Circle Time Convos

About Circle Time Convos

Your go-to podcast for parenting & early childhood insights

Publisher

Leslie McKinily

Category

education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

15 Apr 2025

Latest episode

6 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

39 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   6 Oct 2026

   Play and Language Grow Together

   In this episode of Circle Time Convos, "Play and Language Grow Together," we welcomed Jennifer Fernandez, Early Childhood Education Strategist at School Specialty, to discuss dual language acquisition and early childhood development. Drawing from her 23 years of teaching experience and master's degree in bilingual education, Jennifer addresses common parental concerns about raising bilingual children, stressing the crucial need to maintain the home language as a foundation for acquiring a second language.

2. 

   22 Sept 2026

   How the CCM Connects to Pre-K Classroom Curriculum

   In this episode of Circle Time Convos, special education teacher Helena E. Jankowski from John T. McCutcheon Elementary School joins the conversation to discuss how experiential learning connects to early childhood education. Jankowski explains how McCutcheon’s partnership with the Chicago Children's Museum created a "Curiosity Classroom" that brings museum-style, play-based learning directly to pre-K through 2nd-grade students. The episode explores how everyday explorations—from playground tree studies to community trips—naturally target STEAM, math, literacy, and social-emotional learning standards. Jankowski also shares strategies for supporting diverse learning needs, accommodating students with IEPs, and modeling simple, open-ended play for families to foster curiosity at home.

3. 

   8 Sept 2026

   Learning Beyond the Classroom: Exploring the CCM

   In this episode of Circle Time Convos, guest Alex Pafilis, Director of Early Childhood Learning at the Chicago Children’s Museum, explains how meaningful learning happens through play. Learn simple, everyday ways to bring the magic of museum exploration into your own home, discover how the museum fosters inclusion, and get details on local library passes and free admission days.

Who has been a guest on Circle Time Convos

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Rukiya Curvey Johnson
• Tatiana Cook
• Amy Spar
• Myra Winding
• Dr Carrie Comer-Yates

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 7 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

14

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

0

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