Growing a nature kindergarten that can flourish takes a community, careful planning, and sustained support. In 2011, the Sooke School District in British Columbia, Canada undertook the project of creating a nature kindergarten when outdoor programs of this kind did not exist in the Canadian public school system. Inspired by the well-established…

Overcoming challenges to quality early education in developing nations, TEACH Rwanda, one high-performing education system, offers a model of childhood learning through sensitive teacher dispositions, child-centred play, and culturally relevant materials. This manuscript provides a unique window into the practices of a quality early childhood…

Engaging teachers of young children in effective in-service professional development is a critical component of establishing high quality early childhood education. However, not all professional development offerings are effective in imparting new knowledge, enhancing teacher practice, or improving child outcomes, making it difficult for teachers…

When schools, families, and communities collaborate and share responsibility for students' education, more students succeed in school. Based on 30 years of research and fieldwork, the fourth edition of the bestseller "School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Your Handbook for Action," presents tools and guidelines to help develop more…

Case studies provide numerous opportunities for professional development and can be particularly helpful in transdiciplinary training. This article offers suggestions for how to use the "Zero to Three" Journal's "Stories From the Field" series of articles across a variety of settings and roles such as clinical practice, program…

Argues that understanding of five major dimensions of normal child development can be useful for those who work with special children: child development theories, norms, research models, intervention models, and communication techniques. (RH)

This training guide presents background information about the Child Development Associate (CDA) program, including a definition of quality CDA training that incorporates six criteria established by the Office of Child Development. The purposes of the guide are (1) to provide a clear and specific description of the CDA criteria in order to promote…

This paper explores various aspects of training preschool teachers in the Federal Republic of Germany to cooperate with parents in the education of their children. An initial discussion of teacher training programs in Germany focuses on the lack of a theoretical concept of socialization and social work as a basis for working with parents, and the…

Designed for Head Start grantees, this book provides training guidelines for improving Head Start staff competency. Chapter I offers a rationale for staff training activities, while chapter II characterizes the Head Start trainee. Chapter III addresses assessment of training needs on program and staff levels. The development of a training plan is…