How preschool teachers and children spend their time in preschool sets the stage for child engagement and learning. To describe characteristics of environments and activities and to compare child engagement in indoor and outdoor free play, systematic observations of children and teachers were performed in 78 Swedish preschool units. Results showed…

Transitioning into child care can bring complex emotional tensions and have a lasting and powerful impact on future separations and caregiving encounters. Despite the increasing number of children in child care programmes and the complexity surrounding the phenomenon, little attention has been given to especially very young children's entry into…

Teachers are sometimes puzzled and frustrated by some children's difficulties and troubles as these children respond aggressively when feeling that peers crowd too close or seem 'threatening'. This article provides a variety of bodily games to help children become more aware of how their bodies and muscles work. The activities suggested are…

Early childhood educator's emotional socialization may contribute crucially to young children's social-emotional competence. Here, we examined the contributions of self-reported reactions to children's emotions and beliefs about emotional socialization of 90 teachers to the social-emotional competence of 334 pre-schoolers. Teacher-reported emotion…

Friedrich Froebel is well-known for the invention of kindergarten and the pioneering educational philosophy he developed in the 1800s, which respected children's self activity and women's capabilities for the role of teacher, while promoting play as the primary medium for learning. His radical ideas and principled approach to early childhood…

This empirical study examined educators' perceptions of kindergarten readiness, within the context of a larger study on the perceptions and use of the Alaska Developmental Profile, a mandated kindergarten entry assessment (KEA). The participants (n = 17) were primarily kindergarten teachers with varying years of experience. Data were collected…

This study employed the concept of teachers' sense of responsibility for students' learning to examine the extent to which the gap in math learning growth is reduced and whether such attitudes can improve children's learning outcomes to a degree that is above and beyond their expected achievement relative to their initial academic skills. Analysis…

The goal of this study is to investigate early childhood teachers' perspective of teaching foster and adopted children. The main purpose is to seek suggestions how teachers can nurture the development of foster and adopted children. A 6 question survey was sent to 44 teachers pursuing graduate studies in early childhood education. Of this 50%…

In this paper, we examine the influences of two settings--home and child care--on the development of children's speaking and listening skills before they begin formal schooling. We propose that a developmental assets approach, one that focuses on strengths of these settings, can help our understanding of the development of young children's…

Briefly reviews modes of HIV transmission and course of the disease, then focuses on its effects on children's development and learning. Describes treatments, therapies, and possible educational interventions. Challenges educators to learn more effective methods of helping these children improve their learning potential and quality of life. (EV)

Presents a brief history of early childhood education in Poland and changes occurring in the 1990s. Outlines the government's minimum standards for kindergarten education, including aspects of child development that are considered crucial, and ways in which classroom practices have become more child responsive. Discusses the roles of religion,…

Presents theoretical background for building an early childhood curriculum based on the Educare approach. Five principles are explained. They emphasize that learning drives development and that social interaction, interpersonal relationships, mutual understanding, and culture are unique in developmental processes. Concludes that teachers can have…

Defines and distinguishes three large dimensions of culture in relation to schools for young children. Introduces early childhood education's place in the Spanish educational system and the cultural contents that help children develop values and multicultural awareness. Details Spanish educational concepts and the ways in which Spanish teachers…