Early Childhood Education

Department of Curriculum and Instruction

A young girl throws paper leaves into the air while her teacher looks on.

The Early Childhood Education (ECE) program area focuses on the social, cultural, racial, academic and political intersections of young children entering grades preschool – 3rd grade. Our area features nationally and internationally recognized scholars working on early childhood policy, pedagogy, teacher development, curriculum, and advocacy. Students can choose between an M.Ed. M.A. or Ph.D. concentration in Early Child Education.

We provide a comprehensive approach to mentoring graduate students through teaching and research so that they can successfully pursue careers addressing the local and global issues facing young children and their communities. Our students are committed to improving early childhood education and addressing inequalities for an increasingly diverse group of young children. Our graduates demonstrate the importance of creating dynamic, engaging, high quality, and culturally relevant and sustaining early childhood learning environments for all children and the communities in which they live.

Photo of faculty member Paty  Abril-Gonzalez
Assistant Professor

Studies long-term relationships with Latinx bilingual students and teachers using arts-based biliteracy approaches to affirm and amplify silenced perspectives, build connections, and develop bilingualism and biculturalism.

Photo of faculty member Jennifer K Adair
Professor

Areas of expertise include early childhood education, racial justice and equity in early learning, educational anthropology, video-cued ethnography, immigration and education, impact of social injustices on childhoods, project-based learning led by c...

Photo of faculty member Nathaniel  Bryan
Associate Professor

Interests include early childhood education policy and practice, gender issues in early childhood education, conceptions of children, urban literacy education, diversity, equity and social justice in early childhood and qualitative research.

Photo of faculty member Carolina  Snaider
Assistant Professor

Dr. Snaider is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Her research explores the enactment of educational policy in early childhood practice, with a particular focus on issues of gender and sexuality with young childre...

  • Alejandra Barraza

    Network Principal, Carroll and Tynan Early Childhood Center Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction, 2017

  • Tenzin Dekyi

    Pre-primary Education Coordinator, Department of Education of the Central Tibetan Administration in India M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction, 2018

  • Kiyomi Sánchez-Suzuki Colegrove

    Assistant Professor of Bilingual Bicultural Education, Texas State University Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction, 2015

  • Nailah Jones

    ESL/Kinder Teacher, Govalle Elementary School, Austin, Texas M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction, 2012

Photo of Jennifer Adair

Program Area Coordinator and Advisor
Jennifer K. Adair



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