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Child Development iii
About the Author
Celia A. Decker is a former professor in the Department of Family
and Consumer Sciences at Northwestern State University of Louisiana.
She taught courses in early childhood education, child development,
and family relations. Dr. Decker was coordinator of graduate studies in
early childhood education. Before her position at Northwestern State
University, she taught college courses at East Texas State University
(now Texas A&M at Commerce) and at the University of Arkansas at
Fayetteville. Dr. Decker also taught public school kindergarten in
Kansas City, Kansas.
In addition to writing this text, Dr. Decker coauthors Parents and
Their Children with Verdene Ryder. Dr. Decker has also published other
books, numerous chapters in books, and articles. She presents papers at
national and state annual meetings of professional associations, such as
the National Association for the Education of Young Children, Southern
Early Childhood Association, Association for Childhood Education Inter-
national, National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators,
and the Society for Research in Child Development. She does extensive
consultant work for Head Start, Even Start, and local school systems.
During her years of teaching, Dr. Decker was named to Who’s Who
in Child Development Professionals, Who’s Who in Personalities of the
South, Who’s Who in American Women, and the World’s Who’s Who
in Education. In 1994, she was selected as the Outstanding Professor at
Northwestern State University.