Ideas and Innovations In Early Childhood Education and Care is a think tank based in Watertown Massachusetts founded by Theodore (Teddy) Kokoros in 2018. All researchers and contributors to Ideas and Innovations In Early Childhood Education and Care are either teachers or parents of young children. While early childhood education and care is getting more attention from politicians and the media, too often those shaping policy and discussions related to early childhood education and care are not the people who are more directly involved with the work. This think tank’s goal is to share the research and perspectives of people who work directly with young children.
Theodore (Teddy) Kokoros: President and Lead Researcher
For over 17 years Teddy Kokoros taught preschool and Pre-K at The Transportation Children’s Center in downtown Boston. He has also taught college early education classes at Umass Boston, Fisher College, Bay State College and Lesley University. He obtained his Associates Degree in Early Education at Bay State College, Bachelor’s in Sociology at UMass Boston, Masters in Education with a focus on language and literacy at Harvard Graduate School of Education, and a Post Masters Certificate in Early Childhood Education Research, Practice, and Policy from UMass Boston.
Anna Goodkind
Writer and Researcher
Anna Goodkind has over ten years of experience teaching in progressive early education settings throughout Boston and NYC, and expertise in the Reggio Emilia philosophy of early education and practice. Anna is currently serving as the Curriculum Specialist and Afternoon Program Coordinator at the Trust Center for Early Education in Brookline. Before taking on this role, she taught preschool and PreK for many years in both Boston and NYC, at TCEE and at the JCC Manhattan Nursery School. Anna, along with her teaching team at the JCC, was a 2015 recipient of the Regional Grinspoon Award for Excellence in Jewish Education, which “recognizes innovative local educators who make a lasting impact on the lives of Jewish children,” for her team’s innovative approach to involving students in the use of documentation technology throughout the school year. Anna graduated from Barnard College, where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Creative Writing. In 2015, Anna graduated from City College of New York with a Master’s of Fine Arts degree in English and Writing, with a focus on Children’s Literature. When she is not teaching, Anna is a writer, and is currently working on several children’s books and a young adult novel. In 2018 Anna completed her Early Childhood Education Director II level certification through Wheelock College, and has been enjoying taking on new roles and responsibilities in school leadership.
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Jessie Chen: Researcher and Writer
Jessie Chen is a doctoral student of College of Education at UMass-Boston. Her research interests are children’s literature and children’s rights.
Lisa Plotkin: Writer and Researcher
I am Lisa Plotkin, M.Ed., currently the Early Childhood Curriculum and Professional Development Director at the Weinstein Jewish Community Center Preschool in Richmond, Virginia. I earned a Bachelor of Science in Business: Decision and Information Sciences from the University of Maryland in College Park. In 2004, I began teaching young children at the Washington, DC JCC Preschool. I earned her Master of Education in Early Childhood Pre-K to 2nd grade from Lesley University. I was invited to participate in a movement to further the seeds of excellence in Jewish early childhood, The Paradigm Project, which continues to provide me with support and inspiration. Still thirsty for higher education, I joined the pilot cohort of the Post-Master’s Certification program for Early Childhood Practice, Policy, and Research through UMass Boston. After 9 years of teaching, I became the Assistant Director at a preschool in Wellesley, MA and continued to find my passions in the field. Searching for a role that would involve coaching early childhood educators, I returned to my hometown of Richmond, Virginia, thoroughly invested in the curriculum and professional development of the faculty at the preschool I attended as a child. Soon after accepting this role, I was accepted into the Sheva Center Leadership Institute through the Jewish Community Center Association. The primary goal of the SCLI is to increase the number and quality of early childhood leaders who are ready to assume increased responsibilities in early care and education at JCC’s across the nation. I am motivated by opportunities to work with quality educators and enhancing the skills, reflection, and professionalism that they currently have and are ready to build. I am guided by support from many mentors and colleagues who continually work to understand the Reggio-inspired, nature-enhanced, collaborative and reflective processes, and values-based practices that I believe are so integral to the foundations of quality early childhood education.
Erica Woloszynski: Writer and Researcher
Erica is a behavioral therapist working primarily with young children on the Autism Spectrum. She has a Bachelor's of Science from Northeastern University in Psychology. Erica has worked with children ranging in ages from infants to elementary schoolers, and taught in toddler and preschool classrooms. Her grandmother was a teacher and school administrator, her mother is a school psychologist, and her brother is a history teacher for children with disabilities, so education and psychology are and have always been a big part of her life. She is interested in the intersections of fields that work with children and other vulnerable populations, and has worked to utilize approaches from different disciplines to create high-quality curriculum for children. Erica believes that a fundamental difficulty with our current systems is the view of children as less than full citizens, and that more needs to be done to recognize and legislate protections for the rights of children.
Writer: Nicole Willard
Nicole is an early educator serving in the Bay Area in California. She has a B.S from Wheelock College in Developmental Psychology and Early Childhood Education, birth to five. She also has a M.S in Teacher Leadership from Quinnipiac University. Nicole has been working in the field for over 10 years. During this time, she has found that one of the most important assets to children’s educational journeys are the relationships they create with teachers and classmates. Nicole recently earned her EdD in Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership at Northeastern University. Through this program she researched ways to create accessible professional learning opportunities for early childhood educators. She hopes that this work will help provide more equitable opportunities for early educators to elevate their professional learning, and further improve the quality early childhood programs for children.
Writer: Emily Lian
Emily Lian is a curriculum writer for a preschool franchise based out of the Katy, Texas area. She holds a B.S. in Applied Learning and Development as well as a M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction, both from the University of Texas at Austin. Emily has been working in the field of education for over ten years, and finds that creativity and imagination are the best tools for engaging young children in educational adventures! She is currently pursuing her Ed.D in Organizational Leadership from Northeastern University. Her applied dissertation focuses on improving on-boarding processes and support systems for current and future leaders in the field of early childhood education.