The Kids' Table

Join us for a chat with Dr. Nia Nickerson, a Postdoctoral Fellow in the School of Education at the University of California, Irvine.

Join us for a chat with Dr. Allyson Masters, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine.

In this episode we learn all about pediatric physiotherapy with our guest Kasha Pyka!Kasha is a Clinical Manager & Physiotherapist at Kids Physio Group in Toronto.

Join us as we dive into education policy with our guest Paige Shoemaker DeMio!Paige is a Senior Policy Analyst for K-12 Education Policy at the Center for American Progress.This episode was recorded on February 20. Since then, there have been changes with the Department of Education and government funding for education, so not everything discussed in the episode reflects the latest updates.

Join us as we learn all about how language impacts children's mindsets and motivation with our guest Dr. Kayla Good!Dr. Kayla Good received her PhD in Developmental Psychology from Stanford University.

Join us as we learn about literacy with our guest Estee Carter! We dive into children's literacy, focusing especially on dyslexia! Estee Carter's roles have included the Exective Director of World of Words and the founder of Orange Goose Tutoring. She received her Master's from New York University in Literacy and Dyslexia.

Join us as we learn all about child attachment with our guest Dr. Jessica Stern! We gain insight into gentle parenting, the different types of attachment, and the differences between boundaries, consequences, and punishments. Dr. Jessica Stern is an Assistant Professor of Psychological Science at Pomona College. She completed her Ph.D. at the University of Maryland and a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Virginia.

In this episode we learn all about community-focused Playful Learning Landscapes and trust with Dr. Annelise Pesch! We also dive into the balance between making research both community-focused and generalizable. Dr. Annelise Pesch is a Postdoctoral Fellow at Temple University's Infant & Child Lab. She received her PhD in Developmental Psychology from the Institute of Child Development at the University of Minnesota.

Join us as we learn about life working on Capitol Hill with our guest Allie Pearce! We gain insight into K-12 education policy, equity and access in public education, workforce development, and political science. Allie Pearce is a Legislative Assistant in the United States House of Representatives with Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici.

Join us for a conversation about the surprising overlap between children's play time and screen time, the benefits of videochatting with grandparents, and the implciations of various types of screen use (movies! television! phones!). We discuss the importance of storytelling when communicating with academic and policy stakeholders ("data makes you credible but stories make you memorable"), and the nuance that gets lost in recommendations focused on the quantity of screen time. Doug Piper is a PhD candidate in Psychology at Georgetown University concentrating in Human Development and Public Policy. He is an expert in children's play and media use.

Join us as we chat with Dr. Rachel Flynn about video games, executive functioning, and the many positive uses of media for children's physical, cognitive, and social health. Rachel is an Assistant Professor at San Francisco State University.

Join us as we chat with Dr. Elysia Choi and Janet Gu about their research on the social-emotional and identity development in immigrant youth, including racial microaggressions and joking in middle school. Elysia received her PhD in Developmental Psychology from New York University. Janet is a doctoral student at Boston University.

Join us as we talk with Dr. Jacob Schatz about joint engagement in parent-child interactions, and the many ways parents can support and advance children's play! Jacob received his PhD in Developmental Psychology from New York University. He is currently a rabbinical student at the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies at American Jewish University.

Join us as we talk with Dr. Sandy Gonzalez about children's healthcare, bilingualism, and motor development! Sandy is a a Senior Research Associate at Nicklaus Children's Health System.

Join us as we talk with Sarah Vogel about what we can learn about the gut microbiome from baby's poop, the surprising benefits of dogs for promoting infant health, and the intersection between social determinants of health and stress and deprivation in early life. Sarah Vogel is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Boston University. You can follow her work at https://www.sarahcvogel.com/.

Join us as we chat with Katherine Ziska, our new(ish) Kids' Table co-host! We discuss her experience with homeschooling, the overlap between philosophy and psychology, the ethics of artificial intelligence, and social categories. Katherine is a lab manager at the University of Michigan's Intelligent Media Lab with Ying Xu, where she conducts research on the education applications of artificial intelligence.

In December, Dr. Emily Foster-Hanson helped us understand the way we reason about the world - sorting categories and representing them through our mental concepts. We took a dive into how those concepts shape our assumptions, stereotypes, and inform future learning - and the ways in which language influences what concepts we form. Dr. Foster-Hanson is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Swarthmore College. You can follower her work at https://www.fosterhanson.com/.

In November, we were joined by the inimitable Dr. Amanda Woodward, researcher and educator extraordinaire, who shared her research on how children reason about social exclusion, the power of social connection in development, and how those lessons can apply to the classroom (even stats classes!). Amanda is a Teaching Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota.

Dr. Adriana Bankston has built her career doing science policy work, conducting research, collaborating with nonprofits, think tanks, and the federal government to advocate for federally funded research and train early career scientists. She obtained her PhD from Emory University in Biochemistry, Cell and Developmental Biology. She is a Strategic Advisor for the Journal of Science Policy & Governance. You can follow her work at https://adrianabankston.com/.

Join us as we chat with Dr. Molly Scott all about the Active Playful Learning project, a national study aimed at helping students become deeper, more creative thinkers! Molly is the Associate Director of the Active Playful Learning project and a Research Scientist at the Temple University Infant & Child Lab.

Join us as we chat with Lauren Girouard-Hallam about artificial intelligence and childhood education. We discuss the risks and benefits of using AI in education settings, discuss the latest research in this area, and explore the hype around ChatGPT! Lauren is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Louisville investigating how children think about voice assistants (like Alexa) and is a pioneering researcher in the field of cognitive development. 

Join us as we chat with Dylan Van Duyne about diversity, equity, and inclusion in public schools! We discuss the student experience and making schools as inclusive as possible. Dylan is an Equity Training Specialist within the School District of Philadelphia.

Join us as we chat with Kieara Reed all about international education! We discuss teaching in the U.S. and abroad and the surprising similarities and differences across contexts and cultures. We examine how aspects of the macroculture persist across national contexts and discuss various educational standards and systems. And of course, we share fun stories about the many ways students and teachers adapt to foreign settings! Kieara is a third grade teacher currently working in India.

Join us as we chat with Angelica Gangemi, M.D., all about the pediatric healthcare system! We discuss life span care, from infancy, to adolescence and adulthood. We unpack the strengths and challenges of the medical system from both the doctor and patient perspective. Together we imagine ways to synergize between child development research, policy, and the pediatric healthcare system. Angelica is a resident physician in Internal Medicine-Pediatrics at ChristianaCare and Nemours Children's Hospital.

In our April episode, Gracie Monks, J.D., teaches us the about the ins and outs of the juvenile justice system - including its unique vocabulary. We unpack the school-to-prison pipeline, racism in deliquency systems, the role of forensics, and more broadly, we rethink our approach to child welfare and the law.  Gracie is an assistant public defender at the Defender Association of Philadelphia. She represents children facing prosecution for a range of criminal charges and consults on cases involving forensic issues.

In our March episode, we are joined by the phenom, Rex Yin, who shared some fantastic insights into what constitutes high-quality preschool, the ins and outs of community-based advocacy, the power of healing centers, and how to rethink our approach to social problems at the system level.  Rex is the Deputy Director of Content Development & Strategy at SPARK Quality Support Center in Philadelphia.

In our first official episode of 2023, we are joined by Maya Portillo of the Center for Early Learning Funding Equity. Maya takes us through how child care is funded, and how we can work to improve equitable access to enriching early learning experiences.

Episode 13 offers a glimpse into the professional backgrounds of Hailey, Katelyn, and Charlotte, the creators of The Kids' Table Podcast! We're joined by Charlotte Wright, our amazing digital content creator, who tells us all about her teaching experiences and international play and parenting research. We gush about the shared dreams and goals that brought us together. 

Our first year on the airwaves has been a wild ride! We connected with brilliant scientists and practitioners, reached learners all over the globe, and brought the science and policy of child development outside of the academic box. In this episode we highlight our favorite moments from each guest interview of 2022, reflect on our journey thus far, and look to the future. 

In Episode 12, educator and researcher Olga Pagan tells us all about culturally relevant and sustaining pedagogies and student-centered learning. Join us for an insightful discussion about how to bring anti-racism into the classroom to foster connection, empathy, and academic achievement. Olga is the Director of Programs and Research at the Center for Racial Justice in Education, and a doctoral candidate in NYU’s Psychology and Social Intervention program. 

Our social ties help us thrive, and episode 11 is all about the science of social connection! The importance of relationships cannot be overstated, not only for our mental health, but for the neurological underpinnings that shape our experience of the world. Join us for a conversation with Dr. Rose Perry to discover the neuroscience behind social ties, partnering with communities to combat lonelieness, and the surprising connection between human infants and... rats? Dr. Perry is the founder and executive director of Social Creatures, a non-profit with the mission to ensure any individual can connect with others, no matter the circumstances. You can follow her work at https://twitter.com/socialcreaturz and https://www.thesocialcreatures.org/.

Jodi Miller joins us for a thoughtful, evidence-based discussion of students' and teachers' wellbeing and the many factors that come together to determine a school's climate. We learn about her mission to integrate technology and science and bring it into students' hands- by creating an innovative app.   Jodi is a PhD candidate at Johns Hopkins University and the founder of WellCheq. You can follow her work at https://twitter.com/jodes39 and https://twitter.com/CheqWell. Check out wellcheq.com to access teacher resources and learn more about the app.

In Episode 9, Dr. Angelia Puzio takes us on a journey to create a new culture of care that demystifies deeply rooted gender stereotypes and undercuts the brilliance bias to allow people to be human. Join us for a discussion of supporting girls in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and boys in HEED (healthcare, early education, and domestic work) careers. Dr. Puzio is a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University and a visiting fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science. You can follow her work at https://twitter.com/angelicarozio.

Join us for episode 8, where we cover the latest trends in open and collaborative science with Dr. Melissa Kline Struhl from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). From preregistration to data sharing and replication, we discuss the many ways researchers can get involved. Dr. Struhl is the Executive Director of Lookit, a website that lets families participate in cognitive development experiments from home. You can follow her work at http://www.melissaklinestruhl.com/.

In Episode 7, certified nurse-midwife Bridgette Holmes tells about the many ways healthcare workers support maternal and infant health in her never boring and often misunderstood profession. We discuss philosophies behind birth and delivery, the American Academy of Pediatric's new guidelines on breastfeeding, and policy reforms needed to support new parents. 

In our sixth installment, we're joined by Dr. Kristen Stack, a school psychologist, who takes us on a journey through the life and tells us all about student supports (especially during a difficult time, like the pandemic), evals, and... umpires?

Join us for episode five, where Dr. Jill Gandhi from the Center on Poverty and Social Policy tells us all about the incredible work scholars and advocates are doing examining how poverty shapes children's and families' lives -- and how we can use policy as a tool to end it. Dr. Jill Gandhi is a postdoctoral researcher at Columbia University. You can follow her at https://twitter.com/jillgandhi

In episode four we are joined by PhDad extraordinaire, Dr. Kevin Wong, who teaches us all about the three m's: multilingualism, multiracialism, and multiculturalism. We celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month with a discussion of representation, children's literature, critical consciousness, and what it means to us to be multiracial today. Dr. Kevin Wong is an assistant professor at Pepperdine University. You can follow his work at https://www.kevin-m-wong.com/

Join us for our first ever Teacher's Take, where we get the inside scoop about on-the-ground K-12 education from high-school English and Theater teacher, Ms. Tarah Threadgill. We discuss teacher burnout and retention, book banning, and possibilities for improving the conditions of teaching.

Join us for episode two, where we chat with Dr. Sam Melvin about the childcare landscape, the superheroes that are early childcare educators, programming quality, and why childcare is a social, racial, and economic justice issue. Dr. Sam Melvin is an interdisciplinary researcher at the Erikson Institute. You can follow her work at https://www.samanthaamelvin.com/ 

Join us for our opening episode, January 2022, where we talk about the greatest hits in research and policy from 2021 and Dr. Andy Ribner tells us about kids' digital media use... and math? Dr. Andy Ribner is a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Pittsburgh in the Kids’ Thinking Lab. You can follow his work at https://www.andyribner.com/