ECE Unhinged

I'm not frustrating you, you're feeling frustrated," wise words from a three year old that perfectly capture the emotional rollercoaster of ECE. After our series on burnout, we're flipping the script to focus on why we stay. This episode is grounded in the research article "Early Childhood Teachers' Well-Being: What We Know and Why We Should Care" by Kyong-Ah Kwon, Diane M. Ahorn ( University of Oklahoma-Tulsa) and Chris Amirault (Tulsa Educare MacArthur)In this episode, we discuss:The "small wins", Why Developmental milestones outweigh the daily stressorsProfessional Identity: How tools like Conscious Discipline and professional development empower us to stay in the fieldSupport Systems: The vital role of colleges and supportive administratorsThe Research: Breaking down the 0-3 journal findings on meaningful work and teacher retentionJoin the Conversation! Share your "Why I stay" moments in our ECE Unhinged Listeners Lounge facebook group and like or subscribe to us on spotify for more real talk from the classroom! Also, join is after this episode for our Teachers after dark segment! This will be our first call in show and we get real with some crazy admin stories!

​We had to separate this segment because the conversation took a much heavier, more raw turn than our main episode. Welcome to the first-ever Teachers After Dark Live Call In session, where we stop talking about the research and start talking about the "living hell" that exists behind some classroom doors.Listener Discretion Advised: This episode contains raw, unedited discussions regarding workplace toxicity, surveillance, and substance abuse in childcare settings.In this segment, Brittany and Crystal are joined by live callers to expose the toxic administrative hurdles and "abusive relationship" dynamics that make staying in ECE a daily battle.​Inside This Segment:​The Kitchen Needle Scandal: A shocking account of a teacher finding a needle and drug paraphernalia on a kitchen counter, only for admin to dismiss it as a way for the staff member to "de-stress".​The Keylogger & Shady Promotions: An owner who used keyloggers to steal staff passwords and track job searches, then promoted the teacher who caught her to "hush" the situation.​Social Media "Insubordination": Caller Diana shares how she was written up for "insubordination" simply for unfriending toxic coworkers on Facebook while pregnant.​Office Surveillance: We reveal a past center that used hidden cameras to secretly record "confidential" staff interviews with licensing officials.​Monopoly Go vs. Medical Emergencies: A director who ignored radio calls for a child's medical emergency because she was busy playing mobile games in the office.​Emergency Neglect: Caller Fernanda discusses the anxiety of being denied leave during a partner’s ER emergency while admin sat nearby making fun of staff.​The Reality of "Center PTSD"​We often stay for the children, but we leave because of the leadership. This segment dives into the reality of "center PTSD" and the internal struggle of wanting to protect your students while needing to save yourself from a toxic environment.​Join the Conversation:Do you have a story that belongs in the "After Dark" files? Head over to the ECE Unhinged Listeners Lounge on Facebook to submit your story for our next call-in segment!

Leading With Humanity: The B Word We’re wrapping up our burnout mini series with a conversation about teacher burnout in early childhood education and how it shows up differently for every educator. We share takeaways for recognizing burnout, setting boundaries, and holding space for your own experience without guilt.Follow the podcast for more honest stories from ECE teachers and join our Facebook group ECE Unhinged The Listeners Lounge to connect with other educators, share your wins, and be part of the conversation.

This hour long episode kicks off our mini-series, Leading With Humanity- "Rethinking Teacher Burnout," starting with a conversation with our very own owner and director. The first few minutes set the stage but bear with us, the heart of the conversation delves into one directors perspective on teacher burnout, leadership behind the scenes and what it really looks like to support educators in todays world. We also kick off our new segment "Teachers After Dark!" so stay tuned after the music and join us for a game of Would You Rather? to decompress!If any of this episode resonated with you please like and follow us for more!

Episode DescriptionBurnout isn’t a diagnosis -- it’s a signal. In this special roundtable episode, we are peeling back the layers of the "B-word" to look at it through a lens of humanity and hope. Join your cohosts and our special guest, a first-year teacher fresh to the field, as we explore how burnout manifests differently for everyone and why it does not have to be the end of your story in education.Inside this episode:The Survivor Lens: One cohost shares her journey of rediscovering her passion for teaching after hitting a wall.The Daily Grind: One cohost opens up about the reality of working through burnout while still showing up for her students every single day.The New Perspective: Our guest contributor brings the "new teacher" energy to the table, discussing how we can protect our spark from day one.The Great Shift: Why we need to stop seeing burnout as a permanent label and start seeing it as a vital signal that something in our environment, not our soul, needs to change.Whether you are thriving, surviving, or just starting out, this episode is a reminder that you come first. It is time to move past the shame of exhaustion and start leading with humanity.

You sent them, we read them and wow! This episode is a collection of real stories from teachers, some hilarious and some completely unhinged, and some that just make you question how you survive the day. We're recording this one from the car, reading and reacting as we go. It's messy, It's honest and it's a reminder that none of us are alone in the chaos of this work.Have a story of your own? We're talking about them in our Facebook group over in ECE Unhinged- A podcast for Todays Early Childhood Educator

We're Brittany and Crystal, two educators still in the classroom with over 40 years of experience between us. We love our jobs but the system is broken- and we are here to talk about it-from the car...So come along for the ride as we share what early childhood education really looks like and why we started this podcast! Like what you hear? Follow us on facebook to drop your stories and reviews and to see the latest updates @ECE Unhinged - A podcast for Today's Early Childhood Educators