Sue Bredekamp to receive the 2014 Visionary Leadership Award

WHEELING, IL — May 9, 2014 —In recognition of her profound dedication to the advancement of the early childhood education field, the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership at National Louis University is pleased to present Dr. Sue Bredekamp with the 2014 Visionary Leadership Award.



The award ceremonies will take place May 15, 2014, at the McCormick Center’s Leadership Connections™ national conference in Wheeling, Illinois. Dr. Bredekamp will also be featured as the host of this year’s Leadership Colloquium, an interactive fireside chat with Leadership Connections attendees.

The Visionary Leadership Award recognizes individuals who have played a significant role in advancing the professional development of early childhood leaders. Recipients embody the characteristics of exemplar, innovator, advocate, visionary, and change agent.


Dr. Bredekamp is an early childhood education specialist from Washington, DC who serves as a consultant on developmentally appropriate practice, curriculum, teaching, and professional development for state and national organizations such as National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the Council for Professional Recognition, Head Start, and Sesame Street. While Director of Accreditation and Professional Development for NAEYC, Dr. Bredekamp lead the development of NAEYC’s seminal publication, Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs, which still serves as the North Star guiding effective practice in the field. She is also the author of an introductory textbook, Effective Practices in Early Childhood Education: Building a Foundation.


About the Leadership Connections™ National Conference


The Leadership Connections national conference offers exceptional professional development experience where early childhood professionals can learn, network, and reenergize. The conference is designed specifically around leaders in the early childhood field and is held annually just north of Chicago.

Whatever an attendee’s role—child care administrator, policymaker, resource and referral specialist, college instructor, family child care provider, or independent consultant—Leadership Connections provides inspiring sessions planned with participants’ needs in mind.

To learn more about the Leadership Connections, visit McCormickCenter.nl.edu/professional-development/

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Let’s Talk About Bullying

By Sherry Rocha • June 12, 2025
Bullying has been around for ages. That doesn’t mean it’s ok, or we should get used to it. It is a persistent problem for all ages, and now it’s reaching into our early childhood programs. What can program administrators do? Some definitions and tips are below. WHAT IS BULLYING? Bullying has been described as a student’s repeated exposure to negative actions on the part of one or more students in which there is an imbalance of power between bullies and the victim. Some children learn that by bullying others, they can get ahead. It can affect the goals of education if not handled well. While the behaviors of young children can sometimes be aggressive, they lack the more strategic and deliberate actions that typically define bullying. Still, early behaviors can be precursors to later behavior, so awareness and positive interventions are needed . Bullying prevention can be embedded into SEL practices, diversity awareness, and behavior guidance practices of early childhood programs. HOW COMMON IS BULLYING? Most studies look at bullying as something that involves older children. Research on early childhood bullying is still developing. The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP) is considered one of the most effective school-based anti-bullying programs that schools and centers study. Its founder, Dan Olweus, Ph.D, found that 35-40% of boys characterized as bullies in grades 6-9 had been convicted of at least three officially registered crimes by the age of 24. Bullies sometimes teach their children to be bullies. PREVENTION AND GUIDANCE CONCERNING BULLYING There are things parents, teachers, and friends can do to prevent or stop bullying . During the early childhood years, programs to help prevent bullying are helpful. Teachers and parents should be role models of caring behavior. Children raised in safe and nurturing environments will learn to be caring individuals. As children’s abilities develop, they can learn anger management, problem-solving skills, and decision-making skills. TEACHERS AND PARENTS CAN ALSO: Dispel myths that bullying is part of childhood. Encourage a positive environment by stating desirable behavior instead of negative behavior. Emphasize respect, fairness, caring, and responsibility in classrooms. Incorporate lessons about appropriate social skills in classrooms and everywhere; provide words for children to use. Understand the seriousness of bullying. Encourage children to consider the needs of others. Parents can arrange play groups for their children. A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM SHOULD: Promote a caring, respectful environment Help victims help themselves Challenge the bullies’ thinking Consider the effects of peer pressure Elicit students’ input FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs (ASPA). (2025, February 5). Get help now. StopBullying.gov. https://www.stopbullying.gov/resources/get-help-now The Institute on Family and Neighborhood Life. (n.d.). Olweus bullying prevention program, Clemson University. Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, Clemson University. https://clemsonolweus.org/ Temkin, D., & Snow, K. (2015, August 18). To prevent bullying, focus on early childhood. NAEYC. https://www.naeyc.org/resources/blog/prevent-bullying-focus-early-childhood
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