About the Author:
In 1990, Donna King took what she learned from her graduate school research on child care quality, and partnered with a group of teachers and parents to launch a small, non-profit early education program in Durham, North Carolina.
They named the school Children First to affirm their founding commitment: in this place, parents and teachers would come together to grapple with the harsh economic realities of early childhood education - high cost for families, low compensation for teachers - without compromising the experience of the children in their care.
Children First currently serves 12 children, aged 2¾ to 5, in one mixed-age group with two teachers. Over its thirty-year history, the school has taken to heart the core ideals of progressive education: intention, reflection, joy, beauty, respect, lifelong learning, and love. It strives to foster a close-knit and lively community where children are seen and celebrated as unique individuals; where children spend lots of time outdoors and grow a deep connection with nature; where children learn to communicate their feelings and thoughts through many expressive languages, especially the native language of childhood - pretend play; and where children’s unfolding life stories are captured in individual portfolios that document their development as creators, thinkers, citizens and friends.
Donna is married to Kevin McClain, whose quiet wisdom and unstinting generosity are the hidden backbone of Children First, and the beating heart of the King-McClain family. Their three children - Cara, Anna Grace, and Josh - all Children First graduates - are now young adults, each working in their own unique ways to bring the values of Children First to life in the larger world.