Margie Carter – författare

An inspiring and practical guide to creating a larger vision in early child care, this popular professional development tool has been thoroughly revised and offers a concrete framework for organizing an early childhood center director''s ideas and work. Updated and expanded, it reflects new requirements and initiatives for center directors and addresses topics including cultivating a vision, developing "systems thinking" for management roles, implementing principles and strategies for mentoring, building a learning community for adults and children, and bringing visions to life. The Visionary Director provides directors with information to perform their jobs with motivation and creativity.

Offering an alternative approach to standardization and data-driven mandates, this book puts children at the center of planning your curriculum. Rather than a prescriptive curriculum, by using The Thinking Lens® protocol, teachers can translate educational theories into concrete ideas for working with children and families. Learn to create a welcoming classroom culture, develop routines for self-regulation, and use Learning Stories to enhance experiences for the children in your care.

This book has been updated to examine how to work with mandated curriculum, rating scales, and assessment tools, while practicing reflective teaching.

Margie Carter holds a MA from Pacific Oaks College and has worked as a preschool, kindergarten, and primary school teacher, curriculum developer, High/Scope trainer, child care director, and college instructor.

Deb Curtis holds a MA in human development from Pacific Oaks College and has worked as an infant/toddler caregiver, preschool and school age child care teacher, CDA trainer, Head Start education coordinator, college instructor, and assistant director of a child care program.

Carter and Curtis have published six books together, including Designs for Living and Learning and The Art of Awareness.

Dream big for your early childhood environment, beyond rating scales, regulations, and room arrangements. Designs for Living and Learning has been a favorite resource among educators and caregivers for more than two decades, and this new edition is packed with even more ideas that can be used as you create captivating environments that nurture children, families, and staff while supporting children's learning. With hundreds of colorful photographs of real early learning settings and a multitude of simple and practical concepts for creative indoor and outdoor spaces and learning materials, this book truly is a source of inspiration as you learn how to shape welcoming spaces where children can learn and grow.