Research/Areas of Interest:
As editor of the Tomorrow's Earth Stewards online resource for environmental educators and others) (see (https://sites.tufts.edu/earthstewards/), I work directly with my staff and students to bring the best research and practices to the attention of our readers -- as well as the best frameworks for understanding complex subjects having to do with environmental breakdown, eco-restoration, and developmentally appropriate practices that are cultural situated. My research interests also include work studying graduates of the New England Aquarium's teen internship program -- as a way to develop a practical model for evaluating the development of earth stewards. In the past, my research has included research on early symbol formation in a variety of play media (blocks, dolls, etc.), assessing the development of sensorimotor play in children with classic autism ('Kanner's" syndrome), the development of prayer in adolescence, and socially isolated preschoolers. The overarching theme has always been that of promoting more powerful models of development. Connected to my research projects have been writing projects aimed at offering a developmental perspective on a variety of major topics, These writing projects include textbooks, encyclopedias, and handbook chapters on children's play, classroom management, and religious and spiritual development.
Education
- PhD, Developmental Psychology, Clark University, United States
- MDiv, Episcopal Theological School, Cambridge, United States
- BA, Psychology, Yale University, United States
Biography
My teaching, research and writing interests focus on four different areas: children's and youth's development as earth stewards, parents' and teachers' management of children's challenging behaviors, 3) children's play, and 4) religious and spiritual development throughout the lifespan.
With regard to children's and youth's development as earth stewards, today's environmental breakdown and the fact that more and more children and youth are disconnected from nature makes it imperative that we find new and better ways to support their development as earth stewards.
With regard to the management of children's challenging behavior, how we manage children's challenging behavior can spell the difference between raising and teaching poorly vs. raising and teaching well. With regard to children's play, play is what children do to thrive and so play is to be valued as an end in itself. And with regard to religious and spiritual development, we humans develop not only through becoming more scientific in our thinking but also through our responding to what mystifies and inspires – out of which can come powerful patterns of faith that fuel development and, hopefully, provide a foundation for a lifetime of service to others.
With regard to children's and youth's development as earth stewards, today's environmental breakdown and the fact that more and more children and youth are disconnected from nature makes it imperative that we find new and better ways to support their development as earth stewards.
With regard to the management of children's challenging behavior, how we manage children's challenging behavior can spell the difference between raising and teaching poorly vs. raising and teaching well. With regard to children's play, play is what children do to thrive and so play is to be valued as an end in itself. And with regard to religious and spiritual development, we humans develop not only through becoming more scientific in our thinking but also through our responding to what mystifies and inspires – out of which can come powerful patterns of faith that fuel development and, hopefully, provide a foundation for a lifetime of service to others.