Happy 2026! We're so glad you found That Early Childhood Nerd in its new feed! Heather knew she wanted this first episode of the "new era" to be special, and thankfully, Lisa Murphy agreed to be the guest! Lisa is here to talk with Heather about her new book and the writing process. How fun!  Order Heather’s book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood today! Teachers College Press  https://tinyurl.com/4rtccewb Amazon  https://a.co/d/aQpOA2j Bookshop.org  https://tinyurl.com/ppe66cms

Host Heather Bernt-Santy knew as soon as she read the Defending the Early Years blog post, “How Did Early Childhood Programs Become So Focused on School Readiness Skills” by Dr Dale Farran–she HAD to invite Dr Farran to discuss it. And here she is!    Find the blog post here: https://dey.org/how-did-early-childhood-programs-become-so-focused-on-school-readiness-skills/

Author and educator Sally Haughey is here to discuss the incredible unfolding and blossoming that happens during play. Her new book Nurturing Brilliance provides a science-based approach to understanding and sharing about the inherent brilliance of children’s growth and development.  Find Sally’s book here: https://www.redleafpress.org/Nurturing-Brilliance-Using-Play-Activated-Learning-to-Awaken-Childrens-Potential-P3103.aspx More of Sally’s work: https://wunderled.com/about/ Have you ordered Heather’s book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood yet? It's available now! From Teachers College Press: https://www.tcpress.com/using-schema-play-theory-to-advocate-for-free-play-in-early-childhood-9780807787243 From Amazon: https://a.co/d/bvcJwIk

Carly Bedard, a play facilitator for adult early educators, joins host Heather Bernt-Santy to discuss the ways that self active play can transform early childhood practitioners’ practice with young children. Listen in as Heather shares the ways participating in one of Carly’s workshops at a recent teacher retreat reminded her of the importance of being an adult who plays in order to provide spaces and programming where children can play.  Have you ordered Heather’s book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood yet? It's available now! From Teachers College Press: https://www.tcpress.com/using-schema-play-theory-to-advocate-for-free-play-in-early-childhood-9780807787243 From Amazon: https://a.co/d/bvcJwIk

Early childhood education researcher and advocate Emily Clark is back for another conversation with host Heather Bernt-Santy. In this episode, they talk about her work on children’s rights in early childhood programs.  Here’s more from Emily: https://www.earlyedem.com/  Have you ordered Heather’s book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood yet? It's available now! From Teachers College Press: https://www.tcpress.com/using-schema-play-theory-to-advocate-for-free-play-in-early-childhood-9780807787243 From Amazon: https://a.co/d/bvcJwIk

Join host Heather Bernt-Santy in a conversation with Dr. Zlata Stankovic-Ramirez, Dr. Danielle McLellan-Bujnak, and Dr. Josh Thompson about their work regarding the idea of developmental cascades. The work presents a potential shift in the language used to describe child development as they propose moving away from the traditional ages-and-stages framework and incorporating the concept of developmental cascades. Have you ordered Heather’s book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood yet? It’s available now from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Bookshop.org or you can order directly from the publisher on the Teachers College Press website Thanks for listening!

The book The Commodification of American Education: Persistent Threats and Paths Forward includers a powerful chapter by Denisha Jones, in which she writes, “To protect childhood, we must resist GERM and all its manifestations in early childhood education.” In this episode, host Heather Bernt-Santy has a conversation with Denisha about what this means, why we need to do more than just resist, and the impacts for children if we do not take action.  Have you ordered Heather’s book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood yet? It’s available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Bookshop.org, or you can order directly from the publisher on the Teachers College Press website.  Thanks for listening!

For a recent special issue of the early childhood magazine Exchange on protecting play, host Heather Bernt-Santy wrote an article addressing the often asked question, “If I just let children play, how am I still a teacher?” She talks more about this question with Sam Balch. Have you ordered Heather’s book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood yet? It’s available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Bookshop.org, or you can order directly from the publisher on the Teachers College Press website. 

Every now and again, host and early childhood professor Heather Bernt-Santy has a little panic–what if by teaching current ideas, theories about good practice, and new research about working with young children, she’s just setting students up to be frustrated or to get in trouble when they work in programs where they don’t see what they’re learning about in class? In this episode, she talks it through with fellow ECE professor Richard Cohen.  Have you ordered Heather’s book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood yet? It’s available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Bookshop.org, or you can order directly from the publisher on the Teachers College Press website. 

Elliot Haspel’s newest book, Raising a Nation: 10 Reasons Every American Has a Stake in Child Care for All makes a powerful case that ensuring child care for every family who wants or needs access benefits each of us. Listen to host Heather Bernt-Santy’s conversation with Elliot about the way child care for all can support the values of those who believe in national security, family values, community, racial and gender equity and more. More about Elliot: https://elliothaspel.com/  Have you ordered Heather’s book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood yet? It’s available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Bookshop.org, or you can order directly from the publisher on the Teachers College Press website. 

NAEYC’s Code of Ethical Conduct says, “Above all, we shall not harm children. We shall not participate in practices that are emotionally damaging, physically harmful, disrespectful, degrading, dangerous, exploitative, or intimidating to children.” What does this have to do with nap time in child care settings? A whole lot, according to host Heather Bernt-Santy and her guests Kisa Marx, Tiffany, Pearsall, Lizz Nolasco and Carol Garboden Murray.  Have you ordered Heather’s book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood yet? Find it on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Bookshop.org, or straight from the publisher on the Teachers College Press website. 

Author, educator and community organizer Dr. Megan Madison joins host Heather Bernt-Santy to talk about her First Conversations children’s book series, children’s developing sense of justice and fairness, book bans, and more. This conversation will leave you feeling determined and hopeful, as it did Heather. More about the book series, including downloadables and other guides, here: https://www.firstconversations.com/ Want to order Heather’s book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood? Teachers College Press: https://www.tcpress.com/using-schema-play-theory-to-advocate-for-free-play-in-early-childhood-9780807787243 Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/mry4md7b Barnes and Noble: https://tinyurl.com/4vy5eyxy Want to support the show and help keep it ad free? You can make a one time donation or become a member to get access to more TECN content at "Buy Me a Coffee:" buymeacoffee.com/heatherf Another way to support the show is to leave a review/rating on iTunes or Spotify, and to share on your social media networks!

It’s time for the second installment of Free the Teachers!  In this episode, Heather Bernt-Santy is joined by Richard Cohen, Carol Garboden Murray, Stacy Benge, and Tiffany Pearsall to talk through the ways we can be free of traditional calendar, circle, and other large group times and to share new ways of thinking about gathering with young children.  Want to order Heather’s book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood? Teachers College Press: https://www.tcpress.com/using-schema-play-theory-to-advocate-for-free-play-in-early-childhood-9780807787243 Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/mry4md7b Barnes and Noble: https://tinyurl.com/4vy5eyxy Want to support the show and help keep it ad free? You can make a one time donation or become a member to get access to more TECN content at "Buy Me a Coffee:" buymeacoffee.com/heatherf Another way to support the show is to leave a review/rating on iTunes or Spotify, and to share on your social media networks!

In this week’s episode, host Heather Bernt-Santy interviews Amy Reyes-Hauff, Early Learning Specialist with the Wyoming Department of Education’s school success division. They talk about traditional circle time practices in early childhood settings and Amy suggests that it’s time to scrap circle time in favor of more developmentally informed practices….and PLAY! Amy is an advocate for outdoor learning and has integrated outdoor learning into over 200 classrooms across her home state of Wyoming with the Get Wild Wyoming Initiative. Amy is an early childhood speaker and motivator who firmly believes children learn best in outdoor learning settings where they are able to self regulate through natural colors, shapes, sounds, and feelings.  Want to order Heather’s book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood? Teachers College Press: https://www.tcpress.com/using-schema-play-theory-to-advocate-for-free-play-in-early-childhood-9780807787243 Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/mry4md7b Barnes and Noble: https://tinyurl.com/4vy5eyxy Want to support the show and help keep it ad free? You can make a one time donation or become a member to get access to more TECN content at "Buy Me a Coffee:" buymeacoffee.com/heatherf Another way to support the show is to leave a review/rating on iTunes or Spotify, and to share on your social media networks!

Host Heather Bernt-Santy and fellow nerd Mike Huber talk with Ebba Theorell about her brilliant article, Transformative Aesthetic Dimensions in Young Boys’ War Play:Exploring the World Through Kinesthetic Musicality, in which she discusses her research and thesis work examining war play through the lens of dance and choreography.  Find her article here: https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/34/article/960063/pdf Want to order Heather’s book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood? Teachers College Press: https://www.tcpress.com/using-schema-play-theory-to-advocate-for-free-play-in-early-childhood-9780807787243 Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/mry4md7b Barnes and Noble: https://tinyurl.com/4vy5eyxy Want to support the show and help keep it ad free? You can make a one time donation or become a member to get access to more TECN content at "Buy Me a Coffee:" buymeacoffee.com/heatherf Another way to support the show is to leave a review/rating on iTunes or Spotify, and to share on your social media networks!

Every now and then, host Heather Bernt-Santy and the other nerds in the TECN group chat hit on hot issues that we wish early childhood folks didn’t have to worry about. We decided to do a few episodes on these topics, calling it the Free the Teachers! series.  In this episode, we talk about how stressful tightly controlled daily schedules are for adults and for children, and discuss some alternatives.  Want to order Heather’s book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood? Teachers College Press: https://www.tcpress.com/using-schema-play-theory-to-advocate-for-free-play-in-early-childhood-9780807787243 Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/mry4md7b Barnes and Noble: https://tinyurl.com/4vy5eyxy Want to support the show and help keep it ad free? You can make a one time donation or become a member to get access to more TECN content at "Buy Me a Coffee:" buymeacoffee.com/heatherf Another way to support the show is to leave a review/rating on iTunes or Spotify, and to share on your social media networks!

When host Heather Bernt-Santy talked with Amy Chiu (www.theworkofplay.com) on TECN episode 372, she knew she had to have a follow up conversation including Carol Garboden Murray (https://www.carolgarbodenmurray.com/). Join them all as they discuss the benefit of slowing down with children in our early childhood settings, including some great first-of-the-school-year practices that help build slow habits.  Want to order Heather’s book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood? Teachers College Press: https://www.tcpress.com/using-schema-play-theory-to-advocate-for-free-play-in-early-childhood-9780807787243 Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/mry4md7b Barnes and Noble: https://tinyurl.com/4vy5eyxy Want to support the show and help keep it ad free? You can make a one time donation or become a member to get access to more TECN content at "Buy Me a Coffee:" buymeacoffee.com/heatherf Another way to support the show is to leave a review/rating on iTunes or Spotify, and to share on your social media networks!

Live from the lobby of the Claggett Retreat Center, listen in as attendees and presenters debrief the day’s events–what resonated, what challenged them, and dreams for what happens next. The Play Empowers Teacher Retreat is truly one of a kind.  Because it was a live recording of a large group, the volume levels vary a bit from person to person–this  may not be an ear bud episode! Want to support the show and help keep it ad free? You can make a one time donation or become a member to get access to more TECN content at "Buy Me a Coffee:" buymeacoffee.com/heatherf Another way to support the show is to leave a review/rating on iTunes or Spotify, and to share on your social media networks!

Nikki Darling-Kuria joins host Heather Bernt-Santy to share her growth as a trauma informed early childhood professional in an unpredictable world. The quote to start this conversation is from Katherine Anne Porter, who said, “The past is never where you think you left it,” meaning that events that we think are in the past and believe we should be “over” aren’t ever over. Nikki shares thoughts and resources about moving through our work and our lives with trauma informed practices.  Want to support the show and help keep it ad free? You can make a one time donation or become a member to get access to more TECN content at "Buy Me a Coffee:" buymeacoffee.com/heatherf Another way to support the show is to leave a review/rating on iTunes or Spotify, and to share on your social media networks!

For a century, America’s early childhood policy has been premised on a myth. This falsehood—which dictates that child care and education are somehow separate and distinct—not only suboptimizes the most important window into all human development, but costs American taxpayers an untold fortune. It’s time to think differently. Written in plain yet provocative language by one of the field’s most respected bipartisan policy experts, The Daycare Myth makes the case for why the early years matter; why America’s longstanding early childhood policy approach sacrifices the needs of young children in favor of promoting adult employment; and why fixing the problem makes good sense, regardless of your place on the political spectrum. With straightforward guidance for policymakers, practitioners, and parents, this incredibly timely book is a wake-up call for a nation that aspires to nothing less than the wholesale transformation of America’s early childhood landscape. Want to support the show and help keep it ad free? You can make a one time donation or become a member to get access to more TECN content at "Buy Me a Coffee:" buymeacoffee.com/heatherf Another way to support the show is to leave a review/rating on iTunes or Spotify, and to share on your social media networks!