committed the creation of warm, welcoming neighbourhood spaces where Community Connectors work alongside families to identify programs and services that are of interest and importance to their lives – and get them connected more easily.
When not at work, you can find Kirsti behind the camera lens, documenting the life of her beloved family and pup!
Episode: 03 – Gender Justice in ECE with Danielle Pusateri
Welcome to Leading Inspired Learning: A Strive Podcast! In this episode, Bre is joined by Danielle Pusateri, full-time ECE Professor at Humber College and Doctoral Candidate at Northeastern University, to discuss gender justice in early childhood education. Listen, learn, reflect, enjoy!
Links
- Julián Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love – London Public Library
- My Princess Boy by Cheryl Kilodavis – London Public Library
- Don’t call people out — call them in – Loretta J Ross TedTalk
- The Genderbread Person
- Raising Ryland: Our Story of Parenting a Transgender Child
- The Whittington Family: Ryland’s Story – Youtube
- Raven Sinclair – Website
- Well Said Podcast
- About the Podcast – Armchair Expert
Special Guest Bio:
Danielle Pusateri is a full-time ECE Professor at Humber College and a Doctoral Candidate at Northeastern University in Boston, MA.
Danielle is a passionate educator with a focus on social justice within early childhood. She has taken the opportunity within her Doctoral Action Research study to learn with and from Early Learning Professionals (ELPs) within Ontario to discover how such professionals can enhance their self-efficacy to support Gender Justice in the early learning environment. Danielle has been a Registered Early Childhood Educator since 2014 and a post-secondary professor since 2016.
Minisode: 02 – April 2023 Professional Learning Update
In this minisode, join Meaghan, Strive Professional Learning Lead, as she outlines the upcoming professional learning events for April 2023. Check out all of our current events HERE!
Episode: 02 – The Magic of Outdoor Play with Jenny Britt
Welcome to Leading Inspired Learning: A Strive Podcast! In this episode, Ally is joined by Jenny Britt, Outdoor Play Specialist at the YMCA of Southwestern Ontario, to talk all things outdoor play. Listen, learn, reflect, enjoy!
Special Guest Bio:
Jenny Britt is the Outdoor Play Specialist for the YMCA of Southwestern Ontario.
She is currently involved in a project involving training early learning professionals in partnership with the Lawson Foundation as part of their National Outdoor Play Strategy 2.0. The YMCA of Southwestern Ontario’s work is focused on research and dissemination of outdoor pedagogy throughout YMCAs across Canada.
Minisode: 01 – March 2023 Professional Learning Update
Join Meaghan, Strive Professional Learning Lead, on the first minisode episode! In this minisode, Meaghan outlines the upcoming professional learning events for March 2023. Check out all of our current events HERE!
Episode: 01 – Welcome to the Podcast
Welcome to Leading Inspired Learning: A Strive Podcast! In our first episode, we introduce the Strive team, dig into our why, set intentions, play a game, and laugh…a lot! Joyful chaos abounds! Listen, learn, reflect, enjoy!
Links
Episode: 00 – Teaser
Welcome to Leading Inspired Learning, a Strive podcast. Join Ally Scott, Strive Project Manager, as she introduces Strive and highlights our intentions for this podcast.