Examines the question of crossing cultures in early childhood education settings. Suggests that parenting education should focus on clarifying parents' values and goals rather than on socializing them into the standard early childhood perspectives. Suggests that early childhood educators help people clarify their cultural values and examine how…

As the Suzuki method of music instruction has spread from Japan to other countries, its methods have been modified to adapt to the culture of those countries. In this paper the Japanese cultural background, and the principles and methods developed in Japan are discussed and compared with the adaptations made in the United States. The Suzuki method…

Some early childhood educators have proposed that the knowledge base used to inform the early education field actually serves to support the status quo, reinforces prejudices and stereotypes, and ignores the real lives of children. The purpose of this book is to deconstruct early childhood education, identifying and evaluating the themes and forms…

Most parents do everything they can to facilitate the health and happiness, growth and development of their children. Nevertheless, Western society leaves parents the responsibility for children's well-being, but does not empower parents to ensure that well-being. This book takes the position that our society is inimical to children and has…

Focusing on the not-yet-conventional ways in which young children write and read--their nature, contexts, and significance for continuing literacy development, this book presents the perspective that children's early reading and writing behaviors are not pre- anything, but are integral parts of an incipient language process. Following an…

Characteristics of successful living arrangements in intentional communities are presented by examining kibbutz life. The first section discusses four bases for establishing and maintaining an intentional community: interest, justice, cultural flowering, and love (deep interpersonal and intergroup relationships and religious values). The second…

Papers presented at a 1977 symposium on language acquisition held at the University of Wisconsin/Milwaukee are included. Contents are as follows: "Assumptions, Methods and Goals in Language Acquisition Research" (Sheldon); "The Mother as LAD: Interaction between Order and Frequency of Parental Input and Child Production"…

This paper addresses ways ways in which African-American families can influence their children's development, usually with guidance from school or other community agents. We discuss the importance of "discipline styles" for effective parenting and emphasize an approach to family involvement in child development utilizing a child's strengths. We…

In 1984, the Salt Lake City (Utah) school district was one of the first in the nation to set up a public school classroom in a homeless shelter. This book describes one teacher's experiences teaching kindergarten through sixth grade in this "school with no name." Through poignant stories, the book illustrates some lessons learned over 6…

If early childhood systems are to be effective at the population level then they must be able to provide family-centered care to all the racial, ethnic and cultural groups that they serve. Despite major policy driven and technological advances in healthcare, health disparities across different races and ethnicities persist. For example, the infant…

This document contains 14 papers that examine recent changes in the definition, principles, and delivery of population education throughout the world. The paper titles are as follows: "Introduction" (Linda King); "Reaching Men for Health and Development" (Benno de Keijzer); "Boys, Men and Questions of Masculinity in South Africa" (Robert Morrell);…