In an effort to alleviate the existing teacher shortages in the field of early childhood education (ECE) across the United States, there is a necessity for teacher preparation programmes to accommodate ECE in-service teachers or graduate students (who do not have the chance to enroll in traditional graduate teacher preparation programmes due to…

Mindfulness-based practices are thought to improve teacher well-being, which can contribute to a prosocial classroom environment and positive student outcomes. Teacher preparation programs could provide preservice teachers with the opportunity to develop and practice mindfulness before they enter the classroom as lead teachers. This manuscript…

High quality field or practicum experiences are important for preparing preservice teachers for the profession. Studies suggest preservice teachers rate their practicum experiences more favourably when their cooperating teachers mentor them using apprenticeship-type practices. There is scant research on how such an approach is used in early…

Regular science practices in preschool are crucial for children's learning in science. Yet, preschool teachers may only offer science learning opportunities if they "are" and "feel" sufficiently qualified to teach early science. The present study investigates the relation between teachers' qualifications, their self-efficacy…

As teacher shortages or teacher turnover rate continue to proliferate in the field of early childhood education (ECE) across the United States in the past few decades, there seem to be a pressing need for teacher preparation programmes to accommodate prospective ECE pre-service teachers (who do not have the chance to enroll in traditional teacher…

The purpose of this paper is to analyze how positive pedagogical practices are implemented by early childhood education (ECE) teachers in Finland. A survey was conducted among 625 teachers, enquiring about specific positive pedagogical practices in ECEC. It was found that the correlation between the sum variables and principal components were…

Teacher shortages are a pervasive global issue that is expected to continue, especially in low-performing, high-needs schools [O'Connor, E. A., Malow, M. S., & Bisland, B. M. (2011). Mentorship and instruction received during training: Views of alternatively certified teachers. "Educational Review," 63(2), 219-232]. In an effort to…

Nurturing experiences in preparation for prospective early childhood educators' work with families during their training are critical for establishing empowering relationships. This article details a qualitative case study of 77 prospective early childhood educators engaged with the Parent, Family and Community Engagement Simulation. An electronic…

The work of Bruno Bettelheim presents a range of challenges, in respect of its meaning, relevance and, not least, its overall credibility. These have long been apparent in the early years education. Adopting an English perspective, the paper explores a thesis that Bettelheim's work, although fragile in its scientific grounding, has nevertheless…

Beyond his contributions to the field of psychology, Vygotsky may be considered as 'one of the first thinkers in complexity' (Jörg, 2011 p. 14). Vygotsky challenged linear causality and defended the idea of the transcendence of individual learning to focus on the generative potential of learning and development through social interactions,…

After a first peak in the late 1960s and early 1970s, early childhood education and care (ECEC) again plays an important role in the educational system in Austria. Over 90% of 3-5-year-old children attend non-familial institutions such as preschools. A consequence of this development is that new challenges arise, which have become the subject of…

This paper critically examines current concerns regarding professional issues in labour force development for teachers with children up to two years of age (UtoT). The concerns in New Zealand (NZ) relate to whether initial teacher-education (ITE) qualifications prepare teachers to work with children UtoT, involving synergy between ITE and the…

With increasing numbers of women entering the workforce in Turkey, efforts have been made to provide services for children and their families. In 2016, 33.2% of 3- to 5-year olds in Turkey were attending preschool. This figure is lower than that of most OECD countries, but the important point is to increase the attendance rate by ensuring quality.…

This study examined mainstream teachers' preparation for inclusion in Early Childhood Education (ECE). Embedded within the "core expertise" of inclusive pedagogy, this descriptive study drew on a sample of 23 mainstream teachers purposively drawn from the Midlands educational province of Zimbabwe. A constant comparative approach of…

Knowledge and skills regarding policy and advocacy are important expectations for today's early childhood workforce, yet policy and advocacy content and processes have not traditionally been emphasized in teacher preparation programmes. This article describes an innovative undergraduate course that goes beyond traditional foci on developmental…