Herbert P. Ginsburg, the Jacob H. Schiff Professor of Psychology and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, has conducted basic research on the development of mathematical thinking, with particular attention to young children and disadvantaged populations. He has drawn on cognitive developmental research to develop a mathematics curriculum, Big Math for Little Kids. Marilou Hyson, Ph.D., is a national and international consultant in early childhood development and education. Formerly Associate Executive Director of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), Marilou's professional work and publications have focused on social and emotional development, children's approaches to learning, and early childhood teacher education. Marilou was an SRCD Fellow in the US Department of Education and Professor and Chair of the University of Delaware's Department of Individual and Family Studies. She currently serves as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors at the Foundation for Child Development. Taniesha A. Woods, Ph.D., is the director of chapter programming and research at Say Yes to Education, Inc. (Say Yes). A theme throughout her career has been studying issues related to educational equity. In Dr. Woods's role, she is developing a program of research that examines the academic, social, and emotional supports that students and their families need so that students are ready for and successful in the K-12 grades, college, and life. She also works with the Say Yes chapters using applied research to inform high-quality programming aimed at fostering scholars' academic achievement and overall well-being. Dr. Woods's early research investigated how the psychological aspects of education -- parental socialization practices, stereotype beliefs, and identify development-- were related to academic outcomes for African American children and youth. Prior to joining Say Yes, Woods served as a Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) - American Association for the Advancement of Science Congressional fellow on the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee where her portfolio included K - 12 and higher education issues. Woods has also worked as a study director at the National Research Council where she co-edited the book-length report, Mathematics Learning in Early Childhood: Paths toward Excellence and Equity. Most recently, Woods was a senior research associate at Columbia University's National Center for Children in Poverty where she led action research projects on early childhood education and policy in the areas of mathematics education, teacher professional development, and community-wide education initiatives. Dr. Woods serves on the SRCD Policy & Communications Committee and is a math curriculum advisor for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting/Public Broadcasting Service. Woods holds a PhD and MA degrees in developmental psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a BA in psychology and African and African American Studies from the University of Oklahoma. Taniesha is committed to conducting research and developing programs that inform and promote high-quality teaching and learning outcomes for educators and children from all backgrounds with a special focus on those from vulnerable populations. Sharon Lynn Kagan, Ed.D., Virginia and Leonard Marx Professor of Early Childhood and Family Policy and Co-director of the National Center for Children and Families, Teachers College, Columbia University, 525 West 120th Street, Box 226, New York, New York 10027. Dr. Kagan is Professor Adjunct at Yale University's Child Study Center. Through her leadership in the field and her 15 books and 250 articles, Dr. Kagan has helped shape early childhood practice and policies in the United States and in countries throughout the world. Rebecca E. Gomez, M.Ed., Graduate Research Fellow, National Center for Children and Families, Teachers College, Columbia University, 525 West 120th Street, Box 226, New York, New York 10027. Ms. Gomez is a doctoral student in early childhood policy at Teachers College, Columbia University. She has worked for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies, and the State of New Hampshire helping to build professional development systems for early childhood education practitioners. As Director of the Office for Policy and Communications of SRCD, Dr. Zaslow works to bring research on children's development to policy makers and the broader public and to bring information about policy developments to the SRCD membership. She also oversees the SRCD Policy Fellowship program. As Senior Scholar at Child Trends, Dr. Zaslow's research focuses on early childhood development and takes an ecological approach, considering the role of multiple contexts including the family, early care and education (ECE) settings, and programs and policies for families with young children. Bridget K. Hamre, Ph.D., is Research Associate Professor in the Curry School of Education and Associate Director of University of Virginiaâ (TM)s Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning (CASTL). Dr. Hamreâ (TM)s areas of expertise include student-teacher relationships and classroom processes that promote positive academic and social development for young children, and she has authored numerous peer-reviewed manuscripts on these topics. This work documents the ways in which early teacher-child relationships are predictive of later academic and social development and the ways in which exposure to high-quality classroom social and instructional interactions may help close the achievement gap for students at risk of school failure. Dr. Hamre leads efforts to use the CLASS(TM) tool as an assessment, accountability, and professional development tool in early childhood and other educational settings. Most recently, she was engaged in the development and testing of interventions designed to improve the quality of teachersâ (TM) interactions with students, including MyTeachingPartner and a 14-week course developed for early childhood teachers. Dr. Hamre received her bachelorâ (TM)s degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and her masterâ (TM)s degree and doctorate in clinical and school psychology from the University of Virginia.
