Concordia Nebraska’s Initiative for Early Childhood Education supports leaders and educators in Lutheran schools.

The Initiative for Early Childhood Education at Concordia University, Nebraska, was designed by early childhood educators with a heart for sharing strong pedagogy and faith-based practices with leaders and educators in Lutheran schools.  

“What was an idea in the minds of a few has now expanded and reached into several states and dozens of schools,” explained Concordia Nebraska Assistant Professor of Education, Early Childhood Education Program Director and Director of Student Teaching Dr. Drew Gerdes. “We continue to design and refine to meet needs that exist in Lutheran early learning programs.” 

 The Initiative currently offers a train-the-trainer program on play-based learning. This training prepares early childhood administrators to offer learning opportunities within their own program and staff.  

“We are also working to redesign an interactive learning series that will be available on-demand for use either by entire programs or individually,” said Gerdes. “Our dedicated team continues to look at research-based practices, what’s working well in the field of early childhood education, and needs assessments to best understand what our Lutheran schools need and desire in terms of professional development on a variety of topics. We are working hard to listen, create, respond and support and encourage.” 

“When early childhood professionals are equipped with faith-filled, research-based strategies and pedagogy, children and families benefit, Lutheran schools thrive and teachers grow.”

Gerdes was recently named as director of the Initiative for Early Childhood Education. In this role, he partners with a team of dedicated early childhood leaders who know Lutheran schools well and share in the passion to promote high-quality practices rooted in faith. He said the group has many long-term goals and is always brainstorming and collaborating. 

 “We are still in the ‘design thinking’ process. We have content and programming and are continually revising to make sure content is relevant and easily accessible for educators,” he said. “In the coming years, we hope to offer on-demand courses, live and recorded webinars and multiple opportunities for hands-on learning – all available to early childhood educators throughout the country – in Lutheran schools, other Christian schools as well as secular early learning programs.” 

Gerdes said early childhood education comprises a bulk of Lutheran school programming throughout The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, and high-quality professional development is critical in the quest to support life-long learners.  

“When early childhood professionals are equipped with faith-filled, research-based strategies and pedagogy, children and families benefit, Lutheran schools thrive and teachers grow,” he said. “Making high-quality learning relevant, affordable and easily accessible is important, and the Concordia Nebraska Initiative for Early Childhood Education stands ready to support and cheerlead! We are eager to listen and learn more about the needs that exist in our Lutheran early childhood communities.” 

The Concordia University, Nebraska Initiative for Early Childhood Education seeks to partner with Lutheran schools, districts and organizations by offering innovative, accessibleand affordable systems of Gospel-centered training that reflect best practice in early childhood education. Specific attention is given to the following areas: leadership development, faith formation, play-based learning, developmentally appropriate practice and authentic assessment.