My scholarship is primarily interested in advancing democratic education through practical and eclectic curriculum theorizing. I conduct research to describe how curriculum leadership operates in early childhood settings, and I examine how dedicated teachers with strong personal and professional commitments experience and negotiate the challenges inherent to working in imperfect institutions.

Book

Democratic Curriculum Leadership: From Critical Awareness to Pragmatic Artistry

Co-edited Special Journal Issues

Castner, D. J., & Kessler, S. (2021). (Eds.). Affirmations of early childhood education in times of Crisis. The International Critical Childhood Policy Studies Journal, 8(2).

Lash, M., & Castner, D. J. (2018). (Eds.). The lived and sometimes clandestine professional experiences of early childhood educators. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 19(2).

Articles

Castner, D. J. (2021). Fidelity in teaching young children: Two stories of professional integrity. Journal of Research in Childhood Education.

Castner, D. J. (2021). Reconsidering early childhood curriculum leadership in light of reconceptualization: Moving beyond DAP technologies. The International Critical Childhood Policy Studies Journal, 8(2).

Castner, D. J., Butera, G. *Fajerstein, L. (2021). The good within you: A case study of early childhood curriculum practice. Early Childhood Education Journal. DOI: 10.1007/s10643-021-01243-9

Kessler, S., & Castner, D. J. (2021). (Eds.). Affirmations of early childhood education in times of crisis. The International Critical Childhood Policy Studies Journal, 8(2).

Castner, D. J. (2020). Translating the implementation gap: Three versions of early childhood curriculum leadership. Early Childhood Education Journal, 48(4), 429-440.

Price, T., & Castner, D. J. (2020). After currere: Instrumentality, criticality and the meaning of education in North American curriculum studies. European Journal of Curriculum, 6, 4-20

Encyclopedia Entries

Castner, D. J., McMullen, M. B., & Buzzelli, C. J. (in press 2022). Early childhood curriculum. In Flinders, D. F. (Ed.). Routledge Encyclopedia of Education. Routledge.

Castner, D. J., & Schneider, J., & Henderson, J., (2020). Curriculum wisdom and educational leadership. In He, M. F., & Schubert, W. (Eds.). Oxford Encyclopedia of Curriculum Studies. Oxford University Press Oxford Press. DOI: 10.1093/acrefore/9780190264093.013.1049

Chapters

Castner, D. J. (2020). Early childhood curriculum leadership: Towards a critical and pragmatic framework. In Cunningham, D. D. (Ed.). Professional and Ethical Considerations for Early Childhood Leaders (pp. 227-246). IGI Global. ISBN: 1799850900

Castner, D. J., Peters, L., & Reinke, S. (2019). Critically imagining early childhood curriculum practices. In Jones, I., & Lin, M. Critical Issues in Early Childhood Teacher Education (pp. 1-18). IAP.

Castner, D. J. (2019). Adaptive challenge: Teachers as lead professionals for democratic living. In C. L. Lowery, & P. M. Jenlink, P. (Eds.). Handbook of Dewey’s Educational Theory and Practice (pp. 241-256). Sense Publishers.