Describes use of accreditation facilitation projects (AFP) begun in the 1990s to provide varying levels and types of support to early childhood programs engaged in the self-study process for accreditation with the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Presents insights about the early childhood program/AFP relationship related…

Provides an overview of early language and literacy development and influences. Details how teachers can use storybooks to plan toddler curricula, presents criteria for selecting toddler books for curriculum projects, and describes how one book served as the foundation for a curriculum project, focusing on representing ideas and concepts from the…

Illustrates that every child is to some degree involved in every class activity. Creative teaching can accommodate the needs of an apparently nonparticipating child. (BB)

Describes the content of the International Standing Working Conference for the History of Education which took place in Joensuu, Finland, in July 1988. The conference included 30 participants from 12 countries who presented papers on the history of the professional preparation of preschool teachers. (RJC)

Provides a history of early childhood care and education in pre- and postindependent India. Outlines current education schemes and examines the contribution of research to this area, suggesting that the current interaction between researcher and policymaker may result in more concrete promotion of early childhood programs. (TJQ)

Discusses the change in kindergarten from an emergency or welfare institution to an integral part of family life and early education. Argues that, although the nature of kindergarten has changed, the training of kindergarten teachers has not. Suggests that future kindergarten teachers be trained in teaching theory rather than just personality…

Presents an overview of the history of early childhood education (ECE) in Korea from 1897 to the present. Discusses types of early childhood institutions, the rate of attendance in kindergartens and nursery schools, the organization and content of ECE, teacher education, and prospects for the future of ECE in Korea. (BC)

Describes how standards established by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards for its Early Childhood/Generalist certification serve the purposes of accountability-driven education and can revitalize teaching and enrich teachers' work with each other. The paper examines one teacher's experiences weaving the standards through class…

Using M. Foucault's interpretation of discourse, identifies and examines two dominant discourses from New Zealand kindergarten teachers within the texts from the 1992 National Kindergarten Teachers' Collective Employment Contract Negotiations. Each discourse reveals teachers in a powerless position for negotiating wages and working conditions, but…

Presents information on the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education's requirements for a performance-based system of assessing teacher candidates and the similar requirements of NAEYC within its higher education program approval process. Presents questions to create a systematic teacher assessment plan, websites for further…

Maintains that the United States tolerates an ineffective system of early education and professional preparation. Notes challenges to the field, including insufficient teacher preparation, outdated teacher professional development approaches, ineffective use of research findings to improve early childhood programs, and failure to understand,…

Explains Taiwanese kindergarten teachers draw on traditional Chinese Confucian values when socializing children to be good students and peers. Argues that Chinese children are passive recipients of cultural information, whereas Western views have children actively using cultural information. Finds Chinese children use language practice and word…

With Government policy supporting an expansion in early years education and care, there is an increasing demand for courses in early years science for those working with very young children. Many of these practitioners have few or no formal qualifications in science. They work in a wide variety of settings including creches, playgroups, childcare…

This article profiles Toni Schweitzer, a parent who has a fantastic kindergarten program for her four-year-old twins. The program runs from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the local community school where certified teachers and early childhood educators work side by side to offer a child-centred program that covers her entire working day. The program is…

Floor time is a play-based, one-to-one approach to helping children develop relationships, language, and thinking. Developed by child psychiatrist Stanley Greenspan, floor time is helpful not only for children with special needs but also for children who are developing typically. It can be used by teachers, caregivers, and families in brief…