“Reflecting on the original publication from 2007, the authors undertake a unique endeavor: They practice what they preach. They subject their own ideas to the adaptive leadership thinking that they suggest is necessary for the field of early care and education to live up to its great promise.”
—Teachers College Record
“The second edition of Ready or Not is a reflective self-examination of the field of early care and education. This must-read book once again “calls the question,” challenging us to confront the field’s adaptive challenges and engage in courageous debate and consensus building.”
—Marquita Furness Davis, deputy director of Early Learning, Pacific Northwest, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
“Ready or Not is an urgent call to action for early childhood educators to lead the change needed now to close the gap between the field’s promise to young children and families and its performance. Goffin and Washington boldly identify the barriers and opportunities we face. ECE practitioners will be inspired to undertake the work necessary to create new systems and change existing ones to meet the field’s responsibility to children, families, and the public.”
—Anne Douglass, University of Massachusetts Boston and founder and executive director of Institute for Early Education Leadership and Innovation
“Goffin and Washington have written a must-read for those that are invested in early care and education and recognize that ‘change is not optional.’ Early care and education is expected to produce results—and will—and this book is a great tool that will help guide us there.”
—Tracy Ehlert, early childhood educator and advocate and State Representative for Iowa House District 70, Cedar Rapids, IA
“Expanding on the questions they first posed 12 years ago, Goffin and Washington remind us of both our growth and our stagnation; they challenge the field to have the courage to determine our purpose and to take ownership of our future. This is a must-read for everyone who is committed to the field’s success.”
—Ariel Ford, director, Office of Early Learning, City of Chattanooga
"Goffin and Washington deliver a powerful, unapologetic position on the importance of elevating not only the early care and education framework but the actual practitioners who do the work every day though adaptive leadership and systematic change. With the current ECE climate and progression of the field, this book delivers collective years of wisdom and a blueprint for success."
—Jerletha McDonald, founder and CEO, Arlington DFW Childcare
“Goffin and Washington have written a must-read primer. Ready or Not, 2nd Edition is for anyone interested in changing the infrastructure of early childhood systems. Read this book and learn the importance of adaptive changes that must occur to close the performance and credibility gaps and nurture and develop the true leaders in the ECE field.”
—Michele Miller-Cox, SAS Montessori School in Cary, NC
“This is an essential book for those seeking to understand the competing forces, realities, and polarizing debates that have characterized the growth of the early care and education profession. Goffin and Washington succeed in reflecting on the significance of past struggles, a myriad of contemporary challenges, and the essential ingredients necessary to build an effective profession going forward. Their persuasive book is a 'must-read' for expert and novice alike.”
—Aisha Ray, professor emerita of Child Development, Erikson Institute
“This new edition is so timely given our current environment. Stacie and Valora continue to provoke our thinking and encourage our engagement by asking the big questions. This book has the power to provoke catalytic discussions and hopefully move us to action.”
—Sue Russell, executive director, T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® National Center
“This new edition of Ready or Not is a must-read. It is a call to action for everyone involved in early care and education as it provides a multidimensional road map for the field to address its own complex internal structure and assume its rightful and fundamental role in shaping the future impact on young children.”
—Sharon Scott-Chandler, executive vice president and COO, ABCD (Action for Boston Community Development)
“Goffin and Washington challenge us again—12 years later! This is an invaluable resource for all who are interested in moving early care and education forward. The time is now to consider their ideas and together we can make a difference!”
—Kathy R. Thornburg, professor emerita and director of the Institute for Professional Development, University of Missouri
