Mentoring early childhood education students who are preparing to attend and make presentations at a conference can be rewarding for all involved. Often, students present current research they have conducted or share specific expertise in areas such as lesson planning, learning materials, or fund-raising. Successful mentoring, leading to…

Comments on the dilemma of defining the early care and education profession when its knowledge base is needed to determine both the tone and substance of the national social policy agenda. Suggests considering early care and education as part of the broader field of people known as developmentalists and, in this role, ensuring that children's…

NAEYC asks members and other stakeholders in quality early childhood education to share their thinking with the Commission on NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards and Accreditation Criteria on a number of questions concerning NAEYC's future accreditation system.

This article introduces the suggested program standards for the next era of NAEYC accreditation and solicits comments on the proposed standards from early childhood professionals. Each standard is a global, evidence- and value-based statement that identifies performance expectations for an area of functioning in excellent early childhood programs.

This annual report provides strategies for improving the quality of early childhood programs. Describes changes in early childhood education, changes affecting National Association for the Education of Young Children's (NAEYC's) capacity, and adapting NAEYC's existing strategies and launching new ones. Contains a 1996-97 financial summary of…