Teaching Journey : Connecting through Early Education

Episode 35 : Valentina Caputo

Valentina Caputo has over 10 years of experience across the globe in early education. She has worked in education systems in Australia, China, Italy, and is currently based in Myanmar. Valentina is deeply passionate about nature pedagogy and project-based learning, with a strong belief in children's agency and their role as citizens in their own learning journeys. Reflective questions on the topic of privilege in play to consider as you listen to Valentina's stories: * Is play itself a privilege? * What are the entanglements and dichotomies between freedom and boundaries in the context of privileged play? * What are the elements that define privileged play, and are they relevant in all contexts? * Does privileged play equate to freedom in play? * Are these concepts fluid and interchangeable? * And importantly, how do we ensure all children have access to the privileges of play?   Guest speaker : Valentina Caputo  https://www.linkedin.com/in/valentina-caputo-92601a125/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/valentina-caputo-92601a125/] Host: Dee Suvanmani  @teachingjourneypodcast (https://www.instagram.com/teachingjourneypodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/teachingjourneypodcast/])

Episode 34 : Ren Wenas

Ren Wenas has a background in Psychology and has worked in the early childhood sector for over 10 years. His roles have included being a therapist for Autistic children, an Early Intervention Coordinator with the NDIS, and a speaker at conferences in Indonesia, where he continues to advocate for inclusive and accessible education in his home country. Ren has a deep understanding of inclusion and diversity, and he’s incredibly passionate about equitable education for young people. He shared stories from his own professional journey—stories that reflect how his identity as an educator continues to evolves in ways they’ve shifted over time, and how he remains open to change as part of his daily work. Reflective questions on perfectionism that you can consider as you listen to Ren's stories:  * What expectations am I holding onto? * What would it feel like to let go of the need for things to be “perfect”? * How might embracing imperfection open up new possibilities in my teaching? * And what would you say to a friend who might feel frustrated at themselves—could you say that to you?   Guest speaker : Ren Wenas @renwenas https://www.linkedin.com/in/renwenas/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/renwenas/] Host: Dee Suvanmani  @teachingjourneypodcast (https://www.instagram.com/teachingjourneypodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/teachingjourneypodcast/])

Episode 33 : Dr. Rachel Foster

Dr. Rachel Foster has been in the early years sector for more than 20 years and is now a service coordinator and a sessional academic. She started her teaching journey in New Zealand and progressed into leadership positions after a few years of teaching. Rachel shared her doctoral thesis research on professional learning needs of recently appointed leaders in EC in NZ and found that  early leaders seek for specific knowledge needs that support their current challenges and sought for social connections as they navigate the challenges of their newly appointed roles.  We also spoke about what leadership means to Rachel and why it is important to question in inner dialogue of discomfort.    In this episode, I invite you to ponder on: * What do you need to effectively perform your roles and responsibilities in the leadership that you have undertaken? *  What do you want in the skills of building towards your leadership capabilities? * What does it look like in action – for you to work towards to and for your support network or organisation to provide as you built towards your leadership capabilities? Resource: Foster, R.. (2023). Recently Appointed Leaders in Early Childhood Education in Aotearoa New Zealand : The Quest for Useful Knowledge and Social Connection [Prof Doc Thesis]. Australian Catholic University Institute for Learning Sciences and Teacher Education Faculty of Education and Arts https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/researcher/8yz24/rachel-foster [https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/researcher/8yz24/rachel-foster]   Guest speaker : Dr. Rachel Foster  Host: Dee Suvanmani  @teachingjourneypodcast (https://www.instagram.com/teachingjourneypodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/teachingjourneypodcast/])

Episode 32 : Jenna Close

Jenna Close has been in the sector for more than 20 years. She has started her teaching journey teaching in Primary and Secondary sector and very quickly realised her passion for Early Education.   She speaks so thoughtfully about her joy in her current role as a coach and mentor, and how much she values the growth journey that comes with it. We also touched on leadership, reciprocal learning, and the significance of building strong relationships and connections. In this episode, I invite you to ponder on: * What does critical reflection actually mean to you? * What does this look like in practice for you? * How often do you engage in deep, honest reflection? * Do you document or keep track of your reflections? * Do you share them with others? * Do you notice how your body responds during reflection? * And, how often do you revisit and celebrate the journey of reflection? Resources: radical.sw. (2020, September 2). Emotional Regulation [Instagram photo]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/radical.sw/p/CEsHV77j4pB/ [https://www.instagram.com/radical.sw/p/CEsHV77j4pB/] Dabell, J. (2018, August 12). Models of reflection. John Dabell. https://johndabell.com/2018/08/12/models-of-reflection-2/ [https://johndabell.com/2018/08/12/models-of-reflection-2/] Smyth, J. (1991). Critical reflection on classroom practice [Figure 3]. ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Critical-reflection-on-classroom-practice-Smyth-1991_fig3_270762112 [https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Critical-reflection-on-classroom-practice-Smyth-1991_fig3_270762112]   Guest speaker : Jenna Close @aroha.and.ako https://www.instagram.com/aroha.and.ako/ [https://www.instagram.com/_wanderlustingnz/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenna-close-57666874/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenna-close-57666874/]     Host: Dee Suvanmani  @teachingjourneypodcast (https://www.instagram.com/teachingjourneypodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/teachingjourneypodcast/])

Episode 31 : Barbi Clendining

Barbi Clendining has been in the education sector for more than 20 years as a teacher and a leader in Outside of School Hours Care (OSHC). Now, she is a co-founder of Firefly HR, a recruitment agency in NSW and a podcast co-host OSHC After the Bell. Barbi shared authentically of her journey of leadership and finding the right leadership that resonates with her. She said "I felt that I was doing it all wrong”- as her understanding of leadership is pre-contextualised from her own personal experiences and the understanding that leadership needs to be authoritative. She described her leadership style as affiliative or servant leadership which is a leader who prioritize the growth and wellbeing of others. We spoke about how this leadership style and her characteristic traits as an ADHD-er influence in her decision making and how she leads her team. She shared the challenges and the rewarding complexities of the entanglements of the traits of understanding her leadership style and her journey of getting a diagnosis of ADHD.   Guest speaker : Barbi Clendining Firefly HR: https://fireflyhr.com.au/ [https://fireflyhr.com.au/] OSHC After The Bell Podcast: https://oshcafterthebell.libsyn.com/ [https://oshcafterthebell.libsyn.com/]    Host: Dee Suvanmani  @teachingjourneypodcast (https://www.instagram.com/teachingjourneypodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/teachingjourneypodcast/])