Benjamin Mardell
Professional Title: Professor
Areas of Academic Focus and Expertise:
Creating engaging, compelling early childhood curriculum; learning groups among children and adults; early childhood policy
Area of Work and Concentration at Lesley: Early childhood, Reggio Emilia-Inspired teaching and learning
Representative List of Recent Courses Taught:
Dimensions of Learning Through Play
Observation, Documentation, and Assessment
Developmental Learning
Integrated Curriculum in Early Childhood: Social Studies & Classroom Life
Integrated Curriculum in Early Childhood: Science and Health
Environment & Materials in Reggio Emilia Inspired Teaching and Learning
Education: Ph.D., Tufts University; M.S., Wheelock College; A.B., Brown University
Representative List of Recent Publications / Exhibitions:
- Krechevsky, M., Mardell, B., Filippini, T., and Gardner, H. (2012). The power of the group: Making learning and learners visible in early childhood classrooms. In B. Falk (ed.), In defense of childhood. New York: Teachers College Press.
- Mardell, B., Fiore, L., Boni, M. & Tonschell, M. (2012). The rights of children: Policies to best serve three-, four- and five-year-olds in public schools. In T. Swim (ed.), The Hope for audacity: Recapturing optimism and civility in education. New York: Hampton Press.
- Mardell, B. & Carpenter, B. (2012). The Making Learning Visible/Ready To Learn Providence Peer Network. In G. Perry (ed.), Our inquiry, our practice: Undertaking, supporting and learning from teacher research(ers). Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.
- Mardell, B. & Abo-Zena, M. (2010). The fun thing about studying different beliefs is that they are different: Kindergartners explore spirituality. Young Children, 65(4), 12-17.
- Mardell, B., LeeKeenan, D., Given, H., Robinson, D., Merino, B. & Liu-Constant, Y. (2009). Zooms: Promoting schoolwide inquiry and improving practice. Voices of the Practitioner: Teacher Research in Early Childhood Education.
- Mardell, B. (2002). Growing up in child care: A case for quality early education. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
- Mardell, B. (1999). From basketball to the Beatles: In search of compelling early childhood curriculum. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
I am interested in all aspects of early childhood education. Children as
citizens—the idea that young children are capable of creating and communicating
complex ideas and that adding their voices to civic discourse enriches
classrooms and communities—is the focus of much of my current work. Using this
lens to intentionally combine curriculum and professional development with
advocacy has led to exciting results (see Places to Play in
Providence: A Guide to the City By Our Youngest Citizens). My research also
involves creating learning groups in the classroom and staff room.
Early Childhood Education Programs
bmardell@lesley.edu