The Child-Led Mastery Academy

Be the educator who can bring out the brilliance in any child.

Even if they challenge you.

Even if you’re short on resources (and shorter on time).

Even when nothing feels like it’s going to plan.

When you have what it takes to help every child in your care shine — 

You become a force.

An agent of change.

The one with a reputation… for making magic happen.

You fall back in love with your work.

(Other people start noticing, too.)

And children start engaging, learning & progressing… in ways that will blow your mind.

“This is the first approach to childhood learning where I feel I can truly be myself.

Along with more confidence and acceptance of who I am — I have found what drives me and discovered a new passion for experimenting and learning alongside the children.”

Cheryl

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THE CHILD-LED MASTERY ACADEMY GIVES YOU:

More engagement. More learning.
More wonder. Every day.

HOW THE CHILD-LED MASTERY ACADEMY WORKS

Learn the shifts. Apply them in your classroom…

And feel the difference — instantly.

The Child-Led Mastery Academy is a monthly membership designed around four unique seasons, each 3 months long.

Together, they make up the heart of your work as an early childhood educator:

The What

Curriculum & Conversations

(Your “guiding light” for your year)

The why

Advocacy & Communication 

(Rally peers, parents & community around your work)

The who

Child-Led Behavior Guidance

(Help children regulate & engage)

The how

Materials, Invitations & More

(The day-to-day of teaching!)

Each month, we’ll explore a different side of the season and how to make ONE meaningful change in your classroom that supports it.

You can join for a month, for a quarter (3 months) or for the entire year.

The Child-Led Mastery Academy will open for enrollment again soon.

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The Child-Led Mastery Academy is a place where you will:

Help young children become active participants in their own learning journey.

Champion the rights of children and help them understand that with those rights, come responsibilities!

Teach children the skills to self-regulate and set up your lessons, your teaching space and more to support these skills.

Use exploration and play as a pathway to prepare children for success, in learning and life

Confidently develop lesson plans and curriculums that lead with play (or even use ours as a starting point if you’re short on time)

Always know what to say when someone questions your approach, because you’ll have the language and the science to explain it, and...

Become the educator who knows how to connect with and guide any child — so their innate brilliance can shine.

The Child-Led Mastery Academy is for you if:

You want to turn your play-based practice from haphazard and messy into a plan that works with young children now.

You’re curious about a play-based approach and how it could work in your classroom (without the chaos).

Children’s behavior and engagement is becoming a challenge, and you want new ways to navigate it effectively.

You want to gain access to an exclusive mini-certification that will improve your professional standing and give you the tools you need to thrive in imperfect conditions.

You love working with children but lately, the magic seems to have disappeared… and you want to get it back.

You want to be recognized for your work by your supervisors and childrens’ parents.

You want to be part of a community of educators who share your values and will support you on your professional path.

You’re ready to make ONE small but mighty change to your classroom each month, instead of doing all the things but not getting anywhere.

If you want access to fresh ideas, practical strategies that will elevate the way you teach, and to reconnect with why you do this work in the first place, the Child-Led Mastery Academy will give you all of this and more.

Our mission is to help you make this year the best year of your career yet.

We want to help you create more wins, make more memories (the good kind) and experience just how powerful your work can be… without having to sacrifice your time and energy to make it happen.

If you’re ready, so are we. Let’s begin! 

JOIN THE Waitlist

“Supportive and truly open to sharing ideas, without judgment or attitude. The approach is so relatable and easy to put into action.

I also feel less pressure to “teach” — I listen and hear so much more. I discover, investigate and PLAY! There is a wealth of information just a click away.”

Heidi

Frequently Asked

Is the Child-Led Mastery Academy a good fit for me?

Do you believe every child has the innate capacity to be brilliant? To follow their passions, interests, and curiosities. To be a child who is a thinker, a learner, courageous and kind.

Inside the Child-Led Mastery Academy we believe the best way to nurture this kind of brilliance is with a play-based, child-led approach that is designed for the 21st-century classroom.

This Academy is more than just another professional development program—it's a transformative journey toward impactful, manageable change. Each month, you will make one significant, meaningful adjustment to enhance your teaching skills in a community that values and understands early childhood education. Together, we tackle teaching challenges and celebrate triumphs while learning how to nurture each child's innate brilliance.

If you're ready to make a real difference in your teaching and help each child shine, the Child-Led Mastery Academy could be the perfect fit for you.

What level of memberships do you offer?

We offer two membership tiers in the Academy:

Tier 1: Child-Led Mastery Essentials Track


  • Includes Monthly Virtual Field trips, Field Guides, Instant on-demand access to the Child-Led Mastery Training Library ( offers over 90 hours of PD trainings), and, 2 + years of emergent done-for-you Curriculum, & Lesson Plans. 
  • Bonus features include monthly fireside chats and a members-only community.

Tier 2: Child-Led Mastery Certification Track


  • Includes everything in Tier 1 plus an in-depth certification track with exclusive curriculum.
  • Complete micro-certification training every three months, flexible and self-paced.

Can you tell me more about the Tier 2: Certification Track? How do I upgrade?

A micro-certification course opens every 3 months. This design ensures you can start with the course that is active when you join, and then continue seamlessly as new courses unlock throughout the year.Here’s how the courses are scheduled:

  • August - October Session: Focuses on Guiding Children’s Behavior
  • November - January Session: Emphasizes Materials and Play Invitations and the Brain Science Behind It.
  • February - April Session: Focuses on Curriculum and Conversations
  • May - July Session: Advocacy and Communication

For more details about our Certification program, please click here. To upgrade and join in with our current course being offered, please reach out to asksally@fairydustteaching.com

Can I join today?

Membership doors typically open twice a year. To learn more please join our waitlist, and then reach out to asksally@fairydustteaching.com and share what you are most excited about learning inside the Academy! We can’t wait to hear from you!

How do I cancel my membership?

Canceling is very straightforward. Simply contact our customer service team at asksally@fairydustteaching.com, at anytime you wish to cancel your membership, and we will take care of the rest!

How long do I have access to these resources?

Similar to a gym or Netflix membership, as long as your subscription is active, you'll have access to all academy resources. Our annual membership offers the best value, providing two months free compared to monthly subscriptions, which can be canceled at any time.

I want to use this membership for my team. Do you offer special pricing?

Each membership grants access to one person.  However, we do offer discounted rates for groups and schools when three or more team members sign up together. For details and pricing, please contact asksally@fairydustteaching.com.

Certificates and Professional Development Offerings

Each of our trainings inside the Academy comes with Professional Development Certificates. We offer over 90 hours of Professional Development trainings inside the Academy!  For more information on our professional development offerings, including pricing details, please contact asksally@fairydustteaching.com

The Child-Led Mastery Academy will open for enrollment again soon.

Enter your name and email below to be the first to know:

“I’ve gained confidence as a leader. Now I know who I am and my reasons for being in this field.

I found a community to learn and grow with… I was able to be me, and that is so precious.”

Maya