In an age when play is often seen as frivolous or unproductive, this book explains the importance of play in early childhood education. Each chapter focuses on a specific type of play, includes suggestions for putting theory into practice, and offers recommendations for language and information educators can use to help parents understand that…

This text offers a comprehensive analysis of the concept of the modern creative and imaginative child in Western education. Drawing on archived sources and historical works, it reframes childhood creativity as a social, cultural, and scientific construction, asking how our thinking and acting toward the creative child have been produced…

For a century, America's early childhood policy has been premised on a myth. This falsehood--which dictates that child care and education are somehow separate and distinct--not only suboptimizes the most important window into all human development, but costs American taxpayers an untold fortune. It's time to think differently. Written in plain yet…

"Working Well with Babies" describes the comprehensive competencies (including the knowledge, dispositions, and skills) that educators of infants and toddlers must have to provide optimal support for infants and toddlers. Designed as a learning resource for both in-service and pre-service infant/toddler practitioners, this text details…

Use this inspirational resource to engage in Pro-Black teaching with young children as an antidote to endemic anti-Black racism in schools and society. Drawing from a critical case study of K-3 teachers who used Pro-Black teaching in their daily instruction, this important book puts forth positive perspectives regarding Blackness and Black people…

Now in a second edition, this popular resource shows teachers and childcare providers how to work with young children based on current neuroscience research. Revised and expanded, it contains a wealth of practical and specific activities and materials to use with infants and toddlers to enhance growth and development. For each activity presented,…

This book examines how an understanding of social-cultural and resource dynamics can inform the development of context-sensitive approaches to the early education and care of young deaf children, and the support of their caregivers. The authors investigate what it takes to facilitate deaf children's progress through early childhood, focusing on…

Learn how to create and nurture communities of care for diverse children, families, and practitioners through responsive practice. In this text, the social and emotional worlds of babies and toddlers, their peers, and their caregivers come to life in the everyday moments of infant-toddler care and education. The authors show infants and toddlers…

This case study is based on a program evaluation of a professional certificate program that trains early childhood care and education providers to build and support young children's emotional literacy. The research project described in the case study will address approaches to methodological combination, justifying research design and changes to…

The majority of public school principals are now required to supervise and evaluate early childhood teachers and classrooms, yet many do not have a sufficient understanding of child development and early childhood pedagogy to lead for equity. This practical and comprehensive resource addresses this critical gap by presenting current research on…

This book provides theoretical answers, applied methodological models, and didactic experiences that seek to reflect and analyze the potentialities and challenges of the active learning concept in STEAM disciplines and social sciences education. It also contributes to the understanding, intervention, and resolution of contemporary social problems…

This book is an exploration of story and its importance in early childhood. It provides a thorough theoretical foundation, and considers how to practically implement the use of stories to aid children's wellbeing and holistic development. The chapters cover topics including cognitive and emotional development, creativity, play, mathematics,…

Learn how to navigate the challenging terrain of connecting with a child who is deeply afraid, angry, and/or sad. Framing this work as emotionally responsive teaching (ERT), this book expands current conceptualizations of trauma-informed practice to encompass more broadly the relational demands of supporting young children with challenging life…

Early childhood is a crucial stage in a child's life, and aspects of the environment in the physical, social-emotional, cognitive, and health and safety domains all play important roles in shaping children's development during these early years. Having a valid and reliable measure of the quality of these aspects of children's care settings is…

"Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood Education and Care" delves into the dynamic landscape of early childhood education and critically addresses the intersection of theory and practice, offering a range of theoretical frameworks and practical strategies to support the holistic development of children. It explores a diverse array of…