I am an Associate Professor at Utah Valley University in the Department of Elementary Education. I am the Early Childhood Education Program Coordinator and the Director of the Teacher Education Preschool. I have a B.S. in Child Development/Elementary Education from Utah State University, an M.S. in Child Development from Utah State University, and a Ph.D. in Human Development/Child Development from Brigham Young University. I possess the following professional certifications: Professional Educator License – State of Utah – Level 3, 2010; Elementary Education (1-8); Early Childhood Education (Pre K-3); Utah Early Childhood Career Ladder Certification Level 10 Certification. I am associated with these professional associations: National Association for the Education of Young Children; Utah Association for the Education of Young Children.
Early childhood education
The teacher's role in child-directed play (with Anita Spainhower), Texas Child Care Quarterly (2012)
In the context of a play scenario, the full range of strategies on the DAP...
Enhancing Family Involvement (with Anita Spainhower), Texas Child Care (2008)
Ideas for involving families in early childhood preschool and care.
Learning Centers for Toddlers, Texas Child Care Quarterly (2006)
Provides practical suggestions for structuring the environment in toddler classrooms to facilitate discovery and learning...
Putting children in charge of reading, Texas Child Care Quarterly (2004)
Practical curriculum and family involvement ideas for preschool teachers to use to encourage and facilitate...
Guiding staff training? Vygotsky and Gardner can help, Texas Child Care Quarterly (2003)
Provides practical ideas to use the basic theories of child development in scaffolding the training...
Social skills in children
Rethinking the dynamics of young children's social play (with Clyde C. Robinson), Dimensions of Early Childhood (2006)
A review of research on young children's play with ideas for applying the results in...
Yes, Michael, Texas ChildCare Quarterly (2003)
Ideas for coaching an autistic child in pro-social behaviors in an inclusion environment.
Play
The teacher's role in child-directed play (with Anita Spainhower), Texas Child Care Quarterly (2012)
In the context of a play scenario, the full range of strategies on the DAP...
Friendships
The Role The Role Ethnicity Plays in Who Elementary Students Choose as Friends (with Bryan Waite, Elaine Byrd, Michael Patch, Talitha Hudgins, Julie Nelson, and Susan Simmerman), ERIC (2010)
Friendships and their formation are an important part of the educational experience for K-12 students....
No subject area
Toddlers: Avoid chaos by matching activities to developmental levels, Texas Child Care Quarterly (2012)
The key to success in caring for toddlers is capitalizing on the knowledge that toddlers...