This cross-national study involved 56 toddler classrooms in Poland and the Netherlands. A cluster analysis was conducted to identify classroom profiles based on observed quality and these were compared regarding structural (group size and children-to-teacher ratio) and curriculum (e.g. pre-academics and pretend play) characteristics. In total, 224…

The Philippines and Malaysia are members of ASEAN who respond to the challenge of EFA goals and Work Plan on Education 2016-2020, particularly on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 4.2: "By 2030 ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for…

Forest kindergartens are a new idea in the United States but have been around in Germany, Norway, and other European countries for decades. Forest "kindergartens" are preschools for children ages 3-6 and focus on being outdoors and learning through interacting with nature. Instead of building with blocks or doing puzzles at a table…

Children who learn math fundamentals in preschool and kindergarten have the best chance of later achievement in school--but too often, children don't get the effective early math instruction that makes all the difference. Now there's a core early childhood textbook that helps current and future educators teach the most critical math concepts to…

Contains a series of short, experientially oriented articles on circle time entitled "You Can Make Circle Time Developmentally Appropriate"; "Using Circle Time as a Hub of Curriculum"; "Working It Out Together in Circle Time"; and "Starting with Stories: Building a Sense of Community." (SD)

Discusses ways science can be included in every activity of the preschoolers' day. Describes four characteristics of young children that are important to remember when planning science activities. Provides guidelines for developing and evaluating science activities. Presents a preschool unit on insects and offers suggestions for incorporating…

Recognizing the long-lasting impact of young childrens learning through themes as well as the amount of teacher time spent in preparing for this type of teaching, this kit is designed to help teachers avoid the shortcomings of theme-based teaching, while capitalizing on the benefits of this approach. The book is presented in two sections. The…

Describes the day-to-day implementation of a project involving the creation and operation of a city made with wooden blocks in a kindergarten classroom. By acting out the "Roxaboxen" story, children improved their reading, writing, and calculation skills. They learned from personal experience that living in a society involves…

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,…

A language-focused curriculum emphasizes the development of language skills as a key to learning. The curriculum is designed to be appropriate for 3- to 5-year-olds, whether having difficulty acquiring language, developing language skills at a typical rate, or learning English as a second language. Intended to accompany the first volume's…

This book provides a constructivist interpretation of developmentally appropriate preschool and kindergarten curriculum, incorporating descriptions of how activities are transformed over time and how children's reasoning is transformed, and placing the interpretation in the context of the play-oriented approach advocated by the National…

Based on a musical celebration of children's diversity, this early childhood curriculum guide provides guidance in using the compact disk "Nobody Else Like Me" to help children think critically about and appreciate differences and similarities among people. The guide is organized into 12 sections, each focusing on one of the songs from the disk,…

This preschool curriculum was developed by a local task force in Lower Kuskokwim School District, Alaska. The task force based their work on the book "Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8," on input from district parents of young children, and on the recommendations of a…

Explores the learning opportunities cooking activities can provide in a kindergarten classroom. Language arts, math, science, fine-motor skills, art, health, music, and social studies are some of the curriculum areas that can benefit from these kind of activities. Cooking also is explored as an opportunity for parent involvement, where parent and…

This booklet provides suggestions for reassessing, modifying, and arranging child care center environments to best serve the needs of children and staff. The booklet notes that a well-planned environment can provide young children with appropriate and challenging learning experiences within a consistent and secure setting. Such an environment also…