Raising Curious Learners

"That's just the Gees Bees!" Jul 20, 2021

At Britannica for Parents, we’re all curious learners. One of the important topics that seems to come up a lot in our work and in our conversations is the environment – how to protect it and sustain it. One crucial way to do this is by protecting bee populations. Co-hosts Ann and Elizabeth speak to Parent's adviser Marianne Gee (co-founder of Gees Bees Honey Company) about how we can help bees and what it's like having a family business.

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"Advocating for Children of Incarcerated Parents" Jun 21, 2021

Ebony Underwood is the founder of We Got Us Now, a nonprofit nonpartisan advocacy organization amplifying the issues children and young adults with incarcerated parents face due to mass incarceration. Co-hosts Ann and Elizabeth welcome her to the Raising Curious Learners podcast to talk about her work and how we can better support children with incarcerated parents.

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"How is early learning being supported globally?" May 12, 2021

Much of our content on our podcast focuses on parenting in the States, but we have listeners from all over the globe! As we continue to expand on who we interview, this episode starts by exploring what early learners and parents are facing in the UK. Co-hosts Ann and Elizabeth speak with Polly Crowther, an early educator and cofounder of Early Insights, an organization that supports early learning and childcare globally.

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"How can zoos be an educational tool for kids?" Apr 22, 2021

We're going to the zoo, zoo, zoo! In this episode, co-hosts Ann and Elizabeth interview Rick Schwartz, spokesperson and ambassador for the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. You'll learn how zoos can be an important tool for kids in educating them about animals and the environment, and even discover some fun similarities between how humans and animals parent their young.

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"What are some reading challenges my child can face?" Mar 30, 2021

Our podcast is called “Raising Curious Learners” because at Britannica for Parents we believe that nurturing a lifelong love of learning is one of the most important things that parents, teachers, and caregivers can do for children. It’s hard to think of any skill that’s more essential to learning than reading. Becoming a confident, fluent reader is one of the most important educational milestones for children. On this episode, co-hosts Ann and Elizabeth talk to Kait Feriante , CEO of Redwood Literacy, to talk about some of the challenges that children might experience as they learn to read and how parents and caregivers can support their young readers.

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"How do young kids play with language?" Mar 15, 2021

As young children grow, they begin to play with language. Everyday they are learning new words and new ways to communicate, and it's typical for kids to try these new words out in conversation. In this episode, hosts Ann and Elizabeth talk with parents Ben Elliff and Maggie Cassidy about their son and the funny ways he is exploring language.

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"How are childcare companies adapting?" Feb 22, 2021

Childcare companies have had to adapt significantly in the past year. In this episode, host Ann Gadzikowski has a conversation with Ron Spreeuwenberg, CEO of the number one rated childcare app HiMama, about how his company has changed since the start of COVID-19 while also staying true to their company's core values.

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"What are child sensory issues?" Feb 05, 2021

It's not uncommon for young kids to have sensitivities to certain stimuli, such as loud noises, bright lights, strong smells, or rough fabrics. Erin Anderson, a pediatric occupational therapist, join hosts Ann and as they cover the listener-requested topic of children's sensory issues. She explains how humans process the world around us through our five main senses (plus vestibular senses like 'proprioception'), and how to parents and caregivers can detect aversive reactions and address the problem. Ultimately, therapy can help kids who experience sensory issues feel safe and calm.

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“How do we find the truth about vaccines?” Jan 20, 2021

As part of Encyclopedia Britannica's 250-year legacy of truth, Britannica for Parents is committed to providing accurate information to families. One topic parents are very concerned about is vaccines, especially the new COVID-19 vaccine. To help parents identify and avoid myths and misinformation about health and vaccines, hosts Ann and Elizabeth talk with Sarah Brandt and John Gregory of NewsGuard, a service that gives users context on where their information comes from and how to determine if the information is trustworthy.

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"How do we learn and grow from each other?" Jan 08, 2021

Countless books, websites, podcasts, and other media exist to guide people raising children. If our Raising Curious Learners co-host Ann could recommend only one book on parenting, it would be The Gardener and the Carpenter: What the New Science of Child Development Tells Us About the Relationship Between Parents and Children. In this episode, the books' author Allison Gopnik, a professor and leader in the field of cognitive science, helps parents and guardians make sense of–and let go of some of the notions they have about–their role in their kids' learning and development. She shares conclusions on childhood development and family dynamics from both her research and her personal experiences as a parent and grandparent.

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"Can we play while you work?" Dec 17, 2020

Doing everything from home during COVID-19 means that parents have had to blend their work and family lives together in ways like never before. Simply coping with this transition is a triumph on its own, so our hosts were particularly impressed by a family with young children that has been able to turn these trying times into something wonderful. Sharing their story in this episode of Raising Curious Learners, professional musicians Rob and Ariella Johnson set the stage in their living room for a series of short performance videos for the Houston Symphony that feature both their three sons and popular orchestral pieces. This musical couple discuss the media coverage, music's role in their family, the virtue of patience, and how they've made the most of this time together.

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"Can screen time be good?" Dec 10, 2020

Reading, writing, arithmetic, and...how to mute yourself on a Zoom call? The remote and hybrid classroom settings of this school year has made tech-savviness and digital responsibility (and patience!) key skills for students and their grown ups. Parents especially have had to expand their own technical expertise, taking on the additional roles of teacher, student, and on-demand IT professional in their households. Our Raising Curious Learners hosts Ann and Elizabeth virtually tapped CyberWise founder Diana Graber to help address the concerns parents may be dealing with during the pandemic and explain how we can all be smart, productive, ethical, and empowered digital citizens in this ever-evolving space. They also discuss her vision for the post-COVID world in which technology usage can be shaped by curiosity and creativity, rather than just necessity.

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"What's empathy?" Nov 24, 2020

What's the one trait that parents and caregivers can cultivate in their children to guarantee their future success? Internationally recognized educator, speaker, and best-selling author Dr. Michele Borba says it's empathy. In this episode of Raising Curious Learners, Dr. Borba explains to Ann and Elizabeth how kids and adults alike benefit from feeling "with" others and being open about their emotions. Their conversation leads to timely advice on how to fend off "compassion fatigue," cope with stress, and continue social-emotional learning during difficult times.

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"Will you tell me a story?" Nov 10, 2020

The "tell me a story" phase is all too familiar to parents and caregivers. As part of the bedtime routine or demanded over and over again throughout the day, stories keep young imaginations thriving and provide an excellent opportunity for bonding. After recounting their own fond experiences, our Raising Curious Learners hosts get into the crucial role that story time has in children's development, discuss what makes a good story, and encourage parents to engage their kids in the storytelling process.

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"Are cities built for me?" Oct 27, 2020

Early-childhood experts often like to say that a child's environment is one of their most important teachers. But what can our built environments learn from children? This Raising Curious Learners episode, Ann and Elizabeth welcome a special guest who makes a strong case for listening to our most creative citizens. Mara Mintzer is a mom, author, speaker, and the co-founder and director of Growing Up Boulder, which taps into play as a strategy and lifts the voices of young people in the city planning process.

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"Are you mad at me?" Oct 12, 2020

Parenting has always been one of the hardest jobs on Earth. Now, in addition to raising and forming relationships with our children in a very tech-centric, high expectations world, parents and caregivers must also navigate all the new anxiety triggers that the coronavirus crisis has created. To help make coping just a little bit easier in these uncertain times, the hosts of Raising Curious Learners were joined by clinical social worker and author, Dr. Carla Naumburg. Her latest book, How to Stop Losing Your Sh*t with Your Kids, acts as a practical guide for parenting in a more mindful, self-compassionate, calm, and joyful way.

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"What happens when families choose pandemic pods?" Sep 22, 2020

For the majority of students across the United States, this back-to-school season means going back to a screen. Some parents and communities have found creative and safety-minded ways to fill the gaps in their children's remote learning experiences; but for many without access to these so-called "pandemic pods" or other extra resources, the digital divide and opportunity gap have both only continued to widen. For this episode, our Raising Curious Learners co-hosts welcomed Erica Ramberg, faculty associate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's School of Education, to consider how to best address inequities in education for students of color—those evident long before 2020 and especially exacerbated by COVID-19.

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"My friend is adopted. What does that mean?" Sep 09, 2020

The portrait of a "traditional" household—with a mom and dad raising two biological kids under one roof—is just one of many in an expansive gallery that also portrays families with single parents, same sex parents, foster and adopted children, grandparents as guardians, step-siblings, and more. In this Raising Curious Learners episode, our hosts add to a larger conversation happening at Britannica for Parents: how do we better represent different types of families? They are joined by Juliet C. Bond, social worker and co-author of the award-winning "Jazzy's Quest" series, which features adoptees as main characters plus family structures and real life situations not often covered in children's literature.

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"What's it like to go to school outside?" Aug 25, 2020

It's back-to-school season, and it's possible that families are hearing more about the concept of outdoor learning as educators determine how to reopen schools safely. Taking classes outside provides much more space and fresh air—both key during the pandemic, but children enrolled in "nature school" programs have been able to benefit from inquiry-based and hands-on learning for years. In this episode of Raising Curious Learners, hosts Ann and Elizabeth learn more about this approach to education from Tisha Luthy, the director of Cincinnati Nature Center's nature preschool.

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"Is child care going to be different now?" Jul 31, 2020

While many families are eager to get back to their pre-pandemic routines, there is still a lot to grapple with when it comes to returning kids—and teachers and staff—to child care centers safely. In this episode, our Raising Curious Learners hosts talk with Bettye Cohns, executive director for nearby Reba Early Learning Center, who recounts all the decisions that were made between closing in March and reopening with new protocols in July. In doing so, she provides an idealistic, transparent framework for other early childhood education and care programs, as well as concerned parents, across the country to take into consideration.

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"Alexa, are you my best friend?" Jul 07, 2020

In households where Alexa, Google, or Siri are almost like family members or close friends, youngsters have very different perspectives than adults who view these devices just as helpful pieces of the modern tech toolbox. In this Raising Curious Learners episode, co-hosts Ann and Elizabeth are joined by Silvia Lovato, a children's digital media producer turned leading researcher. Together, they examine the many cute, yet complex ways in which young kids engage with smart speakers and A.I. voice assistants, consider the various benefits and drawbacks, and provide insights on media literacy and parental facilitation.

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"Is everything going to be okay?" Jun 30, 2020

Children can be incredibly resilient during difficult times. However, during the course of the pandemic, their social and emotional well-being and development have undergone exceptional challenges. Kids and parents alike have dealt with loss of structure, feelings of isolation, and worries about the unknown; and parents have had the added tasks of monitoring their children's cognitive and behavioral responses while also trying to accommodate their own. This Raising Curious Learners episode, therapist and Britannica for Parents expert Ellen Bee converses with Ann and Elizabeth about her telehealth experiences and offers hopeful guidance on mindfulness and coping strategies based on her specialized knowledge of anxiety and mood disorders.

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"Can I go play now?" Jun 16, 2020

Tactile or pretend, solo or together, indoors or outdoors, organized or messy, in-person or even over video chat, playtime comes in so many different forms–all of which are essential to growing and learning. In this Raising Curious Learners episode, our hosts Elizabeth and Ann have a conversation about the lasting power of play. They reflect back on their own childhood experiences and use their understanding of current conditions during the pandemic to help parents understand how children express themselves and benefit from different types of play.

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"Why Do We Have To Wear Face Masks?" May 19, 2020

The global COVID-19 crisis has put a lot of aspects of our daily lives on pause, but if you have a young child at home you've probably found one thing that has only escalated: all their questions! Life during a pandemic is new for us all, but this time is even more confusing for children. Their curious little minds have been internalizing and reacting to lots of big changes, wondering why you've been spending more time at home, why you're always talking to your computer screen, why they can't see their friends in person, and why oh why do they have to wear a mask outside. On our very first Raising Curious Learners episode, hosts Ann and Elizabeth discuss children and protective face coverings, and speak with expert Tara Tuchel for advice on normalizing this new situation.

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