This conceptual article describes key considerations for elementary school personnel to ensure social emotional multi-tiered systems of supports (MTSS) are adapted for kindergarten classrooms. Kindergarten represents a unique developmental period of early childhood when 5 to 6-year-old children transition into formal schooling and experience a…

The amount of intentional, instructional, purposeful play has decreased in primary grades, and didactic, test-driven instruction has increased. Emerging neuroscientific evidence is beginning to highlight the significant effects the toxic stress from poverty has on developing brains. Almost half of American children can be considered to come from…

This paper describes a nature-based social-emotional approach to supporting young children's holistic development that can be applied in a range of early childhood settings from forest kindergartens and nature-based preschools to more traditional center-based early childhood programs. "The Social-Emotional and Environmental Education…

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, as of this writing, 21 states and three U.S. territories have ordered or recommended school building closures for the rest of the academic year, with closures impacting at least 124,000 U.S. public and private schools and affecting at least 55.1 million students. In addition, districts in nearly all other states…

The Maryland-Minnesota Child Care Research Partnership brought together two states committed to examining critical issues in early care and education and using research findings to inform policy with an interdisciplinary team of researchers experienced in conducting studies on (1) subsidy policy; (2) quality improvement strategies; and (3)…

As coordinators of local early childhood coalitions working to improve the quality of early childhood programs, the authors had been looking for ways to support early childhood professionals in their efforts to strengthen partnerships with families, support young children's healthy emotional development, and continue to promote developmentally…

The Early Learning Guidelines: Nebraska's Birth to Five Learning and Development Standards (hereafter referred to as the Guidelines) is a resource to provide information about young children's learning and development. The Guidelines are intended to assist adults in planning and providing meaningful learning experiences and environments for…

This article explores the relationship between attachment theory and the early childhood curriculum. During the first years of life children develop early attachment relationships with their primary caregivers. These attachment relationships, either secure or insecure, will shape children's socio-emotional development. In the USA, the predominant…

Universal screening enables service providers and families to quickly identify difficulties and implement strategies that are likely to lessen the probability of longterm negative outcomes including severe persistent challenging behaviors. The practice of universal screening is in line with the prevention approach that is the foundation of the…

Research Findings: This study, undertaken in Nicosia, Cyprus, sought to evaluate some of the hypothesized developmental benefits of developmentally appropriate practices (DAP) by investigating how the pedagogical attitudes and practices of Greek/Cypriot parents (n = 142) and teachers (n = 16) relate to 4- to 7-year-olds' (n = 142) social-emotional…

Research shows that a good kindergarten is child-centered, not academically oriented. Teachers in child-centered classrooms encourage kids to make choices, help them stretch for the next learning level, and attend to their social and emotional development. Kindergarten should be an extension of preschool, not a jump start on first grade. Current…

Examines the traditional place of play in contemporary early childhood programs in light of new directions in theory and curriculum, the push for educational outcomes, and perceived pressures of the global market economy. Maintains that a new focus on teaching through play may provide a way to reconcile demand for outcomes with a concern for…

Describes developmental interventions, attachment issues, curricular ideas, and nutritional considerations that can facilitate successful integration into U.S. early childhood environments of children adopted from overseas. Asserts that early childhood educators can nurture adopted children's development by arranging a conducive environment,…

In establishing high quality programs for young children, it is imperative that teachers focus on individual differences, growth patterns, and learning styles while providing educational experiences that develop the physical, social, emotional and cognitive domains without regard to chronological age. Research affirms that a play-oriented approach…

Reviews research on three issues related to the first edition of the developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) guidelines of the National Association for the Education of Young Children: (1) the prevalence of DAP; (2) teachers and parents beliefs about DAP and influence of beliefs on practice; and (3) how appropriate and inappropriate practice…