Five articles discussing communications in vocational education include "The Golden Rule of Administration" by Ben Mortensen; "Vital Link with Parents" by Richard Sullivan; "An Interpersonal Exercise" by John Villiers; "Face to Face with Employers" by Gregg Bosak; and "Recruitment Strategies" by Susan Miller. (SK)

Suggests that parents who are aware of the differences between home play and school play more fully understand and value the role of play in the early childhood curriculum. Discusses benefits of school play along several dimensions, including interaction with peers and adults, group size, materials, planning, and guidance. Suggests ways for…

Differentiates "significant" and "important" preschool events. Claims that it is important to increase the frequency and quality of responsive interactions with individual children; increase awareness of the importance of stable families and a secure attachment to parents; improve interactions with parents to strengthen their…

Maintains that early childhood teachers and administrators must address the possibility that the young children they serve will become gay or lesbian adults; work with gay and lesbian parents and colleagues with sensitivity; and work to relinquish any homophobia they might have. (BB)

Maintains that early childhood educators can help the South's children increase their degree of literacy by demonstrating that literacy is a lifelong process; by supporting children's families in their literacy efforts; and by becoming an advocate for excellent early childhood education and care. (BB)

Discusses current initiatives to restructure the U.S. educational system and interpretations assigned to those initiatives. Sources of information about educational restructuring are recommended, site-based management is discussed, some of the implications of these current trends in education for library media specialists are explained, and…

Maintains that child care teachers can help remedy cultural tunnel vision by promoting cultural diversity and understanding as they work with children and communicate with parents about what they are doing. (BB)

Suggests that parenting is a societal construction, and that construction includes multiple messages from policymakers, popular media, researchers, and educators that too many parents are either incompetent or unwilling to parent effectively. The paper suggests that Erikson's psychosocial theory of the individual life span can guide consideration…

This paper discusses the importance of parent involvement in middle schools, focusing on the increasing need for such involvement in today's society. It examines the development of the parent-student and teacher-student relationship, and considers the importance of the parent-teacher relationship in relation to the student's development and…

Part of the series "Early Childhood Development: Practice and Reflections," this report details the Kushanda Project, an early childhood education program in Zimbabwe. The Kushanda Project is a 16-person organization that has helped parents in rural Zimbabwe communities to understand the value of early childhood education and…

Media literacy is the topic of this second white paper presented by Cable in the Classroom. Six different contributions were invited which give a variety of perspectives and recommendations to consider. A dialogue around the topic, and the paper itself, were also created; 29 educators (list of participants provided at the end of the document) were…

Uses the opening of a new elementary school to reflect on how the community's and teachers' religious values implicitly influence the curriculum and a school's daily operation. Suggests that in a multicultural, religiously pluralistic society these values must be made explicit. Argues for an intentional dialogue between teachers and parents about…

Discusses the effects of divorce on children and suggests ways in which elementary school teachers can help ease the pain of children of divorce in their classroom. (BB)

Uses stories of families in one early childhood program to illustrate educators' challenges to communicate with families whose backgrounds are different from theirs, including low income families. Identifies strategies for supporting and involving families, including using empathy and patience to forge relationships, linking families with needed…

Play is pivotal in making inclusion work and in providing learning opportunities for all children in inclusive early childhood settings. The nature of inclusive early childhood settings forces a reexamination of the underlying assumptions about play, its role in child development, and its place within the curriculum. A continuum of interventions…