Remembering Docia Zavitkovsky's Stories

Docia Zavitkovsky, a true champion of children into her mid-90's, passed away 13 years ago, December 24, 2009. Here is the message shared in ExchangeEveryDay shortly thereafter:

To the very end, Docia cared deeply about children. Karen Fite reported that on the day before she died, 'from her bed, on oxygen, she greeted Nigel 6 (for whom Docia had a very special place in her heart), Sophie 4, and Emilia 3, and played games with Nigel and admired the art work of Sophie and Emilia. They were a gift to her and she to them.'

Docia had a knack for engaging everyone she talked to in a way that made your work feel so very special. She had a profound grasp of what children need and shared these insights not in academic lectures but by telling children's stories. For nearly three decades she shared 'Docia Stories' in Exchange magazine where she used a story about a child to help us better understand how children perceive the world.

...We believe, as Docia did, that sharing stories about children, if done with respect, can help us understand how children's minds work, how they process our 'adult' communication, and how they figure out how the world works. Plus, they remind us that it is okay to laugh with children -- not at children -- and that even though early childhood education is incredibly serious work, it will only work in an enjoyable environment."

Docia wrote over 75 stories for Exchange magazine, which can still be read through Articles on Demand.

For more information about Exchange's magazine, books, and other products pertaining to ECE, go to www.ccie.com.

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