The extent to which academic instruction should be a major goal of the curriculum for preschool and kindergarten children is a constant topic of debate among the many parties concerned with early childhood education. The main argument presented in this report is that the traditional debates in the field about whether to emphasize so-called free…

It goes without saying that the terms people use in their daily discourse constantly change. Today the term "nursery school" is referred to as preschool and Pre-K. Perhaps it reflects the contemporary view that the main mission of early education is preparation for school, i.e. "school readiness." But that particular shift in terms is not as…

Instead of offering a community a predetermined curriculum to be applied in its Head Start project, the Enabler Model would focus on helping local Head Start staff and parents plan and conduct a program of their own choosing, through the supportive assistance of an early childhood education specialist--the Enabler. (Author/CB)

To assess whether or not a child's development is going well, preschool teachers might ask the following questions: Does the child fall asleep easily and wake rested? Does the child eat with appetite? On the average, over a period of 3 or 4 weeks, does the child have bowel and bladder control? Does the child exhibit a range of emotions? Does the…

Much can be gained by providing preschool children opportunities to work on projects. Projects invite children's participation at various developmental levels; strengthen their capacity and disposition for involvement in work requiring sustained effort; and are ideal for mixed age, ability, or linguistic groups. Teachers have a central role to…

The preschool program of Reggio Emilia, Italy is discussed in terms of the quality of the program's environment, the quality of its students' work, and student and teacher planning involved in the projects undertaken by the students. It is maintained that children in the Reggio Emilia program know what is important to the adults around them.(BG)

Examples are provided in this discussion to indicate the nature of professional judgment in a teaching situation likely to be encountered by most child care workers or preschool teachers. Specifically, this predicament involves a problem in turn taking among 4-year-olds. As used here, the term "professional judgment" refers to cognitive…

Discusses maternal, therapeutic and instructional teacher role models and effects of teaching styles on preschool children. Suggests need for preschool educators to be more sensitive to parents' goals, which may be more instructional and control oriented than the teacher's. (NH)

There are several ways in which children's early experience is related to later development. First, there is irrefutable evidence that less than best quality early experiences represent missed opportunities for substantial contributions to the rest of children's lives. Second, recent research has found that about 80 percent of all neurological…

To compare the effectiveness of the traditional and the experimental approaches to Head Start classrooms, 68 children and six teachers in San Francisco participated in an educational experiment. The traditional approach emphasizes the children's internal motivation resulting from spontaneous free play and warm, accepting teachers, while the…

Focusing on parents' most persistent concerns about their children's growth and development, the 54 brief articles collected in this volume first appeared as monthly columns in "Parents Magazine." Section 1, "The Challenges of Parenthood," includes essays on alternative approaches to discipline, the limits of openness, teaching…

Increased understanding of the parameters of early childhood education, and the ways they interact and influence each other, may help educators to more successfully translate theory into practice. (NH)

To help parents address those aspects of their child's development which may need special encouragement, support, or intervention, this digest delineates 11 categories of behavior for assessment. Parents should not be alarmed if their children are having difficulty in only a few categories, and they should not judge their children's permanent…

Since the groundwork for social development is laid during a child's early years, early childhood programs should include regular, periodic, formal and informal assessments of children's progress in the acquisition of social competence. One assessment tool that can be used is the Social Attributes Checklist, which lists attributes of a child's…