In 2006, several dedicated early childhood professionals began work on the creation of the "Nebraska Core Competencies for Early Childhood Professionals." Representatives from across Nebraska worked together. After the input from various focus groups, the document became public in July of 2007. The current revision process began in late…

This paper describes a nature-based social-emotional approach to supporting young children's holistic development that can be applied in a range of early childhood settings from forest kindergartens and nature-based preschools to more traditional center-based early childhood programs. "The Social-Emotional and Environmental Education…

A Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) framework was used in this study to gather and analyze the perceptions of mothers involved in a critical family literacy program designed to foster social and emotional development. Through narrative inquiry, participants discussed perceptions of their children's social-emotional development and the…

Noting the ever-increasing need for quality day care, and the resulting necessity for child caregivers to address the complex development of social, emotional, and motivational structures within a child, this book offers a guide for understanding and fostering the emotional growth of young children. Following an introduction which defines emotion…

This final report describes the rationale, goals and activities of a federally funded project that was designed to develop a model intervention program for hospitalized chronically ill children between birth and five years. The focus of the program was to promote optimal emotional development: attachment, separation, individualization, and…

Based on classroom observations, developmental assessment, individual educational planning, and research, this curriculum describes developmentally appropriate practices to assist adults who work with young children (primarily 3-year-olds) in providing quality care and education. Chapter 1 sets out the study's specific questions, procedures,…

Incorporating elements of humanist, Piagetian, psychodynamic, and behaviorist perspectives of child development, this guide for preschool teachers explores several topics related to curriculum planning for 4-year-old children. Chapter 1 points out the significance of the curriculum study, defines terms, and identifies assumptions and limitations…

The purposes of the Huntsville-Madison County Education Improvement Program were: (1) to develop and demonstrate a curriculum that would improve and enrich the skills, attitudes and thinking processes of the disadvantaged preschool child; (2) to develop in-service programs that would afford teachers and other personnel better understanding of the…

This book, a collection of articles by early childhood specialists, represents an attempt to identify issues and major concerns in the field, and analyze selected aspects of knowledge pertaining to early childhood education. The articles are: (1) "Introduction: From a Time of Plenty" by Bernard Spodek and Herbert J. Walberg; (2) "Affective and…

One of a series of documents produced by a nationwide network of early childhood education specialists, teachers, parents, and Head Start staff, the guide describes developmental characteristics of preschool and elementary school students by grade level. Arranged into five curriculum areas, the first presents physical, motor, social, cognitive,…

THIS CURRICULUM REPORT DESCRIBES A SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR EDUCABLE PRESCHOOL RETARDATES TOGETHER WITH AN ACCOUNT OF ITS DEVELOPMENT IN EXPERIMENTAL CLASSES OF NEW YORK CITY. THE SETTING AND PROCESS OF THE DEVELOPMENTAL CURRICULUM, THE CURRICULUM GUIDE AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION, AND THE OBSERVED BEHAVIOR AND GROWTH OF THE PARTICIPATING CHILDREN…

This technical assistance paper provides preschool planners and staff with information on developmental characteristics of preschool children relevant to planning and providing a quality preschool program. Following a case scenario underscoring the need for understanding child development, a theoretical framework concerning child development is…

Two guides for practitioners, one concerning early childhood curriculum and the other concerning the early childhood identification process are presented in this document. The curriculum guide, which constitutes the bulk of this package, approaches early childhood curriculum issues from the developmental perspective. The first section of the guide…

In order to promote critical thinking in young children, particularly children ages 5-8, teachers need to understand skills and dispositions of critical thinkers. This paper discusses these skills, dispositions, and the appropriate classroom climate, within the context of pedagogy, along with learning activities for kindergarten and primary…

"Make Early Learning Standards Come Alive" provides help, support, and explanations of how to make early learning standards come alive in classrooms and programs. Easy-to-read charts show how different states define standards in each of the major content areas and how these standards can be addressed in the classroom. The book discusses how to:…