Center for Early Childhood Education and Intervention (CECEI)

In an article in Edutopia, “Inspiring Curiosity and Critical Thinking in Pre-K,” Judi Anderson, Associate Director of Children Discovering Their World, and Dr. Christy Tirrell-Corbin, Executive Director of CECEI, discuss their experiences of project-based learning (PBL) in action with the Children Discovering Their World curricula series, as well as strategies to deepen student understanding, provide support, and challenge students while teaching within a PBL framework.

Executive Director of CECEI, Dr. Christy Tirrell-Corbin, was interviewed for a Baltimore Banner article about how to select a high quality pre-K program in Maryland.

CECEI hosted a table at Maryland Day on Saturday, April 27, 2024, with the help of six student volunteers who guided children, families, and other guests in assembling and painting DIY bird feeders made from recycled plastic bottles, and provided bird feed appropriate for local birds in Maryland. CECEI also provided resources on wildlife friendly gardening tips, feeding Maryland birds, and common feeder birds in Maryland.

Dr. Christy Tirrell-Corbin, Executive Director of the CECEI, co-authored Blueprint brief #4, Expanding Pre-K in public schools will require expanding the Pre-K teacher workforce. But how, and by how much?, with Drs. Kayla Bill and David Blazar, UMD.

CECEI has established The Maryland Early EdCorp Registered Apprentice Program, Maryland’s first registered apprenticeship program in the category of Early Childhood Educator, collaborating with the Council for Professional Recognition and Early Childhood Workforce Connector. Apprentices will receive hands-on training, as well as mentorship from experienced early childhood education professionals. They will be compensated for their participation and will receive the Child Development Associate certification upon program completion. 

CECEI, in partnership with Maryland Family Network, is conducting an implementation evaluation of the Maryland Family Network’s Strong Families program through a Research-Program Partnership. Maryland Family Network’s Strong Families Department focuses on community-based efforts to prevent child maltreatment and strengthen families.

CECEI is in the final stages of developing the Trauma Sensitive Pedagogy (TSP) Toolkit, while simultaneously planning for a broader rollout of the Trauma Sensitive Pedagogy curriculum. TSP is designed to help educators consider the complex nature of trauma and the myriad ways it manifests in children’s learning and development. Learn more about the TSP project.

If you are interested in opportunities to work at CECEI, see our Career Opportunities page for more information on available positions.