Maria Montessori developed a form of education in the first half of the last century that came to be called by her surname, and research indicates it often has positive outcomes. In the years since its development, tens of thousands of schools worldwide have called their programs "Montessori," yet implementations vary widely, leading to…

Children's theatre in the UK is thriving. Debates about why children should watch theatre and what educational, emotional and expressive benefits it can provide inform cultural policy on education. Children aged 4-11 are increasingly taken to watch tailored theatre performances, yet there has been virtually no reflective research on what theatre…

As more states have become engaged in kindergarten assessment efforts, early childhood educators and assessment experts have recommended developing such efforts within a coordinated assessment system that provides data about children's progress over time, (pre-k through grade 12), and is designed to address both educational policy and practice…

Kindergarten has changed significantly in the last two decades: children now spend more time being taught and tested on literacy and math skills than they do learning through play and exploration, exercising their bodies, and using their imaginations. Many kindergartens use highly prescriptive curricula geared to new state standards and linked to…

What is science for a child? How do children learn about science and how to do science? Drawing on a vast array of work from neuroscience to classroom observation, "Taking Science to School" provides a comprehensive picture of what we know about teaching and learning science from kindergarten through eighth grade. By looking at a broad range of…

The key to improving the early education of all young children, including those with special needs, is the effective preparation and development of the professionals who work with them. "Practical Approaches to Early Childhood Professional Development" is a comprehensive planning resource for college faculty and consultants engaged in preservice …

Issues related to training of personnel working with handicapped infants/toddlers and their families center on two major areas: content of training and process of training. Following an analysis of within-discipline and cross-discipline content and within-discipline and cross-discipline training processes, recommendations are offered concerning…

This document is a model state statute to provide educational entitlements for students at risk of school failure. The statute is predicated on the conviction that children coming from the most impoverished circumstances have the ability to learn and succeed. It is also based on the belief that legislators have a pivotal role to play in…

This report discusses research related to the educational potential of 3-2-1 CONTACT, a PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) series on science and technology, which was produced by the Children's Television Workshop for a primary target audience of 8- to 12-year-olds in both home and school settings. Conducted over a 6-year period (1977-83), this…

Argues that it is essential for preschool education to explore environmental and ecological values. Discusses cognitive development of socio-ecological knowledge at three age levels. Asserts that folk tales provide good examples of ecological values because beauty usually triumphs over ugliness and good over evil. (CFR)

Issues are discussed and recommendations are offered to policymakers on the preparation of practitioners to work with infants, toddlers, and their families. Section I examines eforts to define "competence" for practitioners and programs. Section II describes in detail four key elements of training for infant/family practitioners, illustrating how…

This document, British Columbia's Early Learning Framework, is intended to guide and support early childhood educators, StrongStart BC facilitators, early years professionals, service providers, communities and governments in providing rich early learning experiences for children from birth to kindergarten. The document may also be of interest for…

This document is one of a series of guides to self-evaluation that builds on the advice given in the publications "How good is our school?" and "The Child at the Centre." It also shows how the relevant "National Care Standards" can be applied when evaluating the effectiveness of your establishment as a health…

This book provides teacher educators, administrators, practicing teachers who work with preservice teachers, policymakers, and researchers with information on the conceptual, research, and application areas of service-learning in preservice teacher education. The collection of papers offers teacher educators' thoughts about ways to enhance the…