Every child is different. Some have difficulty expressing their ideas verbally. Some struggle to get along with peers or follow classroom routines. In each case, however, one thing is the same: improved learning and behavior requires strong self-regulation skills. Children develop foundational skills for self-regulation in the first five years of…

Most children engage in rough play, and research demonstrates its physical, social, emotional, and cognitive value. Early childhood education settings have the responsibility to provide children with what best serves their developmental needs. One of the best ways teachers can support rough play is by modeling it for children. When adults model…

What is it like being a male early childhood educator? What advice do men in the field today have for men entering the profession? This article presents what six men at different points in their careers--a school principal, an education consultant, an English-as-a-second-language specialist, an infant/toddler teacher, a military child development…

Young children depend on their families and teachers to support their well-being and promote positive development, including eating behaviors. Children's food preferences and willingness to try new foods are influenced by the people around them. The eating behaviors children practice early in life affect their health and nutrition--significant…

Classroom teachers serve as mentors to college students majoring in early childhood education. They establish good communication, provide rich environment for classroom observation, model best practices, create opportunities for reflection, and support students' participation in curriculum planning and teaching. William H. Strader, forum…

A shortage of male teachers at all levels of public education is not a new phenomenon. Gender disparities in teaching have been around for more than a century in the United States. While roughly 39 percent of all elementary and secondary public school teachers were men as early as 1869, only 29 percent of teachers were men by the turn of the…

The preschool years are a critical period for the development of food preferences and lifelong eating habits. Between the ages of 2 and 5, children become increasingly responsive to external cues, such as television commercials that use popular cartoon characters to advertise foods, candy in supermarket checkout aisles, and fast-food restaurants…

From an early age, young children, when given the opportunity, demonstrate their interest and enthusiasm for writing. Toddlers spontaneously pick up pencils and crayons to make marks on paper, walls, and floors. Preschoolers' scribbles are indications of their growing understanding of how print and story work. Their oral stories are often…

Helping children develop resiliency begins with positive, meaningful connections between teachers and students. This article defines the importance of encouraging children to develop characteristics related to resiliency including confidence in their ability to bounce back from setbacks, overcome challenges and frustrations. Furthermore, critical…

A pilot study was undertaken to assess behavioral differences between male and female teachers of young children. Observational and interview assessment techniques were used in 18 classrooms (pre-school through second grade). Results are discussed in terms of possible effects on children's sex-role experiences and self concept development. (DP)

A male preschool teacher describes his experiences and discusses the role of male teachers in early childhood education. (SB)

The importance of including humor and playfulness in the classroom is emphasized. Children in such classrooms learn quickly, retain more, and have fewer problems than other children. (DG)

In true David Letterman style, this article presents a Top Ten List for why and how it's important to get to know the beginning teacher next door or just down the hall and listen for call signals. What follows is the Top Ten List for becoming a mentor: (1) establish reciprocal collaboration through trust; (2) offer a shoulder of support; (3) share…

In his experiences as a prekindergarten teacher, this author was struck by a simple revelation that has informed and guided his teaching practice. He discovered that the things he enjoyed teaching most were almost always connected to his own passions and values. He found that during fascinating, teachable moments the most novel thing happened: He…

Provides evidence on the adaptive significance of peer interaction in child development, described as underutilized in formal education today. Peer role in sexual socialization and moral and social development, peer modeling, reinforcement and tutoring are discussed. Studies described involved preschoolers and children in grades 1-3. (BF)