About Dan Gartrell

Dan Gartrell is a former Head Start teacher for the Red Lake Band of Ojibwe in northern Minnesota.  During the 1970s, Dan completed his Master’s degree at Bemidji State University in northern Minnesota where he was a CDA advisor for the Child Development Training Program.  Dan received his Ed.D. degree from the University of North Dakota in 1977.  For almost forty years, Dan was director of the Child Development Training Program and professor of Early Childhood Education at Bemidji State University.  He is now a professor emeritus.

Dan has written over thirty articles that have appeared in Young Children, Teaching Young Children, The Sage Encyclopedia of Early Childhood Education, and Childhood Exchange.  He authored the column “Guidance Matters,” featured in Young Children from 2004 to 2015.   Dan is the author of seven books including six editions of his textbook,  A Guidance Approach for the Encouraging Classroom.  Redleaf Press published two of Dan’s more recent books on guidance, for pre-service and in-service early childhood professionals.  His latest book, his third published by NAEYC, came out this past June. It is titled Education for a Civil Society: Teaching Young Children to Gain Five Democratic Life Skills.  Like Dan’s other two NAEYC books, the latest one was selected as a premium benefit for NAEYC members.

“Dr. Dan” has presented over 300 presentations, keynotes, and trainings in 26 states, Washington DC,  Germany, and Mexico.  About 20 times Dan has presented at National Conferences and Institutes of NAEYC.  Dan is a member of two families that include his wife, Dr. Julie Jochum, five adult children, and fifteen grandchildren.