Ep: 86 - Exploring Food in Sensory Play
Welcome to Leading Inspired Learning: A Strive Podcast! In this episode, Ally, Strive Manager, hosts Strive’s Resource Centre Specialists, Liz Gannon and Lena Haider, to discuss using food in sensory play. They reflect on our Food for Thought professional learning session, things they’ve learned about using food and natural materials in sensory play for child care, and share tips for creating sustainable practices that may or may not include food. Listen, learn, reflect, enjoy!
Ep: 85 - Getting Outside: Summer Day Camp & Nature Connection
Welcome to Leading Inspired Learning: A Strive Podcast! In this episode, Ally, Strive Manager, hosts Nicole Van Beers, WILD CHILD Program Lead at Childreach, to talk all about getting outside this summer, summer day camp programming, and the unique ways WILD CHILD melds the two! Listen, learn, reflect, enjoy!
Ep: 83 - Built For Play: Child-led Design
Welcome to Leading Inspired Learning: A Strive Podcast! In this episode, Ally, Strive Manager, hosts Jessie Collins and Vanessa Eastmure from the London Children's Museum to reflect on what it means to create a museum built for children, by children. They share how children and their caregivers were consulted throughout the museum design process and how children’s feedback continues to shape exhibits, programs, and learning experiences today. Listen, learn, reflect, enjoy!
Ep: 81 - The Value of Relationship-Building
Welcome to Leading Inspired Learning: A Strive Podcast! In this episode, Ally, Strive Manager, hosts Carolyn Little, Program Manager from All Kids Belong (AKB). They myth-bust some common misconceptions about AKB’s role, explore how Special Needs Resourcing works, and discuss the true value of relationship-building among community partners, educators, and families. Listen, learn, reflect, enjoy!
Ep: 80 - Demystifying Home Childcare
Welcome to Leading Inspired Learning: A Strive Podcast! In this episode, Ally, Strive Manager, hosts Michelle Marks, a home childcare provider based in London. They discuss the misconceptions around home childcare, its unique challenges, and Michelle’s journey to finding her home in home childcare. Listen, learn, reflect, enjoy!
Ep: 79 - Supporting Children’s Multilingualism
Welcome to Leading Inspired Learning: A Strive Podcast! In this episode, Ally, Strive Manager, hosts Lena Haider, Strive Resource Centre Specialist, and Nyiel Nhial, Strive Community Animator, to explore their experiences learning English as a second language. Alongside this, they discuss how they're navigating teaching multiple languages to their children, and ways educators can support children who are multilingual or whose primary language isn't English. Listen, learn, reflect, enjoy!
Ep: 73 - Reflecting on 2025
Welcome to Leading Inspired Learning: A Strive Podcast! In this episode, the whole Strive Team comes together to reflect on 2025 and share what we’re excited about going into 2026! Listen, learn, reflect, enjoy!
Ep: 72 - System-Wide Reflections
Welcome to Leading Inspired Learning: A Strive Podcast! In this episode, Ally, Strive Manager, and Kayla, Strive Professional Learning Lead, reflect on past System-Wide Professional Learning Days and share behind-the-scenes insights into how they are planned. Listen, learn, reflect, enjoy!
Ep: 68 - ECE Appreciation Day Bonus Episode
Welcome to Leading Inspired Learning: A Strive Podcast! In this special bonus episode to celebrate Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day, we invited our community to submit stories of appreciation - for one another, for the children in their care, for the moments they felt appreciated, and more! Listen, learn, reflect, enjoy!
Ep: 67 - Not Every PL Is For Everyone (But We Have a PL for You)
Welcome to Leading Inspired Learning: A Strive Podcast! In this episode, Ally, Strive Manager, and Kayla, Strive Professional Learning Lead, dive into the notion that not every professional learning opportunity is made for every professional (and that’s okay!). Listen, learn, reflect, enjoy!
Ep: 66 - School Age Myth-Busting Pt. 3
Welcome to Leading Inspired Learning: A Strive Podcast! In this episode, Andera, Strive Marketing & Communications Specialist, hosts Kale Cabrera, owner of Beyond the Bell, to dive into some more of the common misconceptions about school age education and do a final round (for now!) of myth-busting! Listen, learn, reflect, enjoy!
Ep: 65 - Strive Intern Reflections
Welcome to Leading Inspired Learning: A Strive Podcast! In this episode, Ally, Strive Manager, hosts Avery Lomax and Jazmine George, Strive's Interns from this summer, to reflect on their learning over the past few months and discuss what's next for them! Listen, learn, reflect, enjoy!
Ep: 64 - School Age Myth-Busting Pt. 2
Welcome to Leading Inspired Learning: A Strive Podcast! In this episode, Andera, Strive Marketing & Communications Specialist, hosts Kale Cabrera, owner of Beyond the Bell, to dive into some more of the common misconceptions about school age education and do some myth-busting! Listen, learn, reflect, enjoy!
Ep: 63 - The Ins and Outs of Field Placements with Fanshawe College
Welcome to Leading Inspired Learning: A Strive Podcast! In this episode, Ally, Strive Manager, hosts Mary Mitches, Kelly Patterson, and Emily Purdon from Fanshawe College! Get an inside look at how Fanshawe supports Early Years field placements, from student preparation to mentor expectations. They clarify key logistics, debunk common myths, and highlight the role of OER and inclusive practices. Listen, learn, reflect, enjoy!
Ep: 62 - School Age Myth-Busting Pt. 1
Welcome to Leading Inspired Learning: A Strive Podcast! In this episode, Andera, Strive Marketing & Communications Specialist, hosts Kale Cabrera, owner of Beyond the Bell, to dive into some of the common misconceptions about school age education and do some myth-busting! Listen, learn, reflect, enjoy!
Ep: 61 - In Conversation with a Black Educator
Welcome to Leading Inspired Learning: A Strive Podcast! In this episode, Ally, Strive Manager, hosts special guest Marcia Nicole of Ispyr to Educate to discuss DEI and Marcia's lived experiences as a Black Educator! Listen, learn, reflect, enjoy!
Ep: 59 - Communities of Practice
Welcome to Leading Inspired Learning: A Strive Podcast! In this episode, Ally, Strive Manager, and Kayla (KP!), Strive Community Animator explore our Communities of Practice: how they can help you connect, engage, and grow as an educator! Listen, learn, reflect, enjoy!
Ep: 53 - Strive’s History: A Journey Toward Inspired Learning
Welcome to Leading Inspired Learning: A Strive Podcast! In this episode, Ally, Strive Manager, hosts Sheri Spriggs to dive into Strive’s history! Listen, learn, reflect, enjoy!
Ep: 49 - Our Growing Team
Welcome to Leading Inspired Learning: A Strive Podcast! In this episode, Jenn hosts the two newest members of the Strive Team, Alicia Vanderwerf, OCT, RECE, one of the Professional Learning Specialists, and Andera Novak, the Marketing and Communication s Specialist. Together, they share a bit about themselves and what they're excited to bring to the community. Listen, learn, reflect, enjoy!
Ep: 48 - Community of Practice: Preschool Educators
Welcome to Leading Inspired Learning: A Strive Podcast! In this episode, Amy hosts Atticus Faulkner, the facilitator of the Community of Practice: Preschool Educators. Atticus shares about the first session of this new opportunity and discusses what to expect if you attend. Listen, learn, reflect, enjoy!