Early Childhood Chats

About Early Childhood Chats

Welcome to "Early Childhood Chats," the podcast dedicated to all things related to early childhood education. Join us as we delve into the fascinating world of early childhood development, parenting tips, teaching strategies, and the latest research in the field. Hosted by passionate educators and experts in early childhood education, each episode brings you insightful discussions, practical advice, and inspiring stories aimed at supporting parents, caregivers, and educators in nurturing the young minds of tomorrow.

Publisher

Institute for Childhood Preparedness

Category

education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

23 Mar 2024

Latest episode

30 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

55 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   30 Sept 2026

   Surviving the Las Vegas Shooting: Lacey Newman’s Story of Resilience

   What happens after you survive the unthinkable?In this powerful episode of Early Childhood Chats, Andy Roszak sits down with Lacey Newman, a survivor of the October 1, 2017 Las Vegas shooting, to hear her firsthand story of survival, recovery, resilience, and preparedness.Lacey recounts the moments when gunfire erupted at the music festival, the realization that she had been shot, and the actions of friends and strangers who helped save her life. She also opens up about what came afterward — returning home to her young son, navigating physical and emotional recovery, living with the lasting effects of trauma, and finding a new sense of purpose through preparedness.The conversation explores the importance of situational awareness, knowing your exits, emergency response training, Stop the Bleed training, and preparing teachers, caregivers, schools, and communities for emergencies before they happen.Lacey’s message is simple but powerful: “Be prepared. Because you never know what’s going to happen.”Topics discussed include:• Las Vegas shooting survivor story• Emergency preparedness and situational awareness• Stop the Bleed training• Trauma, recovery, and resilience• Active shooter preparedness• Emergency response and bystander action• School and childcare safety• Preparing teachers for emergencies• Talking to children after traumatic events• The importance of emergency trainingSubscribe for more conversations about early childhood education, emergency preparedness, school safety, resilience, and protecting children and communities.

2. 

   24 Sept 2026

   Where Will the Next Generation of Early Childhood Educators Come From?

   Where will the next generation of early childhood educators come from — and what will it take to prepare them for the realities of today's classrooms?In this episode of Early Childhood Chats, Andy Roszak sits down with Carol Williamson, Professor and Director of the Early Childhood Education Program at Carroll Community College, to explore the future of the early childhood education workforce.Drawing on more than 40 years of experience, Carol shares how early childhood education has changed, what today's aspiring teachers need to succeed, and why hands-on classroom experience should begin long before graduation.Andy and Carol discuss:• The early childhood educator workforce pipeline• Teacher recruitment and retention challenges• Compensation and the early childhood workforce shortage• Career pathways, CDA credentials, associate degrees, and teacher certification• Why real-world classroom experience matters• Developmentally appropriate practice vs. “push-down” curriculum• Screen time and technology in early childhood• The importance of flexibility, curiosity, and a love of learning• Teacher burnout, wellness, and self-care• Mentorship from experienced educators• College partnerships with Head Start and child care programs• Making teacher education more accessible for working and nontraditional students• The future of early childhood educationCarol also shares how Carroll Community College is creating flexible pathways for future educators through service learning, internships, credit for prior learning, and flexible course options — while giving students meaningful classroom experience from the beginning of their education.Whether you're an early childhood educator, Head Start professional, program director, college student, teacher educator, or someone considering a career in early childhood education, this conversation offers an important look at how we can strengthen the profession for the next generation.Learn more about Carroll Community College: https://www.carrollcc.edu/Subscribe to Early Childhood Chats for more conversations about the people, policies, ideas, and innovations shaping early childhood education.----------------------------Early Childhood Chats is hosted by Andrew Roszak - JD, MPA, EMT-PExecutive Director at the Institute for Childhood Preparedness. The Institute for Childhood Preparedness is proud to use its decades of experience to offer comprehensive and expert disaster and emergency preparedness trainings live in-person, via webinar, and on-demand online. // Visit: https://www.childhoodpreparedness.org/ to find out more // Schedule your training today https://www.childhoodpreparedness.org/trainingFOLLOW UShttps://www.instagram.com/childhoodpreparedness/ https://www.facebook.com/ChildPreparedhttps://twitter.com/ChildPreparedhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/institute-for-childhood-preparedness© Institute for Childhood Preparedness 2026 all rights reserved

3. 

   10 Sept 2026

   A Regulated Classroom Starts with a Regulated Adult: Nervous System Literacy in Early Childhood

   Monica Rollins from Rooted: A Wellness Collective joins Andy Roszak to talk about what actually changes in an early childhood classroom when you introduce yoga and mindfulness, what nervous system literacy means for educators, a live breathwork demonstration you can try with your class tomorrow, and the new kids yoga teacher certification she just launched specifically for preschool teachers.In this episode, Monica shares her origin story bringing yoga into early childhood classrooms back in 2010, the story of a four-year-old who taught herself to sit in a hallway and breathe through big feelings, a live kid-friendly breathwork exercise, her four pillars of kids yoga (movement, breath, focus, and intentional rest), what nervous system literacy means in plain language, the kids yoga teacher certification she just launched, what she is hearing from educators across the country, and one free thing you can do tomorrow morning to start shifting your classroom culture.CONNECT WITH MONICALinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/monica-kaye-rollinsFree Guide: The Preschool Breathwork Blueprint: https://rootedwellnesscollective.kit.com/freebieLive Workshop: Teach Preschool Yoga Like a Pro: https://rootedwellnesscollective.kit.com/liveworkshopEmail: hello@rootedwellnesscollective.org----------------------------Early Childhood Chats is hosted by Andrew Roszak - JD, MPA, EMT-PExecutive Director at the Institute for Childhood Preparedness. The Institute for Childhood Preparedness is proud to use its decades of experience to offer comprehensive and expert disaster and emergency preparedness trainings live in-person, via webinar, and on-demand online. // Visit: https://www.childhoodpreparedness.org/ to find out more // Schedule your training today https://www.childhoodpreparedness.org/trainingFOLLOW UShttps://www.instagram.com/childhoodpreparedness/ https://www.facebook.com/ChildPreparedhttps://twitter.com/ChildPreparedhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/institute-for-childhood-preparedness© Institute for Childhood Preparedness 2026 all rights reserved

Reach and audience

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

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 30 / 100

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

Quality

35

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

60

Contact Early Childhood Chats

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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