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?

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.asp

 New book out on June 1st: 

• Empowering Your Child to Fly: A Family's Guide to Early Childhood Inclusion- https://shop.gryphonhouse.com/products/empowering-your-child-to-fly-a-familys-guide-to-early-childhood-inclusion?variant=48539511357732

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. 

Join us for this important episode of Inclusion Matters as we discuss critical information for all those interacting with young children.  Our expert guests, Gina Liverseed, CMV Nurse Specialist, Minnesota Department of Health, and Amanda Devereaux, Program Director, National CMV Foundation, give an overview of CMV or Cytomegalovirus, share facts about who is at risk, how it is spread, symptoms, treatment, and ways that we can deter the spread of CMV in early childhood settings.

Need More Information? 

• Talk to your healthcare provider.

• Minnesota Department of Health website:  Health.mn.gov/CMV

• National CMV Foundation: Nationalcmv.org

Join us for this important episode of Inclusion Matters as we discuss critical information for all those interacting with young children.  Our expert guests, Gina Liverseed, CMV Nurse Specialist, Minnesota Department of Health, and Amanda Devereaux, Program Director, National CMV Foundation, give an overview of CMV or Cytomegalovirus, share facts about who is at risk, how it is spread, symptoms, treatment, and ways that we can deter the spread of CMV in early childhood settings.

Need More Information? 

• Talk to your healthcare provider.

• Minnesota Department of Health website:  Health.mn.gov/CMV

• National CMV Foundation: Nationalcmv.org

Join our guests, Amanda Ziebell Mawanda, Art Rolnick, and Jamie Bonczyk in this three-part series as they discuss how budgeting decisions in the early childhood education sector translate into positive brain development in young children.  Barriers are highlighted as we talk through ways to foster organizational shifts, economic investment, stressing board recruitment and engagement as ways to support your organization’s work. 

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 our guests, Amanda Ziebell Mawanda, Art Rolnick, and Jamie Bonczyk in this three-part series as they discuss how budgeting decisions in the early childhood education sector translate into positive brain development in young children.  Barriers are highlighted as we talk through ways to foster organizational shifts, economic investment, stressing board recruitment and engagement as ways to support your organization’s work. 

Join our guests, Amanda Ziebell Mawanda, Art Rolnick, and Jamie Bonczyk in this three-part series as they discuss how budgeting decisions in the early childhood education sector translate into positive brain development in young children.  Barriers are highlighted as we talk through ways to foster organizational shifts, economic investment, stressing board recruitment and engagement as ways to support your organization’s work.   

Join us as we talk with Ashley Olthoff from the Down Syndrome Association of Minnesota.  She is the Director of the Family Connector Program, set up to help families feel more connected and be more equipped to navigate systems and access resources. For more information, please visit:https://dsamn.org/

Join us as we talk with Heather Stillwell, Strategic Initiatives Lead at the Southeastern Minnesota Center for Independent Living, Inc. (SEMCIL).  Learn about SEMCIL and the 5 Core Services which are provided free of charge to anyone who identifies as having a disability in the 11 counties in SE Minnesota.  Heather also explains that there are 8 other Centers for Independent Living that serve every county in Minnesota.  Listen for information on this amazing free support.

En este episodio de Inclusion Matters, damos la bienvenida a Angele Sancho Passe, autora de numerosos libros, uno de los cuales habla sobre el liderazgo y dirección de programas. Como líder, ¿cómo podemos apoyar a nuestro equipo de educadores, especialmente a los educadores que hablan español? Únase a nosotros en esta conversación donde hablamos sobre el importante papel que desempeña el liderazgo en el apoyo tanto a los educadores como a los niños.

In this episode of Inclusion Matters, we welcome Angele Sancho Passe, author of many books, one of which highlights Leadership and Program Management. As a leader, how can we support our team of educators, especially Spanish-speaking educators? Join us in this insightful conversation in which we talk about the important role leadership plays in supporting both educators and children. 

Tracy Schreifels,  Executive Director of Ellison Center in St. Cloud, MN joins us for an important conversation centered around the pandemic and what it was like for young children and their families.  We discuss some key questions that can help us to begin to process the impact. What are our bodies holding related to this trauma?  How do we process and name our experiences so we can start to heal?  How do we help young children organize their experiences and move forward? 

Inclusion Matters welcomes Olivia Christensen and Jon Vaupel from the Minnesota Department of Education, Division of Early Learning to discuss supporting children and their learning pathway-starting with kindergarten.  This podcast highlights the Successful Learner Equation, which recognizes that children are always ready to learn and that it is the responsibility of adults and systems to be ready to support all children as they grow and develop, and as they transition to kindergarten.  Listen and learn more about this exciting way to look at a child’s foundation for learning.  

This podcast episode allows us to hear a unique perspective from a parent as she looks back over her family’s journey through a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder.  Each path is unique in this process and we are able to hear the ups and downs from her individual perspective and learn what is working for her child, based on his needs.

Escuche a nuestra entrenadora de CICC, Karina Pliego Vergara, describir la forma en que el coaching gratuito de CICC puede mejorar y apoyar el trabajo que realiza como educador de la primera infancia para brindar atención de calidad a todos los niños.

Listen as our CICC Coach, Karina Pliego Vergara describes the way CICC free coaching can enhance and support the work you do as an early childhood educator to provide quality care for all children.

Pediatric Occupational Therapist Alyssa Mason joins us for another discussion about the sensory needs of young children in our care. For those who have experienced trauma or may be experiencing trauma, what can we provide related to support, how do we understand possible triggers, and how can we be informed and in-tune to a child and the messages they are sending through their behavior?  This podcast recording was funded by Greater Twin Cities United Way (GTCUW) 80x3 - Resilient from the Start.

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

In this episode we welcome back Pediatric Occupational Therapist, Alyssa Mason.  We discuss ways to support all children, and especially those with sensory differences, during key transitions in the early childhood setting.  Lunch and naptime are often tricky and Alyssa helps set children and adults up for success with her strategies. This podcast recording was funded by Greater Twin Cities United Way (GTCUW) 80x3 - Resilient from the Start.

Podcastigan wuxuu ka hadlaysaa Adaabta Ilmaha iyo toosinta saxan oo ah mid ku salaysan  xiriir wanaagsan oo ilmaha lala wadaago.

This podcast talks about Child Discipline and discipline based on a good relationship with the child.

Podcastigani wuxuu ka hadlayaa  “Protective Factors” oo ah qaab faa’iido wayn u leh dhismaha iyo baraaraha nolosha ilmaha iyo qoyska.

This podcast talks about "Protective Factors" which are a very useful way to build and nurture the life of the child and the family.

Minnesota Help Me Connect is an online service navigator that connects expectant and parenting families with young children to services in their local communities that support healthy child development and family well-being. Listen as our guest, Shawn Holmes of the Minnesota Department of Health and the Help Me Connect Coordinator shares an overview of the amazing resources this website provides.

En este episodio, Karina Pliego, CICC Support, da la bienvenida a Ronan Hernandez-Pratt para hablar sobre la importancia de preparar a los niños cuando llega un nuevo miembro a la familia. Escuche las estrategias y el apoyo que podemos brindar para facilitar esta transición importante.

En este episodio, Karina Pliego, CICC Support, y el invitado Ronan Hernandez-Pratt hablan sobre los maravillosos beneficios del aprendizaje y el juego al aire libre y los pasos y estrategias a tomar en cuenta al planificar el tiempo al aire libre.

Listen as our guest, Kate Abernathy, Registered and Licensed Dietitian and Chief Executive Officer of Providers Choice, joins us for a conversation about “picky eaters”.  Young children begin their lifelong relationship with food in early childhood.  How can we set the stage for an enjoyment of all types foods, and a willingness to try new foods?  Kate shares some tips.   
 

Keeping children safe while they are playing in their early childhood setting is key to quality care.  Listen as we welcome Sarah Hawley, Child Care Health Consultant and Public Health Nurse.  She gives essential tips to consider when you are preparing and maintaining your play spaces and shares strategies to lessen injuries, keep children and staff safe, and provide positive outdoor or indoor large muscle play.

Our guest in this episode of the Inclusion Matters podcast is Alyssa Mason, Pediatric Occupational Therapist from M Health Fairview. She joins us to discuss the sensory systems and sensory needs of young children in our care. This first conversation talks us through "a day in the life of a preschooler in child care" from a sensory needs perspective. This podcast recording was funded by Greater Twin Cities United Way (GTCUW) 80x3 - Resilient from the Start.

Our guest, Public Health Nurse Sarah Hawley from Minnesota Child Care Health Consultants, joins Inclusion Matters for another episode, this time focusing on safe and healthy naptime routines, policies, and practices.  Sleep is essential for the overall good health of the child and the whole family.  Listen and gain resources and tools to support quality sleep for young children while in child care.

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. 

In this episode, our guest Danielle Hayden, Supervisor of Early Childhood Special Education at the Minnesota Department of Education joins us to provide an overview of the state of the state as it relates to early intervention across Minnesota in post-Covid realities.

In this episode (in Somali) Bureeqo Dahir, CICC Coach, and special guest Marian Hassan discuss the importance of understanding Mental Health and the need for communication and information sharing around this important topic.  They also explain how Mental Health affects every aspect of our lives- emotional, psychological, and social well-being; how we feel, think, behave, and relate to others.

Dhacdadan (af  Soomaaliga ah ) Bureeqo Dahir, CICC Coach kaa ah, iyo martida gaarka ah Marian Hassan waxay ka wada hadlayaan muhiimadda fahamka Caafimaadka Maskaxda iyo baahida loo qabo isgaarsiinta iyo macluumaadka wadaagga mowduucan muhiimka ah.  Waxay sidoo kale sharraxaan sida Caafimaadka Maskaxda u saameeyo dhinac kasta oo nolosheena ah - shucuur, cilmi nafsi, iyo wanaag bulsho; sida aan dareemeyno, u fikirno, u dhaqanno, una xiriirno kuwa kale.

Our guest Sarah Hawley of Minnesota Child Care Health Consultants is back again for another episode to support healthy child care settings.  Priscilla Weigel and Sarah discuss the common illnesses that require exclusion from child care settings and why.  Policies and communication with families and staff are also discussed as well as illness that does not require exclusion.

Join us for this special episode of Inclusion Matters as we talk with Margaret Mahowld, Director of Calvary Child Care.  She shares her path to hope in the staffing crisis detailing her step by step plan to keep her child care setting open and able to continue to support families.

Public Health Nurse Sarah Hawley, from Minnesota Child Care Health Consultants talks with us about ways to keep the whole team healthy in a child care setting. Staff health directly effects the health of children and their families.  Sarah talks with us about ways we can build a healthy lifestyle and also keep germs at bay in the workplace and keep those germs from spreading to families.

Inclusion Matters hosts a conversation with Faith Kidder, a Child Health Consultant from the Child and Teen Checkups (C&TC) Team at  the Minnesota Department of Health.  Faith leads us through a discussion about the importance of early screening for young children and the ways that Minnesota supports this process through many resources like Early Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT), a federal program to ensure the children who are eligible for Medical assistance receive appropriate timely preventive well child health care.

Our guest, Sarah Hawley, RN, BSN, PHN, shares the most recent updates to the precautions and expectations that child care settings need in place related to the current Covid status.  This episode covers an overview of the CDC’s CURRENT Operational Guidance to Support In-person Learning.

Our guest Michele Kvikstad, Program Coordinator for Follow Along in Minnesota joins us to share about this wonderful free program for families.  Michele highlights the way the Follow Along Program helps support caregivers of infants and young children track their child's development and let you know if your child is playing, talking, growing, moving, and behaving like other children the same age. Listen and learn more about this great free resource for families. https://www.health.state.mn.us/mnfap

Join us as we learn about Parent Aware from our guest, Katie Hoffman, Director of Quality Improvement at Child Care Aware of Minnesota.  We walk through the history, the principles, and the many benefits of becoming a Parent Aware Rated child care program.

Public Health Nurse and owner of MN Child Care Health Consultants, Sarah Hawley, joins us on this episode to share ways early childhood professionals can create a “breastfeeding friendly” child care setting.  Sarah highlights the health benefits of breastfeeding and the ways that supporting this personal parent decision can enhance the overall setting.

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.

Kim Woehl, one of our CICC Coaches and a former licensed family child care provider, joins this episode.  Kim has many useful insights as to how to meet the needs of many different children at various ages and stages in the family child care setting.  She shares strategies related to building a flexible yet consistent routine, and tips and tricks that calm chaos and meet varied needs.

In this episode, we host Anna Paulson, from Region 11 Help Me Grow as she shares the many ways Help Me Grow MN (HMGMN)  supports the healthy development of young children.  She highlights the way HMGMN enables parents, caregivers, professionals, and others to know when there are child development concerns and who to contact when these concerns arise.  An early start can change long-term outcomes for children.  Early services can mean fewer or no services later in life.  That is the goal.  Listen and learn more about the ways Help Me Grow MN meets that goal and supports those caring for young children along the path to success.

Inclusion Matters welcomes back our friend Sarah Hawley of Minnesota Child Care Health Consultants to talk about helping children develop healthy eating patterns.  Sarah shares ways that early childhood educators can set a strong foundation for those in their care by providing opportunities to explore healthy foods and using positive modeling to encourage healthy choices.  She also shares wonderful free resources available to help you plan fun activities and share solid information with families.

Join us as we welcome Jacy Nylander, CICC Coaching Lead, as we discuss the current state of the field of early childhood.  As our field experiences the combination of the pandemic and ongoing social inequities it has led to a staffing shortage and in turn, affected how professionals, families, and children are existing in the community together.  We’ll focus on 3 areas that have been greatly impacted, our sense of safety, connection, and self-efficacy.