A 1-year research project was designed to analyze an early childhood teacher's current teaching practices within a framework of existing theories and to address unexpected or anomalous situations by constructing and testing new categories of understanding, strategies of action, and ways of framing problems. The main teacher concern addressed by…

This report describes the development, introduction, and evaluation of the SuperStart comprehensive prekindergarten program adopted by the New York City Public Schools in 1990. By 1991, SuperStart offered 299 classes in 188 schools, providing a developmentally appropriate learning environment to foster cognitive, social, emotional, and physical…

This study investigated whether there were differences in science teachers' efficacy, perceptions of support and knowledge of developmentally appropriate curriculum and instruction in the two organizationally different settings of the junior high and the middle school. Teacher questionnaires were used as a source of data. From 127 returned…

This collection of eight essays examines the current and future status of early childhood education and care (educare), focusing on Europe but also addressing issues applicable to the wider world. The essays are: (1) "Early Childhood Intervention: An Overview of Practice North and South" (John Bennett); (2) "Developing the Child's…

To ensure that children will be able to learn to resolve interpersonal conflicts, teachers need to examine the ways in which they resolve conflicts with the young children under their care. Teachers also need to ensure that children: (1) possess environments where they trust that they will be safe and well-cared for; (2) develop a sense of…

This booklet provides suggestions for reassessing, modifying, and arranging child care center environments to best serve the needs of children and staff. The booklet notes that a well-planned environment can provide young children with appropriate and challenging learning experiences within a consistent and secure setting. Such an environment also…

The curriculum guide presented in this paper promotes a nurturing environment that facilitates the development of the total child. The program is designed to be used by teachers, administrators, and parents in both public and private school settings. The philosophy of the program is experimentalist-cognitive. A number of proposals relevant to…

Various components of quality early childhood programs are detailed in the papers contained in this book. In the opening chapter, Mildred Dickerson and Martha Ross assess the current status of child care in the United States. Milly Cowles, in a chapter on curriculum, outlines the essential components of effective early childhood programs. Mac…

Summarizes the NAEYC position statement on developmentally appropriate practice in the primary grades serving students aged 5 through 8 years. Uses a comparative format of appropriate and inappropriate practice related to curriculum goals, teaching strategies, integrated curriculum, guidance of social and emotional development, motivation, and…

The High/Scope Curriculum is a developmentally based approach to early childhood education. This curriculum's "Extensions" newsletter, in which the articles in this collection first appeared, informs curriculum users about new development, relating to the High/Scope "open framework" curriculum. This collection divides the…

In child-centered education programs, children construct their own knowledge from their experiences and interactions with the world around them, and teachers foster children's growth and development by building on children's interests, needs, and strengths within a safe and caring environment. The Step by Step educational program developed a…

Although the United States has seen a record influx of infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged children into the foster care system in the past decade, there has not been an accompanying shift in policy or practice to attend to the developmental issues these younger children bring to child welfare. This textbook addresses the spectrum of child…

This book compiles abstracts of presentations from a symposium held in honor of Dr. Bernard Spodek, a leading scholar in early childhood education, on the occasion of his retirement. Topics addressed are as follows: (1) culture in early childhood curriculum; (2) developmental and cultural appropriateness; (3) kindergarten in Japan; (4) pressure…

This chapter is part of a book that recounts the year's work at the Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC) at Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi. Rather than an "elitist" laboratory school for the children of university faculty, the ECDC is a collaboration between the Corpus Christi Independent School District and the…

The project approach to teaching allows children to explore a topic in depth and document his or her learning. This guide for teachers shows how good project work can address challenges faced by early childhood teachers, such as overcoming ill effects of poverty, or responding to children with special needs. The book provides guidelines for…