Presents guidelines for parents and teachers on preparing young children (3 to 8 years old) for a visit to the art museum. In preparing children for museum experiences, education for the art museum should be related to child development, begin long before entering a museum ("museum education"), and be sequential. (BB)

This document is a description of the National Children's Study, the largest long-term study of children's health and development ever to be conducted in the United States. The National Children's Study reaffirms the federal government's commitment to the health and well being of children by drawing together the nation's top experts on child…

Research cited supports the conclusion that early childhood education should not be taken out of the home and placed in schools and day care centers. The risks of speeding up children's learning, the value of mothering and the contradictions between research and practical application are examined. (ST)

Two authors weigh the evidence on starting to emphasize early literacy skills during preschool, discussing student-centered versus content-centered classrooms, looking at developmentally appropriate education, presenting their differing views on the subject, and responding to one another's opinions. Two sidebars discuss Project Headstart's…

ARGUMENTS AGAINST FORMALIZED READING INSTRUCTION IN THE KINDERGARTEN WERE PRESENTED. AFTER PRELIMINARY COMMENTS CONCERNING THE PURPOSE AND PLAN OF THE CONFERENCE, THE NEW JERSEY STATE BOARD STANDARDS FOR KINDERGARTENS WERE DISCUSSED IN LIGHT OF THEIR CRITERIA FOR ESTABLISHMENT AND THEIR ADMINISTRATION. THE CASE AGAINST MAKING READING INSTRUCTION A…

The proceedings of the First National Home Start Conference are presented, based on reports of the sessions and activities of the meeting which was aimed at strengthening and supplementing child development in the home. Topics discussed include parent education, toy lending libraries, use of television, contributions of Head Start, early reading,…

This report provides a compilation of indicators of school readiness used in national, state, and local surveys in the United States, delineating the advantages and disadvantages for each indicator. The report begins with a legend to assist in interpreting the tables and includes contact information for national and state surveys. The remainder of…

Researchers examined relationships among children's television viewing, school readiness, parental employment, and the home environment's educational quality. Thirty low-income parents completed surveys. Their preschoolers completed IQ and school readiness assessments. Television viewing adversely related to school readiness and the home…

Analyzed kindergarten report cards from Ohio public schools. Results indicated that there was an emphasis on academic skills and that kindergartners were expected to master skills in work habits and reading and math readiness. A behaviorist perspective was favored. (PCB)

A model for predicting organized youth sport participation readiness has four predictive components: sport-related fundamental motor skill development; sport-specific knowledge; motivation; and socialization. Physical maturation is also important. The model emphasizes the importance of preparing children for successful participation through…

Offers a perspective, grounded in theory and practice, on issues of readiness and education during the preschool and kindergarten years. Stresses the role of adult involvement in children's learning, and emphasizes preschool as an essential time for building cognitive skills. Illustrates with images drawn from practice in Korean early-childhood…

Perceptual-motor activities are being recognized as possible contributors to the general readiness of children for learning through the development of perceptual-motor abilities. The contribution of perceptual-motor activities to specific perceptual readiness skills is being reexamined. Readiness programs are generally designed to help children to…

The Bridge To School Program was designed to supplement and extend the scope of an ongoing early childhood developmental program, the "Readiness Program", by providing individualized attention and instruction to specially selected seriously learning disabled children between the ages of 5 and 7 in order to facilitate the development of…

The purpose of this tool kit is to provide guidance, tools, and resources that will assist communities in building culturally and linguistically competent services, supports, programs, and practices related to young children, their families. By offering services in culturally and linguistically meaningful ways, communities can engage all families…