Akira, a 4-year-old boy, wanders into a classroom of 3-year-olds, observing the younger children. He goes over to Masaharu who is having a problem making a piece fit on a puzzle and offers him help. Masaharu succeeds and his mentor applauds his efforts. This interaction shows an older child supporting a younger child through scaffolding. Using…

In this article the author profiles Oneida Cockrell, a pioneer in the field of early childhood education. She was the founder and director of the Garden Apartments Nursery School and Kindergarten, located in the prestigious Michigan Boulevard Garden Apartments building (commonly known as the Rosenwald Apartments) in Chicago's West Hyde Park…

In this article, the author describes how placing a plastic, gazebo-style bird feeder outside the classroom windows one cold autumn morning had been a catalyst for capturing and inspiring the children's imaginations. This empowered them to explore self-directed activities that resulted in meaningful, collaborative learning for most of the school…

The central purpose of curriculum, assessment, and teaching, especially in putting them together, is to improve children's and adult's learning. Examples of this came to the author via modern communication media and are being furthered through such technology. Soon after the publication of her book "Mind in the Making" (MITM) in 2010, the author…

For many in early childhood education, STEAM is a new term. It began in this decade as STEM, an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. These curriculum areas have become a major focus in education because of the concern that the United States is falling behind in scientific innovation. With a new and familiar addition to the…

Teacher educators can learn an important lesson from strategies for teaching young children: (1) to question; (2) to practice; and (3) to reflect. These strategies lead to a more knowledgeable, supported, and empowered teacher--and ultimately an intentional one. "The hallmark of developmentally appropriate teaching is intentionality. Good teachers…

There are occasions in life when the competitive process is appropriate. But when people consider the relationships in their lives--with friends, family members, coworkers, and the larger community--they realize the value of cooperation. When adults give children the chance to cooperate, to work together toward a solution or a common goal like…

Every day, young children--around the world and in the United States--experience stress or trauma. Some children are exposed to crises such as natural disasters, community violence, abuse, neglect, and separation from or death of loved ones. These events can cause young children to feel vulnerable, worried, fearful, sad, frustrated, or lonely.…

Early childhood programs with infants and toddlers are bustling and alive in ways different from programs that have only preschoolers. Infants and toddlers can make group care environments more caring and family focused spaces, nurturing the well-being of all adults and children participating in the program. The number of infants and toddlers who…

A visitor to Peter Green Hall Children's Centre's classroom for 4- and 5-year-olds broke down in tears when she saw their teacher Bobbi with a head bald from chemotherapy. The visitor said her sister-in-law had recently died of breast cancer. In the family's desperate need to cope with the situation, their children, 4 and 6 years old, were not…

Young children learn new vocabulary with great agility and speed, but their learning is dependent on the range of words they are exposed to. Teachers can naturally facilitate children's vocabulary learning using a variety of strategies, including making conversation and posing thoughtful questions. But there is also an important role for direct…

When adults provide words for the emotions that they believe infants and toddlers are experiencing, it gives children the language to describe the feelings. Understanding one's own emotions as well as the emotions of others is called "emotional literacy" (CSEFEL 2008). Emotional literacy helps children build friendships and develop empathy--the…

Early childhood professionals develop skills and acquire knowledge in colleges and universities, but they also benefit greatly from the personal connections they make as students. Faculty members mentor and support students as they grow in their knowledge, skills, and dispositions. Student-faculty relationships give both parties opportunities to…

The author had presented a session on poetry at a children's literature conference sponsored by The Ohio State University, and afterward two teachers invited her to come to their school and read poetry. The children emailed their responses to her shortly after she spent the entire day conducting poetry reading sessions at an elementary school in…

This article describes a dilemma based on Muller's experiences working with young children, their teachers, and families. This dilemma will provide the opportunity to apply the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct, with a special emphasis on the impact of culture and beliefs on teaching practice. The 2011 reaffirmation and update of the Code stresses the…