| This oral history was designed to investigate the life story and influences of Lilian G. Katz on early childhood education. The following research questions guided the study: (1) In what ways have Dr. Katz's life experiences and life stories influenced the direction of her work in the field of early childhood education? (2) What events, actions, beliefs, and attitudes shaped Dr. Katz's career development and mentoring at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)? (3) What events and actions have influenced Dr. Katz's career beyond the UIUC? (4) What have been Lilian G. Katz's contributions and impact on the field of early childhood education with respect to teacher education, curriculum design, dissemination of information, and leadership?;The data gathered for this study included audio recordings of in-depth interviews with Dr. Katz; responses to questionnaires from others who were part of her professional life; notes from the symposium given in her honor by the UIUC, and the former ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education; and her presentation at the National Association for the Education of Young Children conference on November 1, 2001. E-mail communication was also used to collect and verify information, and primary and secondary sources were reviewed. Dr. Katz's original quotes were retained in the body of the document to preserve the perspective and personality of the educator. Data explained how the four themes emerged. The themes were Lilian G. Katz as: (1) pioneer, (2) orchestrator, (3) internationalist, and (4) mentor.;Political, historical, and educational influences of the era provide context for the events in Dr. Katz's life. The themes explain the data collected and provide a basis for the discussion of the oral history. Dr. Katz has dedicated her life to the field of early childhood education and contributed to it through her extensive research, publications, lecturing, teaching, and leadership. Learning about her life and the lives of other early childhood educators can guide the future directions of early childhood education. |
