Episodes
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When it comes to teaching children how to read, there is only one proven method, and that's through explicit direct instruction.In this episode Edwina unpacks the basic fundamentals of explicit instruction when it comes to the teaching of phonics and phonemic awareness.If we want to give children the gift of knowledge and imagination, we must give them the gift of reading. But for too long, too many people have failed children, and left them illiterate and unable to meet their full potential.The explicit teaching of phonics and phonemic awareness can save children from an uncertain future, and give them the foundational skills they need to grow their curiosity.As parents and educators we must not fail our children when it comes to reading, because the science is clear. In this episode Edwina walks you through the step-by-step approach she takes to successfully teach children to read, which in turn has the power to nurture their curiosity and creativity.For all the links and free downloads go to the episode website.To sign up to Get Curious, the newsletter that gives you a dose of weekly inspiration, and the strategies and resources to help you, help children to thrive in their learning , go here.☕️ If you like my work and want to encourage me to keep going you can do so by buying me a coffee! Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the kick I need to keep going.☕️
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What are the predicted trends in Education for 2025 and beyond? Scouring the internet I found many, so in this episode I curate the top 5 that I think will probably stick and some of the negative impacts that these trends will have on our children.Visit the episode page HERE for all the links mentioned in the episode.To sign up to Get Curious, the weekly newsletter with actionable strategies for keeping children and adults curious, go here.☕️ If you like my work and want to encourage me to keep going you can do so by buying me a coffee! Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the kick I need to keep going.☕️
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Episodes manquant?
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Hands-on learning makes learning and understanding concrete for children. This is never more true than when it comes to learning about history.In this episode I talk to the founder of Play in the Past, Nicola Hoad, who brings hands-on incursions to children in schools where they can experience history in their hands.Play in the Past brings historical artefacts into schools for children to experience change and continuity over time with real historical artefacts.Listen how Nicola explores history with young children and the incredible benefits to children when they are afforded the opportunity to interact and physically explore historical artefacts hands-on.For all the links mentioned please go to the episode website.To sign up to Get Curious, the weekly newsletter with actionable strategies for keeping children and adults curious, go here.☕️ If you like my work and want to encourage me to keep going you can do so by buying me a coffee! Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the kick I need to keep going.☕️
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It's term 4 and teachers and students are in the home stretch! We're ticking off the days until the Christmas holidays and students know that most of the learning is done.So how do we keep them engaged until year end and still teach them something useful AND tick off some of our learning outcomes?Term 4 is the ideal term to hook students into learning with hands-on textile crafts. It's also a great time to have a go at some new teaching strategies that you may have been putting off. Now is the time to have a go and enjoy the process alongside your students.In this episode Edwina shares how she incorporates sewing and textile crafts to tick off multiple curriculum outcomes and make learning relatable and transferable for students, all while teaching them lifelong skills in the process.Edwina shares how the project she does with children meets the outcomes in English, Design and Technologies and Digital Technologies.For all the links mentioned please go to the episode website.To sign up to Get Curious, the weekly newsletter with actionable strategies for keeping children and adults curious, go here.☕️ If you like my work and want to encourage me to keep going you can do so by buying me a coffee! Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the kick I need to keep going.☕️
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This episode follows on from the previous episode where we unpacked the key insights into classroom engagement by a recent study conducted by Lego Education.In this episode I explore the strategies that will motivate students to take ownership for their own learning, which of course has the ripple effect of better overall engagement not just for our students but for ourselves too.Have you noticed that students have become passive recipients of knowledge? They sit there waiting for us to pour knowledge and information into them, and then they don't do anything with that knowledge. They're unable to transfer their learning into other areas.One way that we can ensure that students transfer knowledge, is to better engage them.And the way to better engage students is firstly to make sure that what we are teaching them is relevant to their lives. And when learning is relevant, students are better positioned to take ownership for their learning.For all the links mentioned please go to the episode website.To sign up to Get Curious, the weekly newsletter with actionable strategies for keeping children and adults curious, go here.☕️ If you like my work and want to encourage me to keep going you can do so by buying me a coffee! Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the kick I need to keep going.☕️
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How do we better engage our students?What leads to better engagement in classrooms?In today's episode Edwina unpacks the 4 key findings that Lego Education found in their study of over 6000 administrators, teachers, parents and students into classroom engagement. Student engagement has far reaching effects beyond the classroom, including teacher retention. This report from Lego Education brings home the importance of focusing on those teaching strategies that deliver the highest student engagement. Get all the links on the episode pageTo sign up to Get Curious, the weekly newsletter with actionable strategies for keeping children and adults curious, go here.☕️ If you like my work and want to encourage me to keep going you can do so by buying me a coffee! Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the kick I need to keep going.☕️
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At the free event The Inquiry Educator's Summit Kath Murdoch spoke about the qualities of inquiry educators. How educators shouldn't just accept things as they are but be open to question, change, and make adjustments to better meet the learning needs of our students.In this episode I unpack my own take aways from the episode, the most profound being, "Don't be seduced into the shallow waters." This is what I unpack in this episode and also offer my own help to educators that just want to take that leap and begin integrating inquiry so that they better meet the needs of our modern children.Get the links on the episode page.To sign up to Get Curious, the weekly newsletter with actionable strategies for keeping children and adults curious, go here.☕️ If you like my work and want to encourage me to keep going you can do so by buying me a coffee! Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the kick I need to keep going.☕️
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One of the speakers at the 2024 Inquiry Educators Summit 2024 was Trevor MacKenzie, teacher, Education Consultant, speaker and author.Trevor focused on how we as educators plan for curiosity. How we get children to ask questions and how we use our students' questions as formative evidence to plan the next steps in our students' learning.It all starts with knowing our curriculum and then using our provocations to ignite curiosity and questions from students.Trevor gave some examples of actionable questioning routines and how we use them to stay true to our values as inquiry educators.In this episode I share some of the learning I took away from Trevor's session, and also some of the episodes and blog posts that reiterate Trevor's sentiments about inquiry in practise. For all the links and show notes, go to the episode page.☕️ If you like my work and want to encourage me to keep going you can do so by buying me a coffee! Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the kick I need to keep going.☕️
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If you've ever had an opinion or just wondered about inquiry based learning then this is the episode for you.In this episode, Edwina debunks the comments and misconceptions made by educators about inquiry-based learning on line.Edwina cuts through all the misconceptions and offers practical, honest and straight forward facts around inquiry based learning.If you found this episode interesting or just thought provoking, then please click the forward button and send it to a few friends.For all the show notes and links go to the episode page.To subscribe to Get Curious the weekly inspirational newsletter for curious educators and parents who want to know more about keeping kids curious, happy and learning sign up here.☕️ If you like my work and want to encourage me to keep going you can do so by buying me a coffee! Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the kick I need to keep going.☕️
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Victoria Crossan is a wealth of practical knowledge when it comes to using inquiry as a teaching strategy to nurture children's curiosity.In this episode we upack how inquiry benefits children's learning, the difference between an invitation and a provocation and how to use what you have to set up provocations.Victoria walks us through how to use provocations to spark children's interests and gives useful advice to educators who are new to inquiry, and are ready to have a go.Victoria's passion is palpable! Let this be the episode that makes you want to have a go and change children's learning for the better.All the links and show notes can be found in the episode website.Sign up to Get Curious, the weekly dose of inspiration for educators who are keen to put the love back into teaching and learning. Sign up here.☕️ If you like my work and want to encourage me to keep going you can do so by buying me a coffee! Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the kick I need to keep going.☕️
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It's back to school time and teachers are preparing classrooms and lesson plans in anticipation for that first day and all the days that follow.Of course, ensuring that the learning space is welcoming and sparks curiosity and interest is at the forefront of every teacher's mind, but the greatest challenge for any teacher is how to get kids to be interested in learning, to spark their curiosity and encourage a love for learning. That is half the battle!What does it take to encourage curiosity and how do we keep those young minds curious? This is what we unpack in this episode.Go to the episode page for all the links and shownotes.Love this content? Leave a review and share it with 2 friends or colleagues.Thanks!☕️ If you like my work and want to encourage me to keep going you can do so by buying me a coffee! Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the kick I need to keep going.☕️
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It's back to school time, and with that comes classroom set up. We teachers love decorating our classrooms, and of course we want our rooms to be attractive and welcoming for students.In this episode I ask the question why. Why are educators spending a fortune of their own hard earned cash to decorate rooms? Is this really necessary and what are the alternatives?Show notes and more on the episode website☕️ If you like my work and want to encourage me to keep going you can do so by buying me a coffee! Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the kick I need to keep going.☕️
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If you're getting ready to go back to school then this episode is your ultimate back to school guide.Today we unpack all the big picture stuff that teachers need to keep in mind when planning and organising for the start of the new school year.Everything from getting organised and why being organised is important, to the best colours for creating a calm learning environment, setting up provocations, thinking about planning, and ultimately our WHY, values and philosophy.We discuss the ultimate strategy for keeping kids curious and how our own mindset matters.Finally, how we as educators in our search for connection and acceptance can find like minded curious educators to connect with.For all the links and show notes mentioned go to the episode website.☕️ If you like my work and want to encourage me to keep going you can do so by buying me a coffee! Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the kick I need to keep going.☕️
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Inquiry based learning, is a methodology, a pedagogy, a strategy, it's not a seperate subject. It's a methodology that is a part of the very fabric of an inquiry educator. Inquiry-based learning encourages thinking, questioning and discovery. It's a strategy that engages all children, because it arms children with the skills they need to uncover questions, work independently, and apply their learning to other areas.In this episode I peel back the layers of my own teaching career and how I came to teach with an inquiry mindset, and apply inquiry based learning to my own practice. I uncover the lessons learnt and the challenges we face today in our classrooms.For me, inquiry based learning has been a game changer and my hope is that all educators will implement this strategy into their toolkit so that ALL children can benefit. For me it's always about what's best for children. The results and the attitude of my students towards learning, has convinced me that this is the way to go if we are to educate the whole child and appeal to their individual needs and strengths. If my message resonates with you, or you find it interesting then share it with a friend, and leave a review...that's the ultimate compliment. Thanks!You will find the show notes and all links mentioned in the episode on the website page.Contact Edwina at [email protected]☕️ If you like my work and want to encourage me to keep going you can do so by buying me a coffee! Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the kick I need to keep going.☕️
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In this episode I unpack how to easily and effectively integrate science with English Language Arts and other subjects, thereby making learning not only authentic and relatable for students but a whole lot more fun for educators too.I break down all the important parts we need to consider when planning an integrated curriculum and give examples of how well planned and spontaneous learning experiences can add to children's understanding of the world, and help them make connections to other learning areas and to their own lived experiences.I unpack why we should be thinking about bringing themes back, and talk about the impact that having specialist science teachers in elementary schools has on student learning.For all the links and show notes go HERE☕️ If you like my work and want to encourage me to keep going you can do so by buying me a coffee! Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the kick I need to keep going.☕️
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Schools are in crisis. Researchers say that children are not performing as well as they should be, and are falling behind.But who is to blame? The curriculum or the teachers, or something else? Are our teaching strategies ineffective?In this episode we look at what research based evidence says are the most effective teaching strategies for student learning. We dig into High Impact Teaching Strategies as developed by John Hattie, and how these strategies align with inquiry based learning.If we are using these evidence based strategies, then surely student learning will be positively impacted.We unpack how these strategies form part of an inquiry classroom and explore how teachers can get started with inquiry in their classrooms with the Inquiry101 e-guide.Find all the show notes and links on Blooming Curious☕️ If you like my work and want to encourage me to keep going you can do so by buying me a coffee! Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the kick I need to keep going.☕️
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When it comes to planning lessons in an early childhood classrooms, picture books are the one resource educators cannot do without. Picture books are not only provocations, they ignite curiosity, stimulate creativity and imagination and are a source for teaching not only literacy skills, but an appreciation and a love for books. In this episode we unpack how we educators plan our learning experiences using picture books to drive our planning and learning experiences.We also discover what the research around the benefits of reading to children says.Show notes and more at https://bloomingcurious.com/podcast-episode/lesson-planning-with-picture-books/ Follow me:Website: https://bloomingcurious.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blooming_curious/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bloomingcuriousPinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/edslessons/☕️ If you like my work and want to encourage me to keep going you can do so by buying me a coffee! Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the kick I need to keep going.☕️
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Teaching is the job that's never done! There are always numerous invisible tasks that need to be done, and very often the only time to do them is over weekends or during the holidays. But teachers desperately need time to decompress and recharge those spent batteries. So, what should they be doing over the holidays and how can holidays be put to good use not just to relax but also to prepare for the term or year ahead.In this episode we look at the types of things teachers could do to relax, things like getting outside, watching movies, cooking and spending time with loved ones.But when it's time to think about preparing for going back to school, what's the best way of doing that? Tune in to listen how to plan lessons smarter not harder and simultaneously spark children's interest!Books mentioned in this episode: Stone Soup by Ann McGovernWombat Stew by Marcia VaughanPumpkin Soup by Helen CooperTalk for Writing Across the Curriculum by Pie Corbett24 fun things to do with kids to get them off screens:Blog post: https://bloomingcurious.com/24-fun-learning-activities-for-kids/Download the activities for free here: https://resources.bloomingcurious.com/24-fun-activities-that-instil-curiosity-in-kids/buyTo check out all the ready made resources go to: https://resources.bloomingcurious.com/ Sign up to Get Curious, my weekly inspirational newsletter here: https://resources.bloomingcurious.com/getcurious ☕️ If you like my work and want to encourage me to keep going you can do so by buying me a coffee! Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the kick I need to keep going.☕️
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April is an educator and founder of April's Teaching Tree, which helps parents and educators deepen their connection to nature. April divides her time between the classroom and providing in-person professional development and consulting with a focus on integrating nature and art in early childhood. April helps educators and parents find ways to use nature to meet early childhood standards through play-based learning, and nature infused materials in joyful nature inspired environments.Links:April's website: https://aprilsteachingtree.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aprilsteachingtree/Facebook group Nature Inspired Teacher: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1843474542616408/Sign up to the weekly newsletter, Get Curious at https://resources.bloomingcurious.com/getcuriousCheck out the website: bloomingcurious.comSend Edwina an email at [email protected]☕️ If you like my work and want to encourage me to keep going you can do so by buying me a coffee! Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the kick I need to keep going.☕️
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In this episode, we unpack the strategies, tips and advice to help educators integrate and teach with an inquiry mindset with the help of the creators behind Sqwish Resources, Allanah and Meg.These experienced and passionate educators are on a mission to help bring inquiry to all lessons with their resources based on the 5E model.Listen just how easy it is to flip from chalk and talk to inspiring students to think, wonder and have fun learning.Links:https://sqwish.com.au/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sqwish_resources/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sqwish_resourcesFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558864596356Sign up to the weekly Get Curious newsletter for tips, tricks and insights into all thinks curiosity, learning and teaching at https://resources.bloomingcurious.com/getcuriousWebsite for blogposts, resources and podcast episodes : https://www.bloomingcurious.com☕️ If you like my work and want to encourage me to keep going you can do so by buying me a coffee! Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the kick I need to keep going.☕️
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