Deborah Leong
Deborah J. Leong, Ph.D., is the president and co-founder of and professor emerita of Psychology at Metropolitan State University of Denver, where she taught cognitive and developmental psychology for 36 years. In 1995, Deborah developed Tools of the Mind with Dr. Elena Bodrova. Tools of the Mind offers professional development for PreK-elementary educators and a comprehensive Pre-K and Kindergarten curriculum that incorporates Vygotskian theory, neuroscience, and the science of learning and development. Tools is designed to empower teachers with the knowledge and tools they need to support the development of self-regulated learners who can reach their full potential and create positive classroom cultures. Evaluation studies by Blair & Raver (2014) and Diamond et al. (2019) demonstrate the efficacy of Tools of the Mind鈥檚 approach with young children. Tools has also created a set of technology applications based on the Vygotskian approach to learning and executive functions to assist children鈥檚 learning at school or home, along with a coaching app to facilitate implementation and professional development.
Dr. Leong has co-authored numerous books, including Tools of the Mind: The Vygotskian Approach to Early Childhood Education; Assessing and Guiding Young Children鈥檚 Development and Learning, and The Basics of Assessment, as well as numerous articles on teaching practices that support children鈥檚 development of self-regulation including a focus on make-believe play.
Deborah has a Ph.D. from Stanford University in Psychological Studies in Education, an M.Ed. from Harvard University, and a B.A. from Stanford University. She was a Fulbright Fellow at the University of Patagonia, Argentina.
