Noting that early childhood professionals around the world have a great deal in common with each other and often understand one another better than persons in their own countries who do different kinds of work, this paper explores how quality early childhood programs might meet the needs of all children. The paper first explores trends affecting…

Includes the following training materials: "Of Culture and a Sense of Place" (Jim Greenman); "Getting to Know Us: Building Classroom Culture through Our Diversity and History" (Diane E. Levin); "Building a Sense of Community: A Broader View" (Paula Jorde Bloom); "What Is My Culture?" (Susan Lyon); and…

A Child Development Associate (CDA) training project director in north New Jersey initiated a practicum to create in-service training conditions and supervisory teacher attitudes that supported the teaching efforts of assistant teachers who were working toward CDA certification in a college-based program. Specific goals of the 3-month intervention…

Noting that good training results from the instructor's skill, knowledge, and ability to plan a session based on what participants need and want, this book is a comprehensive guide that illustrates how to design, organize, conduct, and evaluate early childhood workshops and training seminars. The book includes sections on troubleshooting problem…

This instructor's guide, which is part of the training materials used in the Child Development Associate (CDA) National Credentialing Program, outlines coursework for a 6-month CDA seminar. The guide begins by describing the background, purpose, and curriculum design of the CDA Professional Preparation Program. An overview of the field experiences…

The observation manual provides a system for the naturalistic observation of interactions between the preschool child and the caregiver. It can be used in research with the preschool aged child and the parent or teacher in home, laboratory, or school settings. The behavior categories included are applicable for collecting frequency data or…

A classroom technique, the "Educational Lure" provides activities for the preschool child to "cruise, choose, explore, and learn." The "lure" consists of an object or collection of objects brought into the school, usually by the teacher. It may be made up of generally unfamiliar objects, familiar objects rarely talked about, or familiar objects…

A Head Start training program director designed a practicum to provide a short-term, cost-effective training program for community child care providers interested in earning the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential. In addition, a training-of-trainers component was developed for program supervisors interested in serving as advisors to…

Early childhood educators are advised to confront difficulties arising from Alaska's economic problems by establishing coalitions between families with young children and service providers, with the intention of creating new programs and maintaining existing family support and education programs. Evidence of the desirability of a wide range of…

Based on the view that the quality of children's early experiences depends largely on the knowledge, experience, and skills of the people who work with them, this guide for early childhood practitioners in Vermont is designed to help them prepare and carry out a personally tailored professional development plan. The guide is presented in four…

Describes approaches to inservice evaluation of early childhood teachers, and provides a rationale and guides for conducting teacher evaluations. A sample form for inservice evaluation is included. (RH)

The form of communication used in the classroom affects content of knowledge that teacher and students mutually construct. Described is how the polite discourse used by a kindergarten teacher and her students, as they engaged in a social studies lesson, formed a context for the learning of certain types of concepts about the world to the exclusion…

The Head Start Male Role Model Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential Program is based on the assumptions that men are valued as nurturers of small children; that low-income Black and Hispanic males can be successful as educators and role models to young children and other men; and that early childhood education can be a remunerative and…

In craft training, children are taught preschool skills as they create art projects with an adult. By creating toys, pictures, and other projects from readily available materials, children become involved in cooking, coloring, cutting, drawing, gluing, and beginning writing. The first rule of craft training is to let the child do the work of…

This resource manual is intended to serve as a guide for preschool teachers in teaching value-related concepts and in providing children with experiences that foster self-understanding, self-acceptance, and strong relationships with others. Instructions for numerous games, fingerplays, and other activities are given as are many references to…