Inclusion Matters

Infant and Toddler Language Development Series Part 2: Toddlers Preschoolers Learning to CommunicateListen in to this four-part conversation about language development with our expert guest, Cindy McInroy, Speech-Language Therapist.  Cindy brings over 35 years of experience working with young children to this information packed series.  Everyone working with young children should have this information as we foster one of the key skills a child needs to unlock their lifelong learning.  

Infant and Toddler Language Development Series Part 1: Infants Learning to CommunicateListen in to this four-part conversation about language development with our expert guest, Cindy McInroy, Speech-Language Therapist.  Cindy brings over 35 years of experience working with young children to this information packed series.  Everyone working with young children should have this information as we foster one of the key skills a child needs to unlock their lifelong learning. 

Help Me Connect from the MN Department of Health is celebrating three years of serving families in Minnesota. Listen as we reconnect with Shawn Holmes, the Help Me Connect Coordinator, as she highlights some of the new and exciting updates to this helpful site, including a provider referral system. Enhancements include access to electronic developmental and social-emotional screenings, an online chat function, and exploration of a toll-free number for families and providers to access navigation support.For more information:Help Me Connect: https://helpmeconnect.web.health.state.mn.us/HelpMeConnect/Help Me Connect Newsletter: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MNDCYF/bulletins/3af38f9 

Join us as we continue our conversation with Tracy Schreifels, MS, LMFT, IMH-E®, the Executive Director of the Ellison Center.  She helps us understand what the research is showing about young children and their development following a global pandemic. Our “tried and true” approaches from the past may not be successful.  We discuss strategies that can support children as they build key foundations for later development and help early educators and families provide important routines and connections to build skills.

Angela Clair, Director of Early Childhood Services at Wilder Child Development Center, joins Priscilla Weigel and Beth Menninga to share her center's story of rethinking their approach to expulsion with the goal of truly being inclusive.  How can we include parents and staff to shift our organizational thinking and practices in our responses to big behaviors so that our doors welcome and support all children to thrive in our early childhood programs? 

CICC Coach Lead, Jacy Nylander joins Priscilla Weigel to discuss a key topic for our youngest learners, health and safety.  Listen to their conversation about ways you can create an environment that is safe, calm, clean, and fresh.

Join Dr. Nicole Evans from Embracing Equity and Beth Menninga and Priscilla Weigel of CICC as they discuss the central role of equity in creating inclusive early childhood environments.  Dr. Evans presents a useful framework for taking action at three levels to promote equity in organizations. Examples are shared of how and where learning organizations identified needs and made changes aimed at creating more equity at the individual, cultural and systems levels. As we think about where to begin a focus on equity in early childhood environments, the group talks about ways to create strong family partnerships as a powerful first step.

Listen as Priscilla Weigel and guest Brenda Lowe, CICC Coach Lead, discuss an important health and safety topic.  They walk through the daily process of checking your child care environment for safety dangers that can cause harm to children and adults.  The conversation walks through some tips and tricks for making this process smooth and key to your daily routine. 

Dhacdadan, Bureeqo Dahir, Tababaraha CICC, iyo martida khaaska ah Marian Hassan ayaa wada hadlaya muhiimada ay leedahay samaynta joogtayn iyo jadwalyo goobta caruurnimoda hore. In this episode, Bureeqo Dahir, CICC Coach, and special guest Marian Hassan discuss the importance of establishing routines and schedules in the early childhood setting.

Qaybtan, Bureeqo Dahir, CICC Coach, iyo marti-sharaf gaar ah Marian Hassan ayaa ka wada hadlay doorka baruhu ku leeyahay daryeelka hore iyo goobaha waxbarashada.In this episode, Bureeqo Dahir, CICC Coach, and special guest Marian Hassan discuss the role of the educator in early care and education settings.  

Qaybtan, Bureeqo Dahir, Tababaraha CICC, iyo martida khaaska ah Marian Hassan ayaa ka wada hadlaya muhiimadda ay ciyaartu u leedahay carruurta yaryar.In this episode, Bureeqo Dahir, CICC Coach, and special guest Marian Hassan discuss the importance of play for young children.

Listen as Priscilla Weigel interviews our guest, Alyssa Greene, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, Eating Disorder Specialist, and currently at the Minnesota Department of Health in the Children and Youth with Special Health Needs and Disabilities Division.  Alyssa shares some key practices that can help set children up for a healthy view of their own bodies, acceptance of all body sizes and shapes, and how we as parents and professionals can advocate for people of all body sizes in your space whether that is children or adults. 

Únase a nosotros mientras nuestros invitados, Ronan y Karina, exploran la importancia que nosotros, como adultos, tenemos cuando se trata de los niños y el juego. ¿Cómo podemos motivar a los niños a explorar su entorno y brindarles las herramientas que necesitan para florecer en su desarrollo a través del juego? Escuché puntos importantes sobre lo crucial que es nuestro papel como adultos en el salón de clase.Join us as our guests, Ronan and Karina, explore the importance that we, as adults, have when it comes to children and play. How can we motivate children to explore their environment and give them the tools they need to flourish in their development through play? Listen in on great points about how crucial our role is as adults in the classroom. 

Escuché a nuestros invitados, Ronan y Karina, hablar sobre la importancia del juego en el desarrollo de los niños pequeños. Ronan destaca formas en las que podemos fomentar el juego positivo tanto dentro como fuera del salón de clase. Únase a nosotros mientras exploramos estas ideas.Listen in as our guests, Ronan and Karina, talk about the importance of play in the development of young children. Ronan highlights ways that we can encourage positive play both within the classroom and out. Join us as we explore these ideas. 

Please Join Priscilla Weigel as she talks with Jani Kozlowski, Technical Assistance Specialist at the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Jani shares her story and what led her to write her book, Every Child Can Fly: An Early Childhood Educator's Guide to Inclusion. Additional Resources Related to this podcast:Jani’s website: www.everychildcanfly.com  Every Child Can Fly: An Early Childhood Educator's Guide to Inclusion https://www.gryphonhouse.com/books/details/every-child-can-fly-an-early-childhood-educators-guide-to-inclusion  Research and Studies on Inclusion: https://ectacenter.org/topics/inclusion/research.asp Indicators of High-Quality Inclusion: https://ectacenter.org/topics/inclusion/indicators.aspNew book out on June 1st: Empowering Your Child to Fly: A Family's Guide to Early Childhood Inclusionhttps://shop.gryphonhouse.com/products/empowering-your-child-to-fly-a-familys-guide-t

In this second part of our discussion, we are joined again by CICC Coaching Manager, Beth Menninga.  This segment focuses on extended separations and reunions with infants and toddlers.  We discuss military deployment, divorce/break up or split households, work travel, incarceration, foster care, hospitalization, immigration related separations, teacher leaves, and change of classroom or care setting. 

Listen as Beth Menninga, our CICC Coaching Manager, joins Inclusion Matters and shares key practices to support our youngest learners through common daily separations and reunions. 

Join in our second part of a discussion on the importance of play with Dr. Sue Starks, Professor of Education and Chair of Early Childhood at Concordia University St. Paul.  We discuss the fact that play is a developmental need and that all children show us what they need through play.  Quality play is encouraged through the supports, prompts, activities, and experiences that we provide in the early childhood setting. Listen as Dr. Starks encourages us all to play!

Listen as our guest, Dr. Sue Starks, Professor of Education and Chair of Early Childhood at Concordia University St. Paul, talks about one of her passions, supporting play in young children.  Dr. Starks shares that play is relationship based and your environment matters.  How can you align your space to foster early social emotional connection through play. Join us as we explore this important topic. 

Join us as we hear from our CICC Intern, Loretta Campbell, Early Childhood Special Educator (ECSE) and Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Master’s student.  We discuss the role of the ECSE teacher and the relationship between special education and child care, highlighting key relationship-building and support for the family which benefits the child and all who care for them.