Diane Trister Dodge, founder and president of Teaching Strategies, Inc., is the author of numerous books, articles, and training materials on early childhood education. She is the lead author on all of Teaching Strategies books, including the popular The Creative Curriculum?...series. After earning a Master's degree from Bank Street College of Education, Diane earned 30 years of experience working with teachers and administrators first as a kindergarten teacher, and then as the education coordinator for a Head Start program in rural Mississippi. Her experiences in the field have taught her the value of curriculum and training materials that articulate a clear philosophy and practical… approach to meaningful learning. Her belief that curriculum and assessment are intracately linked led to the development of The Creative Curriculum Developmental Continuum and The Creative Curriculum Developmental Assessment Toolkit for Ages 3-5. She has also written many books for parents including Building Your Baby's Brain, Reading Right from the Start, and A Parent's Guide to Early Childhood Education. Diane is a renowned speaker and trainer, and a former member of the Governing Board of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). She currently serves on the Board of the Center for the Child Care Work Force and other local Washington, DC organizations.
Laura J. Colker is the author of numerous articles and books on early childhood education. At Teaching Strategies, she has co-authored The Creative Curriculum for Infants & Toddlers, The Creative Curriculum for Preschool and The Creative Curriculum Developmental Continuum Assessment Toolkit for Ages 3-5. She has designed curriculum, training materials, and videos for teachers and supervisory staff, and story books, videos, software, and videodiscs for children. Dr. Colker conducts training and teaches courses on child development issues throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia.