Maintains that many early childhood educators are apt to practice nice thinking rather critical thinking when, in fact, the latter would clear their heads and inform practice. This position is supported by examples of teachers' uses of such terms as "home-school cooperation,""planning," and "curriculum." (BB)

This position statement of the Association of Teacher Educators and the National Association for the Education of Young Children offers teacher educators and policymakers guidelines for ensuring that all children from birth through eight years of age and their families have access to qualified early childhood teachers. (BB)

Provides insight into system-level changes needed to support inclusive preschool activities. Recognizes successful outcomes of inclusive programs as highly dependent on attitudes of parents and teachers. Describes a six-step process in developing successful inclusive programs in a rural Iowa community. Stresses the need for everyone affected to…

Explores assumptions teachers make when planning parent involvement strategies and barriers to family involvement that result from these assumptions. Presents two tools designed to help teachers plan and carry out successful activities by identifying family-related factors that could limit or prevent family participation and making modifications…

Describes the components of positive discipline, including giving children choices, using natural and logical consequences to teach, using follow-through to teach positive life skills, and teaching children the ability to problem solve. Notes that the goal of positive discipline is to guide children's behavior toward development of self-control…

Describes a study of the effects of violence on elementary students which used the television program Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, and found increased aggression which parents should be concerned about. Offers suggestions for parents and teachers, including taking action against violent programming, utilizing technology which bans unwanted…

Describes the development and implementation of EL Paso Community College's model Intergenerational Literacy Project, which brings Spanish-speaking parents and their children together in the classroom in an effort to improve the two groups' literacy skills in English and Spanish. (BB)

Discusses social and educational forces that are leading to the development of all-day kindergarten. Also considered are the effects of pressures on children, parents, and schools on all-day kindergartens and the constituents of developmentally appropriate practices in kindergarten. (BB)

Discusses ways in which child care administrators can effectively plan in-service staff training to insure quality child care. (BB)

Describes and illustrates a technique for using guided dramatization in intervention with special needs or at-risk children. Discusses social benefits of the technique. Maintains that the technique is useful for helping mainstreamed children socially integrate into the regular classroom. (BG)

Describes the ways in which major provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) are likely to affect child care centers and family child care homes. Keys to success with the ADA are listed. (BB)

Presents a list of techniques and principles for encouraging respect for individual differences in the nursery school. Guidelines for both speech and action are provided. (BB)

Provides highlights from the National Commission on Children's 1990 final report. Recommendations address such issues as ensuring income security, improving children's health, increasing educational achievement, preparing adolescents for adulthood, supporting families, protecting vulnerable children and their families, and making policies and…

Provides information for workers in early childhood programs about the needs of disabled mothers. Gives suggestions for accommodating mothers with various disabilities, including physical, psychiatric, sensory, cognitive, or learning disabilities. Explains that some disabilities are "hidden." Describes accessibility needs and lists…

Project REACH is a specialized 2-year training program building on the strengths and addressing the limitations of rural Missouri child care providers. The mission of the project was to improve the quality of rural child care and children's cognitive and social development by providing child care providers with local training, support,…