Describes how Rosemary Wells's new books about "Edward Unready" explain children and readiness; explores the problems with her message, and suggests new endings that are more supportive of all children. Asserts that variability in development should not be mistaken for deficit, and recommends changing the focus from judging children to…

Discusses potential problems with the current emphasis on various collaborative educational partnerships in early childhood education: (1) avoidance of more fundamental educational issues; (2) pretense that collaboration comes at no cost; and (3) diversion from the primary task. Presents examples of effective collaboration and one in which…

Discusses death education and makes suggestions for the teacher's self-development and effective communication with children such as answering questions truthfully and not denying a child's perception or reaction to death, positive use of experiences and parent-teacher cooperation. (MS)

Emphasizes that early intervention collaboration between families and service providers yields benefits for all involved. Provides tips for strengthening communication with families, focusing on building relationships with fathers. Highlights ways to support and involve fathers through program practices and policies, staff education efforts, and…

Explores the complexities of making teachers' work more visible to mothers of kindergartners, through focusing on one day's events as seen by their teacher and a university professor. Considers teachers' fear that parents will witness their mistakes and teachers' wish to maintain dominance over parents in the educational hierarchy. (KB)

Maintains that early childhood education and care teachers and workers have some hard choices to face in terms of the delivery of high quality programs. Choices concern salaries, differential staffing and salary plans, interagency and institutional cooperation, curriculum design, and research. (BB)

Suggests approaches for teachers to use during parent-teacher discussions that occur as a result of parents' or teachers' concern about young children's behavior. Provides a list of nine readings for further information. (RJC)

Discusses six types of difficult parent behaviors: antagonistic, know-it-all, complaining, negative, shy or unresponsive, and illiterate. Provides teachers with suggestions for working with parents who exhibit these behaviors. (BB)

Discusses the Step by Step Program, funded by the Open Society Institute (OSI) and operated in Eastern and Central Europe, former Soviet states, Haiti, and South Africa. Discusses OSI's belief that educating the youngest members of society in a way that encourages individualism, choice, initiative, and appreciation of differences can lead to a new…

Describes how child cooperation in an experimental nursery school contributed to the children's experience of learning and mutual, sustained concern that prevailed through frustration, fatigue, or disappointment. Discusses how children's intuition and inventive thought contributed to positive experiences. (KB)

Provides information on child abuse and how early childhood educators can help parents and their children in overcoming the trauma. Recommends two children's books on child abuse and provides a list of useful resources. (MOK)

Describes a home-based parent education component of a bilingual, bicultural preschool program which involves parents in the decision-making process concerning their child's education and has effected a language and cultural exchange between the Anglo and Spanish-speaking communities. (CS)

Argues that, because of their direct relationship with children and parents, early childhood educators and caregivers should establish a level of personal advocacy that works, in addition to local, state, and federal levels of advocacy, on behalf of social policies that are beneficial to children and families. (BB)

Reviews strategies and techniques to enhance prosocial development. Suggests ways for involving whole classrooms, entire school systems, parents, and communities in creating classroom and home climates for prosocial expectations and learner support. Gives specific activities, strategies, guidelines, and resources. (ET)

Presents a teacher's reflections on the need to know about, and talk with parents and other teachers about, the benefits of using a child development-based, whole language, thematic approach to teaching in the primary grades. (BB)