Students are under pressure from teachers, parents, and college admissions counselors to maintain high grade point averages, score well on high-stakes tests, participate in a variety of extracurricular activities, and gain admission to top colleges. In fact, surveys have found that most students identify academic pressure as the main reason for…

A superhighway is being built across today's education landscape, extending from preschool to graduate school, writes Armstrong. This superhighway bypasses all the byways, narrow routes, and winding paths that have traditionally filled the road from early childhood to early adulthood. As schools race to move students through the curriculum at…

Several major goals of early childhood professionals are to help children learn to work with others, care for others, verbalize feelings, support friends, show kindness and exhibit other character skills and traits. When these life skills are lacking, it affects the ways in which children interact with one another and form relationships with peers…

This investigation examined how documenting preservice teachers' work during engaging, authentic classroom experiences influenced their understanding of developmentally appropriate practices (DAP). A pragmatic action research design was used to systematically plan, document, and reflect on learning experiences to evaluate the impact of such…

As Universal Pre-K efforts sweep the nation, so does the development of state standards that define the skills and the knowledge that young children should be developing. The goal of these standards is to ensure the school readiness of all students. While the goals mentioned in this article are taken from the New Jersey Department of Education's…

Teachers of young children know the importance of designing developmentally appropriate activities to encourage motor development but are not always prepared with the information they need to accomplish this design. When teachers choose movement activities, motor development theory must be understood and utilized in the planning of activities to…

The field of youth development is based on a long tradition of youth work practice, a body of research on adolescent development, an increasing understanding of developmental processes, and work in related applied fields like education and child care. Whereas multiple lists have emerged describing what comprises or is needed for youth development,…

From birth children are labeled, motivated and sometimes stifled by words. In the home, community ore school, it is obvious that children cannot escape words and their influence. This article describes the processes and the effects of words on children's journey to adulthood and underscores the importance of educators' understanding of positive…

This article describes developmentally appropriate activities that can be used in large physical education classes (40+) to teach students about physical fitness concepts. Students should learn the "hows" and "whys" of being physically fit, including health- and skill-related fitness knowledge and the Principles of Training. Some activities in…

In this article, the author states that it's important for physical educators to understand the connection between balancing and learning. Since, balancing activities provide a link between physical education and the classroom that can enhance both academic learning and physical skill development. They need to be aware of the tremendous impact…

This research investigated the effects of two contrasting pre-k curricula, relative to practice as usual, on subsequent academic achievement. One curriculum had a strong literacy focus, the other was a less didactic "developmentally appropriate" curriculum that allowed children to have more influence on classroom activities. The purpose…

The purpose of this position statement is to promote excellence in early childhood education by providing a framework for best practice. Grounded both in the research on child development and learning and in the knowledge base regarding educational effectiveness, the framework outlines practice that promotes young children's optimal learning and…

This packet of materials includes several items that relate to early childhood education in Oregon. An information sheet describes the state's vision of comprehensive early childhood education for all children, and provides definitions, assumptions, and guiding principles that relate to that vision. A figure depicts the coordination of services…

This document summarizes presentations made at a national policy forum concerning children's transition from home and preschool to the first years of elementary school. Three presentations by individual speakers examined: (1) the strategic importance of linkages and the transition between early childhood programs and early elementary school; (2)…

The primary aim of this paper is to advance an argument for restructuring Alaska's primary school programs, a change that is considered to be urgently needed. A second purpose is to explain the elements that are part of a restructured primary school's learning program. A third purpose is to indicate primary school restructuring models currently…