Sara Radlinski
Program and staff development in an inclusive early childhood program
Play and development in young children
Supporting families and child care providers of young children
"Play is the child's spontaneous, pleasurable, and naturally unfolding repertoire of actions on objects, others, and self, which leads to discovery, expression, and mastery of physical reality, ideas, and feelings. Play is the child's genetically determined and inherit means of learning. By supporting the child's inherit play patterns, development, learning, and adaptation will evolve in an natural and organic way." - Sheridan, Foley, Radlinski, 1995
Dr. Radlinski retired from Connecticut College in June, 2007.
Dr. Radlinski's first position was as a Child Life Teacher in the Johns Hopkins Hospital Children's Program in Baltimore, Maryland. She developed and implemented the Child Life program on the 50-bed infant and toddler unit. Dr. Radlinski became the supervisor of the Child Life Department with a staff of 25 teachers working with inpatient and outpatient children ages birth to 21 with acute and chronic medical conditions.
Dr. Radlinski then taught at the Connecticut Valley Children's School in Middletown, Connecticut, working with seriously emotionally disturbed children ages 8-12 in a residential treatment program.
Dr. Radlinski came to Connecticut College as the supervisor of the program for Children with Special Needs. At that time there were 50 children with mild to moderate disabilities, ages 3-6, enrolled in the program, with a staff of 10 teachers and specialists. The program evolved over the next few years to include infants and toddlers, Title 1, Head Start, and community peers. The two Connecticut College Human Development Department's Laboratory Schools combined in 1996 to include children ages birth to 6 of varying abilities and cultures.
The staff of the Children's Program at Connecticut College currently consists of 25 teachers, teacher aides, and therapists. As program director, Dr. Radlinski worked on the ongoing development of this state-of-the art inclusive early childhood laboratory school program, as well as on plans to relocate the program on the Connecticut College campus.
Dr. Radlinski has co-authored articles and co-authored a book in 1995 with Dr. Margaret Sheridan and Dr. Gil Foley, Using the Supportive Play Model. On occasion, she teaches in the Human Development department courses in individual differences in development. She also writes state and local grants for program funding and curriculum development. Dr. Radlinski presents with colleagues at international and national conferences, presents at universities and hospitals, serves on local and state boards, and is active in various research projects.
Dr. Radlinski serves on a the Local New London Readiness Council where over 100 early childhood program and agency providers are working to offer appropriate services for all children birth to 8 in the New London area. She also in a member of the Project LEARN's Birth to Three Partners Group where providers in New London County offer home based and center-based programs for children ages birth to three referred for developmental delays. She is also a member of the New London Women's Network, a group of business and professional women in Southeastern Connecticut.
Dr. Radlinski most recently completed a two-year follow-up study, with a colleague, Dr. Marianne Kennedy, on six little girls who were adopted from China. The study is titled "The Implication of Early Orphanage Experiences on Six Chinese Females Adopted by American Parents."