That Early Childhood Nerd

03/13/2026

Carol is one of TECN's favorite guests, and you won't want to miss this opportunity to hear her connect imagination and care, both in the context of children's imaginative play and the ways adults use their imaginations in caring for children.

In her article for Exchange Press's special issue on protecting play, Carol Garboden Murray writes, "Those of us who care for young children practice a carin...

03/12/2026

It's , and we are sharing our DEY report, Lively Minds: Distinctions Between Academic Versus Intellectual Goals For Young Children by Lilian G. Katz. Published in 2015, this report argues against the pursuit of academic learning in the early years and instead advocates for a focus on young children's intellectual development that builds the foundation for academic learning.

To read this report, click on the link below or the Linktree in our bio!

https://conta.cc/3MWo7Bo

03/12/2026

What if group time felt less like a struggle—and more like a space for regulation, connection, and belonging? 🌿

Join Amy Chiu, MSEd, Early Childhood Education Instructor and Consultant at The Work of Play, for a thoughtful webinar on rethinking group time through a more relational, developmentally responsive lens.

Group time is often one of the most challenging parts of the day for both children and adults. When expectations are rooted in compliance instead of connection, these moments can quickly become dysregulating and disconnecting. In this session, Amy will help educators reflect on why group time can be so hard—and how adult presence, pacing, and expectations shape children’s sense of safety, agency, and participation. You’ll leave with practical strategies to move away from power struggles and toward shared regulation, flexibility, and meaningful participation.

You’ll discover how to:
🌱 Reflect on why group times can be challenging for both children and adults by considering developmental needs, nervous system regulation, and the relational dynamics present during whole-group experiences
🪴 Explore how adult presence, pacing, and expectations influence children’s sense of safety, agency, and participation during group time
🤝 Identify relational, developmentally responsive strategies that support shared regulation and meaningful participation while honoring individual differences among children

🗓️ Jun 25, 2026 | 2:00–3:30 PM ET
🎟️ Register free: https://ecewebinars.com/4rjkP99

03/11/2026

Emily Clark is back on the show to talk about her new project, Liberating Childhood, and her commitment to connecting practitioners to important research to inform their work.

On her website, Em writes: "This tool was born from years of living in the space between research and practice. As an early childhood educator, leader, and researcher, I spent years reading powerful studies—research that named exactly what I was seeing in classrooms. But outside the university, that research became harder to find and access. I created this tool because that gap is not accidental—and it's not neutral. Early childhood education is political work, and educators need access to research to support liberation. Research stuck behind institutional walls cannot liberate childhood. This tool is one small way of opening those walls."

Emily Clark is back on the show to talk about her new project, Liberating Childhood, and her commitment to connecting practitioners to important research to ...

03/09/2026

Did you hear?

Our founder, Dr. Ross Greene, has a new book coming 2/24: The Kids Who Aren’t Okay: The Urgent Case for Reimagining Support, Belonging, and Hope in Schools.

It’s a practical guide for meeting students where they are: shifting from reactive, behavior-first responses to proactive problem-solving in real classrooms.

Learn more: https://www.amazon.com/Kids-Who-Arent-Okay-Reimagining/dp/B0G6F952XB/

03/08/2026

I learned so much from Kerry in this episode!

Kerry Murphy is an early years specialist, author, lecturer and trainer working in the field of neurodiversity-affirming and anti-ableist practice in early childhood education. She is the founder of Diverse Pathways for Early Childhood, a platform that supports educators, leaders, local authorities and families to critically rethink child development, play, behavior, communication and regulation beyond deficit-based and compliance-driven models.

In this episode, Kerry joins me and Mike Huber to discuss ten types of rest she has identified, rejecting the deficit model in our work with children, and what self-regulation truly means. This conversation could have gone on for hours!

Kerry Murphy is an early years specialist, author, lecturer and trainer working in the field of neurodiversity-affirming and anti-ableist practice in early c...

03/08/2026

Podcast work derailed by slow hotel download speeds 😅

03/08/2026

Doing a little podcast work with my standard Forensic Files marathon going in the background while I wait for the hotel restaurant to open…I’m so behind on the YouTube video episodes!

03/07/2026

03/05/2026

Pre ordering books is so fun! I wasn’t expecting this one for another month or so. I love everything Susan writes!

03/04/2026

I’m so honored that Denisha at Defending the Early Years has invited me to do this book talk. It’s free! Join us!

Join us on Thursday, March 26th at 7 pm EDT as we discuss Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood with DEY National Advisor and author Heather Bernt-Santy.

Click on the link below or the linktree in our bio to register for this free webinar!

https://conta.cc/4l1KSjK