This document consists of seven policy issue papers developed by the Connecticut Early Childhood Education Council, an action-oriented coalition of statewide organizations concerned with early childhood education. Members include teachers, school administrators, children's librarians, child care providers, Head Start directors, State Department of…

A tool for early childhood professionals, this book describes developmentally appropriate practices for adults providing care and education services to young children. Part 1 of the guide presents the position statement of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) on developmentally appropriate practice in early…

The educational objective of the Russian "Development" curriculum for children ages 3-7 is the development of creative and intellectual abilities. Theoretical foundations for the curriculum include the works of Vygotsky, Venger, Leontev, and Zaporozhets, which offer ideas such as: (1) child development is the unity of affective and…

This book details a process for using student portfolios to support improved learning for children, teachers, and families, with the goal of encouraging reflection and goal-setting by individual learners and engaging parents in assessment and evaluation through frequent and varied communication. The book provides three major features: portfolio…

This document consists of seven policy issue papers developed by the Connecticut Early Childhood Education Council, an action-oriented coalition of statewide organizations concerned with early childhood education. Members include teachers, school administrators, children's librarians, child care providers, Head Start directors, State Department of…

This British report demonstrates the importance of early learning as a preparation for effective education to promote social welfare and social order, and to develop a world-class workforce. It shows how countries benefit from providing good preschool education for children. Chapter 1 summarizes the case for the systematic public provision of high…

This paper presents an overview of the life and ideas of John Comenius (1592-1670) and compares practices advanced by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) with principles advocated by Comenius. Comenius' educational plans called for education to begin at birth and continue to adulthood. Education was divided into…

A Q-sort technique was used to determine whether there were appreciable differences between views of appropriate kindergarten programming held by professional organizations, kindergarten teachers, and elementary school administrators. A set of 52 cards with statements regarding kindergarten program components was developed from position statements…

This curriculum guide for teachers of young children provides a framework that sets forth the program's philosophy, goals, and objectives for children, as well as guidelines for teaching that address all aspects of a child's development (socio-emotional, cognitive, and physical). It attempts to offer teachers the guidance, support, and freedom to…

This guide for educators presents an educational continuum encompassing traditional approaches to developmentally appropriate practice. Children, parents, teachers, and the classroom are discussed in terms of resources they provide for the learning experience and the movement towards developmentally appropriate practice. For example, children can…

This report identifies and synthesizes what is known about specific program features for children and youth aged 6-17 that might be manipulated or regulated-components such as staff wages, group size, activities, and theoretical approach that make up the "how" of program implementation. The authors have culled information from the limited extant…

The Building Blocks to Colorado's Content Standards were developed to connect early childhood education to the K-12 content standards, to advocate for appropriate teaching strategies for preschool children, and to support awareness and understanding of early childhood foundational skills among parents and teachers. Five sets of building blocks are…

Although early childhood education is important for all children, research suggests that it is particularly important for low-income and educationally disadvantaged children. Of the 53 Austin Independent School District (AISD) elementary schools that provided prekindergarten education, five Title I schools with full-day prekindergarten programs…

As part of a series designed to support parents and caregivers of young children in the home, this booklet focuses on providing opportunities for children to learn about music and develop listening skills. The booklet's introductory section focuses on the importance of music in our everyday lives, the role of music in culture and its connection…

This report is intended to inform policymakers, administrators, and teachers regarding the development of standards or benchmarks addressing language and literacy skills in prekindergarten programs. The report notes that although standards and benchmarks can bring clarity to what should be expected of young children, there are challenges in…