Noting that there are special considerations to take into account when creating appropriate and effective programs for young children, this issue of Progress of Education Reform focuses on early childhood care and education. The report is intended for use by policymakers who are considering implementing and/or reforming early care and education…

Intended for use with the Creative Curriculum for Early Childhood, this integrated ongoing student assessment toolkit is designed for preschool teachers to help them focus on all aspects of a child's development, thereby giving them a way to ensure that all children in their classes are making progress. The assessment kit uses a strength-based…

A language-focused curriculum emphasizes the development of language skills as a key to learning. The curriculum is designed to be appropriate for 3- to 5-year-olds, whether having difficulty acquiring language, developing language skills at a typical rate, or learning English as a second language. Intended to accompany the first volume's…

Based on the view that blocks are a tool that preschool teachers can use to teach all the skills and concepts necessary for children to be successful learners, this guide presents over 50 activities to enhance the preschool and kindergarten classroom's block corner. Chapter 1 of the guide illustrates the skills learned through block play in the…

Focusing on the argument that early childhood education plays a crucial role in children's future success, this guide provides information to educators about development-based education that leads to active and productive learning for children ages 4 through 6. The guide provides examples for planning and organizing classroom environments,…

During the preschool years, children experience great strides in their ability to use language. This booklet and companion videotape help teachers and parents recognize and support six High/Scope key experiences in language and literacy: (1) talking with others about personally meaningful experiences; (2) describing objects, events, and relations;…

In 1995, the Arkansas Early Childhood Education (ECE) Framework was developed to shape and guide quality programs in early childhood education and to guide children through a successful transition to a kindergarten curriculum based on the Arkansas K-12 curriculum frameworks. This guide, organized in three sections, presents the original ECE…

Responding to the current level of bias with regard to Native peoples in preschool education and providing opportunities for preschool children to better understand issues of cultural diversity, this curriculum guide explores Native American issues. Chapter 1 of the guide outlines the problems currently existing in the schools with regard to…

This document presents guidelines for preschool learning experiences in Massachusetts programs for 3- and 4-year-olds and is designed to be used by teachers and program administrators in planning and evaluating curricula. The guidelines structure learning through play and meaningful activities in a developmental sequence and are based on the…

The implementation of basic research on children's scientific thinking into science curricula continues to be a slow process. This chapter summarizes research on cognitive development that has helped to establish the goals for much of early science education and examines its implications. The chapter begins by describing scientific thinking and…

The field of early childhood special education (ECSE) is currently struggling with questions about relative effectiveness of different types of early intervention and how to provide children and their families with services that facilitate optimal development in inclusive settings. This chapter describes the history of ECSE and discusses recent…

Usually considered a pedagogical plan, the term "curriculum" is linked with decisions regarding educational content and often with related instructional strategies. However, a curriculum for young children embodies more than the "what" and the "how" of children's learning experiences in early childhood settings. Based…

Describes the curriculum of the public television program "Between the Lions" (BTL), a series modeling behaviors and skills that foster early literacy. Shows how BTL incorporates developmentally appropriate early literacy practices. Highlights teachers' comments illustrating how BTL is being used in different classrooms and how it…

This qualitative study examined the job satisfaction of early childhood teachers in Hong Kong: one group of kindergarten teachers and their principal experiencing a top-down curriculum implementation, and a second group of student teachers implementing a bottom-up kindergarten art curriculum. Findings revealed the need for pedagogical skills and…

The preschool program of Reggio Emilia, Italy is discussed in terms of its commitment to the community, its project- and art-based curriculum, its use of space to support curriculum goals, and characteristics of its environment. Implications of the program for American education are discussed. (BG)