372 Sandra Taenzer: Leading the Way In Early Childhood Special Education

At 86, Sandra “Sandy” Taenzer reflects on a lifetime of innovation in Early Childhood–Special Education that began in the 1960s in Germany and still resonates today. Working in a large Illinois School District, Sandy helped initiate early childhood special education through a Federal “First Chance Grant” in 1972. She and a multi-disciplinary team championed “natural, play-based assessment and play as the basis for early learning” She also pioneered collaborative partnerships with school districts and agencies, building interdisciplinary teams to serve children and families more holistically. Since moving to Minnesota’s North Shore of Lake Superior in 2004, Sandy has become affectionately known as “Grandma Sandy,” volunteering through home visits, childcare centers, and one-on-one mentoring. Active with Arrowhead Indivisible, she speaks publicly about the Holocaust, sharing stories she heard firsthand from an older neighbor while living in Germany in her early twenties. Sandy warns that she now sees troubling parallels in today’s America.

"I’ve been an activist all my life, working to ensure that every child has the chance to be their best self." - Sandra Taenzer

Connect with Sandy

Email: [email protected]

Learn more about Sandy’s ground-breaking work. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library--Oral History Interview - Educational Reform Act 1985 Sandra Taen zer

https://presidentlincoln.illinois.gov/oral-history/collections/taenzer-sandra/interview-detail/

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