A study involving 83 child care providers conducted two surveys to investigate providers' self-perceived knowledge, skills, and attitudes toward working with children (and their families) who are exposed to substances, and their attitudes towards children with Down syndrome and children who are chronically ill. Results from the surveys indicated:…

Describes how "being fully in the present" by providing quality time--defined as a combination of addressing needs and providing activities--provided a better learning environment for very young children, and for teachers, the ability to appreciate the uniqueness of children. Discusses and evaluates three types of quality time. (SD)

The frame analytical approach was used to explore the frames through which nine Finnish educators in early childhood programs interpret their working situations. Findings indicated that the educators interpreted their work through five different frames: educational, caring, managing, practical, and personal. Frames provided the rules and…

After providing a brief review of three other approaches to assessment of preschool children (DSM-IV diagnoses, "Zero to Three" diagnoses, and temperament scales), this paper focuses on the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA). The empirically based assessment paradigm provides user-friendly, cost-effective, reliable,…

This guide is intended to help all caregiving adults--parents, grandparents, guardians, care providers, friends, preschool teachers, and other educators--to make the best decisions for and about young children in the early childhood years before the start of formal schooling. The guide aims to help caregivers learn how to: enhance their…

Noting that teachers and caregivers need an understanding of the fundamentals of developmentally appropriate practices in order to implement programs that meet the needs of young children, this guide serves as a practical tool for staff trainers and supervisors in early childhood education. It addresses four specific groups of early childhood…

To investigate the current status of group time in early childhood centers, a small-scale exploratory study was designed and executed. Results of interviews with 35 teachers and observations in five classrooms serving children ages 2 1/2 through kindergarten revealed that all classrooms had at least one group time or circle time, usually in the…

The purpose of this study was to describe fully day care programs, to find factors predictive of differences in programs, and to evaluate the effectiveness of day care centers. Teachers in 50 randomly selected day care centers in Los Angeles were observed for four 20-minute periods daily for 10 days. The results indicated the following points:…

This report describes a survey of instructional staff in eight School Districts of Philadelphia early childhood education programs regarding their views of staff development activities. The programs were: Child Care, Original Follow Through, Follow Through Expansion, Get Set Day Care, Kindergarten, Parent Cooperative Nurseries, Prekindergarten…

In 1996, the child care fields employed about 2.3 million workers, and opportunities in these fields are expected to grow at a faster than average rate through the year 2005. The training and qualifications required of child care workers vary widely. Each state has licensing requirements that regulate caregiver training, ranging from a high school…

Noting that teachers and caregivers need an understanding of the fundamentals of developmentally appropriate practices in order to implement programs that meet the needs of young children, this revised guide serves as a practical tool for staff trainers and supervisors in early childhood education. The guide addresses five specific groups of early…

Drawing upon research carried out in a range of early years settings in the United Kingdom, this book informs early childhood professionals about the types of early literacy and numeracy experiences appropriate for young children and how professionals from early care and education backgrounds can provide an approach to young children's learning…

The International Symposium on Early Childhood Education and Care for the 21st Century was held in Ruschlikon, Switzerland in 1999. Attending were 83 early childhood education professionals from 28 nations to develop international guidelines for the education and care of young children. This document contains shortened versions of the guidelines…

The Leadership for Collaboration training symposium, held on October 18 and 19, 1993, was intended to provide team-building, leadership, and collaborative skills to those involved and interested in the care and education of young children in the Southeastern United States. Sponsored by the SouthEastern Regional Vision for Education (SERVE), the…

A comprehensive framework for coordinated training for all levels of early childhood development personnel employed in Texas child care centers is provided in the form of charts, tables, and indexes. Following the first section's brief overview of project activities, the second section presents chart 1, a job matrix showing responsibilities of…