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Our guest believes that good intentions are inappropriately skewing our thinking about preparing young kids for learning. Follow: @bamradionetwork @SuzanneBouffard @raepica1 #edchat #edreform #ece #earlyed #AskingWhatIf Suzanne Bouffard is a writer, developmental psychologist, and author of The Most Important Year: Pre-Kindergarten and the Future of Our Children. You can find her articles at suzannebouffard.com or follow her on Twitter

Putting young students in a closet, locking the doors, and pulling down the shades. We call these safety drills. Young students can be traumatized by these exercises. Is there a better way? Amanda Nickerson is an associate professor and director of the Alberti Center for Bullying Abuse Prevention at the University at Buffalo, the State University of New York. She has written 4 books and over 65 journal articles. Launa Hall is a classroom teacher and a writer. She writes on early childhood education topics and teaches in a Title I elementary school in northern Virginia. Lesley Koplow is a clinical social worker, teacher and author who lives in New York City. She is the founding Director of Emotionally Responsive Practice at Bank Street College, founder of Networks for Schools That Heal and a psychotherapist in private practice.

The coarseness of the world has invaded our classrooms. How can we cultivate respect between students and for teachers? Follow: @bamradionetwork @raepica1 #edchat #edreform #ece #earlyed #AskingWhatIf Karen Stephens, MS in Education is Director Emeritus of Illinois State University Child Care Center after serving since 1976. She previously taught child development and early childhood program management for the ISU Family and Consumer Sciences Department. She is author of the textbook Child Care Today: Becoming an Early Childhood Professional. Nancy Flanagan is a retired teacher, with 31 years as a K-12 Music specialist in the Hartland, Michigan schools. She is co-founder of the Network of Michigan Educators.

Makerspaces are the rage in early childhood classrooms. Join us for a walk through the what, why, and how of makerspaces. Follow: @bamradionetwork @raepica1 @cateheroman #edchat #edreform #ece #earlyed #AskingWhatIf Cate Heroman is an early childhood consultant and author of numerous publications including NAEYC’s best seller Making and Tinkering with STEM: Solving Design Challenges with Young Children. Cate is currently Board Chair of Knock Knock Children’s Museum in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and has a keen interest in maker education in both schools and in informal settings.

We can never fully understand people with identities different from our own. So how do we go about teaching inclusion and anti-bias effectively? Follow: @bamradionetwork @raepica1 @Moniquemarsh68 #edchat #edreform #ece #earlyed #AskingWhatIf Monique Marshall, a 28-year veteran educator, is currently a 5th grade teacher in an independent school in Los Angeles, and a committed diversity, equity and social inclusion educator and consultant. She offers workshops to school communities interested in understanding what best practice Multicultural Curriculum can look like in elementary school classrooms.

Join us as we take a second look at rough and tumble play. Our guests explain why "physical processing" is important to child development. Follow: @bamradionetwork @raepica1 @Teach_Preschool #edchat #edreform #ece #earlyed #AskingWhatIf Mike Huber is the author of Embracing Rough and Tumble Play: Teaching with the Body in Mind and co-host of the podcast Teaching with the Body in Mind. Deborah J. Stewart, M.Ed., with over 20 years experience in the field of early childhood education as a teacher, director, curriculum writer, and music director. Her preschool is called “The Children’s Studio” located in a small town in Indiana. She also blogs at Teach Preschool.

Many teachers were never taught how to include movement in their instruction. Join us as we talk about proven ways to bring movement into your classroom. Follow: @bamradionetwork @raepica1 @MovingSmartNow #edchat #edreform #ece #earlyed #AskingWhatIf Gill Connell is based in Christchurch, New Zealand, founder of MOVING SMART Ltd., Gill is a globally recognized child development expert, specializing in the foundations of learning through movement and play. She is co-author of the popular publication A Moving Child Is a Learning Child, curriculum Move Play and Learn With Smart Steps and best-selling book Moving to Learn in Australia and NZ.

Our guests tell us that we have a gender crisis that demands our attention. Tune in to learn where the problem begins, why it matters, and what our guests suggest we need to do about it. Follow: @bamradionetwork @raepica1 @ChristiaBrown @JasonFlom @Myers_Berkowicz #edchat #edreform #ece #earlyed #AskingWhatIf Christia Spears Brown, Ph.D., author of Parenting Beyond Pink and Blue: How to Raise Your Kids Free of Gender Stereotypes, is a Professor of Developmental Psychology at the University of Kentucky. Her research focuses on the impact of gender stereotypes on children and teens. Jill Berkowicz Ed.D. co-authored The STEM Shift with Ann Myers, Ed.D. Both write the blog Leadership360 for Education Week. Jason Flom is director of Cornerstone Learning Community in Tallahassee, Florida, a whole child school he cofounded with other educators and serves as a faculty member with ASCD’s Professional Learning Services.

Our guest shares with us how to find, see and speak the best of your students, even when their behaviors might not justify it. Follow: @bamradionetwork @raepica1 @lemonlimeadv @NotJustCute #edchat #edreform #ece #earlyed #AskingWhatIf Dayna Abraham is the mother to three totally awesome superkids who inspire her every day to be the best grownup sidekick they could ask for. When she’s not helping her kids conquer the world, she keeps busy by blogging at lemonlimeadventures.com, writing books like Sensory Processing 101, STEAM Kids. Amanda Morgan, MS, has nearly 20 years of experience teaching children, parents, and teachers in a variety of environments. With degrees focused on early childhood education and child development, she currently writes at the blog, Not Just Cute.

Our guests explain the benefits of going vertical in your classroom. They offer a sizable list of ways and benefits to using the vertical surfaces in your classroom to engage students. Dr. Christy Isbell is a pediatric occupational therapist with more than 20 years of experience working with young children. She is a professor of occupational therapy at Milligan College. She maintains a private practice and has authored five books, including the award-winning Sensory Integration: A guide for preschool teachers. Deborah J. Stewart, M.Ed., with over 20 years experience in the field of early childhood education as a teacher, director, curriculum writer, and music director. Her preschool is called “The Children’s Studio” located in a small town in Indiana. She also blogs at Teach Preschool.

What should you do when you've tried everything you can to manage disruptive student behaviors with no success? Follow: @bamradionetwork @raepica1 @teachersadvice Dr. William DeMeo is a Developmental Psychologist who had coordinated the mental health services for Cincinnati Public Schools’ Early Childhood Program for the past 25 years. He has authored several books, including his latest publication: When Nothing Else Works: What Early Childhood Professionals Can Do to Reduce Challenging Behaviors. Julia Thompson is a practicing classroom teacher, a consultant, and the author of several books for teachers, including The First-Year Teacher's Survival Guide.

The research shows that children learn better when teachers and parents work together. But what happens when teachers and parents disagree on what's best for a child? Follow: @bamradionetwork @raepica1 #edchat #edreform #ece #earlyed #AskingWhatIf Lisa Bresson is co-author of Big Questions for Young Minds: Extending Children's Thinking." She is a Technical Assistance Supervisor for Grow NJ Kids, New Jersey's statewide QRIS (Quality Rating & Improvement System), working with center-based and family-based providers to raise quality in childcare for children ages birth to 5.

What are the best practices for asking higher level questions of young children? At what age should we begin to pose these question? Follow: @bamradionetwork @raepica1 @VealHeidi #edchat #edreform #ece #earlyed #AskingWhatIf Janis Strasser has been in the early childhood field for more than 40 years. She is professor of early childhood education at William Paterson University and author of Big Questions for Young Minds: Expanding Children's Thinking. Heidi Veal is an Assistant Principal in McKinney, Texas at her district's only Early Childhood School, Lawson ECS and a founding member of the #LeadUpChat PLN.

Increasingly it appears that kindness is becoming a lost quality in adults and young kids. How can we cultivate kindness in a climate that seems to devalue it? Follow: @bamradionetwork @raepica1 @JasonFlom #edchat #edreform #ece #earlyed #AskingWhatIf Susan A. Miller, EdD, is a Professor Emerita of Early Childhood Education at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania. She has a long career in education spanning forty years as a preschool teacher and director, primary teacher and master teacher at two laboratory schools, and a university professor. She is the author of Emotional Development in 3- and 4-Year-Olds. Jason Flom is director of Cornerstone Learning Community in Tallahassee, Florida, a whole child school he cofounded with other educators and serves as a faculty member with ASCD’s Professional Learning Services.

It's surprising how many of us feel ill-equipped to teach reading. In this segment, we explore a few practical approaches and strategies. Follow: @bamradionetwork @raepica1 @TeachingMatters #edchat #edreform #ece #earlyed #AskingWhatIf Lynette Guastaferro, Executive Director of Teaching Matters, has over 20 years of experience in education. Her leadership has helped to quadruple Teaching Matters’ reach, and make the organization one of the leading innovators in scalable teacher development models.

There is evidence that young children may be losing their capacity for unstructured play. Learn why this matters. Follow: @bamradionetwork @raepica1 #edchat #edreform #ece #earlyed #AskingWhatIf Nancy Carlsson-Paige is Professor Emerita at Lesley University, senior advisor at Defending the Early Years, and author of Taking Back Childhood, A Proven Roadmap to Raising Confident, Creative, Compassionate Kids.

Join us for the Cliffs Notes on Sensory Processing Disorder. What are the indicators in a classroom setting? How can teachers effectively respond? Follow: @bamradionetwork @raepica1 @Myers_Berkowicz #edchat #edreform #ece #earlyed #AskingWhatIf Carol Kranowitz is the author of The Out-of-Sync Child: Recognizing and Coping with Sensory Processing Disorder, Carol Stock Kranowitz speaks world-wide about SPD’s effect on children’s learning and behavior. She shows families, teachers, and professionals ways to integrate sensible strategies and fun activities into everyday life. Jill Berkowicz Ed.D. co-authored The STEM Shift with Ann Myers, Ed.D. Both write the blog Leadership360 for Education Week.

How can we give parents the information they need to support our work with students. Our guests offer practical tips. Follow: @bamradionetwork @raepica1 @@NotJustCute @earthplay #edchat #edreform #ece #earlyed #AskingWhatIf Alison Pepper is a national early childhood education specialist with expertise in program quality improvement, leadership and administration and family engagement. Currently consulting, she was a senior director of Accreditation Program Support at NAEYC and has been been working in the field for over 40 years. Amanda Morgan, MS, has nearly 20 years of experience teaching children, parents, and teachers in a variety of environments. With degrees focused on early childhood education and child development, she currently writes at the blog, Not Just Cute.

When it comes to children is "too safe" a legitimate notion? Join us as we attempt to define the line between protecting kids and being overprotective. Follow: @bamradionetwork @raepica1 @JessicaCabeen @earthplay #edchat #edreform #ece #earlyed #AskingWhatIf For over 25 years, Rusty Keeler has worked with schools and communities around the world to design beautiful outdoor environments that connect children to nature through play. He is the author of the books Natural Playscapes and Seasons of Play and is a frequent keynote speaker and workshop leader on the subjects of play, nature, and risk in children’s lives. Jessica Cabeen is an elementary school principal and was awarded the 2017 MN Principal of the Year and 2016 NAESP/VINCI Digital Leader of Early Learning.

Join us for as we try to refine our thinking about personalized learning and how to achieve it. Follow: @bamradionetwork @raepica1 @Myers_Berkowicz @allison_zmuda #edchat #edreform #ece #earlyed #AskingWhatIf Allison Zmuda is a full-time education consultant specializing in curriculum, assessment, and instruction. She works with her clients to imagine learning experiences that are worthy of the pursuit for both students and educators, designing work that is relevant, meaningful, challenging, and appropriate. Since 2001, she has co-authored nine books,including her most recent with Bena Kallick— Students at the Center: Personalized Learning and Habits of Mind. Jill Berkowicz Ed.D. co-authored The STEM Shift with Ann Myers, Ed.D. Both write the blog Leadership360 for Education Week.