In this episode of Early Childhood Chapters, we speak with Dr. Ginger Welch, clinical psychologist, author, and early childhood expert, about how educators can better understand and respond to challenging behaviors in the classroom.

Dr. Welch draws on her decades of experience in homes, schools, and clinical settings to explain why children act out—not as willful defiance, but often as communication of unmet needs, anxiety, or trauma. She shares practical strategies from her book How Can I Help? to help educators shift their mindset, reframe behaviors, and build stronger relationships with children and families.

Key takeaways include:

✅ Viewing behavior through biological, environmental, and relational lenses
✅ Using a “trauma-first” approach when assessing challenging behaviors
✅ Recognizing how anxiety may appear as inattention or hyperactivity
✅ Practicing self-care through small, daily micro-strategies to prevent burnout
✅ Building positive, strengths-based relationships with families to better support children

This episode is a must-listen for early childhood educators, caregivers, and anyone seeking compassionate, research-backed strategies for working with young children.

Find Dr. Welch’s books at GryphonHouse.com.

In this powerful episode, Dr. Barbara Sorrels, renowned early childhood expert and author of Reaching and Teaching Children Exposed to Trauma and Trauma-Sensitive Care for Infants, Toddlers, and Two-Year-Olds, joins us to explore what it truly means to care for young children impacted by trauma.

Dr. Sorrels shares heartfelt stories and actionable strategies from her decades of experience working with children, families, and educators. From recognizing the subtle signs of trauma in infants to creating responsive, healing environments, this conversation is filled with wisdom and practical tools every early childhood professional can use.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• What trauma-sensitive care looks like in infant-toddler classrooms
• How even medical trauma at birth can impact brain development
• Subtle signs of trauma in preverbal children
• The power of rhythm, movement, and connection in calming dysregulated children
• How to build trust and rapport with families—even when trauma is present in the home
• Self-care strategies for educators facing compassion fatigue
• Why responsive care is more important than ever—and what systems and policies can better support it

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Lea Ann Christenson and Jenny James, coauthors of Dig In: Outdoor STEM Learning for Young Children. Together, they make the case that outdoor education isn't a luxury—it's a necessity.

Lea Ann and Jenny share how nature-based learning supports whole-child development, fosters deeper engagement, and offers rich, differentiated opportunities for every type of learner. Drawing on their own experiences as an early childhood professor and a preschool director, they describe the inspiration behind their book, the research that grounds it, and the practical steps educators can take to create vibrant outdoor classrooms.

You’ll hear how their journey—from pandemic-era innovation to a fully developed outdoor curriculum—has transformed how they think about teaching and learning. Along the way, they challenge the traditional view of what school “should” look like and offer a compelling vision for how nature-rich environments nurture curiosity, problem-solving, and joy.