Julie Nicholson – författare

On 7 July 2005, Julie Nicholson's life was changed forever. Her daughter, Jenny, was killed on her way to work in the London bombings, shaking Julie's beliefs. With heartbreaking honesty and integrity, Julie tells her story of love, tragedy and heartache for the first time.Jenny Nicolson was travelling to work when a bomb exploded at Edgware Road Tube station. Her mother, Reverend Julie Nicholson, struggled to comprehend the tragedy, her sorrow and longing for her daughter turning to rage and anger. Finding herself unable to articulate the three parts of the Eucharist: peace, reconciliation and forgiveness, because she 'felt so far from those herself', Julie made the difficult decision to resign her role as priest-in-charge of St Aidan with St George Church, Bristol, unable to reconcile her feelings with her position. She continued working with the church, in a youth arts project.

The first self-care book designed specifically for the early childhood field, Culturally Responsive Self-Care Practices for Early Childhood Educators is filled with helpful strategies and tools that you can implement immediately.Recognizing that self-care is not one size fits all, the authors present culturally responsive strategies drawn from diverse early childhood staff working in a range of roles across communities and contexts. By tying the importance of educator self-care to goals of social justice and equity, this book advocates for increased awareness of the importance of self-care on both an individual and institutional level.Through key research findings, effective strategies and personal anecdotes, this accessible guide helps readers understand and engage with the critical role self-care and wellness-oriented practices play in creating strong foundations for high quality early learning programs.

The first self-care book designed specifically for the early childhood field, Culturally Responsive Self-Care Practices for Early Childhood Educators is filled with helpful strategies and tools that you can implement immediately.Recognizing that self-care is not one size fits all, the authors present culturally responsive strategies drawn from diverse early childhood staff working in a range of roles across communities and contexts. By tying the importance of educator self-care to goals of social justice and equity, this book advocates for increased awareness of the importance of self-care on both an individual and institutional level.Through key research findings, effective strategies and personal anecdotes, this accessible guide helps readers understand and engage with the critical role self-care and wellness-oriented practices play in creating strong foundations for high quality early learning programs.

Specifically designed for administrators and leaders working in early childhood education, this practical guide offers comprehensive resources for creating trauma-responsive organizations and systems. Throughout this book, you'll find:Exercises and tools for identifying the strengths and areas in need of change within your program, school or agency.Reflection questions and sample conversations.Rich vignettes from programs already striving to create healthier, trauma-responsive environments.The guidance in this book is explained with simple, easy-to-implement strategies you can apply immediately to your own practice and is accompanied by brainstorming questions to help educational leaders both new to and experienced with trauma-informed practices succeed.

Specifically designed for administrators and leaders working in early childhood education, this practical guide offers comprehensive resources for creating trauma-responsive organizations and systems. Throughout this book, you'll find:Exercises and tools for identifying the strengths and areas in need of change within your program, school or agency.Reflection questions and sample conversations.Rich vignettes from programs already striving to create healthier, trauma-responsive environments.The guidance in this book is explained with simple, easy-to-implement strategies you can apply immediately to your own practice and is accompanied by brainstorming questions to help educational leaders both new to and experienced with trauma-informed practices succeed.

Designed for all professionals working with parents and families of young children, this practical guide offers comprehensive resources for building trauma-responsive family engagement in your school or program. Throughout this book, you'll find:Evidence-based practices that promote trauma-response family engagement.Exercises and tools for identifying the strengths and learning edges within your program, school, or agency.Vignettes from people and programs striving to create trusting, asset-focused partnerships with families that improve equity and promote culturally responsive practices.Reflective inquiry questions and sample conversations to help you examine your own practices.With concrete examples and easy-to-implement strategies, this critical book helps readers put theory into practice while providing essential support for individuals and groups both new to and experienced with trauma-responsive practices in early childhood.

Designed for all professionals working with parents and families of young children, this practical guide offers comprehensive resources for building trauma-responsive family engagement in your school or program. Throughout this book, you'll find:Evidence-based practices that promote trauma-response family engagement.Exercises and tools for identifying the strengths and learning edges within your program, school, or agency.Vignettes from people and programs striving to create trusting, asset-focused partnerships with families that improve equity and promote culturally responsive practices.Reflective inquiry questions and sample conversations to help you examine your own practices.With concrete examples and easy-to-implement strategies, this critical book helps readers put theory into practice while providing essential support for individuals and groups both new to and experienced with trauma-responsive practices in early childhood.

The majority of public school principals are now required to supervise and evaluate early childhood teachers and classrooms, yet many do not have a sufficient understanding of child development and early childhood pedagogy to lead for equity. This practical and comprehensive resource addresses this critical gap by presenting current research on child development, an understanding of the elements of high-quality early childhood classrooms, essential information on trauma-responsive practices, and strategies for reducing bias and preventing the use of exclusionary discipline with young children. School leaders learn about the pivotal role they can play in improving equity for young children, their families, and the early childhood workforce. Each chapter includes key take-aways and central questions that can be used for individual reflection or to guide group discussions. Authentic examples, illustrations, and actionable strategies help readers to successfully implement the content in their school. Principals as Early Learning Leaders is essential reading for principals, vice principals, administrators, and others responsible for leading preschool and pre–K programs for equity.Book Features:Supports elementary school principals to better understand the role early education plays in their school. Addresses essential issues of equity in all aspects of early learning programs that require focus and leadership.Provides current research and practical strategies that principals can put into practice immediately to be effective instructional leaders. Uses authentic examples and vignettes throughout to help readers see the ideas in the context of real preschool classrooms. Includes reflection questions and key takeaways to help principals think about how the information presented can inform the work they do.

The majority of public school principals are now required to supervise and evaluate early childhood teachers and classrooms, yet many do not have a sufficient understanding of child development and early childhood pedagogy to lead for equity. This practical and comprehensive resource addresses this critical gap by presenting current research on child development, an understanding of the elements of high-quality early childhood classrooms, essential information on trauma-responsive practices, and strategies for reducing bias and preventing the use of exclusionary discipline with young children. School leaders learn about the pivotal role they can play in improving equity for young children, their families, and the early childhood workforce. Each chapter includes key take-aways and central questions that can be used for individual reflection or to guide group discussions. Authentic examples, illustrations, and actionable strategies help readers to successfully implement the content in their school. Principals as Early Learning Leaders is essential reading for principals, vice principals, administrators, and others responsible for leading preschool and pre–K programs for equity.Book Features:Supports elementary school principals to better understand the role early education plays in their school. Addresses essential issues of equity in all aspects of early learning programs that require focus and leadership.Provides current research and practical strategies that principals can put into practice immediately to be effective instructional leaders. Uses authentic examples and vignettes throughout to help readers see the ideas in the context of real preschool classrooms. Includes reflection questions and key takeaways to help principals think about how the information presented can inform the work they do.

How can elementary school leaders support students with intensive behavioral and socio-emotional needs? Use culturally responsive Tier 3 interventions.This practical guide empowers elementary school principals, teachers, and district leaders to move beyond reactive crisis management toward equitable, individualized support systems. By integrating the frontline experience of school administrators with research-based, culturally proficient, healing-centered, and trauma-responsive practice, the authors provide a definitive roadmap for creating success for our most high-needs students using the Cultural Proficiency, Healing Centered and Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) frameworks.Written by a multidisciplinary team of nationally recognized experts, this resource is designed for schools that are committed to building systems that meet students where they are and scaffold a pathway to success. Through authentic case studies spanning Pre-K to 5th grade, you will learn how to transform campus communities and school-level policies to champion the students who challenge traditional systems the most.This professional development resource bridges the gap between believing in equity and facilitating daily practices that actually produce equitable outcomes. It offers actionable strategies for fostering student agency and social-emotional growth, ensuring that intensive interventions remain student-centered and culturally competent for diverse school communities.Book Features:Three Tiers of Actionable Strategies: Provides concrete steps for intensive behavioral and socio-emotional supports all framed through culturally responsive, healing-centered, and trauma-informed lenses.Authentic Pre-K–5 Case Studies: Features real-world scenarios that allow educators to apply research and evidence-based interventions to specific behavioral challenges.Multidisciplinary Insights: Integrates contemporary research with the expertise of educators and mental health professionals to support the whole child.Inclusive Early Childhood Focus: Includes dedicated strategies for preschool-aged children, addressing a critical need for elementary leaders’ increasing responsibility to supervise early childhood classrooms.Implementation Tools: Includes reproducible templates and access to a free PDF companion workbook designed to facilitate individual and team reflection and school-wide planning.

How can elementary school leaders support students with intensive behavioral and socio-emotional needs? Use culturally responsive Tier 3 interventions.This practical guide empowers elementary school principals, teachers, and district leaders to move beyond reactive crisis management toward equitable, individualized support systems. By integrating the frontline experience of school administrators with research-based, culturally proficient, healing-centered, and trauma-responsive practice, the authors provide a definitive roadmap for creating success for our most high-needs students using the Cultural Proficiency, Healing Centered and Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) frameworks.Written by a multidisciplinary team of nationally recognized experts, this resource is designed for schools that are committed to building systems that meet students where they are and scaffold a pathway to success. Through authentic case studies spanning Pre-K to 5th grade, you will learn how to transform campus communities and school-level policies to champion the students who challenge traditional systems the most.This professional development resource bridges the gap between believing in equity and facilitating daily practices that actually produce equitable outcomes. It offers actionable strategies for fostering student agency and social-emotional growth, ensuring that intensive interventions remain student-centered and culturally competent for diverse school communities.Book Features:Three Tiers of Actionable Strategies: Provides concrete steps for intensive behavioral and socio-emotional supports all framed through culturally responsive, healing-centered, and trauma-informed lenses.Authentic Pre-K–5 Case Studies: Features real-world scenarios that allow educators to apply research and evidence-based interventions to specific behavioral challenges.Multidisciplinary Insights: Integrates contemporary research with the expertise of educators and mental health professionals to support the whole child.Inclusive Early Childhood Focus: Includes dedicated strategies for preschool-aged children, addressing a critical need for elementary leaders’ increasing responsibility to supervise early childhood classrooms.Implementation Tools: Includes reproducible templates and access to a free PDF companion workbook designed to facilitate individual and team reflection and school-wide planning.

This second edition of Trauma-Informed Practices for Early Childhood Educators continues to guide childcare providers and early educators working with infants, toddlers, preschoolers and early elementary-aged children to understand trauma as well as its impact on young children’s brains, behavior, learning and development. The book covers a range of trauma-responsive teaching strategies that readers can use to create strength-based environments that support children’s health, healing and resiliency. Updates include a greater emphasis on resilience and collaborating with mental health specialists, new chapters on developing children’s body awareness/sensory literacy and pathways to regulation that reduce stress through breathing techniques and mindful movement, as well as new vignettes and case studies to use in workshops or professional development. Supervisors and coaches will learn a range of powerful trauma-responsive practices that they can use to support workforce development and enhance their quality improvement initiatives.

This second edition of Trauma-Informed Practices for Early Childhood Educators continues to guide childcare providers and early educators working with infants, toddlers, preschoolers and early elementary-aged children to understand trauma as well as its impact on young children’s brains, behavior, learning and development. The book covers a range of trauma-responsive teaching strategies that readers can use to create strength-based environments that support children’s health, healing and resiliency. Updates include a greater emphasis on resilience and collaborating with mental health specialists, new chapters on developing children’s body awareness/sensory literacy and pathways to regulation that reduce stress through breathing techniques and mindful movement, as well as new vignettes and case studies to use in workshops or professional development. Supervisors and coaches will learn a range of powerful trauma-responsive practices that they can use to support workforce development and enhance their quality improvement initiatives.

Now more than ever, there is a need for early childhood professionals to comprehensively integrate trauma-sensitive practices into their work with children and families. This essential resource offers instructional strategies teachers can use daily to support their students dealing with trauma in early learning environments. Readers will learn to create opportunities for children to use their natural language—play—to reduce their stress, to cope with adversity, to build resilience, and even to heal from trauma. Nicholson and Kurtz provide vignettes, case study examples, textboxes, photographs, and descriptions of adapted therapeutic strategies ready for implementation in the classroom. Practical and comprehensive, this book is ideal for both prospective and veteran early childhood educators seeking to understand trauma-informed practices when working with young children (birth–8) in a range of environments.

Now more than ever, there is a need for early childhood professionals to comprehensively integrate trauma-sensitive practices into their work with children and families. This essential resource offers instructional strategies teachers can use daily to support their students dealing with trauma in early learning environments. Readers will learn to create opportunities for children to use their natural language—play—to reduce their stress, to cope with adversity, to build resilience, and even to heal from trauma. Nicholson and Kurtz provide vignettes, case study examples, textboxes, photographs, and descriptions of adapted therapeutic strategies ready for implementation in the classroom. Practical and comprehensive, this book is ideal for both prospective and veteran early childhood educators seeking to understand trauma-informed practices when working with young children (birth–8) in a range of environments.

There is inherent complexity in a field like early childhood where people and their relationships are at the center of their work; daily practices involve negotiating webs of dynamic relations, shifting contexts, value conflicts, and profoundly diverse family constellations and community and cultural environments. Emphasizing Social Justice and Equity in Leadership for Early Childhood: Taking a Postmodern Turn to Make Complexity Visible expands our conceptions of leadership by drawing on postmodern ontological and epistemological perspectives that value, and make visible, diversities and complex human experiences. Julie Nicholson explores the challenges facing children domestically and globally regarding contemporary social justice and equity; she also provides several frameworks and specific strategies that early childhood educators can draw from in enacting leadership inspired by the ideas presented throughout the book. Richly contextualized vignettes are woven into each chapter to highlight the voices and experiences of courageous early childhood professionals working in very different roles and contexts.

This book is for early childhood educators committed to learning about gender [in]justice as a foundation for creating gender affirming early learning environments for all children including those who are transgender and gender expansive (TGE). The authors engage in progressive and contemporary thinking about gender acknowledging its complexity, intersectionality, diversity and dynamism. They draw on Miranda Fricker’s (2007) concepts of testimonial injustice to discuss how young TGE children are considered “too young” to have gender identities or to truly know themselves and hermeneutical injustice to represent the challenges TGE children face in educational environments that do not provide them with linguistic or interpretive tools to help them fully understand and communicate about their gender. Woven throughout the book are the lived experiences and counter-stories of TGE children and adults that privilege their voices and highlight their right to contribute equally to societal understandings of gender and to access all the tools a given society has available at the time to help them name and understand their own experiences.The authors provide discourse, conceptual frameworks and concrete strategies educators can use to inspire resistant social imaginations (Medina, 2013) and actions that improve gender justice for our youngest children.

This book is for early childhood educators committed to learning about gender [in]justice as a foundation for creating gender affirming early learning environments for all children including those who are transgender and gender expansive (TGE). The authors engage in progressive and contemporary thinking about gender acknowledging its complexity, intersectionality, diversity and dynamism. They draw on Miranda Fricker’s (2007) concepts of testimonial injustice to discuss how young TGE children are considered “too young” to have gender identities or to truly know themselves and hermeneutical injustice to represent the challenges TGE children face in educational environments that do not provide them with linguistic or interpretive tools to help them fully understand and communicate about their gender. Woven throughout the book are the lived experiences and counter-stories of TGE children and adults that privilege their voices and highlight their right to contribute equally to societal understandings of gender and to access all the tools a given society has available at the time to help them name and understand their own experiences.The authors provide discourse, conceptual frameworks and concrete strategies educators can use to inspire resistant social imaginations (Medina, 2013) and actions that improve gender justice for our youngest children.

Essential, accessible guidance for using trauma-informed practices to relieve student and educator stress in schoolsIn Reducing Stress in Schools, Mathew Portell, Ingrid L. Cockhren, Tyisha J. Noise, Julie Kurtz, and Julie Nicholson provide a toolkit of actionable, evidence-based practices for PreK–12 teachers, administrators, and staff to support students’ and adults’ nervous system regulation. Rooted in the tenets of trauma-responsive education and current neuroscience, these strategies address stress-related behavioral challenges present in schools, including fight, flight, freeze, and fawn behaviors. Unique in its approach, this book raises awareness of the collective trauma caused by the pandemic, highlights the effects of racial and historical trauma, draws attention to educators' stress and burnout, and proposes strategies for stress reduction drawn from a diverse range of practitioner experience.The authors show that, in the post-COVID-19 era, as students and educators contend with unprecedented exposure to mental health stressors, research supports classroom management via relationship-building interventions. They demonstrate how alternatives to exclusionary discipline practices can promote social-emotional learning, counter learning loss, and improve student skills such as sensory literacy, resilience, and frustration tolerance.  This work delivers clear guidance throughout chapters that feature real-world case studies, sample conversations, and questions for reflection and discussion. It also includes recommendations for countering resistance to the implementation of trauma-responsive practices for classroom management. Ultimately, it gives educators the tools to build schools that reduce stress and strengthen racial justice, equity, healing, and safety.