Talking About Kids

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Kevin Cripe changed the culture of his under-resourced school in Modesto, California, with an afterschool program devoted to…chess. Kevin and I discuss his motivation for starting the program, how he did it, and, importantly, why he chose chess. I believe the lessons Kevin learned in the process can benefit all out-of-school time (OST) programs. More information about Kevin – including information on his books, how to engage him as speaker, and a picture of one his many chess champions with an enormous trophy – is at talkingaboutkids.com.

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Grammar. If the thought of it makes you anxious, you are not alone. My guest this episode, Patty McGee, wants to change that by changing how we teach the subject. The pedagogy that she prescribes in her excellent book, Not Your Granny’s Grammar, is not necessarily new (Patty bases her recommendations on evidence-informed practices). However, solid pedagogy, like Patty’s, is rarely applied to subject of grammar. Patty and I discuss this, her book, and tips for reducing grammar anxiety. More information about Patty and her book is at talkingaboutkids.com.

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If we want to improve the economy, if we want to make the population healthier, or even if we want to reduce the deficit, leading economists tell us that we should invest in early childhood development. Unfortunately, the opposite is happening, and, as new research from National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) reveals, childcare providers are feeling pinched. My guest to discuss NAEYC’s most recent Early Childhood Education (ECE) Workforce Survey is NAEYC’s Senior Director of Applied Research, Meghan Salas Atwell. As you will hear Meghan explain, childcare providers are caught between rising costs and decreasing revenue. If this persists, the evidence suggests that we all will suffer. More information about Meghan and ECE Workforce Survey is at talkingaboutkids.com.

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When it comes to programs and services for children and families, researchers and practitioners should work hand-in-hand: research should guide practice and, in turn, study what is working to inform the rest of the field. By all accounts, All Our Children Elite Childcare Academy, the beloved program founded by Antoinette Elliott, exemplifies this relationship. Antoinette incorporated best practices and input from expert consultants in the design of the academy, but, as you will hear, I believe that the elements that she created from experience and trial-and-error are benefiting children and families in ways that need to be studied and replicated. More information about Antoinette and All Our Children Elite Childcare Academy - including a link to a complimentary Parent Peace Pack: 10 Powerful Tools to Help You Navigate Tantrums, Picky Eating, Bedtime Battles, and More - is at talkingaboutkids.com.

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The research is conclusive: strong public education systems benefit individuals, communities, and, ultimately, society in myriad ways. Unfortunately, public education systems across the U.S.A. are facing pressures that, some believe, impede them from providing all the services that kids, and neurodivergent kids in particular, need. My guest this episode, Kait Feriante, supports public education, but she has seen too many kids with dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia fall through the cracks. Kait founded Redwood Literacy to provide independent assessment and intervention services for them. She and I discuss those services and how to tell if a kid in your life needs them. More information about Kait and Redwood Literacy is at talkingaboutkids.com.