That Early Childhood Nerd
If you love thinking deeply about childhood, early childhood education, caring for children, and supporting children’s right to play, this is the podcast for you! Each week, host and self-proclaimed early childhood nerd Heather Bernt-Santy invites practitioners, writers, and thinkers who share her commitment to doing the very best we can for children, their caregivers and teachers, and their families to discuss big ideas, real life practices, and cool research. Let’s get nerdy!
Listen on:
Episodes
Wednesday May 21, 2025
Wednesday May 21, 2025
Welcome to Early Childhood MAYtriarchy 2025, where we celebrate the contributions of women to the work of early childhood.
In this episode: Stephanie Goloway shares the accomplishments and contributions of Constance Kamii and Rhonda DeVries. Suzanne Axelsson brings two Swedish women to the conversation: Ellen Key and Alva Myrdal.
I love doing this series! Hope you love it to.
Want to support the show and help keep it ad free? You can make a one time donation or become a member to get access to more TECN content at "Buy Me a Coffee:"
buymeacoffee.com/heatherf
Another way to support the show is to leave a review/rating on iTunes or Spotify, and to share on your social media networks!
Wednesday May 14, 2025
Wednesday May 14, 2025
Welcome to Early Childhood MAYtriarchy 2025, where we celebrate the contributions of women to the work of early childhood.
In this episode: Lizz Nolasco blows Heather's mind with her discussion of play advocate Dr Millie Almy. Gemma Medina expands our understanding of Caroline Pratt and her work beyond the wooden unit blocks we often associate with her. Bethany Corrie brings Magda Gerber's life and career changing work to the conversation.
I love doing this series! Hope you love it too.
Want to support the show and help keep it ad free? You can make a one time donation or become a member to get access to more TECN content at "Buy Me a Coffee:"
buymeacoffee.com/heatherf
Another way to support the show is to leave a review/rating on iTunes or Spotify, and to share on your social media networks!
Wednesday May 07, 2025
Wednesday May 07, 2025
Welcome to Early Childhood MAYtriarchy 2025, where we celebrate the contributions of women to the work of early childhood.
In this episode: Mike Huber shares about how he has been influenced by Eve Trook and her ideas on having power on, power for, and power with children. Stacy Benge shares about Dr Marianne Gibbs, and occupational therapist who has informed Stacy's work around literacy. Richard Cohen shares about our beloved and brilliant Bev Bos and her ideas around what we all need for healthy human growth.
I love doing this series! Hope you love it to.
Want to support the show and help keep it ad free? You can make a one time donation or become a member to get access to more TECN content at "Buy Me a Coffee:"
buymeacoffee.com/heatherf
Another way to support the show is to leave a review/rating on iTunes or Spotify, and to share on your social media networks!
Wednesday Apr 30, 2025
Wednesday Apr 30, 2025
It's spring break 2025 and host Heather Bernt-Santy has invited some of the TECN nerds to Indianapolis for a four day sleepover!
In this episode, Heather and some of her favorite people discuss how to navigate the idea of "consent" with young children.
Want to support the show and help keep it ad free? You can make a one time donation or become a member to get access to more TECN content at "Buy Me a Coffee:"
buymeacoffee.com/heatherf
Another way to support the show is to leave a review/rating on iTunes or Spotify, and to share on your social media networks!
Wednesday Apr 23, 2025
Wednesday Apr 23, 2025
It's spring break 2025, which means the Nerds are descending on Indianapolis for four days of nerdy fun!
In this episode, host Heather Bernt-Santy and nerds Lizz Nolasco, Mike Huber, Kisa Marx, and Bethany Corrie wonder about what happens when we lose ourselves in our caring work.Want
Want to support the show and help keep it ad free? You can make a one time donation or become a member to get access to more TECN content at "Buy Me a Coffee:"
buymeacoffee.com/heatherf
Another way to support the show is to leave a review/rating on iTunes or Spotify, and to share on your social media networks!
Wednesday Apr 16, 2025
Wednesday Apr 16, 2025
It's spring break 2025, and that means it's time for the second Nerd Sleepover! This episode comes to you from an Airbnb in beautiful Indianapolis, where host Heather Bernt-Santy gathered with some of her very favorite nerds.
In this episode, we discuss challenges to "DEI"--what if we said the words every time instead of hiding behind the acronym? What's the "other side" of diversity, equity, and inclusion?
Want to support the show and help keep it ad free? You can make a one time donation or become a member to get access to more TECN content at "Buy Me a Coffee:"
buymeacoffee.com/heatherf
Another way to support the show is to leave a review/rating on iTunes or Spotify, and to share on your social media networks!
Wednesday Apr 09, 2025
Wednesday Apr 09, 2025
It's spring break 2025, which means it's time for the second Nerd Sleepover in beautiful Indianapolis! In this episode, Mike Huber invites us to consider whether "data" and "evidence" are the same thing, and as you might have guessed from the title, we decided it's not! Listen in as host Heather Bernt-Santy and some of her favorite nerds hash out claims of evidence based curriculums and other interventions with young children.
Want to support the show and help keep it ad free? You can make a one time donation or become a member to get access to more TECN content at "Buy Me a Coffee:"
buymeacoffee.com/heatherf
Another way to support the show is to leave a review/rating on iTunes or Spotify, and to share on your social media networks!
Wednesday Apr 02, 2025
Wednesday Apr 02, 2025
In February 2025, occupational therapist Kelsie Olds, who hosts a facebook page called The Occuplaytional Therapist, published a post that struck a nerve--leading to almost 4000 reactions to date, and almost 2000 shares.
The post is a powerful statement on the political nature of play, of respecting children, of supporting families, and taking care of each other. Listen in as she talks us through it.
For more of Kelsie's work, find her on Facebook as The Occuplaytional Therapist, or follow her substack here: https://occuplaytionaltherapist.substack.com/
Want to support the show and help keep it ad free? You can make a one time donation or become a member to get access to more TECN content at "Buy Me a Coffee:"
buymeacoffee.com/heatherf
Another way to support the show is to leave a review/rating on iTunes or Spotify, and to share on your social media networks!
Wednesday Mar 26, 2025
Wednesday Mar 26, 2025
In another episode that was originally intended as a session in a virtual NerdCon conference that didn’t happen, Richard Cohen, Lizz Nolasco and Bethany Corrie talk about children who seem hesitant to join in play.
Want to support the show and help keep it ad free? You can make a one time donation or become a member to get access to more TECN content at "Buy Me a Coffee:"
buymeacoffee.com/heatherf
Another way to support the show is to leave a review/rating on iTunes or Spotify, and to share on your social media networks!
Wednesday Mar 19, 2025
Wednesday Mar 19, 2025
Physics learning for children under 5? What? Join host Heather Bernt-Santy, Mike Huber and Krystina Tapia as they discuss one of the best articles Heather has read in a long time—“Young Children’s Learning in Physics: A (Dis-)Trustful Play with Gravity, Friction and Counterforces?” by Sofie Areljun, Lena Backstrom, and Evelina Grenemark.
Seriously, it’s so good.
Want to support the show and help keep it ad free? You can make a one time donation or become a member to get access to more TECN content at "Buy Me a Coffee:"
buymeacoffee.com/heatherf
Another way to support the show is to leave a review/rating on iTunes or Spotify, and to share on your social media networks!