You've reached the home of The Center for Best Practices in Early Childhood. Our mission is to develop and promote practices designed to improve educational opportunities for all young children. The Center, part of the College of Education and Human services at Western Illinois University, was established in August of 1999. It replaced Macomb Projects, which began in 1975 when Dr. Patricia Hutinger, Professor of Early Childhood in the Elementary Education/Reading Department at Western Illinois University received her first federally-funded early childhood project. Directed by Dr. Hutinger, the Center provides products, training materials, conferences and workshops on topics relating to technology, early childhood, children with disabilities, and more.
Persons interested in training topics for staff development workshops may contact the Center by phone, fax, or mail. Catalogs of our various print publications, and video products are available upon request.
Objectives
Provide collaborative services related to the education of young children, including information, consultation, staff development and training events, and technical assistance to early childhood educators, related service personnel, families, school districts, state and federal agencies, and preservice personnel.
Develop, evaluate, and conduct research and replicate innovative models in early childhood education. Report on the effectiveness of those models and disseminate successful models through a variety of media.
Produce materials that support best practices which can be used by a wide audience to support and extend young children's learning.
Disseminate information and products generated by the Center to a wide audience, including early childhood educators, related service personnel, families, school districts, state and federal agencies, preservice personnel, and decision makers at the local, state, and federal levels.
Serve as a resource center for a variety of topics and needs related to improving education opportunities for all young children.
Best Practices
The Center for Best Practices in Early Childhood supports the recommended practices established by the National Association for the Education of Young Childrenand the Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children. These recommendations can be accessed at the following links:
NAEYC Position Statement Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8
www.naeyc.org/about/positions/daptoc.asp
Center for Best Practices in Early Childhood Education
Western Illinois University, Horrabin Hall 32
1 University Circle, Macomb, IL 61455
Phone: (309) 298-1634 / Fax: (309) 298-2305
