Reviews two evaluation tools pertaining to quality of school-age child care: "The School-Age Care Environment Rating Scale" and "The Pilot Standards for School-Age Quality." Both scales were designed to be used for staff self-evaluation, in staff training, by staff who supervise and monitor programs, and by researchers…

The perspectives of 241 multi-discipline early interventionists were elicited by asking them to describe three wishes they would make to change early intervention to ensure quality services. With few exceptions, practitioner perspectives conflicted with accepted early intervention best practices such as family-centered interventions or provision…

Presents a case study of a fourth-year kindergarten teacher who has altered her teaching from academic to more developmentally appropriate ways and now attempts to incorporate new curriculum expectations. Examines how her teaching practice evolved, her approach to new curriculum expectations, and what tensions, worries, successes and concerns…

Presents concerns over the "Early Years Study" (McCain & Mustard). Focuses on diversity issues related to the readiness measure used, parenting styles, and the importance of first language development. Questions the report's definition of "developmentally-attuned." Concludes by expressing hope that the Early Years Study…

Discusses social and educational forces that are leading to the development of all-day kindergarten. Also considered are the effects of pressures on children, parents, and schools on all-day kindergartens and the constituents of developmentally appropriate practices in kindergarten. (BB)

Examines reasons for incorporating field trips into the curriculum, ways to plan successful expeditions, and appropriate field trip experiences for young children. (BB)

Discusses the concept of transitions in early childhood classrooms, illustrates their usefulness for staff and children, and discusses the suitability of such activities in an early childhood program. Suggests that provision for active participation by the child, together with a planned child-centered outcome, allows transitions to be a most…

Developmentally appropriate games in physical education provide ample learning time for all students, not just highly skilled students. The paper explains how to modify activities to be developmentally appropriate so students at all skill levels can succeed. (SM)

Discusses the advantages of using developmentally appropriate guidance as a method of classroom management. Contrasts this method with traditional classroom discipline and clarifies the distinction between misbehavior and mistaken behavior. Analyzes the three levels of mistaken behavior and suggests that adults who approach children as individuals…

Explores the learning opportunities cooking activities can provide in a kindergarten classroom. Language arts, math, science, fine-motor skills, art, health, music, and social studies are some of the curriculum areas that can benefit from these kind of activities. Cooking also is explored as an opportunity for parent involvement, where parent and…

Discusses the narrative report, which is an alternative to the traditional report card for reporting children's development and progress to parents. Examples of entries in a narrative report are included. (BB)

This article presents strategies for early intervention in integrated settings for children with disabilities. The strategies attempt to follow principles of both developmentally appropriate practice and effective special education. Strategies are grouped into four categories: (1) attention and responsiveness to the child; (2) environmental…

This article discusses assessment and intervention efforts for young children with disabilities, based on an approach to children's peer-related social competence which stresses developmentally appropriate practices. Application of the model to children with Down's syndrome illustrates the model's appropriateness to the special needs of children…

Presents a list of techniques and principles for encouraging respect for individual differences in the nursery school. Guidelines for both speech and action are provided. (BB)

Presents excerpts of interviews of leading trendwatchers who have studied or participated in early childhood and prekindergarten efforts in public schools. Provides an excerpt from the National Child Care Association's position statement on publicly funded pre-k child care programs in public schools. (BB)