Our graduates are leaders who serve children and families in every capacity. They head social service agencies, advocacy organizations, museums, hospital programs, and parent support initiatives. They are principals, Golden Apple Award-winning teachers, program directors, social workers, therapists, and researchers. They teach at every level from preschool to graduate school. They are working in these areas:These are just a few examples of alumni leading efforts to improve early education, care, and childhood experiences.
Louise Beem, cofounder, DuPage Children’s Museum, and founder, early childhood care and education program at College of DuPageCarol Brunson Day, president, National Black Child Development Institute and former executive director, Council for Early Childhood Professional RecognitionLeon Denton, manager of Head Start, Salvation Army Child Care ProgramChipo Dyanda, deputy vice chancellor, University of ZimbabweToby Herr, founder and director of Project Match, a community-based employment program that recently won a MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective InstitutionsPat Manning, director of Child Life and Family Education, University of Chicago Children’s HospitalMolly McGrath, director of Baltimore City Department of Social Services Academic programs
The amazing physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development that takes place in the first eight years sets the foundation for success in learning and life. That’s why all Erikson programs instill a deep, interdisciplinary knowledge of all aspects of that growth. Our students focus on how family, culture, and community shape development—and how their own culture influences relationships with the children they serve. They learn to continually reflect on their interactions, making them more effective practitioners.
Programs offered
Master of science degrees
child developmentwith optional specializations in infancy, administration, infancy and administration, or child lifechild development/master of social work(dual degree program in collaboration with Loyola University Chicago)early childhood educationleading to Type 04 teacher certification, with optional bilingual/ESL specializationonline master's in early childhoodeducation for experienced educatorsCertificate programs
Irving B. Harris infant specialist certificate, with specializations in prevention/early intervention and infant/toddler child careIrving B. Harris infant mental health certificateBilingual/English as a second language certificateDoctorate in child development(in collaboration with Loyola University Chicago)
See programaccreditation information »
Students by the numbers
In fall 2010, Erikson enrolled approximately 225 masters, 15 doctoral, and 70 certificate students. Together, they present the following profile:
Women: 97% Students of color: 34% Average age: 30 Age range: 21–62 States represented: 20 Countries represented (outside U.S.): 9 Professional development
Erikson’s broadest impact is throughprofessional development opportunities. Each year nearly 2,500 early childhood professionals sharpen their skills and enhance their effectiveness in courses, workshops, seminars, and customized on-site staff development offered throughout the greater metropolitan Chicago area. These research-based learning opportunities focus on
· teaching and learning
· early intervention
· leadership and supervision
· infancy
Faculty
Ourprofessorsare recognized scholars and respected voices for children. Our faculty includes advisers to the U.S. Department of Education, a Fulbright senior scholar, award-winning researchers, pioneers of the infant mental health movement in Illinois, and more.
While actively teaching courses, they also bring their expertise to community through dozens of projects and community partnerships that support and enhance early childhood programs. These projects generate new knowledge and provide students with opportunities for hands-on experience in different areas of the field.
See experts guide »
Research
These scholars study important questions that shape the care and education of children. Some topics include:
early childhood assessment tools and methods after-school program effectiveness Early Head Start effectiveness preparing teachers to meet the needs of culturally, economically, and racially diverse students vocabulary acquisition among second-language learners impact of teachers’ math knowledge and language on children’s learning literacy development, particularly among urban students technology training for early childhood teachers parent support and efficacy parent-child psychotherapy effectiveness of services to families of children with special needs impact of excessive crying on infants’ development TheHerr Research Center for Children and Social Policyconducts original research and disseminates knowledge that that informs, guides, and supports effective early childhood policy in the Great Lakes region.
Community engagement
Putting knowledge about child development to work in the community is a vital part of Erikson’s mission. We do so through an ever-growing variety of projects and partnerships. A few are listed here:
Center for Children and Families
A multidisciplinary team provides comprehensive, family-centered assessment and treatment for children birth to age eight with behavioral, social-emotional, learning, and developmental issues.
Early Mathematics Education Project
Young children get a better grounding in math concepts as this project coaches 100 preschool and kindergarten teachers to bolster their proficiency and help them weave math's big ideas into classroom activities.
Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Early Childhood Unit
DCFS contracted with Erikson to administer developmental screenings for all children ages birth through five entering the foster care system and assess their biological parents and foster caregivers, to determine required services.
Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Project
This project enhances the capacity of Prevention Initiative (birth to three) and state pre-K program staff to promote infant's and young chldren's mental health and school readiness.
Herr Research Center for Children and Social Policy
The center informs, guides, and supports effective early childhood policy in the Great Lakes region with original research regional and dissemination of knowledge that promotes the well-being of young children.
New Schools Project
This project brings Erikson’s early childhood expertise directly into pre-K through third grade classrooms in the Chicago Public Schools. Consultants partner with schools to establish positive learning environments so children experience school success.
See more research and community projects »
See experts guide »
Services for children and families
Center for Children and Familiesprovides comprehensive, family-centered assessment and treatment for children birth to age eight with behavioral, social-emotional, learning, and developmental issues.
Fussy Baby Networkprovides telephone support and home visits for parents struggling to cope with an infant that cries inconsolably. The network also Spanish-language support and services to parents in immigrant communities.
機構歷史
Erikson Institute, a private graduate school and research center, was established in 1966 in response to the critical need for early childhood professionals to staff the nation’s expanding programs for young children.
Three prominent child advocates—child psychologist Maria Piers, social worker Lorraine Wallach, and educator and activist Barbara Taylor Bowman—launched the institute with the support of businessman and philanthropist Irving B. Harris.
Each believed that a comprehensive understanding of child development was fundamental to the task of helping children reach their potential. They recognized a demand for well-trained early childhood teachers to work in newly launched Head Start programs. Harris and Piers went to Washington D.C. in late 1965 to seek funding for the school they had in mind. The response they received was promising but for months, no funds were forthcoming. Ultimately, Harris told Piers and her colleagues that he would cover costs if they went ahead.
The school—originally known as the Chicago School for Early Childhood Education—enrolled its first class of 16 student in the fall of 1966. Classess were held in the Hyde Park Bank building. In 1967, the school formed an affiliation with Loyola University Chicago to grant a master’s degree. In 1969, it was renamed forErik Erikson(1902–94), the German-born psychoanalyst and former colleague of Piers who first proposed that children are not simply biological organisms but also products of society’s expectations, prejudices, and prohibitions.
A unique approach
To prepare students to understand the whole child, the founders recruited faculty from early childhood education, administration, cultural anthropology, clinical and developmental psychology, pediatrics, and social work. The curriculum emphasized developmental psychology, biology, and social science in addition to more traditional disciplines.
Their vision was to create a multiethnic, interdisciplinary group of early childhood practitioners, educators, administrators, and community leaders committed to delivering the very best care and early education to young children and their families. These leaders would work as advocates for children at risk for school failure and developmental harm.
The method Erikson’s founders chose for preparing these leaders was unique, and it remains so today: relationship-based, theory-driven, self-reflective practice. From the start, Erikson emphasized the centrality of relationships in all learning and in successful intervention with families and community and institutional systems. Through small-group seminars and faculty mentoring, the Institute led students to examine their own responses to children, families, and professionals, instilling the habit of professional self-reflection. Internships are required so students hone their skills and see how lessons apply in the field. This intensive approach linking theory and knowledge to practice has become the gold standard in the field.
Following the same rigorous approach, Erikson added a Ph.D. program and dual degree program in child development with Loyola, as well as several certificate programs and master’s degree options. After several years of granting master’s degrees independently, Erikson received full accreditation from the North Central Association in 2000.
Community initiatives and applied research
From its earliest days, Erikson Institute has worked well beyond the classroom walls. Faculty trained Native American teaching staff in Head Start programs on reservations, consulted with inner-city day care centers, helped develop child life and family education programs at local hospitals, and produced educational videos, articles, and booklets for a wide range of audience. Today Erikson continues to provide professional development, consultation, and direct service to schools, service agencies, courts and lawyers, medical clinics, and many other community settings.
Erikson’s applied research programs also address community needs and focus on systems change. Faculty and researchers have established a literacy initiative to explore the preschool origins of reading and writing; examined the efficacy of early childhood intervention programs; researched the impact of violence on children and developed prevention programs to help children cope with violence; and measured the unmet need for mental health services among infants.
In an era of declining quality of urban public education, teacher education and curriculum change have been a major focus for the Institute. For nearly 20 years, Erikson has teamed with the Chicago Public Schools on many initiatives to improve teaching and learning and create an educational bridge between the preschool and elementary grades.
In 2005, theHerr Research Center for Children and Social Policywas launched with new support from Jeffrey Herr and several foundations to channel Erikson’s applied research into the policy arena. TheFussy Baby Network—Erikson's first program to directly serve families—was launched in 2003 and joined in 2009 by theCenter for Children and Families.
學術項目
Erikson Institute offersmaster’s degreesand graduatecertificate programsas well as adoctoralprogram in conjunction with Loyola University Chicago, all focused exclusively on early childhood development.
Complementing these programs, we offer a wide range ofprofessional developmentopportunities to enhance the skill and knowledge of an equally broad range of professionals who teach, care for, or work with young children.
All of our programs feature: A holistic, multidisciplinary approach that covers all dimensions of child development from birth through age eight, within the context of family, culture, and community; a relationship-based approach to working with children and families; a focus on self-reflection to build your practical skills and professional self-awareness; a faculty nationally known for excellence in teaching, applied research, and community engagement on behalf of children and families; small classes and close relationships among faculty and students; a diverse and experienced student population; a supportive professional network that includes hundreds of contacts in early childhood, public education, social service, legal, and medical communities nationwide; and a convenient location in the heart of Chicago, with ready access to all the cultural and professional amenities of a vibrant city that serves as a rich laboratory for intellectual inquiry in early childhood.
師資團隊
Our faculty members are respected voices for children; their expertise is sought and heeded by the medical and legal community, state policymakers, national research and advocacy organizations, and Congressional committees.
Visit ourresearch sectionto browse recent facultypresentations, download researchpublications, and see all theprojectswhere they are actively generating and applying child development knowledge in the community.
Administration
Samuel J. Meisels, Ed.D.
President
Aisha Ray, Ph.D.
Senior vice president for academic affairs and dean of faculty
Professors
Barbara T. Bowman, M.A.
Irving B. Harris Professor of Child Development
Jie-Qi Chen, Ph.D.
Professor
Molly Fuller Collins, Ed.D.
Assistant professor
Pamela Epley, Ph.D.
Assistant professor
Jane Fleming, Ph.D.
Assistant professor
Linda Gilkerson, Ph.D.
Professor
Robert Halpern, Ph.D.
Professor
Jon Korfmacher, Ph.D
Associate professor
Gillian Dowley McNamee, Ph.D.
Professor
Luisiana Meléndez, Ph.D.
Clinical assistant professor
Tracy E. Moran, Ph.D.
Assistant professor
Frances Stott, Ph.D.
Barbara T. Bowman Professor of Child Development
Sharon Syc, Ph.D.
Clinical associate professor
Instructors
Victor Bernstein, Ph.D
Instructor
Stephanie Bynum, M.S.
Assistant dean for academic affairs
Jeanna Capito, M.S.
Instructor
Patricia Chamberlain
Instructor
Colette Davison, Ph.D.
Senior Instructor
Isabela Dos Santos Marchi, M.Ed.; M.S.
Instructor
Carey Halsey, M.S.Ed.
Senior Instructor
Megan Hillegass, M.S.
Instructor
Mary Hynes–Berry, Ph.D.
Senior Instructor
Rebeca Itzkowich, M.A.
Senior Instructor
Laurie Kabb, LCSW
Instructor
Pat Manning, M.Ed.
Instructor
Mary Marovich, M.Ed.
Instructor
Ann L Masur, Ph.D.
Instructor
Rebecca Mermelstein, Ph.D.
Instructor
Jennifer Rosinia, Ph.D.
Instructor
Center and program directors
Chip Donohue, Ph.D.
Director of distance learning
Jana Fleming, J.D., Ph.D.
Director, Herr Research Center for Children and Social Policy
Christine Maxwell, Ph.D.
Director, New Schools Project
Margret Nickels, Ph.D.
Director, Center for Children and Families
院長簡介
Dr. Meisels has served as president of Erikson Institute since 2002. He holds the Irving and Neison Harris President’s Chair.
He came to Erikson after 21 years at the University of Michigan, where he is now professor and research scientist emeritus. Previously, he was a faculty member in the Department of Child Study and director of the Eliot-Pearson Children's School at Tufts. A former preschool, kindergarten, and first-grade teacher, he also served as senior advisor in early childhood development for the Developmental Evaluation Clinic of Boston's Children's Hospital. He holds a doctorate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
One of the nation's leading authorities on the assessment of young children, Dr. Meisels has published over 200 articles, books, and monographs, and is co-author of the Work Sampling System, the Early Screening Inventory Revised, The Ounce Scale and The Handbook of Early Childhood Intervention. To download a summary of the research on the Work Sampling System, click here»
His research focuses on the development of alternative assessment strategies for young children; the impact of standardized tests on children; and developmental screening in early childhood. Recently, he completed research on the validity of The Ounce Scale, an observational assessment for birth to three-year-olds and their families.
Download curriculum vitae»
Dr. Meisels is former president of the board of directors of Zero To Three: The National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families and is an advisor to the national Head Start Bureau. He was a member of the National Academy of Science's Committee on Early Childhood Pedagogy and has served as a senior investigator for the national Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort and for the Center for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement.
Among his honors, Dr. Meisels has received the American Academy of Pediatrics 2005 Dale Richmond/Justin Coleman Lectureship Award; the Chicago Metropolitan Association for the Education of Young Children Outstanding Service to Young Children Award (2005); and the Association of Children's Museums Great Friend to Kids Award.
Areas of Expertise
Developmental assessment of young children; the effect of standardized tests on children; the impact of state and federal policies on the families of children with disabilities; development of alternative assessment strategies; and developmental consequences of high-risk birth.
地理位置
Erikson is located in downtown Chicago's River North area.
