Bringing together an inspirational group of educators, this book provides key insights into what it means to implement social justice ideals with young children. Each chapter highlights a teacher's experience with a specific aspect of social justice and ethnic studies, including related research, projects and lesson plans, and implications for…

This collection of six essays shares insights and strategies from the Education Development Center's (EDC) work to close opportunity gaps in mathematics education and support teachers in improving instruction. This report includes the following essays: (1) Adam's World: Reflections on the Achievement Gap; (2) Five Key Characteristics of Effective…

A growing number of children are entering kindergarten without the skills that enable them to be successful in an academic setting. However, it is not children's cognitive skills that concern educators; it is their social and emotional skill deficits that are most troublesome. This article discusses how family and community risk factors can…

This article describes kindergarten from the perspective of the whole child. Specifically, it reviews current research on best practices to improve children's math and language arts competencies, memory skills, and the role of kindergarten in beginning science. It also describes the social experiences children have in kindergarten with respect to…

Despite New Zealand's reputation in literacy instruction, a major achievement gap has been identified for minority Maori and Pacific Islands children in poor schools. An intervention through professional development of teachers modified instructional practices in beginning literacy instruction. The intervention involved 72 teachers from 12 schools…