EP 14 | Coming Together to Support Children Experiencing Anxiety
The Bloom Room: An Early Childhood Podcast
Release Date: 08/19/2024
EP 30 | Supporting Behaviour Without Behaviour Charts
The Bloom Room: An Early Childhood Podcast
Aaaaah, behaviour charts. Love them or hate them (I'm the latter), it feels like they're here to stay. I'm often met with exasperation - but HOW do we support behaviour without them? It feels impossible, but it isn't. I did it for most of my teaching career (bar one year). I cover: Why behaviour charts don’t actually teach behaviour and what they do instead. How children internalise their placement on behaviour charts, shaping their self-worth and peer relationships. The connection between behaviour charts and social bias, including their disproportionate impact on neurodivergent children...
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EP 29 | Overcoming Teacher Self-Doubt
The Bloom Room: An Early Childhood Podcast
Self-doubt creeps in when we least expect it. Whether it’s comparing yourself to other teachers, feeling like you’re not good enough, or questioning whether you really belong in this field - these thoughts can be exhausting. The thing is - you’re not alone. I'm convinced every teacher experiences self-doubt at some point. I cover: How social media, unrealistic expectations, and 'shoulds' impact teachers falling into the comparison trap. Looking at imposter syndrome and questioning where it might come from. How to challenge the thoughts that make you feel “not good enough” by...
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EP 28 | Building Relationships With Families
The Bloom Room: An Early Childhood Podcast
Building strong relationships with families at the start of the year is the foundation of a successful classroom. But let’s be real - it’s not always easy to navigate the nuances of communication, cultural differences, or setting boundaries. In this episode, I’m sharing the 'Ins' and 'Outs' of building meaningful connections with families. I’ll explore 8 things that are IN in order to foster trust, collaboration, and open dialogue, as well as 6 things that are OUT that can unintentionally act as roadblocks for your relationships. I cover: The importance of starting the year with...
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EP 27 | The Learning Environment Through Children’s Eyes
The Bloom Room: An Early Childhood Podcast
In today’s episode, I explore classroom design. However, this isn’t just another guide to setting up your classroom - it's an exploration of an amazing research article I came across: 'Children’s voices: Inclusive early childhood placemaking with children.' I cover: The importance of inclusive environments. Amplifying children's sense of belonging. Children as placemakers. Why children should have a voice in shaping their learning spaces. The role of authenticity in learning spaces. If you've never considered the learning environment through children's eyes before, this episode is...
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EP 26 | Co-constructing a Classroom Agreement
The Bloom Room: An Early Childhood Podcast
In today’s episode, I unpack classroom agreements and how we can co-construct these with the children in our class. I cover: Why classroom agreements are much more than a list of rules. The importance of balancing expectations to be firm, fair, flexible, and developmentally appropriate for children. Debunking myths about classroom agreements. A rant about the idea that we shouldn't co-construct expectations with children 'because they get too silly.' Some ideas for exploring rights and responsibilities and creating classroom agreements. If you've never created a co-constructed classroom...
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EP 25 | Essential Tips for Day One of a New School Year
The Bloom Room: An Early Childhood Podcast
In today’s episode, we consider the elements needed for a calm and successful first day back. I cover: Planning for logistics and setup: How to organise booklist items. Delegating roles. Navigating tears when children separate from their caregivers. Structuring your first-day schedule. Ideas for simple relationship-building and name-learning activities. The importance of day one reflections. If day one feels mega daunting (so normal, btw), this episode will give you some solid pointers to turn that overwhelm into intention. 💫 💫 Purchase my comprehensive transitions roadmap for...
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EP 24 | Nailing Your Classroom Routines From Day One
The Bloom Room: An Early Childhood Podcast
In today’s episode, I walk you through how to establish routines that will transform your classroom into a calm, predictable, and thriving environment. I cover: What routines are and why they’re essential for classroom success. How routines build a sense of safety and belonging for children. Five key reasons routines are the foundation of every effective classroom. A 5-step framework for teaching routines. Why investing time in routines early in the year saves you a heap of time, energy and frustration in the long run. If routines have ever felt like an afterthought, this episode will...
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EP 23 | Smooth Transitions: Welcoming Children + Families Into Your Classroom
The Bloom Room: An Early Childhood Podcast
In today’s episode, I walk you through how to make transitions meaningful and effective with a well thought out plan for welcoming children and families into the classroom. I cover: What effective transitions are. Why transitions set the tone for a successful school year. Essential information to share with families to build trust and reduce anxiety. How to prepare children and families for day one. The importance of children's participation in the transition process. 💫 Download a *free* copy of my transitions checklist: 💫 Purchase my comprehensive transitions roadmap: 💫 Send me...
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EP 22 | Progressive Mealtimes: Yay or Nay?
The Bloom Room: An Early Childhood Podcast
On today’s episode I speak with Elise Disher, early childhood consultant and advocate for thoughtful, child-centered practices. Elise dives into the concept of progressive mealtimes in early learning settings, breaking down how they work, why they matter, and how to implement them in ways that are both meaningful and practical. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone looking to reimagine mealtime routines as opportunities for connection and learning. Elise and I speak about: 🌸 What progressive mealtimes are and how they differ from traditional group mealtimes. 🌸 How...
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EP 21 | Supporting Challenging Behaviour With a Trauma Lens
The Bloom Room: An Early Childhood Podcast
On today’s episode I speak with Kathy Warwick, the Head of the TraCS Trauma Consultancy Program at the Alannah & Madeline Foundation. Kathy brings deep compassion and expertise to her work and, in our conversation, she shares powerful insights on viewing children’s behaviour through a trauma lens. This is a rich discussion for anyone supporting children in early childhood settings. Kathy and I discuss: 🌸 The importance of adopting a trauma lens when working with children. 🌸 Recognising that challenging behaviour often signals a child’s experience of fear or stress. 🌸...
info_outlineOn today’s episode I speak with Kathryn Hackman, founder of the Courageous Kids app. Kathryn is a doctor but, first and foremost, a mama to two children and knows firsthand the challenge in supporting children through anxiety. Her app, Courageous Kids, is a one-stop shop for both parents and educators alike to create individualised social stories - a proven method that supports children through those trickier times.
Kathryn and I discuss:
🌸 The prevalence of anxiety for young children.
🌸 The distinction between anxiety + separation anxiety.
🌸 How caregivers and educators can come together to support children with anxiety (hint: the magic is in the communication + relationship!).
🌸 Why the approach of 'ripping the bandaid off' isn't always the most effective strategy for support.
🌸 The magic of utlising visuals.
🌸 Introducing social stories: What are they? How to use them with individuals and groups of children. What to include in a social story.
Dr Kathryn Hackman is a medical doctor and the founder of Courageous Kids. With two worry-prone kids of her own, she takes a practical, positive approach to preparing children for change. Alongside providing practical, evidence-based resources for educators and parents, she’s also passionate about improving communication and collaboration between home and (pre)school.
The Courageous Kids app, created in collaboration with a child psychologist and OT, provides a library of fully customisable stories to prepare children for new experiences (including starting preschool and school) and visual plans to provide predictability and routine, and promote autonomy. It’s a valuable time-saver for educators and parents alike.
Connect with Kathryn:
💫 Visit the Courageous Kids website
💫 Find her on Instagram: @courageouskidsapp
💫 Download her app Courageous Kids on Apple (please note - this is an affiliate link) or Android
Join the Little Bloom community:
💫 Download my free (yep, free!) video series exploring emotional competence in early childhood.
💫 Send me an email: [email protected]
💫 Find me on Instagram: @littlebloom.consultancy
💫 Connect with me on LinkedIn: Danica See
💫 Visit my website: Little Bloom Consultancy