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CATCH THEM DOING SOMETHING RIGHT!!
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CATCH THEM DOING SOMETHING RIGHT!!
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About Us
Martie Mollenhauer, Founder & President
Martie Mollenhauer
I am currently employed by the Delaware Early Childhood Center as an Early Childhood Supervisor. Our challenge is to develop an Infant/Toddler Certification for center-based and family child care providers in the state of Delaware based on the philosophy of the relationship based approach Program for Infant Toddler Caregivers (PITC - www.pitc.org). We are also developing training for infant/toddler program directors based on best practices for infants and toddlers: PITC, Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scales,Revised (ITERS-R) and developmentally appropriate practices. For true quality to exist in programs, directors need to understand that their program is a Caring Community that engages staff, parents, children and the community. Each needs to understand, value and support each other to truly grow the program. I have been focusing on the area of infant/toddler care since 1974 when I worked as a teacher at an inclusive infant-toddler classroom at a college demonstration program in New Jersey. At Temple University, where I received my doctorate in Early Childhood Education, my work focused on research & training for infant/toddler caregivers, guiding them to see how important their interactions were in influencing children’s development. I empowered them to see that they mattered to children and families and that relationship building was at the core of their quality care interactions. In 1984-86, I published Your Caregiving Self: Nurturing the Nurturers, a newsletter empowering caregivers to tune in to their interactions with children and colleagues. There was always valuable advice about how they could nurture themselves. To truly care for someone, they had to be strong and healthy within themselves first. I have been director of an early intervention program and a family child care network in a non-profit agency. I also coordinated a research program with the Israeli Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs looking at similarities and differences in program approaches for children and families with typical and special needs children. We were fortunate to visit our Israeli friends and have them stay in the United States for a month. We learned so much about each other, culture and society.
Meet Allison Miller
Hello...my name is Allison Miller. I started my life's journey in the small artist community of Arden, Delaware, nestled in the midst of north Wilmington suburbia. As a child, I had the delightful experience of growing up amongst people of many different world perspectives and talents. We could frolick through the open greens or hop rocks in the flowing creek. Many summers were spent making ceramic creations by the creek, square dancing at the Guild Hall, or practicing for the children's theatre performance in the Open Air Theatre. Our family then relocated to Buenos Aires, Argentina, where I spent my later years of elementary school. Upon returning to the United States, I went to a traditional high school, and a small college finishing with a double major in sociology/psychology at Rutgers University in New Jersey. Meanwhile I taught yoga and various mommy and me programs at the local YMCA in Trenton, NJ and raised two sons. In the 1970s, I started my official career in early education in Vermont as a learning school administrator and a child care assistant director. I was also PTA president! When I returned to the Delaware Valley, I decided to pursue my masters degree at the University of Delaware. While working at the university library, I decided to focus on working with teenagers. I also volunteered in various capacities in the local schools as my three children were growing up. After seeing so many teenagers at risk as a high school guidance counselor and class advisor, I decided to focus on working with younger children. I became a preschool teacher. Over the nine years, I realized how important it was not only to support the children but the staff who worked diligently and tirelessly with the children. Staff support became my own personal campaign as I took a job as a home visitor and later a program coordinator for Early Head Start (EHS). Building support mechanisms and positive relationships was my primary goal. I was elected to the Delaware Association for the Education of Young Children (DAEYC) Board of Directors and served as president for two and a half years of my six year term. I was responsible for facilitating the National re-affiliation process. I have developed and facilitated workshops on stress management, spunky junk, discipline and learning environments at local and state conferences. I have presented at national conferences on partnering with family childcare. I am trained in the Program for Infant Toddler Care (PITC) philosophy and have presented training utilizing their relationship based approach for EHS and the Partners in Excellence initiative (PIE) in Delaware. I conduct environmental evaluations for Delaware's Resource and Referral Agency using the Harms/Clifford Environmental Rating Scales. Childcare caregivers and teachers are pivotal persons in shaping the lives of the children. We need to nurture them as we expect them to nurture our children! Currently I am a Technical Support person and trainer for the DE PIE initiative. I received my certification as a Child Care Health and Safety Consultant from Wesley College and am registered in DE, PA and MD. I am also a seasoned CDA advisor. When Martie told me about her DARE to AFFIRM Campaign I was thrilled! It was exactly what I had been living every day. She asked me to join her in taking this wonderful campaign across the country and I joyfully accepted!!
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