STEMiverse 0018 - Naomi Young

In this episode of STEMiverse Podcast, Peter Dalmaris and Little Bird's Marcus Schappi talk with Naomi Young!

Naomi Young, who is also known by her screen nick-name "Nay Nay", is a star of ABC Kids and the creator of the TV and YouTube Kids show Tinkertime. Her songs ‘Bubble Pop’, ‘Smash It Down, ‘I Have A Voice’ and ‘My Brother Ate My LEGO’ are Australian household favourites. You may also know Naomi for her work as the voice of ‘Hootabelle’ on Giggle and Hoot. Her TV credits also include Nickelodeon’s host of Nick Takes Over Your School and Sarvo’, The Wiggles (assistant choreographer, dancer), Playhouse Disney, Home and Away, All Saints and much more.

Naomi has been working in Children’s Television and Theatre for 15 years. She graduated with a BA Media & Cultural Studies and Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary English & Drama) both from Macquarie University. Her kids channel, Tinkertime is all about experimenting, pulling things apart and not being afraid to make mistakes. Nay Nay wants to encourage kids to get curious about STEAM (Science, Technology, Art, Engineering, Maths) and nurture a love of adventure and inventive thinking.

While in education, Naomi was Runner Up Most Outstanding New Teacher awarded by the NSW Teachers Guild in 2009. On top of her teaching load she co-founded The Project - Schools Industry Arts, an initiative that collaborated with schools and arts industry professionals to push the boundaries of arts education programs in schools. The team delivered NSW Institute of Teachers accredited professional development to hundreds of teachers.

After building her own companies, Naomi has become passionate about encouraging artists and educators to take an entrepreneurial approach to building brands and utilizing online mediums and has begun consulting small businesses and individuals.

Show notes

[00:00] Introduction - Introducing Naomi Young 
[02:58] Greetings 
[04:01] Naomi talks about her background, mentioning Tinkerlab: A Hands-On Guide for Little Inventors, by Rachelle Doorley, the inspiration forTinkertime
[07:18] Naomi's childhood and its link with her current activities: "The curiosity has to be alive."
[11:21] What could teachers have done to help Naomi stay focused in the learning of Science?
[14:18] Personalised learning
[15:46] Is the art of entertaining a skill teachers can learn? The Charisma Myth, by Olivia Fox Cabane
[17:47] Teaching as a performance vs communication & World's Teacher day
[20:36] What ninja skills does Naomi have that she can give to other teachers?
[24:29] “Find the joy in everything”
[25:21] When we walk into a classroom let’s not forget to make teaching fun
[26:25] Naomi's creative process
[29:40] Naomi's process for mental rest & recovery
[32:04] Musical instruments Naomi plays
[32:49] Working with other people and how Naomi got Tinkertime off the ground
[37:35] Why go to television in 2017?
[39:27] Quality content in current educational & children's television: The Storybots
[41:39] Benefits of getting your content on TV: Power, distribution, paid media and an already attentive audience
[42:44] Naomi's goals for her YouTube channel
[45:40] How would Naomi like teachers to use her channel and content?
[47:36] The model on how to use Naomi's content in the classroom
[48:39] Length of educational videos: The factor of audience engagement
[51:02] What kids engage with in Naomi's videos
[52:22] Naomi's plan for scaling her business
[55:10] Naomi's setup & equipment
[57:51] How Naomi learned to make and edit YouTube videos
[59:06] Creating video content as a new skill teachers should try to master
[01:00:40] How to maintain engagement in the age of binge watching
[01:02:20] Rapid Fire Questions 
[01:02:24] Who has been the most influential in shaping the way you teach? The Pixar philosophy of story
[01:03:08] Is Programming a necessary skill for teachers or not?
[01:04:12] Parting Thoughts, Dos and Don'ts
[01:05:39] Naomi's Contact Information: YouTube channel, Website