Giants in the Nursery: A Biographical History of Developmentally Appropriate Practice - Softcover

David Elkind: David Elkind is professor emeritus of child development at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts. He was formerly professor of psychology, psychiatry, and education at the University of Rochester. Professor Elkind obtained his doctorate at UCLA and then spent a year as David Rapaport's research assistant at the Austen Riggs Center in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. From 1964-65 he was a National Science Foundation Senior Postdoctoral Fellow at Piaget's Institut d' Epistemologie Genetique in Geneva. His research has been in the areas of perceptual, cognitive, and social development where he has attempted to build upon the research and theory of Jean Piaget.

Professor Elkind's bibliography now numbers over five hundred items and includes research, theoretical articles, book chapters, and twenty-two books. He has also appeared on the Today Show, CBS Morning News, 20/20, Dateline, Donahue, and the Oprah Winfrey Show. He's been profiled in People and Boston magazines, was contributing editor for Parents magazine, and co-hosted the Lifetime Television series Kids These Days. He is past president for the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), a member of many professional organizations, a consultant to state education departments and government agencies, and lectures extensively across the United States, Canada, and abroad. He is also the scientific adviser to Marco Polo Learning, Inc., an education app company.

"With politically driven, evidence-lite 'schoolifying' ideologies besieging Western childhoods and relentlessly eroding early childhood experience, progressive-holistic early childhood educators will be delighted that an outstanding Giant and elder of Developmental Psychology and child-centered learning―Professor David Elkind―has devoted his panoramic erudition and wisdom to distilling the essence of 'developmentally appropriate practice' bequeathed to us by eleven of history's Giants of early child development. An indispensable contribution that should be compulsory reading for all practitioners, students, campaigners and policy-makers across the Western world, this is the most important book on early development of my generation."Richard House, Founder of Early Childhood Action, Editor of Too Much, Too Soon?

"The eleven “giants” whose histories, experiences and ideas are well summarized here help us to appreciate how far we have come over the last dozen centuries in helping young children to grow, develop and learn in fruitful ways. Each of the leaders’ work described here alert us to a wide range of benefits the nursery experience can offer. Giants in the Nursery offers us the opportunity to share others’ ways of thinking and practicing and can stimulate us to continue to deepen our understanding of the complexities of human growth. Let’s continue to share our experiences and insights as we address the enormous diversity within and among our countries as much as possible."―Dr. Lilian Katz, University of Illinois

"It is fitting that David Elkind, himself a symbol of Developmentally Appropriate Practice, should write the history of DAP. Doing so deepens our appreciation for how this concept and approach has enriched the lives of young children and made early childhood education into the field it is today. Elkind's history focuses on the heroes or "giants" whose work and writings helped to develop the concept and make it eventually become the cornerstone of early childhood education. In doing so, he makes clear that each "giant" provides some complementary notion or emphasis, so that what we today refer to as developmentally appropriate practice is actually a combination of considerations for what it means to provide young children with the conditions they need in order to learn and develop."―W. George Scarlett, Tufts University

“ . . . Elkind’s scholarship is highly readable; his prose is clear, informative, and evocative. . . . Giants in the Nursery offers readers historically informed and engaging narratives about the pioneers of developmentally appropriate practice with young children . . . For certain, one additional Giant should be included and that is author David Elkind. He is such a prolific, important writer about child development and education . . . As such, I hope he will accept this reviewer’s nomination of him as a most worthy twelfth ‘Giant in the Nursery’”—Sherry Lynn Hatcher, PsycCRITIQUES, Vol. 60, No. 34, Article 6



"With politically driven, evidence-lite 'schoolifying' ideologies besieging Western childhoods and relentlessly eroding early childhood experience, progressive-holistic early childhood educators will be delighted that an outstanding Giant and elder of Developmental Psychology and child-centered learning Professor David Elkind has devoted his panoramic erudition and wisdom to distilling the essence of 'developmentally appropriate practice' bequeathed to us by eleven of history's Giants of early child development. An indispensable contribution that should be compulsory reading for all practitioners, students, campaigners and policy-makers across the Western world, this is the most important book on early development of my generation."Richard House, Founder of Early Childhood Action, Editor of Too Much, Too Soon?

"The eleven giants” whose histories, experiences and ideas are well summarized here help us to appreciate how far we have come over the last dozen centuries in helping young children to grow, develop and learn in fruitful ways. Each of the leaders’ work described here alert us to a wide range of benefits the nursery experience can offer. Giants in the Nursery offers us the opportunity to share others’ ways of thinking and practicing and can stimulate us to continue to deepen our understanding of the complexities of human growth. Let’s continue to share our experiences and insights as we address the enormous diversity within and among our countries as much as possible." Dr. Lilian Katz, University of Illinois

"It is fitting that David Elkind, himself a symbol of Developmentally Appropriate Practice, should write the history of DAP. Doing so deepens our appreciation for how this concept and approach has enriched the lives of young children and made early childhood education into the field it is today. Elkind's history focuses on the heroes or "giants" whose work and writings helped to develop the concept and make it eventually become the cornerstone of early childhood education. In doing so, he makes clear that each "giant" provides some complementary notion or emphasis, so that what we today refer to as developmentally appropriate practice is actually a combination of considerations for what it means to provide young children with the conditions they need in order to learn and develop." W. George Scarlett, Tufts University

. . . Elkind’s scholarship is highly readable; his prose is clear, informative, and evocative. . . . Giants in the Nursery offers readers historically informed and engaging narratives about the pioneers of developmentally appropriate practice with young children . . . For certain, one additional Giant should be included and that is author David Elkind. He is such a prolific, important writer about child development and education . . . As such, I hope he will accept this reviewer’s nomination of him as a most worthy twelfth Giant in the Nursery’”—Sherry Lynn Hatcher, PsycCRITIQUES, Vol. 60, No. 34, Article 6