Voices from the Village

A podcast from the Wyoming Early Childhood Professional Learning Collaborative.
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It takes a village to raise a child, and early childhood educators are an essential part of that village. This podcast highlights voices of nationally recognized early childhood experts alongside the voices of our local experts, Wyoming early childhood educators.

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Voices from the Village host Nikki Baldwin

A commitment to merging theory and practice in early childhood classrooms is what motivates Nikki's work at the University of Wyoming.  She believes that opportunities to reflect and collaborate open up unlimited possibilities for growth in early childhood educators and in the children they work with every day. 

Nikki draws from her 20 years of experience in early childhood education as she directs the University of Wyoming Early Childhood Outreach Network and leads the Wyoming Early Childhood Professional Learning Collaborative.

When not thinking and talking about early childhood education Nikki enjoys spoiling her granddaughter, reading, listening to podcasts and adventuring in the surrounding mountains with her dogs Molly and Scout.

Season 1

Season 1 introduces four early childhood experts who discuss topics including teaching infants and toddlers, program leadership and collaboration. We also include voices of Wyoming early childhood professionals who are putting the advice and strategies offered into practice every day.

Episode 1. Deb Curtis - The Heart of Teaching Toddlers

Episode 1. Deb Curtis - The Heart of Teaching Toddlers

Nationally renowned author and early childhood expert, Deb Curtis, shares how her choice to stay in the classroom, even as her publishing and training career took off, has kept her grounded over the last 40 years. Deb also describes the ways toddlers continue to captivate her interest and impress her with their amazing innate capabilities to care for and understand one another.
Episode 2. Christy O’Flannigan and Shaila Limon - Voices from Our Village

Episode 2. Christy O’Flannigan and Shaila Limon - Voices from Our Village

Christy O’Flannigan and Shaila Limon, toddler teachers at the University of Wyoming Early Care and Education Center, respond to the Episode 1 interview with Deb Curtis. They share insights gained from years working in the unique role of toddler teacher and mentor to hundreds of university students.
Episode 3. Debbie LeeKeenan - Leadership Lessons Learned

Episode 3. Debbie LeeKeenan - Leadership Lessons Learned

Debbie LeeKeenan, a nationally recognized author, presenter, and leader in anti-bias education shares important lessons learned in her years as a program director and in her work with leaders from across the country. Debbie is full of practical advice, offering leaders simple tools for successfully navigating the complexities of early childhood leadership.
Ep 4. Stephanie Rino and Maureen Giordano - Voices from Our Village

Ep 4. Stephanie Rino and Maureen Giordano - Voices from Our Village

Stephanie Rino, and Maureen Giordano, two Wyoming early childhood program owners and directors, respond to the Episode 3 interview with Debbie LeeKeenan. They offer wisdom from their experiences opening programs to address unmet needs in their communities and leading early childhood educators through the process of change.
Episode 5. Nichole Parks and Joelle Wheatley - The Power of Collaboration

Episode 5. Nichole Parks and Joelle Wheatley - The Power of Collaboration

Nichole Parks and Joelle Wheatley with the national non-profit Leading for Children discuss the power of collaborative learning and the impact it can have on early childhood professionals and their programs. They share their experience leading a 6 month learning network with 30 Wyoming early childhood professionals and parents that resulted in a new vision of quality for the State of Wyoming.
Ep 6. Nicole Philbin - Voices from Our Village

Ep 6. Nicole Philbin - Voices from Our Village

Nicole Philbin, a participant in the Quality Learning Network led by Leading for Children facilitators Nichole Parks and Joelle Wheatley, responds to their Episode 5 interview. Nicole shares how she utilized collaboration to face the biggest challenge of her career and the amazing turn around her program experienced as a result.
Special Episode – Wyoming’s Coherent Path to Quality - A Game Changer

Special Episode – Wyoming’s Coherent Path to Quality - A Game Changer

Listen in on a conversation with Kara Cossel, Liz Goddard, Char Norris, Lauren Carlisle, and host Nikki Baldwin as they celebrate the launch of Wyoming’s vision for quality for all young children. Panelists share how the new document, and the process in creating it, has shaped their thinking about quality. They also discuss the need for a shared vision, and their favorite pieces from The Coherent Path to Quality that will inspire everyone who cares for Wyoming’s youngest children

Listen to Season 1 Now

Transcriptions for all episodes are available for download. See individual episode pages for links.