This paper discusses preschool teacher competencies and personality traits but makes no attempt to establish a picture of an ideal teacher. Five personal qualities necessary for success with young children--good physical and mental health, fondness and respect for children, a sympathetic understanding of their capacities and ways of growing, an…

Understanding how to respond to cultural diversity is one key to successful interaction with young children and their families. This book for early childhood professionals introduces the strategy of Skilled Dialogue, a field-tested model for respectful, reciprocal, and responsive interaction that honors cultural beliefs and values, and that will…

Examines the use of role play for early childhood teachers so that they may better understand children's emotions and behavior, better understand teachers' emotions and behavior, sort out and respond to children's needs, and discover new strategies for dealing with problem situations and challenging children. Offers advice for using role play with…

Provides examples of situations in which day-care teachers must balance the needs of students, parents, staff, and supervisors, pointing out how a person's perspective can shape his or her view of a situation. Notes that teachers need to examine situations from the point of view of parents, students, and supervisors to do their job effectively.…

Guidance techniques for use with children are discussed in this set of training materials, part of an overall curriculum for Child Development Associate trainees. Topics presented include the following: (1) principles of human behavior according to such theories as psychoanalysis, humanistic psychology, and social learning theory; (2) common…

This description of the development and evaluation of a model training curriculum is part of a series of three documents which together constitute a guide to the training of the Bilingual-Bicultural Child Development Associate (CDA) trainer. The introduction focuses on the objectives, background and philosophy of the Texas Bilingual-Bicultural CDA…

Based on sound developmentally appropriate theory, this revised guide is designed to help early childhood teachers deal with common problems that arise in all aspects of their work. Following an introduction and a list of the 20 most important principles for successful preschool teaching, the guide is divided into nine parts. Part 1 addresses…

This digest explores uses of the Internet for early childhood educators. The first section discusses six popular features of the Internet: (1) electronic mail, which provides educators with a worldwide group of peers with whom to share information; (2) Internet discussion groups, which provide users with the opportunity to be part of electronic…

Noting that kindergarten entry is a major milestone for all young children and their families and that this transition to school can set the tone for the child's future school experiences, this booklet was developed to promote communication and understanding among Vermont parents, caregivers, and schools to ensure that all children experience a…

Argues for developing a storytelling culture in early childhood programs to encourage staff enthusiasm and engagement. Describes five development strategies: (1) descriptive observation; (2) using children's books in staff meetings; (3) creating persona doll stories; (4) using stories from professional literature; and (5) creating visual stories…

Describes a five-step process by which preschool teachers can meet the individual needs of all children, including those with disabilities, while maintaining a group instructional format. The process links assessment to curriculum, has planned teacher-directed individualized group instruction, implements behavior management techniques, and…

To facilitate program replication, this document comprehensively describes the University Consortium's (UC) Child Development Associate (CDA) resource model for Head Start training in Texas. Additionally, the discussion serves as a guide to the total UC-CDA modeling process for all Head Start grantees and associated institutions. Seven chapters…

The total development of the child is described in this set of training materials, one of a series developed to train Child Development Associates. The multiple factors and principles which affect physical, intellectual, social, and emotional development are presented. Successful completion of this curriculum will enable the trainee to perform in…

This paper presents an introduction to basic concepts of educational research for preschool, elementary, and secondary teachers at the Escuela Internacional Sampedrana (EIS) in Honduras who expressed interest in pursuing graduate education in the United States. EIS is a private bilingual (Spanish-English) K-12 school in Honduras. In the first part…

This guide is designed to help staff working in a range of early childhood settings to assess the progress of children from 3 to 5 years, particularly those working with "A Curriculum Framework for Children in the Pre-School Year" issued by the Scottish Office Education and Industry Department. Following an introduction, the guide is…