CSLA: Ann Barbour

Introduction
Teaching Interests
Research Interests
Educational Background

Charter College of Education

Division of Curriculum and Instruction

Ann Barbour
Professor

Office: KH - A2028
Phone: 323-343-4372
FAX: 323-343-5458
Email: abarbou@calstatela.edu

INTRODUCTION

Since 1998, I have been privileged to serve on the Charter College of Education faculty in the Division of Curriculum and Instruction. It is a pleasure to be part of a dynamic university and to work with outstanding colleagues and talented students enrolled in graduate and credential programs in our College. I am now semi-retired and teach only during two quarters each year, but I continue to be active in the field of Early Childhood Education and a student of best practice.

TEACHING INTERESTS

My teaching goals are to help those who are or will be responsible for guiding the learning of young children to understand the broad spectrum of child development and to develop a personal philosophy and approach to the learning/teaching process that reflects current research and educational theories.

Currently, I co-coordinate the Master of Arts (M.A.) in Education option in Early Childhood/Primary Education. This degree option prepares individuals to work in a variety of settings to promote the development and learning of young children. Early Childhood Education is a separate field with a distinct focus on children ages 3 to 8. There is growing recognition of the critical importance of early education and also for the specialized skills and knowledge needed to work effectively with young children and their families. As the population of young children in early childhood settings increases and becomes more diverse, there is a corresponding need for well-trained early childhood teachers and administrators, as well as policy makers with strong backgrounds in this field.

Within the program, I teach required courses in early childhood curriculum methods, school-family partnerships, and issues and trends in early childhood education. I also teach The Role of Play in Learning, a course required for several different degree programs.

RESEARCH AND PROJECTS

I have researched and written on appropriate practices, materials, and equipment in early childhood settings for all children regardless of background or ability, school-family partnerships, and relationships between social and physical competence.

I am content director for the Peabody Award-winning series A Place of Our Own and Los Niños en Su Casa, daily television programs for parents and caregivers of young children. The programs have been broadcast throughout California since 2004 and are now aired in most national public television markets. I wrote the white paper that launched the education initiative at KCET-TV that resulted in these television series, their companion websites and outreach efforts (http://www.kcet.org/kced/whitepaper.html). I’ve also answered online questions about preparing children for school on the Public Broadcasting Services’ PBSparents website (http://www.pbs.org/parents/experts/archive/2007/06/preparing-children-for-school.html), and I am a consultant to Sesame Workshop, the producers of Sesame Street.

Representative Professional Activities

Date	Publications/Presentations
2010	Barbour, A.C. (2010). Learning at Home, PreK-3: Homework Activities That Engage Children and Families. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
2004	Barbour, A., Boyer, W., Hardin, B., & Wortham, S. C. (2004). From principle to practice: Using the Global Guidelines to assess quality education and care. Childhood Education, 80(6), 327-331.
2002	Barbour, A.C, & Desjean-Perrotta, B. (2002). Prop BoxPlay:50 Themes to Inspire Dramatic Play. Beltsville, MD: Gryphon House.
2002	Barbour, A. (2002). Using Literacy Backpacks in Central Los Angeles to Lower Barriers to Academic Achievement. American Educational Research Association Urban Learning, Teaching, and Research 2002 Yearbook, 54-61.
2001	Desjean-Perrotta, B., & Barbour, A. C. (2001). The Prop Box Project: Helping Preservice Teachers Understand the Value of Dramatic Play. National Forum of Teacher Education Journal, 12(1), 3-15.
2001	Barbour, A.C. (2001). What Your Child's Teacher Wants You to Know. Tips on Parenting, 3(3), 1-3.
1999	Barbour, A.C. (1999). The impact of playground design on the play behaviors of children with differing levels of physical competence. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, Vol. 14(1), 75-98.
1999	Barbour, A.C. (1999). Home literacy bags promote family involvement. Childhood Education, Vol. 75(2), 71-75.
1998	Wortham, S.C., Barbour, A.C., & B. Desjean-Perrotta. (1998). Portfolio Assessment A Handbook for Preschool and Elementary Educators, Olney, MD: Association for Childhood Education International.
1996	Barbour, A.C. (1996). Physical competence and peer relations in second graders: Qualitative case studies from recess play, Journal of Research in Childhood Education, Vol. 11, No. 1, pp. 35-46.
1996	Barbour, A.C. (1996). Supporting families: Children are the winners! Early Childhood News. Vol. 8, No. 6, pp. 12-15.

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

Ph.D. Curriculum and Instruction with specialization in Early Childhood Education
University of Texas
Austin, Texas

M.Ed. Elementary Education
Tufts University
Medford, Massachusetts

B.A. American Civilization
Mills College
Oakland, California

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