Daniel R. Meier is Professor of Elementary Education at San Francisco State University, USA, and works as a literacy instructor in local preschools. He is the co-author of Documentation and Inquiry in the Early Childhood Classroom (Routledge, 2017) and co-editor of Narrative Inquiry in Early Childhood and Elementary School (Routledge, 2016), Educational Change in International Early Childhood Contexts (Routledge, 2014), and Nature Education with Young Children (Routledge, 2013).
Daniel Meier's work centers on the child's right to a strengths-based approach to literacy where cultural and linguistic strengths are recognized and supported. Using the perspectives of families and educators, Meier creates a holistic view of children as strong, agentic literacy users and producers that learn through play, natural curiosity, and discovery. Situated within various preschool contexts, he illustrates successful pedagogical practices that elevate the visibility and the literacy talents of children of Color within culturally responsive learning environments. Throughout the book, Meier weaves the theoretical frameworks and tools for educators to reflect on their own assumptions and biases regarding children of Color through critical inquiry, dialogue, and reflection as they develop their transformative literacy teaching. The combination of conceptual understanding and instructional strategies makes the book valuable for educators and scholars alike. Iliana Alanis, Ph.D., Professor of Early Childhood and Elementary Education, The University of Texas at San Antonio