EP 11 | Children’s Council + Honouring Children’s Voices
The Bloom Room: An Early Childhood Podcast
Release Date: 07/29/2024
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. 🌸...
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EP 20 | Fostering Children’s Resilience
The Bloom Room: An Early Childhood Podcast
On today’s episode, I speak with Jess, founder of Raising Resilience. Jess brings a wealth of insight and compassion as we explore what resilience really means for young children. Together, we dive into how educators and parents can support children through adversity, build emotional strength, and foster a growth mindset. Jess’s expertise is a gift for anyone passionate about nurturing resilience in little ones. Jess and I discuss: 🌸What resilience truly means and how misconceptions about "toughening up" can harm children. 🌸The role of the window of tolerance in resilience....
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EP 19 | Exploring the PDA Profile
The Bloom Room: An Early Childhood Podcast
On today’s episode I speak with Claire Britton, a neuro-affirming occupational therapist and Director of Neuroinclusion. Claire brings incredible insight into PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance or Pervasive Drive for Autonomy) and how a neuro-affirming lens can help us support neurodivergent children better. She explains why PDA often requires a different approach to typical behaviour strategies and shares practical ways to help children feel safe and understood. Claire and I discuss: 🌸 What the PDA profile (Pathological Demand Avoidance) is. 🌸 The significance of understanding...
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EP 18 | Honouring Children’s Agency
The Bloom Room: An Early Childhood Podcast
On today’s episode I speak with Lisa Burman - an author, speaker, professional learning facilitator and every-day researcher of childhood and learning. Lisa has strong roots in true early childhood pedagogy whose work is inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy and guided by honouring children’s rights. This discussion is a deep exploration of early childhood values and principles. Lisa and I discuss: 🌸 What is meant by a ‘culture of agency.’ 🌸 Shared power and democratic classrooms. 🌸 Common misconceptions of agency (hint: it’s not something that we ‘give’...
info_outlineOn today’s episode I speak with Renee Mitchell (Director) and Charmaine Greenwood (Assistant Director) of Goodstart Early Learning in Red Hill, Queensland. I am in awe of Renee, Charmaine and their team as their dedication to honouring children’s rights in their practice is overwhelmingly inspiring.
Renee, Charmaine and I discuss:
🌸 Respecting + advocating for children’s rights.
🌸 What is a children’s council and how have they brought it to life?
🌸 The idea of slow pedagogy.
🌸 Supporting transitions with a Children’s Handbook.
🌸 Looking at a child’s complaints process.
🌸 Sharing the importance of rights with families and grown-ups.
🌸 Transforming practice and embracing the messy middle.
🌸 Making space for children’s voices to lead your work.
🌸 The importance of returning to your ‘why’.
As the Centre Director of Goodstart Red Hill for 21 years, Renee has attracted a team of like-minded thinkers. With the changing and evolving landscape of the world and our Sector, Renee’s Adaptive Leadership has led to the Centre’s Distributed Leadership model; creating a collaboratively rich professional space.
Embedding the WNDER project spanning 10 years to date, the Red Hill team and children have been Wandering and Wondering beyond their gates to engage with their local community, explore their surrounding wild spaces, and learning how to care for Country.
Connecting with each other, and the community, Renee advocates for the needs of Educators, children, and implementing Change.
Find out more about Goodstart in Red Hill:
💫 Send them an email: [email protected]
💫 Find them on Instagram: @goodstart_red_hill
💫 Find them on Facebook: Goodstart Early Learning Red Hill
💫 Watch a short clip about their Children’s Council
Join the Little Bloom community:
💫 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