Education has been one of the highest priorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) since it became a country in 1971 under the leadership of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. In 1962, when oil production started in Abu Dhabi, the country had just 20 schools for less than 4,000 students, most of them boys. The discovery of oil became the…

In this article, the author presents a discussion regarding the sharing of decision making regarding curriculum in preschool. The preschool where she teaches is housed in a diverse, faith-based elementary school in the heart of Grand Rapids, Michigan, a midsize, midwestern city. It offers full-day, half-day, and two-and-a-half-hour preschool…

Child care and early childhood education should be fully integrated. The roots and consequences of the current separation are examined. A description is provided of the Kramer Project, a day care school. Obstacles to fully integrated day care and educational services are discussed. (IAH)

This article profiles Helen J. Post-Brown, director of Sunbeam Child Care Center in Fairmont and president of West Virginia Childcare Centers United, and explains how Post-Brown faced the obstacles when managing a child care business. In the fall of 1980, Post-Brown started Sunbeam as a small preschool with 12 children. Over the years, Sunbeam has…

The warm days of spring announce an end to the dark days of winter, more time out of doors, and escape from the confines of heavy clothing. For many directors of early childhood centers, a school year does not end with the onset of summer. However, even if it is a year-round program with no official conclusion, warmer days are bound to bring a…

Business management theory and principles as applied to the administration of early childhood programs are presented in this workbook. Following a brief survey of the historical background of early childhood education and current early childhood programs, information and guidance to help plan, operate, and evaluate program facilities are provided.…

The No Child Left Behind Act leaves no doubt about the importance of effective reading instruction, setting a national goal for every child to become a proficient reader by the third grade. With 70% of fourth graders from low income families currently unable to read at even a basic level, teachers face a daunting challenge. The schools described…

This paper explores the issue of how quality in early childhood services is defined and evaluated and examines some of the implications of working within a particular paradigm at a European level. The discussion begins with the concept of early childhood services, and how the approach to defining quality relates closely to the concept of service.…

Young children think and learn differently, yet early childhood education is now subject to new pressures. Many believe that early exposure to technology accelerates mental development and improves sensory and mental capacity. There is no factual support for this idea. Children who grow up with technology are not necessarily more proficient with…

Preschool intervention may be effective for economically disadvantaged children but not for middle-class children. Yet many preschool children need universally available day care. The best way to provide this would be to work with the schools. The author promotes the return to concept of the community school as a local center for all social…

Discusses trends in early childhood education rooted in much older traditions, such as the project approach and Reggio Emilia approach, as well as the history of Head Start, and other changes in early childhood programs and services. Considers the need for practitioners to understand the theoretical and ideological foundations of pedagogical…

As teacher educators, the authors visit numerous learning environments. Each school has its own unique characteristics and personality. Some schools seem to have a magnetic draw, filling the senses with energy, wonder and intrigue. This energy, writes the authors, stems from a symbiotic relationship, a flow of spaces that work together…

A renewed interest in early childhood programs has sparked a debate at local, state, and national levels over the content of such programs, the sponsorship, and the question of who should pay. A variety of locally run early childhood services are described. (TE)

Although child development laboratory programs continue to be important players in the child development and early childhood arenas, these programs face a number of emerging issues and challenges as they seek to solidify their support on campuses nationwide. Child development lab programs have been charged to serve as: (1) sites for personnel…

Contends that appropriate day care for infants and toddlers is still an unresolved issue. Examines international research and identifies preconditions for transferring good practices to Germany. Argues for child care that allows more individual attention to the child. (CFR)