Stephanie C. Sanders-Smith

Stephanie C. Sanders-Smith is an Associate Professor in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's College of Education, where she serves as the program coordinator of the Early Childhood Teacher Preparation Program. Her academic work bridges research and practice, focusing on culturally sustaining pedagogies in early childhood education.

Dr. Sanders-Smith earned her Ph.D. in Urban Systems from Rutgers University, an M.A. in Cultural and Educational Policy Studies from Loyola University Chicago, and a B.S. in Early Childhood Education from Butler University. Her educational background reflects a strong foundation in both theoretical and practical aspects of early childhood education.

Her research centers on the connections between early childhood pedagogies and the race, culture, and socioeconomic class of children and their families. She employs sociological theoretical lenses to examine relationships between teachers and children, teachers and families, and how these relationships are affected by socio-cultural context and school philosophy. Her work particularly focuses on recognizing children as active, rights-holding members of society with unique perspectives. Through two main research strands—one examining progressive early education using Bernstein and Dewey's work, and another using Bourdieu's framework to study family engagement—she investigates how teachers can support democratic relationships with children and build non-hierarchical relationships with families.

Analysis of her most recent publications reveals a strong trajectory in culturally responsive early childhood education, with increasing focus on multilingual approaches, global citizenship education, and adaptation of progressive pedagogies to digital and crisis contexts like the pandemic. Her work consistently bridges theoretical frameworks with practical classroom applications, particularly in international settings like Hong Kong where she has studied the Yew Chung educational approach.

Dr. Sanders-Smith has received significant recognition for her contributions to the field:

• NAECTE/Taylor & Francis Outstanding Early Childhood Teacher Educator Award (2021)
• NAECTE Foundation Early Career Research Award (2015)

Her teaching philosophy emphasizes that students of all ages should be active learners who co-construct knowledge with peers and instructors in democratic spaces. She views teaching as an ongoing process of 'becoming' rather than a static state, supporting active inquiry in all her courses. Her research collaborations, particularly with scholars in Hong Kong, demonstrate her commitment to cross-cultural educational approaches that blend Eastern and Western philosophies to create holistic early childhood programs focused on interdependence, respect for differences, and global citizenship.