The Art of Inspiring Mentorship

Building team capability in ECE: Real Answers to the Questions Leaders Actually Ask

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1463971/fan_mail/new] Ever feel like your office door never gets a moment's peace? You're not alone — and this week, we're tackling it head-on. We sat down with Sue Kurtovich, one of the most trusted voices in early childhood education, to work through the real, sometimes tricky questions leaders ask us about building team capability. Like this one: "My teachers constantly interrupt me and come to the office for every little question they should be able to handle without me. What can I do?" Sound familiar? In this episode, Sue shares practical, no-fluff strategies you can start using today to help your team grow in confidence, judgement, and independence — so you can lead, not just troubleshoot. If you've ever wondered how to build a team that thinks for itself, this one's for you.

Responding Effectively to Toddler Urges in the ECE Curriculum

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1463971/fan_mail/new] Ever watched a toddler throw something for the tenth time and wondered, “is this just chaos, or is there something more going on?” In this episode, we sit down with early childhood educator and advocate Kimberley Crisp to unpack the powerful urges driving toddler behaviour and what it really means to support them. Kimberley challenges us to move beyond managing behaviour and start reading it, offering practical, compassionate strategies for educators who want to meet toddlers where they are. Whether you're in the thick of the toddler room or leading a team of educators, this conversation will shift the way you see the small humans in your care.

The Great Sleep Debate in ECE

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1463971/fan_mail/new] Sleep. It seems simple, until a parent hands you a sleep plan at drop-off. In this episode, we sit down with Alex Weehuizen, sleep consultant and early childhood teacher, to unpack one of the most common tensions in early childhood education: what happens when home sleep routines meet the realities of care. From settling struggles to the "please wake my child after 20 minutes" conversation, Alex brings practical insight, real talk, and a whole lot of reassurance for educators navigating sleep every single day.

Seeing strength: Mentoring for diverse learners in Aotearoa

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1463971/fan_mail/new] How the way a mentor sees, the lens they bring to a student teacher, and to the learners in their classroom, shapes practice in ways that ripple far beyond a single placement. From supporting teachers new to Aotearoa, to seeing neurodiversity as strength rather than deficit, this episode explores what it really means to look closely and lead with that. Proudly sponsored by NZTC.

Holding the Space: Supporting Children Through Conflict

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1463971/fan_mail/new] What if the moments we rush to fix are actually where the deepest learning happens? In this episode, we explore how educators can step back and support children to navigate conflict on their own. Through practical strategies and grounded in child development theory, you’ll learn how to guide without taking over - helping children build confidence, empathy, and lifelong problem-solving skills.