Strong Women in Early Childhood: International Day Celebrating Women

Early Childhood is a profession that includes many strong and influential women. These amazing women have established the field of early childhood and set high goals for us to achieve. They have been strong advocates for the field as it grew. We must continue to move forward to secure more quality and expanded programs for all young children and their families.

When I first began thinking about these fantastic women, I was concerned that I would never be able to identify all these important people. I wanted to name a few that have impacted my life and given me a model to emulate in my own practices. These strong women have shaped many aspects of early childhood. Below I have identified some of the things that specifically influenced me.

Strong Women in the Field of Early Childhood Education

Sue Bredekamp: Fighting for “Developmentally Appropriate Practices”

Lilian Katz: Project Approach – following the interest of the children.

Sara Smilansky: The Value of Socio-Dramatic Play for All Children

Betty Bowman: Leader of the Field: As busy as she was, she took the time to write a letter of support for our Ph.D. program.

Shirley Raines: First Early Childhood person to be a University President. The University of Memphis.

Ann Terrell: Current President of NAEYC, whom I meet at a NAEYC conference in DC. A strong leader with a soft personal touch.

Lella Gandini: Introduced the Reggio Emilia to the US and me.

Who has influenced your thinking in early childhood education?

Have you thanked them for their positive influence on your life? We must appreciate our history to shape the future. Watch for more shakers and movers in Early Childhood in my next blogs.

I am proud of our profession and the strong women who built the foundation.