The Everything ECE Podcast

How does your classroom environment shape children’s behaviour, independence, and learning?
In this episode of The Everything ECE Podcast, Carla sits down with Jennifer Fernandez, School Specialty’s Early Childhood Education Strategist for the U.S. and Canada, to explore why classroom environments matter far beyond aesthetics.
Jennifer shares insights from her 30+ years in education as a teacher, professional learning specialist, and early childhood strategist, along with practical ideas educators can use to create spaces that support independence, regulation, curiosity, and emotional safety.
You’ll hear about: • Why the environment is often called “the third teacher” • Common classroom setup mistakes and simple shifts to try • The power of blocks, books, and open-ended materials • How environments connect to behaviour, engagement, and belonging • Ways to design intentionally without spending your own money
This conversation offers grounded, realistic ideas to help educators rethink their spaces with purpose and confidence.

JENNIFER FERNANDEZ
Jennifer Fernandez is School Specialty’s Early Childhood Education Strategist for the U.S. and Canada. She brings more than 30 years of experience in education as a teacher & professional learning specialist. She holds a BA in Elementary Education & Spanish and MA in Bilingual/Bicultural Studies along with teaching certificates in Elementary, Early Childhood, & Bilingual/ESL.
LINKS
LinkedIn: https:/www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-fernandez-6a41a41a9/
Website: https://www.schoolspecialty.ca/ 

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If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review. Your support helps us reach more ECEs who are in the thick of it!. Thanks for tuning in to The Everything ECE.  See you next week! shape their early years.

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Praise is so normalized in early childhood education that we rarely stop to question it. It feels supportive, encouraging, and positive. But over time, it can quietly teach children to look outside themselves for approval.
In this episode, Carla Ward explores the difference between praise and encouragement, the impact of extrinsic versus intrinsic motivation, and why common phrases like “good job” don’t actually support reflection or self-awareness. She also unpacks what’s really happening when children become frustrated after being asked to evaluate their own work instead of receiving immediate validation.
This episode is an invitation to slow down, notice language patterns, and consider how small shifts can support confidence, autonomy, and a stronger sense of self.

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW
If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review. Your support helps us reach more ECEs who are in the thick of it!. Thanks for tuning in to The Everything ECE.  See you next week! shape their early years.

CONNECT WITH CARLA
The ECE Latte Lounge
Email Newsletter: ⁠⁠Click Here⁠
Website: carlatheece.com
Instagram: @carlatheece

How to Build a Community Classroom with Donna Skea
What makes children feel safe, connected, and ready to learn in early childhood programs? In this episode of The Everything ECE Podcast, Carla sits down with Donna Skea (The Infinite Educator) to talk about building a community classroom where every child feels like they belong.
You’ll hear practical, relationship-based strategies for early childhood educators, including why routine creates safety, how to shift from schedule-driven to child-centered days, and how classroom rules, lunchtime, and circle time can strengthen social-emotional development.
If you’re looking for real strategies to reduce stress in the classroom and build stronger connection with children, this conversation will leave you inspired and supported.

DONNA SKEA
Donna is a full-time faculty member in an Early childhood education department. She has spent the last 22 years teaching, supervising and supporting, students on their journey to becoming educators. Donna also runs a childcare consulting firm that provides workshops for the English School boards and childcare facilities in Quebec. She has given workshops for LEARN QUEBEC, QAPPD conference, Sir Wilfred Laurier school board as well as many daycare facilities throughout Montreal.

LINKS
The 6 Key Decisions to ECE Podcasting Masterclass: https://carlatheece.com/ece-podcast-masterclass 
LinkedIn
Instagram
Facebook
Free Resource: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OkDwvpRn_l2sgbVRKmV3r9eAjpfcobiH/view 
SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW
If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review. Your support helps us reach more ECEs who are in the thick of it!. Thanks for tuning in to The Everything ECE.  See you next week! shape their early years.
CONNECT WITH CARLA
The ECE Latte Lounge
Email Newsletter: ⁠⁠Click Here⁠
Website: carlatheece.com
Instagram: @carlatheece

Families aren’t our opposition; they’re our partners. In this episode, Carla Ward explores three actionable ways educators can turn everyday communication into true collaboration with families.
From proactive communication loops to intentional language and making partnership visible, you’ll walk away with practical strategies you can implement right away with no extra workload required.
✨ Ready-to-use ideas for stronger family connections💬 Learn language shifts that build trust🌿 Create environments that reflect partnership
🎧 Listen now and start building the bridges that make your days lighter, calmer, and more connected.

LINKS
Learn the 6 Key Decisions to ECE Podcasting:https://carlatheece.com/ece-podcast-masterclass 
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SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW
If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review. Your support helps us reach more ECEs who are in the thick of it!. Thanks for tuning in to The Everything ECE.  See you next week! shape their early years.
CONNECT WITH CARLA
The ECE Latte Lounge
Email Newsletter: ⁠⁠Click Here⁠
Website: carlatheece.com
Instagram: @carlatheece

Wellbeing consultant Monica Rollins, founder of Rooted Wellness Collective, joins Carla to explore what it really takes to move beyond burnout in Early Childhood Education. Together, they unpack the systemic roots of educator exhaustion and how to create H.E.A.R.T.-centered programs where teachers feel supported and children flourish.
Monica shares her personal journey through burnout, the lessons she’s learned about leadership and wellbeing, and practical ways educators and administrators can reconnect with purpose, presence, and joy.
Listen in for a conversation filled with honesty, hope, and real strategies to help you nurture both yourself and your team.

MONICA ROLLINS
Monica Rollins is a wellbeing consultant dedicated to transforming the early childhood profession, where she has spent nearly two decades as a teacher, leader, and strategist. After walking through her own season of burnout and loss in 2024, she realized that exhaustion in ECE isn’t just an individual struggle—it’s a systemic story the profession has carried for far too long. Now, she is on a mission to help schools rewrite their burnout stories and build H.E.A.R.T.-centered communities where teachers thrive, teams feel supported, and children flourish.

LINKS
The ECE Wellbeing Playbook:  https://www.rootedwellnesscollective.org/playbook 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monica-kaye-rollins/

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW
If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review. Your support helps us reach more ECEs who are in the thick of it!. Thanks for tuning in to The Everything ECE.  See you next week! shape their early years.

CONNECT WITH CARLA
The ECE Latte Lounge
Email Newsletter: ⁠⁠Click Here⁠
Website: carlatheece.com
Instagram: @carlatheece