Blog

My latest publication: The Role of Spiritual Development in Raising Healthy Children for a Just and Good Society

Excited to share the news of my publication in United We Stand: The Role of Spirituality in Engaging and Healing Communities, a volume in Contemporary Perspectives on Spirituality in Education series, edited by: Dannielle Joy Davis. The series focuses explores the role of spirituality in addressing challenge, conflict, and marginalization in education. My chapter, which appears in ...
read more

Pokeach Evrim – Open Your Eyes

Today, I asked myself, “How might I support children and their families during these unusual times?” My mind quickly went to these Hebrew words: Pokeach Evrim (Open up your eyes). By doing so. we can remind ourselves and our families about the wonders that surround us daily. Click here to download the full article, Approach Each ...
read more

Presenting at the 2018 NAEYC conference!

I’m honored to be presenting once again at the annual National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) conference, November 14–17, 2018, in Washington, DC. My workshop on Honoring the Whole Child: Nurturing Spirituality will be held on Thursday, November 15 at 3:00 p.m. I’ll be co-presenting with my colleagues, Jennifer Mata-McMahon, Assistant Professor, Mata ...
read more

Local media coverage of my talk at the University of Maine!

http://www.centralmaine.com/2017/06/25/early-childhood-education-expert-speaks-at-university-of-maine-at-farmington-about-encouraging-spiritual-development-in-the-classroom/
read more

I’ve been writing (and teaching) up a storm!

Since I last wrote, I have had two articles and one book published, and another book will be out in September. I encourage those of you who are interested in reading more about spiritual development and its integration with other domains of learning to take a look at these works. Nurturing Spiritual Development in Children by ...
read more

Some pre-NAEYC conference thoughts about science, play, and spirituality

On November 4,  I will be participating in a joint interest forum workshop at the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) conference in Los Angeles. The idea for the workshop was born out of a forum meeting last year in Orlando, at the 2015 conference.  I had just come from the first ...
read more

Upcoming NAEYC Conference

On November 4,  I will be participating in two similar workshops at the upcoming NAEYC Conference in Los Angeles. My colleagues Patty Born Selly, of the Nature interest forum, and Robin Ploof, from the Play, Policy and Practiceinterest forum, will be joining me in looking at the integration of nature, play, and spirituality for young ...
read more

New certification!

On returning from a trip to Israel, I discovered that the mail had delivered a long-awaited Master Trainer Certificate from the Minnesota Center for Professional Development. I am now certified by the state of Minnesota to create and offer workshops for early childhood educators, for which participants will receive continuing education credit. I am excited ...
read more

Some great press for my new book!

Starting to get some nice press in advance of the release of my new book! Nurturing Spiritual Development in Children by Understanding Our Own Spirituality, written in collaboration with my dear friend, author and mental health advocate Ester Leutenberg, will be out in January. Click here to read a lovely article about us, and the book, in this ...
read more

August was full!

August began with the National Nature-Based Preschool Conference, at Dodge Nature Center in St Paul, MN, August 15 – 17.  I was pleased to present, and to have worked on the planning committee. The setting was amazing – filled with nature, growing crops, animals, colleagues and new friends from across the country.  My presentation to ...
read more

Read more of Deb's blog