I am super excited to bring today's guest, Nini Diouf, onto the show. Nini is a Wonderschool director who runs an incredible French program called Nini's Jolie Jardin in Alameda, California.

Nini was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal, which she describes as a beautiful, welcoming, and communal place to grow up. However, preschool is not a requirement in Senegal and most are privately owned. Nini was fortunate to have the opportunity to attend preschool but recalls how the less fortunate children were ostracized for needing extra help in school or for their inability to speak French properly.

For Nini, these memories cemented the importance of learning at an early age and making preschool more accessible to all children, especially those in her birthplace of Senegal. As an educator, she is focused on positive redirection and social-emotional learning to ensure that no child is made to feel discriminated against as a result of their level of education. In my conversation with Nini today, she shares her journey of becoming a mom and a business owner and her insights into early childhood development, gained from her experiences working as a celebrated preschool director.

In this episode, you'll hear:

How Nini's school-age experiences in Senegal informed her outlook on early childhood education
Why opportunities for learning are so important at a young age to ensure children have a strong foundation for growth
The value of positive redirection and social-emotional learning in the classroom

Supporting Resources:

Check out the website for Nini's Jolie Jardin on Wonderschool: https://www.wonderschool.com/ca/alameda/nini's-jolie-jardin-986

*** EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com.