Early Childhood Author To Speak At Red Rocks CC

From RRCC:Red Rocks Community College (RRCC) is pleased to announce two community events featuring early childhood educational author and faculty member Dr. Francis Wardle in recognition of the release of his new book Oh Boy! Strategies for Teaching Boys in Early Childhood (Exchange Press).

Francis Wardle has a BS in art education from Pennsylvania State University, a MS in cultural foundations of education from the University of Wisconsin/Milwaukee, and a PhD in curriculum and instruction, with a minor in human development, and a specialty in early childhood, from the University of Kansas. Dr. Wardle has taught preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school-age children in Pennsylvania, New Mexico, and Kansas City. He has been a Head Start volunteer, education manager, director, and national program reviewer. He was the national education director for Children's World Learning Centers for four years. Since 1996, Dr. Wardle has been a member of Partners of the Americas International, a program that links the people of the US with those of Latin America. As a member of the Colorado-Minas Gerais (Brazil) chapter, he has studied children, schools, and early childhood programs in Brazil. He currently teaches for Red Rocks Community College in Lakewood, Colorado, and online for the School of Advanced Studies of the University of Phoenix. Dr. Wardle was recently named an Exceptional Master Leader by Exchange Press.

Dr. Wardle will be a guest speaker on February 28 as part of the ongoing Trefny Honors Speaker Series, hosted by Barbra Sobhani, the Director of the RRCC Trefny Honors Program. This event will be held on the Lakewood campus in the Grays Peak room, starting at 3:00 p.m. On March 9 from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., Dr. Wardle will present a free workshop, also on the Lakewood campus. The workshop will be facilitated by Dr. Janiece Kneppe Walter, the Director of the RRCC Education Program.

After both events Wardle will be signing copies of his new book. Copies will be available to purchase at the RRCC bookstore. Wardle’s new book suggests that many of the struggles young boys have in our early childhood programs and schools are not simply a
result of bad behavior. Rather, boys struggle because of a much more fundamental problem: a mismatch between how most young boys develop, grow, and learn, and the kinds of expectations, outcomes, activities, and discipline approaches used in programs during
the early years.

About the book Wardle says, "I think a radical change is needed in order to fully meet the needs of young boys. A place to start is recognizing that typical boy behaviors like lack of attention, risk taking, poor emotional regulation, full body movement, and messy exploration of the physical world, are the norm, and not the exception. This book hopes to aid programs as they begin to acknowledge and celebrate this norm."

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