Having formally served as Senior Vice President for Academy Affairs and Dean of Faculty, Dr. Jie-Qi Chen, has had a long and distinguished career in the early childhood field and has earned an international reputation as an expert in early math education, educational implications of multiple intelligences theory, classroom assessment, and teacher professional development.
After beginning her career teaching preschool, elementary school, and middle school in China, followed by preschool and kindergarten in the United States, she went on to spearhead teacher professional development efforts in Boston and Chicago and enrich assessment and curriculum development in early childhood programs.
As the founder of Erikson’s Early Math Collaborative, Dr. Chen established a program that has helped educators of young children overcome their anxiety about teaching math and build their understanding of foundational mathematics. Now, she leads the Early Teaching and Learning Academy, an intellectual hub designed to transform the early childhood workforce by developing and implementing a targeted, effective, and sustainable professional development system that incorporates the art and science of early teaching and learning.
Dr. Chen has published 10 books and numerous scholarly articles. Her books have been translated into several foreign languages, including Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and Chinese. She is a frequent presenter at conferences around the world. Leaders in countries from China to Denmark have sought her expertise as a consultant or committee member for various early childhood initiatives.
She has earned numerous awards and recognitions, including the 2009 Outstanding Teacher Educator’s Award from the National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators. Dr. Chen was also named a Fulbright Senior Specialist in Education, a consultant to the United Nations Children’s Fund, and a fellow of Harvard University’s Project Zero Classroom. Presently, she serves on the Governing Board of the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Dr. Chen brings her expertise to the Erikson classroom as well. As a professor, she seeks to go beyond teaching knowledge and skills — she also helps students think about how they can use what they learn in class in their real-world experiences. This, she says, is “understanding,” and it is what distinguishes between – a good and great professionals.
“Knowledge and skills are the foundations for understanding, but without understanding, knowledge and skills won’t go too far,” she says. “’Understanding’ is the ability to apply knowledge, concepts, and skills acquired in one educational setting to a new situation in which that knowledge is relevant.”
A seasoned leader in the field of early childhood professional development, Jennifer started out as a toddler teacher and moved into executive positions at the local, statewide, and national levels in government, non-profit, and commercial sectors. Her expertise includes teaching, research, policy advocacy, and directing systems of effective and accredited professional development for early childhood educators.
Ms. Glaser has worked in publicly funded education at the local, state and national levels for more than 20 years. She received her Masters Degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Central Florida and her Bachelors from the University of Florida in Family, Youth, and Community Sciences. She has served in executive leadership roles since 2006 and has held the responsibilities of board management, fiscal oversight, and execution of federally funded programs. Her expertise is in creating systemic frameworks, metrics for success, operational processes, and eliminating inefficiencies with the goal of high outcomes. Ms. Glaser started her career as an early learning center director, moved to the regional level serving a decade within the early learning coalitions in Florida, most recently as executive director, and managing the client relationships with state leaders across the nation. Ms. Glaser’s passion is centered on equity for the most marginalized.