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Showing episodes and shows of
Jenn Zollinger
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Play Before Pencils
Having Difficult Conversations
In the last episode, we talked about communicating with parents, and in this follow-up episode we will focus on having difficult conversations--how to handle situations when you need to discuss emotionally-charged topics with parents and what to do if you have a parent that is simply difficult to work with. Show Notes:www.playbeforepencils.com/podcast
2025-07-16
13 min
Play Before Pencils
Communicating Effectively with Parents
Whether you’re a preschool teacher, daycare provider, or administrator, the connection you build with parents can make or break a child’s success in your care. Today we'll discuss why strong communication with parents is so critical in early childhood education and how we can communicate well, even when we’re juggling 1000 other things!
2025-06-04
14 min
Play Before Pencils
One Year Later
Celebrate the one year anniversary of the launch of the Play Before Pencils Podcast with me! We'll take a look back over the year and what it's taught us about the importance of play in early childhood classrooms. Show Notes:www.playbeforepencils.com/podcast
2025-05-07
06 min
Play Before Pencils
Transitioning from Chaos to Calm
In today's episode, we take a look at transitions--why they are hard for young children and how we can approach them with more strategy to minimize the impact they have on the students in your early childhood classroom. Show Notes:www.playbeforepencils.com
2025-04-23
08 min
Play Before Pencils
3 Things That DO NOT Prepare Children for Kindergarten
As the school year nears an end, early childhood teachers are often asked the question "Is my child ready for kindergarten?" If we've done our jobs well, we can confidently say "YES!" without ever having engaged in 3 common preschool practices that actually work against a child being ready to move on in school. Show Notes:www.playbeforepencils.com
2025-04-09
10 min
Play Before Pencils
Whole Body Listening
Whole Body Listening….is it helpful or harmful in today’s early childhood classrooms? Join host Jenn Zollinger as she explores the answer to that question in this episode of the Play Before Pencils Podcast. Show Notes:www.playbeforepencils.com/podcast
2025-03-26
16 min
Play Before Pencils
Ditch the Worksheets!
Emergent writing is a process that requires far more support than a worksheet could ever provide. Join me as I discuss a few of the foundational skills necessary for young children to become successful writers and how to create a classroom environment that supports those skills WITHOUT the use of worksheets!Click HERE to save 20% on my course Ditch the Worksheets: Emergent Writing in Play-based Classrooms, or visit the show notes below.Show Notes:www.playbeforepencils.com/podcast
2025-03-12
13 min
Play Before Pencils
Behavior Charts in Early Childhood Classrooms
Behavior charts are designed to help children visualize their behavior in real time and they are popular because they are simple to implement and seem to keep classrooms running smoothly. But beneath the surface, there is a darker side to these systems and they can wind up undermining a child's intrinsic motivation to do good and leave them feeling emotionally unstable in the classroom. Join me as I discuss better ways to elicit the positive behavior you want from the students in your classroom. Show Notes:www.playbeforepencils.com/podcast
2025-02-19
10 min
Play Before Pencils
Freedom to Create
In today's episode I talk about the importance of giving children freedom to create. We’ll explore why creativity matters, how freedom fuels it, and simple ways you can encourage the imagination of the children in your classroom every day. Visit the show notes for links to some of the resources I use in my art cart. Show Notes: www.playbeforepencils.com/podcast
2025-02-05
13 min
Stories That Stick
Emergent Writing and Storytelling with Jenn Zollinger
Today, I’m joined by Jenn Zollinger from Play Before Pencils to talk about emergent writing and its deep connection to storytelling. As an early childhood educator and advocate for play-based learning, Jenn shares how she transitioned from a teacher-led, academic-focused preschool setting to a more child-led, developmentally responsive approach. We explore the magic that happens when children are given space to explore writing organically—through storytelling, play, and meaningful experiences. Highlights: What is Emergent Writing? Jenn explains how children naturally progress through stages of emergent writing, from scribbles to phonetic spelling, and why these early mark...
2025-02-04
52 min
Play Before Pencils
My Favorite Things
In this episode I share some of my favorite resources and supplies as an ECE. Link are below! Books: The Whole Child Alphabet What if Everybody Understood Child Development? Let the Children Play Podcasts: Not Just Cute The Early Childhood Research Podcast Kindergarten Ready Instagram Accounts: Cream City Teacher Confident Kids Therapy The Intentional Educator Music: Kira Willey
2025-01-22
16 min
Play Before Pencils
Implementing Guided Play
In this episode we'll explore the topic of guided play, the role it has in a child-led classroom, and how to expertly execute it. Show Notes: www.playbeforepencils.com/podcast
2025-01-08
11 min
Play Before Pencils
Unintended Consequences Pt. 4: Relationships
In the final episode of my Unintended Consequences of Teacher-led Classrooms, I explore the topic of building relationships in the early childhood classroom and comparing how relationships might differ in teacher-led classrooms vs. child-led classrooms.
2024-10-30
08 min
Play Before Pencils
Unintended Consequences Pt. 3: Observation
Teacher-led classrooms are so focused on instruction that there is often little time left for observation. When this powerful tool is left out of the assessment equation, teachers are at a disadvantage in understanding what their students actually know and where they could use some extra support. Show Notes: www.playbeforepencils.com/podcast
2024-10-23
08 min
Play Before Pencils
Unintended Consequences Pt. 2: Play
Welcome to week 2 of my series "Unintended Consequences of Teacher-led Classrooms". Today we'll take a closer look at play in teacher-led environments and how a focus on following instructions and completing tasks can have a negative impact on a child's development when they take precedence over play. Show Notes: www.playbeforepencils.com/podcast
2024-10-16
09 min
Play Before Pencils
Unintended Consequences Pt. 1: Choice
In this 4-part series, we will explore the unintended consequences of teacher-led models of education in early childhood classrooms. This week we are exploring the consequences of not offering choice to students and how a child-led model better supports their growth and development through choice. Show Notes: www.playbeforepencils.com/podcast
2024-10-09
11 min
Play Before Pencils
Learning Out of Context
We know that when learning happens in context, there is a much greater chance that it will stick. But sometimes, children are interested in topics that fall outside of the context of their current environments or experiences--is following that lead OK? Find out my thoughts on today's episode! Show Notes: www.playbeforepencils.com/podcast
2024-10-02
07 min
Play Before Pencils
The Whole Child Alphabet with Stacy Benge
There are so many resources out there about how to teach literacy in early childhood classrooms, but Stacy Benge gets to the heart of how that developmental process actually unfolds for young children in her book "The Whole Child Alphabet". Her easy-to-read style of writing makes this resource a must-have for every early childhood educator and my interview with her today will provide you with insights and ideas that you'll be able to immediately implement in your classroom. Show Notes: www.playbeforepencils.com/podcast
2024-09-25
46 min
Play Before Pencils
You Need to Share That!
Sharing is such an integral part of learning in early childhood and a LOT of children struggle to grasp this concept. But the good news? This is also a time when they’re incredibly curious and eager to learn. We just need to guide them in the right direction. In today's episode I discuss a small change I made in my classroom that had a big pay-off when it came to children navigating the complicated task of sharing and turn-taking. Show Notes: www.playbeforepencils.com/podcast
2024-09-18
10 min
Play Before Pencils
Building Strong Early Childhood Teams w/JaneAnn Benson
JaneAnn Benson is a wealth of information when it comes to building strong early childhood teams. Kick off your new school year with some extra knowledge and skills that will help you find success in creating a collaborative and healthy working relationship with fellow team members in your classroom. Show Notes: www.playbeforepencils.com/podcast
2024-09-11
46 min
Play Before Pencils
Common Does Not Equal Appropriate
Have you ever taken the time to consider that just because something is common does not necessarily mean it's appropriate? Today I hit on several very common practices in early childhood classrooms and discuss whether they are actually appropriate for the children in our care. Show Notes: www.playbeforepencils.com/podast
2024-09-04
08 min
Play Before Pencils
Storytelling w/Laura Shea
There are a tremendous number of benefits to incorporating storytelling into early childhood settings, but not all of us are comfortable stepping outside of simply reading a book and really getting into the good stuff. In today's episode, Laura Shea talks about the various components of storytelling, why it is an important practice when working with young children, and how to start introducing it into your classroom in simple and accessible ways. Show Notes: www.playbeforepencils.com/podcast
2024-08-28
43 min
Play Before Pencils
Reggio 101
You asked, now here it is! The #1 requested topic I've had for the podcast is an episode on the Reggio Emilia approach. I'm pleased to have Abby Bucher, a veteran teacher who has studied and used the Reggio philosophy in her classroom for 20 years, join me to give a crash course on what this popular approach is all about and how you can begin bringing it into your classroom today. Show notes: www.playeforepencils.com/podcast
2024-08-21
45 min
Play Before Pencils
Process over Product
"Process over product" is likely a familiar term that you've heard over and over again. It's a philosophy that emphasizes the importance of focusing on the journey or method of achieving a goal rather than solely on the end result or outcome. Early childhood classrooms serve as fertile ground for nurturing curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking. It is within these environments that the seeds of lifelong learning are sown. By embracing the principle of process over product, educators foster an atmosphere where children are encouraged to engage deeply with tasks, explore various approaches, and revel in the joy of...
2024-08-14
12 min
Play Before Pencils
Navigating Burnout with Katie Heiser
We all know that working in the early childhood field can be demanding and draining, and for some, that stress reaches burnout levels. Join me as I talk with Katie Heiser about her recent experience with burnout as an early childhood educator, how she chose to navigate it, and where she is now. Show Notes: www.playbeforepencils.com/podcast
2024-08-07
46 min
Play Before Pencils
Schedule vs. Routine
While on the surface you might not even distinguish between a schedule and a routine, there is a difference! Join me as I discuss that difference and encourage you to favor one over the other for the benefit of your students. Show Notes: https://playbeforepencils.com/podcast/
2024-07-31
13 min
Play Before Pencils
Play in Public School Classrooms
Publics schools often have the reputation of being all work and no play, but Amber Unger, The Cream City Teacher, has created a completely different reality in her classroom. Listen as she shares her tips and tricks for incorporating more play into public school classrooms while still targeting the standards and expectations set by the school system. Show Notes: https://playbeforepencils.com/podcast/
2024-07-24
50 min
Play Before Pencils
Stop Interrupting Children's Play!
How often do we give children long, uninterrupted stretches of play, either at home or at school? Unless you are being very intentional about the playtime in your classroom, they probably aren't getting as much as you think.
2024-07-17
08 min
Play Before Pencils
Does Play Prepare for Kindergarten?
The term "kindergarten ready" has infiltrated preschool classrooms and perhaps caused us to focus more on the skills that children need to acquire later rather than the skills that they need now. A shift in focus to "preschool mastery" can make a world of difference in how you approach your teaching! Show Notes: https://playbeforepencils.com/podcast/
2024-07-10
09 min
Play Before Pencils
Some Thoughts on Themes
Themes have been a mainstay of preschool programs for decades, but what if they are actually limiting what your students are capable of learning? In this episode we will explore that question and consider how changing your approach to themes has the potential to unlock greater creativity and exploration for the children in your classroom. Show Notes: https://playbeforepencils.com/podcast/
2024-07-03
12 min
Play Before Pencils
Share Your Journey: Anna Crabb
The Share Your Journey series will take us into the worlds of early childhood educators at various stages of their journeys. Be inspired as we hear from Anna Crabb, who knew from the age of 19 that early childhood education and advocacy was her calling in life. Anna has created a beautiful child-led program that you'll want to learn more about! Show Notes: www.playbeforepencils.com/podcast
2024-06-26
35 min
Play Before Pencils
Preschoolers Don't Care About Your Lesson Plan
Lesson planning in a child-led program looks a lot different than it does in a teacher-led program. It can be an intimidating and confusing change to make. Join me as I walk you through 4 key elements that have helped make my lesson planning a simple and reflective process. Show Notes: https://playbeforepencils.com/podcast/
2024-06-19
16 min
Play Before Pencils
Designing Effective Outdoor Spaces
This week's episode is a follow-up to episode 4, Get Outside, where we learned the benefits of outdoor play. In Episode 6, Kristy DeGraaf is going to teach us the basics of designing our outdoor spaces in order to help us maximize those benefits. Show Notes: https://playbeforepencils.com/podcast/
2024-06-12
33 min
Play Before Pencils
Neurodivergent Play
In today's episode I talk with Simon Airey about neurodivergence and how it might affect play in an early childhood classroom. Show Notes: https://playbeforepencils.com/podcast
2024-06-05
34 min
Play Before Pencils
Get Outside!
Join me as I chat with Christi Warr of Dirt Learning about the importance of getting children outside. Show Notes: https://playbeforepencils.com/podcast/
2024-05-29
33 min
Play Before Pencils
We Don't Just Educate Children
When parents have high expectations for academic learning in preschool, some of the blame falls on us as educators. If they believe that academic skills taught in a traditional "school way" are what is most important, it's because we have failed to communicate otherwise. Our job is not simply to teach children, it is to educate parents on what effective, developmentally appropriate learning looks like during the preschool years. Show Notes: https://playbeforepencils.com/podcast/
2024-05-22
12 min
Play Before Pencils
What About Academics?
Play and academics are perfect companions! In this episode we’ll discuss some of the friction between play advocates and play skeptics and how they can come together to ensure that children are receiving academic instruction in developmentally appropriate ways. I explain the concept of “back door learning” and why it is such an effective way for children to learn new skills without resorting to the drills that have become so common in preschool programs. Show Notes https://playbeforepencils.com/episode-2-what-about-academics/
2024-05-15
13 min
Play Before Pencils
The Importance of Play
In the inaugural episode of the Play Before Pencils podcast we will take a bird’s eye view of play and why it is so critical during the early childhood years. We will explore 3 ways that early childhood educators can increase their understanding of play and advocate for it with parents and fellow professionals. Show Notes
2024-05-08
11 min
Play Before Pencils
Pilot
Welcome to Play Before Pencils, where we shift the focus from preparing for kindergarten to mastering preschool!
2024-05-01
05 min