DR. JOE FROST ACEI President

1979-1981

Dr. Joe Frost

Childhood

• Hometown: born on a small farm in the Ouachita

Mountains of Arkansas during the Great Depression

• Early Life: work in the fields, tending livestock and

church and extended family activities

• Elementary School: no bought play equipment, but

there was much time for free play throughout the day

• Breadth of Play: traditional games, unlimited access to

creeks and hills, farm animals, and wildlife.

• Early Interests: reading supported by his mother

Childhood experiences influenced his interest in collecting

books on children's play and play environments

Dr. Frost’s Career Highlights

• University of Texas at Austin: Parker Centennial

Professor Emeritus at the; taught for 34 years

• Publications: authored or co-authored numerous books,

several having been translated into other languages, as

well as six volumes of original papers, reports and

articles. Dr. Frost has also served as editor for many texts.

• Early Childhood and Children’s Play Environments:

internationally recognized for 30 years of work; consultant

for playgrounds worldwide

• Leadership: past president of both the Association for

Childhood Education International and International Play

Association/USA.

Education and Professional Progression

• Graduate Work: studies in child development at the

University of Arkansas, the University of Michigan and the

University of Maryland.

• First Job: after earning a doctorate at the University of

Arkansas was Assistant Professor of Child Development

at Iowa State University.

• University of Texas in Austin: In 1966, he began the

direction of the longest running (35 years) research

project in the U.S. on children's play and play

environments

Active in Retirement

• Frost retired from the University of Texas in 2000

but is still writing, lecturing, and designing play

environments.

• He served as President of the Board of Directors

of the Lutheran Outdoors Ministry of Texas.

• Frost also provides playground design assistance

for public and private schools, government

agencies, military bases, cities and universities in

the United States, Europe and Africa.

Awards and Honors

• Appointment to the Parker Centennial

professorship at the University of Texas

• Teacher Educator of the Year by the Texas

Association for the Education of Young Children

• Great Friend to Children Award from the

Association for Children's Museums

• The Patty Smith Hill Award from the Association

for Childhood Education International

• The Doctor of Humane Letters from the University

of the Incarnate Word.

In 2006, he received the Patty Smith Hill

Award from the Association for Childhood

Education International

Betty and Joe Frost

Dr. Joe Frost

An Interview with Dr. Joe Frost

Redeemer Lutheran School, Austin, Texas

Site of America’s longest running research program on children’s play

and play environments 1972-2014.

Research Site 2013

Research Site 2013

Research Site 2013

Blanco State Park Nature Playground

2014

Blanco State Park Nature Playground

Kitenga Africa Playground

Taiwan

Denmark

A Lifetime of Love for the Children of the

World - Dr. Joe Frost

Reference to Biography taken from:

J.E. & L. E. Mabee Library

University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, Texas

http://library.uiwtx.edu/frost/frostbiography.

html

Dr. Sue Wortham ACEI Global Summit

Vancouver, British Columbia April, 2014

Sue as a Preschooler

Sue Clark spent her early childhood years in the Rio Grande Valley of San Benito, Texas.

Sue at 4 years old holding

her Easter basket.

Growing up in Texas

Teaching, formal education, and respect for diverse groups of people were values Sue learned at an early age, especially from her mother who was a teacher across town where children of Spanish heritage lived.

Sue in second grade.

A Lifelong Partnership

Sue met Marshall Wortham in junior high—a shy, handsome guy dedicated to scouting, bird watching, and pole vaulting

Sue at age 17.

They were engaged while Sue was a senior in high school and married after her high school graduation …..thus beginning a lifelong partnership

The 1970s….

• Washington…Michigan…Texas

• Raising a family

• Becoming a teacher

• Joining ACEI

• Completing a Ph.D.

• Joining the faculty of the University of Texas at San Antonio

Expanding Professional Goals

• How did you become interested in the international education scene?

ACEI President 1995-1997

• As president of ACEI, how did you work to develop and/or expand on ACEI's international mission?

Haiti Project from 2003-2005

Sue worked with the World

Children’s Relief to establish

Sullivan schools in Haiti. Sue in Haiti training early childhood

professionals.

Training in Africa 2003-2011

Since your initial involvement, how have your own interests in international education activities changed and/or evolved?

Sue conducted training in Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, and Senegal where

she made new friends such as Emmanuel.

Expanding International Interests

How might ACEI continue to evolve as a professional organization in the 21st century?

Training early childhood professionals in

Guatemala in 2005

Sue received the Patty Smith Hill

Award in 2007 in recognition of her

many contributions to ACEI and early

childhood education

ACEI’s current emphasis is on global education diplomacy. How is this a natural outgrowth on its origins as the International Kindergarten Union?

Sue enjoying an after dinner dance with village women and

children in Senegal.

The next adventure….yet

to be determine!

Jim Hoot ACEI President, 1997-1999

DR. SHIRLEY C. RAINES

ACEI PRESIDENT 1999 - 2001

Leadership Roles

• President: University of Memphis

• Vice Chancellor for Academic Services: University of

Kentucky

• Dean of the College of Education: University of Kentucky

• President: ACEI

• Department Chair: University of South Florida

• Department Head: Northeastern State University

How did you become interested in

international education?

As president of ACEI how did you

work to develop and/or expand on

ACEI's international mission?

Since your initial involvements, how

have your own interests in

international education activities

changed and/or evolved?

How might ACEI now continue to

evolve as a professional

organization in the 21st century?

ACEI's current emphasis is on global

education diplomacy. How is this a natural

outgrowth on our origins as the

International Kindergarten Union?

Dr. Raines’ Background

Lessons Learned

Memories

Thank you, Dr. Raines,

for you leadership.