Blocks are not just for play! In this article, Nicole Andrews describes observing the interactions of three young boys enthusiastically engaged in the kindergarten block center of their classroom, using blocks in a building project that displayed their ability to use critical thinking skills, physics exploration, and the development of language…

In "Why Knowledge Matters," influential scholar E. D. Hirsch, Jr., addresses critical issues in contemporary education reform and shows how cherished truisms about education and child development have led to unintended and negative consequences. Hirsch, author of "The Knowledge Deficit," draws on recent findings in neuroscience…

The creation of this document has been driven by an intensive review process by the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child and the National Forum on Early Childhood Policy and Programs to assure the credibility of its scientific content. Over the past 12 years, the Council's ongoing work to bring science to bear on public policies for…

Support dual-language learners as they develop the skills necessary for school readiness and success For dual-language learners--children who are learning both English and a home language--the first eight years are crucial for building strong foundations for academic success. During this time, children acquire the early literacy skills needed to…

The dynamic systems theory, a theory that goes beyond Piaget and Vygotsky, looks promising for curriculum development. In this theory it is explained how a curriculum that creates physical and psychological space for play and initiative learning (self-regulation) is being designed and how the teacher can support the enrichment of play and…

This paper introduces educators to CHARGE syndrome (CS), a multiple anomaly developmental syndrome that is usually accompanied by some degree of hearing and visual impairment. We describe the defining medical characteristics of the syndrome, and following this, outline the behavioral features commonly seen in individuals with CS. Throughout, we…

This booklet, 1 of 34 in a series on childhood education prepared by the American Institutes for Research for the 1970 White House Conference on Children, describes the Bilingual Early Childhood Program being carried out in the Edgewood Independent School District in San Antonio, Texas, where more than half of the population of 670,000 is of…

This book is designed to guide teachers through the process of creating a developmentally appropriate rhythmic gymnastics program for children age 5-11. Rhythmic gymnastics programs develop fitness, inspire creativity, and allow all children to work at their own level. The book features 10 chapters in two parts. Part 1, "Getting Started on a…

This book is written for physical educators and classroom teachers of elementary school children. It is divided into five parts. Part one presents background information for developing a child-centered program and explores the educational potential of movement experiences. Part two introduces a six-step model designed to provide a sound…

Teachers and administrators need to select objectives for student achievement in social development. Teachers need to follow definite educational psychology standards in helping students work toward objectives. In the classroom, students should have the opportunity to work with learners from diverse racial groups and socioeconomic levels.…

This research proposal reviews the literature on the development of mobility skills in students with severe physical disabilities and proposes a single-subject study, using a multiple baseline across subjects design, to evaluate effects of the Mobility Opportunities Via Education (MOVE) Curriculum on the mobility skills of sitting, standing, and…

This revised curriculum guide, one of nine sequential manuals for elementary and secondary teachers and administrators, is designed to prevent drug misuse and abuse through activities for developing students' affective and cognitive skills. The introductory section presents the rationale for the school-community drug abuse prevention program…

The goals of this practicum were to: (1) create more suitable and stimulating structured environments that would engage severely/profoundly handicapped children in positive play situations in the classroom and in the home, and (2) teach parents and caregivers how to identify age appropriate and developmentally appropriate playthings. Inservice…

The monograph summarizes seven presentations made at a 1976 workshop on responsibility education, defined as a movement to establish and nourish an educational system that will develop and enhance the growth of responsible citizens. The first article describes social trends, such as the breakdown of the traditional family, which have increasingly…

Advocates reintegrating social studies into early primary education. Provides social studies objectives for young children that include building positive self-concept; promoting understanding of cultural differences; gaining early appreciation of law concepts; and developing spatial and temporal skills. Argues that young children become more…