Buttercup

Dr. Demet Gulaldi is a child development specialist with over 33 years of experience, particularly in working with children with special needs and their families. She graduated from Hacettepe University in Ankara. Turkiye and began her professional journey in Istanbul after growing up and studying in Ankara. Midway through her career, she received the prestigious Humphrey Fellowship and completed postgraduate studies in the United States in the field of early intervention. Her areas of focus include early childhood development, early intervention, developmental assessments, and family guidance. She has conducted research in attachment theory, especially on mother-child interaction and positive parenting. She also works with families individually using the evidence-based VIPP (Video-feedback Intervention to Promote Positive Parenting) method.  Currently, she is an Assistant Professor at Üsküdar University, Department of Child Development in Istanbul. She teaches undergraduate and graduate-level courses in earl

Denise is a paediatric physiotherapist who works as a Early Childhood Intervention Consultant and Director of Postural Care Australia. She is Chair of Professionals and Researchers in Early Childhood Intervention (PRECI). Denise has worked in the field of paediatrics,disability and ECI for over 35 years. In the early 2000’s Denise led a project changing the WA State Government Disability Services Commission ECI model to a key worker (Team around the Child) model. Denise was a Consultant on the Commission’s Statewide Consultancy Team supporting the implementation of recommended practices in ECI and paediatric physiotherapy throughout WA including remote / very remote regions. Denise is a founding member and current chair of PRECI and the PRECI Project lead for the development of the National Best Practice Framework in Early Childhood Intervention in Australia.  This Framework is cross-sector, cross-discipline, cross-diagnosis and cross-service delivery model. To support families with their journey in ECI, Den

Dr. ANA MARIA SERRANO - Associate Professor - Institute of Education (IE), researcher at the Center for Research in Child Studies (CIEC), University of Minho, Portugal.  Has a degree in Psychology from the University of Coimbra. Holds a master's degree in Early Intervention from the University of Cincinnati, USA, as a Fulbright Scholar, and a PhD in Child Studies, a Special Education specialty from the Institute for Child Studies at the University of Minho. She is a professor in the field of Special Education and developed and coordinates one of the first master's programs in Early Childhood Intervention in Portugal (1996). She is member of the National Association for Early Intervention (ANIP), President of the European Association for Early Intervention –EURLYAID, and a member of the Board of Directors of the International Society of Early Childhood Intervention. And she is part of the National System of Early Childhood Intervention (SNIPI), North Subcommittee's Supervision Nucleus. Lives in a city in th

Prof. Dr. Isabel María Gómez Bareto. PhD in Education. Associate Professor and Coordinator of the Pedagogy department, area of Didactics and School Organization in the Faculty of Education of Albacete (University of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain). Member of the research group LabinTic (Laboratory for the Integration of Technology in the Classroom). Her lines of research are based on intercultural education, initial teacher education and professional development, teaching-learning processes, and socioemotional development. Her scientific production is based on the participation in numerous regional, national and international congresses, as well as on the publication of 4 books and more than 25 articles indexed in high impact indices (JCR and SJR). Dr. Carlos Montoya Fernández. PhD in Education. Postdoctoral researcher in the Pedagogy department, area of Didactics and School Organization in the Faculty of Education of Albacete (University of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain). Member of the research group LabinTic (L

Dr. Kine Melfald Tveten is a pediatric physical therapist from Norway with 13 years of clinical experience in developmental neurology and movement disorders. She earned her PhD in infant motor function assessment and is currently a postdoctoral researcher with the transdisciplinary MoveEarly project in Bergen, Norway. Her research focuses on movement, play, and exploration in early childhood, driven by her passion for promoting the joy of movement. Dr. Tveten is also an advanced practitioner within Sherborne Developmental Movement and loves to have interactive and creative presentations.

Jessie Brewster and Ruth Troyanek join me to talk about Parents as Teachers.  http://wypat.org/ Jessie Brewster was raised in the beautiful Bitterroot Valley in Montana. As a stay at home Mom of 3 wonderful kids, she attained an Associate of Arts Degree with an emphasis in Communication Studies at University of Montana. Jessie started her career in 2017 as a Family Advocate at a Resource Center at the edge of the Blackfeet Reservation working with families and youth. Her career brought her and her family to Laramie, Wyoming where she was able to become a Parent Educator for Albany County. Jessie has a passion for supporting parents on their journeys through a holistic and understanding approach. She also enjoys an array of hobbies such as sewing, crocheting, painting, and hiking with her family. Ruth Troyanek has lived in Laramie for 16 years, previously serving the community as a public librarian. Her favorite role at the public library was serving as the Youth Services Librarian, leading programs for young

Dr. Ehi Edokhamhen is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Tennessee State University, Nashville TN. With a background in Early Childhood Education and Psychology, Dr. Edokhamhen's expertise spans teaching, research, and service. With a research focus on teacher education and workforce development, Edokhamhen has conducted research with Head Start teachers. Edokhamhen is an active member of professional associations such as National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators (NAECTE), Association for Constructivist Teaching (ACT), and Literacy Association of Tennessee. Dr. Edokhamhen is originally from Nigeria. He is married and has a 9 month old son.

Sarah is an Atelierista, Presenter and the Social Media curator for the Africa Reggio Emilia Alliance (AREA). She is currently the resident Atelierista at Reddam House Waterfall Early Learning School and co-ordinates the Reggio Emilia approach professional development at the school and is part of their Social Media Team. Sarah is passionate about the Reggio Emilia approach and promoting the rights of every child in every context. She has attended two of Reggio Children International Study Groups to Reggio Emilia, Italy, leading the April 2024 Africa Reggio Emilia Alliance (AREA) Study Group. Whilst in Reggio Emilia, she was able to engage in research on the Culture of the Atelier and role of the Atelierista in the Reggio Emilia approach, spending time with a Reggio Children Atelierista, Marco Spaggiari and in the Documentation Studio with Marina Castagnetti. Sarah renamed her workspace, the Everywhere Atelier, a Reggio Emilia inspired laboratory of research, and aims to ensure that the culture of the atelier

Junlei Li, Ph.D. is the Program Chair of the Human Development and Education and the Saul Zaentz Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood Education at Harvard Graduate School of Education. As a developmental psychologist, his research and practice focus on supporting the helpers – those who serve children and families on the frontlines of education and social services. Studying orphanages, child care, schools, youth programs, he co-develops the “Simple Interactions” approach (www.simpleinteractions.org) to help affirm what ordinary people do extraordinarily well with children in everyday moments. His work is significantly inspired by the pioneering work of Fred Rogers when he served as the Co-Director and Rita M. McGinley Chair for Early Learning and Children’s Media at the Fred Rogers Center.

Dr. Scott Chamberlin is a professor at the University of Wyoming in the field of mathematics education. His research interests include the use of problem solving activities with upper elementary and middle grade gifted students. Specifically, he investigates student affect and creativity as they relate to mathematical problem solving. Recently, he validated the Chamberlin Affective Instrument for Mathematical Problem Solving (CAIMPS), which may be used by classroom teachers to formally assess student affect as they complete problem-solving tasks in mathematics. Another interest of Dr. Chamberlin pertains to student development of highly creative mathematical solutions while completing mathematical problem solving tasks. Much of this work is a direct result of his work with Model-eliciting Activities (MEAs). MEAs are problem-solving tasks in which solvers are expected to create mathematical models to explain and generate understanding about phenomena and concepts in mathematics.

Things you could learn from this BUTTERCUP episode: The role of mentorship in her career as a writer. What a diary with a lock did for her during childhood. How her Mom and her Dad, Tony Hillerman, inspired her reading and writing life.  What it means to Anne to be seduced by research. Her connections to the American western landscapes, Navajo nation, and mystery genre. Role of mentorship in her stories with strong and powerful female character Bernadette Manuelito (Navajo Nation police office), retired lieutenant Joe Leaphorn, and office Jim Chee. The way Anne sets up her daily routine to write.  How a mentor changed her life when she was an intern at a news service job for 90 days for a news service as a copy editor then later a reporter to work at the New Mexican. More from Anne Hillerman here: Website: https://annehillerman.com/ Facebook: @authotannehillerman Anne Hillerman is the author of best-selling mystery novels and executive producer of the Dark Winds television series on AMC. Her 10th mystery, t

Micki M. Ostrosky is Grayce Wicall Gauthier Professor of Education in the Department of Special Education and Interim Head of the Department of Curriculum & Instruction at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign (UIUC). She has been at Illinois since 1991. Throughout her career, she has been involved in research and dissemination on the inclusion of children with disabilities, social and emotional competence, and challenging behavior. She was involved in the development of the Pyramid Model for Supporting Social Emotional Competence in Young Children. Micki is a former editor of Young Exceptional Children (YEC), and the co-editor of several YEC monographs. She has co-authored over 100 peer-reviewed articles and several books, including the Making Friends book (2016), which supports the acceptance of individuals with disabilities, The Project Approach for All Learners (2018), CHAMPPS: Children in Action Motor Program for PreschoolerS (20230, and Unpacking the Pyramid Model: A practical guide for presch

Dr. Ilene Schwartz is a professor in the Area of Special Education at the University of Washington and the Director of the Haring Center for Inclusive Education at UW. She earned her Ph.D. in child and developmental psychology from the University of Kansas and is a board certified behavior analyst (BCBA-D). Dr. Schwartz has an active research and professional training agenda with primary interests in the areas of autism, inclusive education, professional ethics, and the sustainability of educational interventions. Dr. Schwartz is the director of Project DATA, a model preschool program for children with autism that has been in operation since 1997 and was started as a model demonstration project with OSEP funding. She is currently working on projects to improve the quality of inclusive services for students with disabilities and strategies that can be used to improve access to services for young children with ASD in under resourced areas.

  Dr. Ann Anderson Berry is a Professor and Vice-Chair of Research of the Department of Pediatrics and the Executive Director of the Child Health Research Institute at UNMC and Vice-President of Research at Children’s Hospital & Medical Center. Additionally, she serves as Division chief of Neonatology and is the founding Medical Director of the Nebraska Perinatal Quality Improvement Collaborative (NPQIC). Her research activities include funded federal and state research grants evaluating Perinatal nutrition and the impact on maternal and fetal outcomes, and grants to better understand Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS), the impact of intrauterine opioid exposure on brain development, and the compounded impact of poor nutrition and social stressors on infants with intrauterine opioid exposure. She is a constant advocate for Nebraska families and understands the importance of recognizing rural and urban needs when allocating perinatal resources. As a mentor to multiple students at the undergraduat

Dr. Danila Crespin Zidovsky is the Senior Policy and Leadership Specialist at the Saul Zaentz Early Education Initiative. Prior to joining Zaentz, Dr. Crespin Zidovsky served as Special Assistant to New Mexico’s Secretary of Education. She has served as senior staff for multiple political campaigns, both at the national and at the local level. She was an original member of U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich’s staff, as well as senior staff during his successful reelection campaign, when only a handful of Democratic representatives won their races across the country. Dr. Crespin Zidovsky has taught both in South Korea and New Mexico, and for numerous nonprofits focused on early education and social justice. She holds a Doctorate in Education Leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Emily Wiklund Hayhurst is the Assistant Director of Learning Design and Communications at the Zaentz Early Education Initiative, where she develops professional learning programs, multimedia resources, and action-oriented

Dr. Alessandra Landini is the Principal of the I.C. A. Manzoni in Reggio Emilia, with a PhD in Human Sciences, thesis in Physics Education from the Department of Education and Human Sciences at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, and a Master Degree in Organization and Management of Multicultural School Institutions from Alma Mater, Bologna. Her scientific education research project studies a vertical science curriculum based on storytelling and the use of metaphor, between early childhood and secondary school. Her doctoral thesis examined the approach to the study of energy in primary schools and the multi-metaphoric nature of the concept of energy. Her other areas of interest range from general didactics to innovative teaching. As a General Didactics’ expert at UNIMORE, she provides integrative teaching activities at the university. She collaborates with the "Metaphor and Narrative in Science" research center and provides teacher training on inclusive didactics as a national trainer for AID (Italian

Dr. Robin McWilliam is a professor of special education at The University of Alabama . Dr. McWilliam is also the Founder and Director of the Evidence-based International Early Intervention Office (EIEIO). His research interests are in early intervention (birth to age 6), specifically models of service delivery, working with families, and child engagement. Dr. McWilliam developed the Routines-Based Model of Early Intervention (Birth-6) and am involved in its implementation in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, and the U.S. Dr. McWilliam developed the international community of practice called The RAM Group, to provide research and technical assistance on the Routines-Based Model. Dr. McWilliam teaches doctoral students, lectures, conducts workshops, and writes. He serve as the International Editor of the scholarly journal Infants & Young Children and serves on numerous editorial boards.

Dr. Scott McConnell has been a teacher, program director, researcher and college professor interested in preschool and early elementary education for more than 40 years. Scott is a professor emeritus of educational psychology at the University of Minnesota and Director of Assessment Innovation at Renaissance Learning. Prior to joining Renaissance, Scott was part of a multi-university team that developed Individual Growth and Development Indicators, and he’s conducted research on their use in preschool classrooms. His professional interests focus on young children’s paths to becoming proficient readers, and the ways that systematic interventions like multi-tiered systems of support can help all children achieve that goal. He earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology at Portland State University and his master’s degree in school psychology and PhD in educational psychology at the University of Oregon. Scott lives in Minnesota, and he and his wife Laurie Davis are parents of four adult children.

Edward Melhuish is Professor of Human Development at the University of Oxford. He has been the Director of the National Evaluation of Sure Start (2001-2012), the Effective Pre-school Primary & Secondary Education (EPPSE, 1997-2014) and SEED projects.  He is currently undertaking longitudinal studies of 4000 children in England and Norway.  These studies contributed to social policy in the UK for families, early years services and education, including universal provision of pre-school for all 3 & 4 year-olds and establishing 3500 Children’s Centres, Every Child Matters and 10-Year Childcare strategies, and early education for 2-year-olds for the 40% most disadvantaged.  He has given evidence to parliamentary committees and is an advisor to research councils in Norway, Finland, Portugal, Germany, Netherlands, Australia,  Korea, Canada, USA, Chile, and the European Commission, OECD and WHO.

Prof Emer Ring is Dean of Early Childhood and Teacher Education at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick. Prof Ring leads and manages one of the largest education faculties in Ireland, which provides a wide range of programmes from early childhood to post-primary level at undergraduate and post-graduate levels. She is a Lecturer in the area of Early Years Education, Inclusion and Education Policy on the Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Care and Education (BA ECCE) and the Bachelor of Education (BEd) programmes. Prof Ring’s previous experience includes Head of Department of Reflective Pedagogy and Early Childhood Studies (2011-2019). She engages in, and has led a wide range of national and international research in education related to early childhood, primary, post-primary, and special school contexts, including presenting at conferences and seminars and publishing widely. Prof Ring has also been District and Senior Department of Education Inspector with responsibility for inspection of education provision for