The National Research Council's (NRC) statement and description of features of settings that have value for positive youth development have been of great importance in shifting discourse toward creating programs that capitalize on youth motivations toward competence and connections with others. This assets-based approach to promote development is…

This self-development guide for the preservice or beginning classroom teacher focuses on professional and personal growth in the context of the classroom and concentrates on teachers' affective side, a perspective or component of teaching that is not often addressed in the preparation of teachers. The volume begins with a discussion of the…

This study examined the functional relationships among motivation, perceived classroom environment, and student satisfaction, for three major curricular groups: arts and leisure programs, personal development programs, and professional development programs. The sample included 1,180 students enrolled in noncredit courses at the College of…

This book is intended to provide early childhood staff members with an understanding and appreciation of the constraints and possibilities of child care settings, and to discuss the knowledge and skills that are needed to be effective professionals. Through short scenarios extracted from the work diaries of Australian early childhood staff, the…

This book provides a personal, day-by-day record, kept over a period of 3 years, to illuminate how one teacher brought the Montessori approach to children in a kindergarten classroom. The book's introduction outlines Maria Montessori's approach to education from birth through adolescence as one which focuses on the development of each person as a…

This handbook is a resource for preschool curriculum planning. Chapter 1, "Begin with Yourself," provides checklists, comparative charts, and guiding questions for self-assessment of knowledge and experiences. Chapter 2, "Revitalizing the Environment," provides tools to assess the learning environment and makes suggestions…