EP 18 | Honouring Children’s Agency with Lisa Burman

On today’s episode I speak with Lisa Burman - an author, speaker, professional learning facilitator and every-day researcher of childhood and learning. Lisa has strong roots in true early childhood pedagogy whose work is inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy and guided by honouring children’s rights. This discussion is a deep exploration of early childhood values and principles.

Lisa and I discuss:

🌸 What is meant by a culture of agency, shared power and democratic classrooms.

🌸 Common misconceptions of agency (hint: it’s not something that we ‘give’ children and it extends far beyond offering simple choices).

🌸 The critical connection between teacher agency and child agency.

🌸 Critical reflections on educational values.

🌸 The importance of finding your teacher tribe and the role that community plays in teacher agency.

🌸 Lisa’s framework for working towards a culture of agency and its five core elements. 

Lisa Burman is firstly a teacher, which means she sees herself as a constant learner, fascinated with childhood and the power and joy of learning. She is the Director and Principal Consultant for Lisa Burman Consultants, based in Adelaide, South Australia. Lisa is the author of “Are You Listening? Fostering Conversations that Help Young Children Learn” and the recently published, “Culture of Agency - Fostering Engagement, Empowerment, Identity, and Belonging in the Early Years”. Her favourite times are side-by-side with educators and children as a pedagogical partner in preschools and primary/elementary schools.  

Helpful Links:

Engage with one of Lisa's eCourses at The Authentic Educator

Buy Lisa’s book: ‘A Culture of Agency’ in Australia or internationally 

Connect with Lisa:

💫 Find her on Instagram: @lisaburmanconsultants

💫 Visit her website: Lisa Burman

Let's Connect!

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