Rhonda Meyers reflects on professional development, humility in leadership and why learning together builds stronger educators.

Intentional professional development is the foundation for growth and connection.

In this episode of The Heartfelt Way, host Rhonda Meyers turns the reflection inward, sharing lessons learned on her professional journey. 

She reflects on her early days as a director, when her instinct was to fix problems quickly rather than guide teachers through growth. She found when educators have a choice, engagement increases.

[00:04:18] “When a teacher has an opportunity to have some agency in deciding what gets changed, the level of motivation they have for that change is going to be much higher.”

Rhonda emphasizes that professional development days build culture. They create space for laughter, vulnerability and conversations that normalize struggle and reinforce belonging. 

[00:25:49] “Those shared moments give us fuel we need to keep going. . . . Knowledge sticks when we wrap it in support and love and compassion and empathy.”

Whether you are leading from within or outside of the classroom, this episode is a reminder that learning together positively impacts culture and confidence.

Learning Together: Culture-Building Professional Development

Learn what kindergarten readiness looks like and how social-emotional skills prepare children to thrive with Denise Palmer.

What does it really mean to be ready for kindergarten?

In this episode of The Heartfelt Way, Denise Palmer, an experienced pre-K teacher in Heartfelt Impressions’ Great Start Readiness Program, joins host Rhonda Meyers to reframe one of the most common worries families face: kindergarten readiness. 

Denise shares how many families arrive concerned about ABCs, numbers and early reading. 

[00:05:49] “I always tell my parents that the letters and the numbers [are] gonna eventually come to them.”

Denise’s teaching focuses on independence, emotional regulation and social problem-solving. Those skills, she explains, are what allow children to thrive in a classroom with one teacher and many peers.

Throughout the conversation, Denise offers classroom examples that show how children learn readiness skills by working through conflict, collaborating with peers and being supported — not rescued — by adults. 

[00:13:32] “We like to make the children solve their own problems because we already know as we get older, we're gonna have problems forever.”

If you’re a parent worried your child isn’t “there yet,” or an educator supporting children on different timelines, this episode offers reassurance, perspective and hope. Readiness isn’t a checklist — it’s a foundation built through trust, relationships and time.

Preparing for Kindergarten: What Really Matters (Hint: It’s Not Worksheets)

Discover how hands-on, relationship-centered professional learning builds confident educators and thriving classrooms with Brittany Kay.


What if professional learning felt as meaningful and engaging as the learning we hope to create for children?

In this episode of The Heartfelt Way, host Rhonda Meyers is joined by Brittany Kay, Director of Program Quality at Heartfelt Impressions, for a thoughtful conversation about the power of intentional professional development. Brittany shares her journey from aspiring elementary teacher to leading a multi-year vision to certify all Heartfelt classrooms in the HighScope curriculum.

The conversation centers on a simple but transformative idea: learning works best when it’s inch wide and mile deep. Brittany reflects on her own experiences with professional development—both disconnected and deeply impactful—and explains how Heartfelt reimagined learning for educators through small cohorts, hands-on practice and trust-based reflection.

Rather than one-size-fits-all training, teachers move through multi-year learning levels together, experimenting, reflecting and even recording themselves to grow their practice. The result isn’t just stronger curriculum implementation—it’s increased confidence, stronger relationships and classrooms where children know routines, feel secure and stay deeply engaged.

This episode is an invitation to rethink professional learning, not as another obligation, but as a culture shift. Whether you’re an educator, leader or parent curious about what quality truly looks like behind the scenes, this conversation offers reassurance, inspiration and a reminder that growth takes time, trust and heart.

The Power of Professional Learning Opportunities To Impact Children’s Learning

Learn how to build trust and be prepared to guide children through self-soothing and potty training with Sam Squibb.

In this episode of The Heartfelt Way, Sam Squibb, a Heartfelt preschool teacher and mom, joins host Rhonda Meyers to share insights into self-soothing and potty training. Sam stresses that these important developmental milestones are opportunities to help children build trust and communication skills. 

Sam reflects on how children communicate their needs long before they can articulate them. She advocates for offering acceptable alternatives to children when pacifier training to help them learn to self-regulate rather than just comply.

Sam and Rhonda walk through the realities of potty training: readiness cues, accidents, regressions and the importance of removing shame from the process. 

Potty training success comes from honest communication with families, realistic expectations and preparation on both sides of the classroom door.

[00:08:44] “Accidents are going to happen. Expect success with a mess.”

Knowing there will be an inevitable mess, Sam emphasizes that it’s important to go all-in on potty training.

[00:00:00] “I am a firm believer [that] once you start potty training, you ditch the diaper. You can wear it for nap time and wear it for bedtime.”

Children know accidents are meant for diapers. Sam explains that when children have accidents in underwear, they feel an uncomfortable sensation that teaches them to know when they need the bathroom.

Sam offers practical potty training guidance in this conversation, from clothing choices to timing and motivation, and reminds parents and educators alike that progress isn’t linear—and it’s ok to make mistakes and try again.

Everyday Learning at Home: Potty Training, Pacifiers, and Play

Explore how family-style meals help children build independence, confidence and community with Robin Watts.

In this episode of The Heartfelt Way, Robin Watts, Heartfelt Impressions’ Director of Food Service, joins host Rhonda Meyers for a thoughtful conversation about the power of family-style dining.

Robin reflects on her own childhood memories of screen-free family meals and the pride she felt contributing to holiday traditions. Those early experiences shape her deep belief that mealtime is a cornerstone of community. 

Family-style dining is a space where children learn to listen to their bodies and make choices about food. Trying new foods is essential, Robin says, and helps children to be able to express themselves.

[00:16:13] “If [students] don't like something, we can talk about why they don't like it. . . . Was it too soft? Was it too crunchy? We're giving them the words and understanding to help them.”

Robin addresses common concerns—from spills and picky eating to sensory sensitivities—and explains how teachers approach these moments with patience and trust rather than pressure or shame. 

Robin emphasizes, too, that lessons learned at the table extend far beyond nutrition. Children learn spatial awareness, communication, problem-solving when milk is spilled and community when they help clean up the mess.

[00:32:34] “[Participating in family-style meals] is a quiet part of their development, I think, that goes unrecognized.”

Whether you’re an educator guiding mealtime in the classroom or a parent navigating dinner at home, this episode is a warm reminder that when we slow down and eat together, we’re setting the table for lifelong learning.

Family-Style Meals: Raising Independent & Adventurous Eaters

Discover how messy play supports learning, confidence and joy in early childhood.

Messy play is more than chaos. It’s curiosity and confidence in action.

In this episode of The Heartfelt Way, Bev Marchi, a longtime early childhood educator, joins host Rhonda Meyers to explore the power of sensory-rich play. Bev shares how hands-on experiences help children learn and collaborate—and find joy in the process.

Drawing from her own childhood spent exploring nature, Bev explains how early sensory experiences shaped her teaching philosophy. Paint splatters, mud puddles and melted snowballs aren’t disruptions. They’re opportunities for discovery and social-emotional learning.

[00:09:59] “One of the first things we talk about when there’s messy play is, ‘You know, it’s okay. We’re washable.’”

Throughout the conversation, Rhonda and Bev reflect on the role educators play in creating safe environments where children can take risks, make mistakes and learn from them.

Bev explains that messy play doesn’t always make a mess. It can help ground young people and give them a sense of wonder.

[00:17:31] “Almost every day, we spent a couple of hours in the woods . . . and one day, I had a couple of really active boys call me over to their fort. . . . And they said, 'Isn't it just so peaceful?’”

Bev reminds us that growth happens when we let go and let children explore the beautiful, the orderly and the messy.

Why Messy Matters

Learn how consistent, intentional goodbyes can ease separation anxiety with Elsa Jacobsen and Rhonda Meyers.


Goodbyes matter more than we often realize.

In this episode of The Heartfelt Way, host Rhonda Meyers is joined by Elsa Jacobsen, a seasoned early childhood educator and working mom of two, for a deeply personal conversation about separation anxiety. Together, they unpack the emotions behind drop-off—those lingering hugs, hesitant steps and the quiet worry parents carry with them long after goodbye.

Elsa shares her experience navigating separation anxiety with her second child. Her story is a powerful reminder that experience doesn’t eliminate emotion—and parents’ feelings are just as important as children’s behaviors.

[00:05:29] “Sometimes slowing down, taking the extra second, getting the extra hug and doing the extra thing stops all the extra feelings.”

Rhonda and Elsa discuss practical strategies educators use to build trust before the first day of school—from home visits and informal meet-and-greets to building routines. When followed consistently, these strategies can help minimize separation anxiety for children and parents.

Elsa also addresses one of the most important—and often overlooked—principles of separation: always saying goodbye. 

[00:19:19] “Don’t leave without saying goodbye. Don’t do the sneaky leaving. . . . it breaks the trust.”

When parents resist the urge to sneak away, they protect the trust children are still learning to build with their parents, teachers and peers.

Whether you’re a parent wrestling with guilt at drop-off or an educator welcoming a child into your care, this episode offers reassurance, practical insight and a heartfelt reminder: small moments of care can shape a child’s sense of safety.

Goodbyes That Build Trust

The Heartfelt Way invites you inside the real world of early childhood education—messy play, big feelings, family meals, and all. Hosted by educator and leader Rhonda Meyers, each episode shares stories and insights from the classrooms of Heartfelt Impressions Learning Centers. It’s a warm, inspiring space for parents and educators to nurture, inspire, and support one another—because that’s what it means to live The Heartfelt Way.



Links

Heartfelt Impressions Learning Center's website

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