Dr Betty Liebovich
Staff details
Betty is a lecturer and tutor in Early Years Education and teaches on the Primary PGCE course, MA Education, and Education, Culture and Society degrees. She also teaches and tutors for the PhD programme in the Educational Studies Department.
Academic Qualifications
- EdD Curriculum and Instruction in Early Childhood, University of Illinois—Urbana/Champaign, 2005
- MSc Human and Community Resources and the Family, University of Wisconsin—Stevens Point, 1995
- BA Women’s Studies, University of Wisconsin -- Madison
Research Interests
Betty’s current research interests include the history of the open-air nursery, focusing on the Rachel McMillan Nursery and the history of early years teacher education, focusing on the Rachel McMillan Training College in Deptford. Conference presentations and pending publications have centred on the early years educational philosophy of Margaret McMillan, interviews conducted with graduates of the Rachel McMillan Training College to establish a history of pedagogy for early years teacher education, and the influence that Margaret McMillan’s philosophy has had on contemporary early years teacher education and practice. Betty’s research work for her doctoral study concentrated on preservice early childhood students’ perceptions of advocacy. Other research involved contemporary issues affecting teaching early years education to include parent and family involvement, investigating current social and political issues affecting early years education, and the challenges associated with early years education being female dominated and undervalued by society. The research she conducted on child study and the history of Kindergarten in the United States were collaborative efforts involving professors and other doctoral students, leading to publications in books, journals, and on-line journals.
Betty has presented at the annual TACTYC conference (2013), BERA British Educational Research Association conference (2011), the National Association for the Education of Young Children annual conference (2012, 2011,2010,2009, 2001, and 1999), NAECTE National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators conference (2012), American Educational Research Association annual meeting (2014, 2002 and 2004), the annual international Reconceptualization conference (2003), and at an international symposium to honour Lilian Katz, Ph.D. (2000).
Publications
Book
Liebovich, Betty. 2006. Early childhood preservice teachers' perceptions of advocacy. York: ProQuest. ISBN 0542230267
Book Section
Liebovich, Betty and Hinitz, B. 2016. “History of Early Childhood Education”. In: D L Couchenour and K Chrisman, eds. The SAGE Encyclopedia of Contemporary Early Childhood Education. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
Liebovich, Betty. 2016. History of Early Childhood Education. In: , ed. The SAGE Encyclopedia of Contemporary Early Childhood Education. Los Angeles: Sage. ISBN 9781483340357
Liebovich, Betty; Hinitz, B and Anderson, C. 2015. History of Early Childhood Teacher Education. In: Leslie Couse and Susan Recchia, eds. The Handbook of Early Childhood Teacher Education. New York: Routledge, pp. 20-37. ISBN 9780415736763
Liebovich, Betty. 2007. “Get Together Times, Special Celebrations, and Reasons to Celebrate”. In: Roberta R Owens, ed. Faith in Children: Stories from Faith-Based Children's Centers. Providence House Publishers. ISBN 978-1-57736-385-9
Liebovich, Betty and Walsh, D W. 2003. Early childhood education preparation of teachers. In: James W Guthrie, ed. Encyclopedia of Education 2nd Edition. New York: McMillan Reference. ISBN 978-0028655949
Hansen, Janet S.; Walsh, Daniel J.; Liebovich, Betty and Myers, Robert G.. 2002. Mapping American Early Education. In: James W. Guthrie, ed. Encyclopedia of Education. USA: McMillan. ISBN 002865594X
Article
Liebovich, Betty. 2019. Margaret McMillan’s Contributions to Cultures of Childhood. Genealogy, 3(3),
Liebovich, Betty. 2019. Margaret McMillan’s Contributions to Cultures of Childhood. Genealogy, 3(3),
Liebovich, Betty. 2018. The McMillan Sisters, The Roots of the Open-Nursery, and Breaking the Cycle of Poverty. HSE – Social and Education History, 7(1), pp. 78-96.
Liebovich, Betty. 2016. Abigail Eliot and Margaret McMillan Bringing the Nursery School to the United States. Young Children, 71(2), pp. 92-95. ISSN 0044-0728
Jarvis, Pam and Liebovich, Betty. 2015. British Nurseries, Head and Heart: McMillan, Owen and the genesis of the education/care dichotomy. Women's History Review, 24(6), pp. 917-937. ISSN 0961-2025
Jarvis, Pam and Liebovich, Betty. 2015. Margaret McMillan and the Politics of the Nursery School. Women’s History Review, ISSN 0961-2025
Liebovich, Betty and Jarvis, Pam. 2015. British Nurseries, Head and Heart: McMillan, Owen and the genesis of the education/care dichotomy. British Nurseries, Head and Heart: McMillan, Owen and the genesis of the education/care dichotomy, 24(6), pp. 917-937.
Liebovich, Betty. 2015. Margaret McMillan and the Politics of the Nursery School. Women's History Review, 24(6), ISSN 0961-2025
Liebovich, Betty. 2014. “The Contributions of the McMIllan Sisters to Early Years Education in England.”. FORUM: For promoting 3-19 comprehensive education, 56(3), ISSN 0963-8253
Liebovich, Betty. 2013. “Margaret McMillan’s Ideals for Early Years Teacher Education: The Impact on Contemporary ITE Teacher Development”. TACTYC Annual Conference,
Liebovich, Betty. 2013. Supporting Your Toddler’s Developing Independence; Trying New Foods; Schemas and Play; Preparing for School or Nursery; Family, Relationships and Daily Life; Pretend and Imaginative Play. CBeebies BBC online,
Liebovich, Betty and Adler, Susan Matoba. 2009. Teaching Advocacy in Early Years Initial Teacher Education Programmes. FORUM, 51(1), pp. 25-34. ISSN 0963-8253
Liebovich, Betty. 2000. Children's Self Assessment. Issues in Early Childhood Education: Curriculum, Teacher Education, & Dissemination of Information. Proceedings of the Lilian Katz Symposium (Champaign, IL, November 5-7, 2000),
