#254: Building a Legacy with Heather Jackson

Heather Jackson has spent years in early childhood education asking questions, following curiosity, researching practice, and deeply respecting the thinking of children. In this episode of The Everything ECE Podcast, Carla sits down with Heather, founder of The Sunflower School and host of the *Actions of Play* podcast, to talk about the experiences that have shaped her work and the legacy she has built along the way. They explore Heather’s journey through education, the ideas and people that have influenced her, and what it means to build a body of work that continues to evolve. This isn’t a conversation about looking back because the work is finished. It’s about recognizing what has been built while continuing to ask: What comes next? **HEATHER JACKSON** Heather Jackson is a Registered Early Childhood Educator (RECE) and the Executive Director of The Sunflower School, a Reggio-inspired early learning program in Orangeville, Ontario. With 40 years in child care, Heather remains deeply connected to the everyday work of being alongside children and educators—and still genuinely loves going to work each day. Her work is grounded in curiosity, relationships, research, and a deep respect for children as thinkers and meaning-makers. Heather has continued to deepen her understanding of Reggio-inspired practice throughout her career, including travelling to Reggio Emilia, Italy, twice over the past ten years as part of international study tours. Heather is also a mentor, researcher, and host of the *Actions of Play* podcast, where she shares her thinking and invites educators to remain curious, reflective, and intentional in their practice. **LINKS** **Website**: http://www.thesunflowerschool.ca/ **Heather Instagram:** @thesunflower\_studio **School Instagram:** @thesunflowerschool **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-jackson-17b0b455/  **Book:** Actions of Play Community Podcast Referenced: Rethinking Early Childhood Education: Designing Curriculum Beyond Traditional Program Planning  **SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW** If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review. Your support helps us reach more ECEs who are in the thick of it!. Thanks for tuning in to The Everything ECE.  See you next week! **CONNECT WITH CARLA** **Email Newsletter:** ⁠⁠Click Here⁠  **Website:**http://elfoundations.comcarlatheece.com **Instagram:** @carlatheece